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Advocate for Afrezza

Afrezza Confirmed by Doc–It is the “Real Deal” already!

 

This past week I went for my first doctors visit since going on Afrezza. I noticed that 2 weeks into my treatment that my requirements for insulin dropped significantly even as a type 1 . The only explanation I had is that I was more insulin sensitive. From my own research I have learned that any abnormal levels of sugar can build up insulin resistance in type 1 and type 2. For someone who has had horrible A1C readings it can definitely cause insulin resistance. On my trials I dropped my A1c to 6.8 and finished at 7.1 from a start of 8.5. An A1c of 6.8 is definitely “diabetic” so I really did not notice anything drastic about my insulin use dropping my A1c levels to around 7 on my trials. As I mentioned before we were held back and limited in dosing and in what we could do for our insulin use which does not match a true “real world” experience. When I take Afrezza, I can easily and painlessly take an initial dose and then a follow up dose later and visually  see the “control” and where my sugars will land, and the control seems to last for hours and hours. This is something completely counterintuitive to anyone who is taking injectable insulin where the name of that game is the half-court “one-shot” deal and it typically means spending the next few hours hoping you hit it about right–and then seeing the shot didn’t make it far enough or it went over the backboard (at least for me)–and I think that’s why so many people get “hung-up” on the exact # of units of injectable insulin needed to reach the basketball hoop when that is not the case with Afrezza. My experience on Afrezza is that the ball knows where to go, and I only have to gently guide it there and I can adjust it along the way–and the “inhalation” which is barely noticeable goes as expected and that the result is quick and predictable—yes very different, it’s a “whole new game” and something you will have to experience for yourself!

How does that contrast with how Afrezza works? Since I had 6 months of experience I was off to a great start from day 1. I was running average blood sugars of of around 125 the first week and 112 the 2nd week. Those readings include large meals (and snacking) and are truly non-diabetic numbers. In the 2nd week i noticed that my requirements for insulin went down not only on my Afrezza but with Lantus as well. The only explanation was an insulin resistance reversal.

At the doctors office Dr. Bode examined my data and numbers and said the word “unbelievable ” eight times. Here is some of the data discussed:

30 day average blood sugar 112 mg which would equal to an A1C of 5.52
18 day average blood sugar 103 mg which would equal to an A1C of 5.21
5  day average blood sugar 95 mg  which would equal to an A1C of  4.9

Time in range
70-130 mg  75%
60-140 mg  86%
50-150 mg  96%

Those results are certainly incredible. The dexcom CGM takes a measure of my glucose every 5 minutes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The readings are stored and they cannot be altered or deleted or changed. The data is downloaded at the doctor’s office where they can examine and get an exact picture of what is going on with my blood sugars. Now I am running what equals to a non diabetic blood sugar level–hence “unbelievable”. The difference between a 7 A1c and a 5.5 A1c is the” night vs. day” or “diabetic vs. non-diabetic” reality and it’s proof that my body has been responding very well to Afrezza without all the higher toxic blood sugars running through it. To me, this is earth-shattering, not only for my treatment, but also for diabetics everywhere trying to control their glucose levels.

So how does this all make me feel? Well, I finally feel like I have a new future ahead of me. Not one filled with diabetes complications, rollercoaster rides and babysitting all day,  but a future with less worry, less uncertainty and more freedom.

There have been numerous people that have been able to duplicate my success – one is Brian Sharp who is/was doing that without a continuous glucose monitor.  A CGM is certainly not necessary for outstanding results but it  makes things much easier for a type 1 diabetic.  Another Afrezza user is Jackie from Buffalo, NY and she is  having the same life changing experience that I did when I first started in 2012! John George who goes by Afrezza Spiro is a type 2 diabetic also experiencing great results. His fasting blood sugars have dropped into non-diabetic ranges as well. His last 5 days he has recorded 99, 106,94,100,and 93 fasting blood sugar levels. Is this just some sort of great “once in a lifetime” coincidence that we are all approaching non-diabetic numbers-I think not.

I have attached the response from Dr. Bruce Bode who received an email from a Kyle Daniels who is a type 1 Diabetic asking about the comments I made on twitter about how my insulin resistance has been reversed.  I have included Dr. Bodes response which speaks for itself.

Here is the profoundly simple email that I believe will mark a new diabetes treatment paradigm shift as doctors and diabetics understand and know more about Afrezza. No longer will we have to take “half-court” shots and hope for the best.  If it worked for me, I can only imagine how well it will perform for diabetics with A1C’s less than 10 (my previous embarrassing # before starting on Afrezza)!

 

From: Kyle Daniels
Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 at 12:13 AM
To: Bruce Bode
Subject: Re: Afrezza

Dear Dr. Bode,

I just finished read Sim Finta’s twitter account and he mentions that his built-up insulin resistance has been reversed. He has been back on Afrezza for 2 weeks and stated that this was confirmed at his Doctors appointment.

Is this true? How can this be possible for a Type 1 diabetic? I have never heard of something like this being one myself. Is Afrezza really the real deal?

Thank you!
Kyle.

———————————————————————————–

From: “Bruce Bode”

Date: Mar 12, 2015 12:22 AM
Subject: Re: Afrezza
To: “Kyle Daniels” (and several others)

Glucose and lipotoxicity occurs regardless of the type of diabetes; glucose does not know if the patient is type 1 or type 2. High Glucose and High FFA and other factors impair insulin action as well as insulin release.

We see this phenomena all the time in new onset type 1 diabetes; They go into a honeymoon upon treatment of insulin due to breaking both glucose and lipo toxicity. This may last months or longer.

Sam’s A1c was above 10% with marked variability with now a mean glucose of 95 mg/dl with a SD <35; Amazing; his C-peptide was < 0.3 checked last month. Afrezza is the real deal for individuals like Sam who failed on MDI and are motivated to improve their control. Afrezza allows him to be aggressive with pre meal insulin with low risk of hypoglycemia.

Bruce

Bruce W. Bode, MD FACE

 

The sentence that stood out to me–AFREZZA IS THE REAL DEAL. Well said Dr. Bode! I believed that when on the trials years ago and posting online, and I feel even stronger about it today as I have “figured out” how it best works for me in real life. Lastly, I wanted to stress for new Afrezza users that as with any new insulin treatment it can take a little time for the body to get used to the new process, and I have received the most questions about this on my website–so let me tell you what I do and perhaps it will help the way you “dial it in”–here goes:

The biggest difference for myself as a type 1 is that I usually take a follow up dose 1-2 hours after a meal depending upon where my sugars are. I am not too worried to get it exactly right on a meal as long as I check my sugar 1 hour after the meal and know where it is heading. Looking at my results so far I am happy with what I found the best way to proceed with my treatment. I do check regularly to make sure I nip any post meal rises “in the bud” depending upon my carb intake. It is no different than checking your sugar on injectables 2 to 3 hours later except the difference is that with Afrezza the peak time is so quick that I dont have to wait 2-4 hours to take another injection or stack insulin guessing where I will land 3 to 4 hours from now. In a way it’s like doing a couple easy “layups” instead of the long shot. I have always said Afrezza is a “real-time” insulin as it mimics the speed of the pancreas. As Dr Bode quoted to me a few weeks ago describing why our fasting blood sugars are so good while taking Afrezza (ie. I wake up most mornings with fasting sugars of 75-85):

Dr. Bode: “I think you have normalized your glucose which improves insulin sensitivity. Afrezza also delivers first phase insulin, meaning insulin in the first 15 minutes of delivery which in turn suppresses hepatic glucose production lowering fasting glucose in the am and also post meal glucose”.

Hope this article is encouraging to everyone using or considering Afrezza! And Kyle, many thanks to you as you seek to improve your treatment results and I hope you have even greater success on Afrezza–it’s the real deal.

19 Comments

  • Reply Gabriel L. |

    Thank you for your diligence in posting these truly “Amazing” results Sam. It truly appears as if we are seeing a major paradigm shift in the way diabetes is understood and ultimately treated. Afrezza appears to be a clear disruptor in this space, and will hopefully benefit millions of diabetics worldwide. Best of luck to you..

  • Reply johnhindepost |

    Sam, thank you for this comprehensive update summary on your Afrezza experience over the first month since the restart of Afrezza treatment as a Phase 3 Clinical Trial patient. The results are spectacular which is very encouraging for Type 1 and Type 2 patients who actively seek to achieve better control of high blood sugar levels, under more benign conditions of triggering Hypos. Sam’s results and others reported in this summary should generate much interest across the wider diabetes patient advocacy groups, consultants and at the local GP offices. Sam, thank you for sharing your daily Afrezza experience and CGM readings with us all.

  • Reply atif |

    Millions and millions indeed. Need to get it for my mom in the middle East.. Hope we enter that market soon

  • Reply David |

    WOW! So 4 patients are not enough to be a trend for all but are others having these kinds of results too? How is this even possible and why and really less low sugars, seriously? If this is all real then it is game changing. I see you used to use Novolog but you don’t use it at all anymore is that right and it looks like you don’t have lows, were you nervous when you started Afrezza that it seemed too good to be true and how did you get comfortable to trust that you would no longer have lows, did / do you sleep with one eye open?

    • Reply Sam Finta |

      There are a lot more patients that are having great results I do not use Novolog and use to sleep with one eye open while on it. I do not worry about nighttime severe lows anymore while on Afrezza. There is a difference between lows and severe lows. Severe lows can kill a diabetic and I have not had any since being on Afrezza. Afrezza is still an insulin so you can’t just be careless thinking that you will not have a severe low no matter what you do.

      Before my trials 2 years ago it was hard to believe what I read about Afrezza. I was a believer after day 1 on my trials. I was comfortable with Afrezza because I ran my own tests right away to know exactly how much my sugar dropped with various doses using finger pricks every 2 minutes for several hours. I was not nervous as Afrezza has already been tested for many years.

  • Reply Eric Weinstein |

    Congratulations on your success and new freedom. It’s all very exciting for diabetics. Thank you for getting the word out there.

  • Reply Sheldon Cohen |

    Terrific results. Great article it has really increased my understanding of Diabetes and how Afrezza works. I am going to send the link to any diabetic I meet. See you In Danbury.

  • Reply Arun |

    Amazing narrative, Sam! You are a real Champion of Champions for the Diabetic cause!
    Thanks for all that you are doing.
    One question about Dr Bode’s email. It is about the implications of wordings in second paragraph of the email. What does Dr Bode imply when he says -“they go into honeymoon” and “this may last months or longer”. What happens when the honeymoon period is over? What is the significance of the word “may”…is he suggesting the future duration of the results persisting is uncertain?
    May be I have misread the context of these two sentences in Dr Bode’ email .
    Again, congrats over the blessing that you have received in the form of Afrezza!

    • Reply Sam Finta |

      I am attaching a link that explain the honeymoon phase.

      http://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose/honeymoon-phase.html

      Honeymoon Phase
      During the Honeymoon Phase, the pancreas is still able to produce significant amounts of insulin
      The Honeymoon Phase (or Honeymoon Period) amongst people with type 1 diabetes refers to the period of time shortly following diabetes diagnosis when the pancreas is still able to produce a significant enough amount of insulin to reduce insulin needs and aid blood glucose control.

      This does not, unfortunately, indicate that the diabetes is in remission or can be cured.

      How is the honeymoon period caused?

      Type 1 diabetes develops because the body begins to kill off its own insulin producing cells – know as islet cells.

      When a patient starts on insulin injections, the pancreas is under less pressure to produce insulin.

      This period of rest, afforded by the injections, stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin from the remaining beta cells.

      However, after a period of months, the vast majority of these remaining beta cells will also be destroyed, and the honeymoon period ends when the pancreas stops producing sufficient insulin to aid blood glucose control any more.

      What happens during the honeymoon phase?

      During the honeymoon phase, blood sugar levels are generally easier to control as the body still has some ability to help itself.

      Blood glucose levels may even return to normal levels during the honeymoon phase.

      Insulin doses may therefore need to be re-adjusted during this period and it is essential to communicate with your healthcare professional during this time.

      Can I stop taking insulin during the honeymoon period?

      A balance needs to be found between not taking too much insulin, and risking hypoglycemia, but also ensuring your body is not at risk of high blood glucose levels and the possibility of diabetic ketoacidosis.

      For this reason, you’ll need to discuss closely with your doctor the insulin doses you take.

      How long does the honeymoon period last?

      There is no hard and fast rule for how long the honeymoon phase lasts amongst people with type 1 diabetes. The diabetes honeymoon phase can last for weeks, months or in some cases years.

  • Reply anthony marinelli |

    Sam this is great news for you and for all diabetics. This message and the comments by the esteemed Dr Bode are fabulous and beyond the best of
    expectations. Continued good health and long and better life for you ad all diabetics!

    all the best

  • Reply Soupa |

    Your experience truly helps me understand diabetes. Your info is life saving……THANKS!

  • Reply Baja Bev |

    That is fabulous news! I passed your website along to Gabriel Iglesias (Fluffy) who I just discovered in a diabetic.

  • Reply Kirk |

    Sam, do you think the fact that you exercise a lot may have allowed you to get such great numbers in such a short amount of time and maintain them as long as you have between treatments with Afrezza? I wonder if you have been communicating with others who are on Afrezza but do not exercise consistently(or not at all) and are they getting the same or similar results?

    • Reply Sam Finta |

      Everyone should exercise even if you do not have diabetes. I have always had an active lifestyle no matter what insulin I have been on so my current exercise regimen would not affect my results.

  • Reply Dale DiPietro |

    Sam Thanks for sharing this experience. I hope many more diabetics will experience similar life-changing success in controlling their blood sugar and improving their lives. I’m not a diabetic, but I have a few friend who are, and I’ve told them all to ask their doctors about this paradigm changing insulin and delivery device.

  • Reply Eric |

    just outstanding. thanks for being an “ambassador”. wishing you and family the best!

  • Reply Alamo |

    Excellent article followed by equally excellent comments so thanks to all participants.

    Important takeaways here for me were: 1) the prescription modeling which is slowly but surely catching on…I liked the comment that compared the slow roll out with the first landing craft hitting the Normandy beach head…those brave souls were few, but there were many thousands behind them! 2) the prescription costs involved were not only lower, but significantly so. Health care insurers if they are minding their stores, surely will support any product that a) achieves superior results b) ease of administration c) fewer anticipated hypo events that can cause costly ER trips and is c) less expensive than the various injected insulin therapies. The suggested comment of a potential annual healthcare cost saving PER PATIENT of $7800 is enormously positive.

    Afrezza is an incredible advance in medical science and I for one, am glad to be long MNKD,

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