Metformin is prescribed for the vast majority of Type 2 patients. However, it typically stops working and additional drugs need to be added to the mix to help the patients keep their blood sugar under control. People with Type 2 diabetes produce the insulin, the hormone that regulates sugar levels in the blood, but don’t use it efficiently. Many need to take medicine to help control their sugar levels.

With patients taking Metformin within three months of diagnosis, the drug failed at a rate of 12% per year, according to the study. For those that began taking it one to two years after diagnosis, the drug failed at a rate 21.4%. Researchers say they believe the reason for the discrepancy is that by taking the drug early on patients are able to preserve some of their own body’s ability to control blood sugar levels.

Researchers say the study is important because it can help patients with Type 2 diabetes avoid paying extra for additional medications and can help them avoid some of the added risks and complications, such as weight gain, associated with some additional drugs.

However, one of the biggest barriers for doctors and patients is that many people living with Type 2 diabetes don’t know they have the disease until some of the complications have started to kick in.

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From the moment we met her, my daughter always had to have a drink in her hand.  Wow, if you didn’t know I was writing about a now six-year-old, that could be a very worrisome statement indeed.  However, I’m speaking not of alcohol but rather about a baby who started off as fussy and desperate until we taught her some basic words in sign language and then she made the sign for water or milk…ALL THE TIME.  So I did what any self-respecting person with Type 1 diabetes would do. I asked her pediatrician to test her blood sugar.

The doctor did what any self-respecting doctor would do when a child’s mother hears hoof-beats and assumes it’s a zebra. She looked at me like I was crazy. Then I told her I had diabetes and her face softened and she said, “but it says in her chart that your daughter is adopted…?”

It’s true, she is. When my (at the time) boyfriend and I talked about our future and the idea of one day starting a family, I explained that if we chose to have children, I didn’t want to give birth. I felt strongly that there were too many kids in this world that needed a home for me to endanger my health and the baby’s health by enduring a pregnancy and subsequent childbirth. I knew I’d worry constantly about that baby developing Type 1 diabetes and would never forgive myself if it happened. I didn’t want to pass on my “defective genes.” (When to Worry About Your Kids Getting Diabetes Too)

It was a decision that was relatively easy for me. At the time I happened to know two families where the wife (in one) and the husband (in the other) had Type 1 diabetes. In the one family, both of their two children also have the disease. In the other, one of the three has diabetes and they are pretty sure their oldest, in college, was about to be diagnosed.  While I knew that these examples were very rare, I just didn’t want to even chance it.  It didn’t matter to me if my child and I shared the same DNA. And like everyone else, I had seen Steel Magnolias…

When my boyfriend turned into my fiancé and then husband, he remained very supportive of this decision. He was the one who came to me after we’d been married for two years and said, “I’m ready to adopt.”

Together we embarked upon an incredible journey – the details of which, in the interest of brevity, I’ll save for another day. We started to tell people that we were going to adopt. My endocrinologist quite literally applauded the decision. Our friends were excited and full of questions.  We took my family out to dinner to make our announcement.  When I finally told my parents what we were planning, I thought I noticed tears in my mother’s eyes. I worried that I had disappointed her. My sister told me later that my mother thought we were going to announce that we were pregnant and it was relief and not disappointment that made my mother cry.

Our daughter entered our home at 10 months old and everyone marveled at how she looked just like my husband. I learned that her laugh could make my heart soar and her tears make it plummet, and that it didn’t matter where she came from or who her birth parents were – I still worried.

Her pediatrician explained to me on that day so long ago now, that my child was putting on weight, happy and hale and probably NOT diabetic. To this day, my child still is never overly far from a glass of water and there’s probably two on her nightstand as I type. It is just the way she is. It’s still possible that she could develop diabetes, we don’t know too much about her medical history and wouldn’t THAT just be the definition of irony?  If that day does happen though, at least we know what to do. In the meantime, I will continue to worry just like any other mother, and try to keep myself from pricking her finger while she sleeps….

(Each of the Expert columns are based on the experiences and knowledge of the individual columnists. The columns are meant to provide you with helpful information, but are not meant to be considered direct advice. Before making any decisions that could affect your health, make sure to contact a physician or the appropriate medical professional.)

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A study of nearly 70,000 women found that those drinking coffee at lunch reduced their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by a third. The results help true for both decaf and caffeinated coffee, both with sugar and without it. Those drinking it at other times during the day showed no reduced risk. The findings only applied to those drinking coffee without milk.

Researchers hypothesize that the lunchtime-effect may have to do with timing, but also may relate to the types of foods people eat during lunchtime.

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Freeman, 20, was diagnosed with diabetes shortly after he was rushed to the emergency room last Monday. Doctors said it could take up to a month to determine whether Freeman has Type 1 diabetes or Type 2 diabetes. The 6-foot-4 guard rejoined his team for practice on Wednesday, but it was unclear at the time when he would return to games.

People with Type 1 diabetes do not produce the insulin, the hormone that regulates the amount of sugar in the blood. They must inject insulin several times a day to regulate their blood sugar. People with Type 2 diabetes produce insulin, but their body does not use it efficiently. Some people with Type 2 can put their diabetes in check with diet and exercise, but most need medication to help control their sugar levels. With both types, it is important to keep blood sugar levels under control to avoid some dangerous short-term and long-term complications.

In the game against Cincinnati, Freeman made 8 of his 15 shots, scoring 24 points, including four 3-pointers. Freeman, who scored the team’s first points on a layup, played 30 minutes, just four minutes shy of his average of 34 minutes.

The team and fans alike celebrated Freeman on Sunday. He was given a standing ovation when coach John Thompson III presented Freeman with a game ball in recognition of the junior’s 1,000^th career point, which he scored a few games earlier. He was also given an ovation when it was announced Freeman would be starting the game.

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Freeman, 20, received the diagnosis shortly after he was rushed to the emergency room on Monday. The 6-foot-4 guard rejoined his team for practice on Wednesday. Right now Freeman is considered “day-to-day” and it is unclear whether he will return for the teams final regular season game against Cincinnati or the start of the Big East tournament in New York on Tuesday.

Stephen Clement, head of the Diabetes Center at Georgetown University Hospital said it may take as long as a month to determine whether Freeman has Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and how best to treat him. People with Type 1 diabetes do not produce the insulin, the hormone that regulates the amount of sugar in the blood. They must inject insulin several times a day to regulate their blood sugar. People with Type 2 diabetes produce insulin, but their body does not use it efficiently. Some people with Type 2 can put their diabetes in check with diet and exercise, but most need medication to help control their sugar levels. With both types, it is important to keep blood sugar levels under control to avoid some dangerous short-term and long-term complications.

Many accomplished athletes have competed at the highest level of their sports while suffering from diabetes, according to a separate column in the Washington Post. Most recently cross-country skier Kris Freeman competed at the Olympic Games in Vancouver. Baseball Hall of Famer and all-around bad guy Ty Cobb, boxer Joe Frazier, tennis legend Arthur Ashe and hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke of the Flyers all played with diabetes.

Jay Cutler, quarterback of the Chicago Bears, Adam Morrison of the NBA’s Lakers, and Brandon Morrow, a pitcher with the Toronto Blue Jays all have diabetes.

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In this role, Wilkins hopes to reach even more people affected by the diabetes epidemic through educational and awareness efforts. Type 2 diabetes, the more common form of the disease is growing at a rapid pace. People with Type 2 diabetes produce the blood-sugar regulating hormone insulin, but the body doesn’t use it efficiently. High levels of sugar in the blood can lead to many dangerous long-term complications from the disease, such as heart attack, blindness, stroke and even amputations.  

Wilkins, a type 2 diabetic is honored by the recognition and eager to broaden his role in educating the community on diabetes including symptoms, living a full life with this disease and how diet and exercise are the best prevention.

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The county’s counsel said the company’s “malfeasance” has caused needless suffering to many of its residents as well as cost patients, insurers and the government millions of dollars. Specifically, the county said it spent $2 million to provide the drug to patients in its hospitals over an eight year period ending in 2007. The lawsuit is seeking triple damages.

The drug has made news recently over its possible link to heart attacks and a potential cover-up of research suggesting such a link. Last month the U.S. Senate released a report charging that the company withheld information about the drug from the Food & Drug Administration, the agency charged with approving the drug.

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In fact, study participants saying they nap four to six times a week were 36% more likely to have diabetes. Those that report napping daily were 28% more likely. The researchers from the University of Birmingham say it is more likely that the napping ups the risk of diabetes rather than it being s symptom of the disease. However, they note that more study is needed.

People with Type 2 diabetes produce insulin, the hormone that regulates sugar in the blood, but their body does not use it efficiently, causing blood sugar levels to rise. Lifestyle and diet modifications can often help bring blood sugar under control, but many Type 2 diabetics need to take medication or insulin to help keep their sugar under control and stave off some of the disease’s devastating complications.

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The food, which is leftovers purchased by the USDA, consists of low-grade, high fat, meats and cheeses. The foods, which are high in starch, contribute to obesity. The exact cause of Type 2 diabetes is not currently known, but researcher know there is a link between obesity and the disease.

Another article from the Washington Examiner on the topic pointed to an op-ed in the New York Times from last year that pointed out the National School Lunch Program, which was launched in 1946, should be redesigned to help make kids healthier. Instead, the meals values at as little as 20 cents each, include lots of processed foods such as chicken nuggets and pizza.

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1 – What Are the Main Concerns About the Drug?

A 2007 analysis found that people taking Avandia had a higher risk of heart attack. However, a study sponsored by the drug’s maker, GlaxoSmithKline found the drug upped the risk of heart failure in some, but found no risk of heart attack. A third study found that older people taking the drug had a higher risk of death and heart failure than those taking Actos, a similar drug. However, with conflicting conclusions, there are no definitive answers yet.

2 – What Should Patients Taking the Drug Do Next?

Concerned patients should consult a physician and ask about potentially switching to another drug. Report any side-effects being experienced to the FDA.   

3 – Should Patients Discontinue the Drug Immediately?

No. Talk to your doctor first, the article says. That’s because the complications associated with uncontrolled diabetes can be extremely harmful. Those who stop taking the drug without having an alternative may be doing more harm than good.

4 – What Alternatives Do Patients Have?

Actos is I the same drug class as Avandia and experts say it works in a similar way.

5 – When Will There Be a Definitive Answer on Avandia?

The FDA is reviewing information on the drug’s safety. It will hold a public meeting when the review is done. The agency expects that meeting to be in July. It will detail what it knows about the drug at that time.

6 – Should Patients Taking the Drug Get Their Heart Examined?

Since people with diabetes already carry a greater risk of heart attack, it is important to know your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

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