Someday I fear health insurance will be a thing of the past.

[CdnCarrie]

Where did I ever state that "all Canadians flee to the U.S. for heatlh care"? I simply stated that many foreigners come to the U.S. for emergency treatments instead of waiting forever in their own countries. Moreover, our privately funded care is superior than publicly funded care any day of the week. Again, I want quality affordable health care for all but I don't believe the government is the answer but rather the problem.

Sorry I shouldn't have said that. I was just tired of all the tired, old rhetoric that gets marched out about Canadian health care.

But I disagree about your care being superior.

 

[eliza61]

Sorry I shouldn't have said that. I was just tired of all the tired, old rhetoric that gets marched out about Canadian health care.

But I disagree about your care being superior.

Its not. But of course you have to define what is meant by "superior". It's one of those subjective words like "prettiest", "best"

If you are rich and can go globe trotting, I probably would still pick France, especially if you are a cancer suffering.

But more important then getting into an argument over which country is best. the bottom line is "superiority" only helps if you can afford to get/buy the the thing that is supposedly the best.

We've got tons of Ivy league colleges here that proclaim that they are the "leading" college in the nation, or the world and yet it does our youth no good because no one can afford to send their kids there.

We got tons of automakers who swear they are "superior" in safety, style, gas mileage, whatever and yet if you don't have moola to pay for it, it's not really superior for you.

So having "superior" health care in the states is like being thirsty in a life boat after you've survived a crash. Water, water every where but not a drop to drink. Kinda useless ain't it?

Ironically I used to work for a company that made one of the "best" equipment in the refinery industry, they went out of business some years ago because they priced their equipment way over what the market could bare. LOL. They thought that being the "best/superior" would bring all the customers over but bottom line, if you can't afford it generally you don't get it.

 

[Chris the CPA]

Really now. You have been running your mouth with incorrect information about regular insuling pump when I was talking about the implantable one the whole time. My neice had one implanted in Germany over 10 years ago so there is nothing inncorrect about my information. I don't care when you became a member when you try to prove yourself correct with incorrect information and putting people down by trying to belittle them by asking me to research where minnestoa is that is stiring the pot and acting like a troll.

No implantable insulin pumps have received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval
at this time. While some preliminary studies reported improved glycemic control and fewer
episodes of hypoglycemia in carefully selected patients, complications such as catheter blockage
and infection were observed. Larger, randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the
long term impact of implantable insulin pumps on diabetes management."

Originally Posted by Chris the CPA
It appears that the first implanted insulin pump was developed in Minnesota. I do believe that is in the US but please don't quote me do the research yourself.

http://theiipump.com/documents/the_developmental_history_of_the_implantable_insulin_pump.pdf

Read the above real slow and perhaps click on the link. It is an early history of the implantable pump. I am sorry if you can't admit when you are incorrect.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Very good point Eliza!

 

[twinboysmom]

Originally Posted by Chris the CPA
It appears that the first implanted insulin pump was developed in Minnesota. I do believe that is in the US but please don't quote me do the research yourself.

http://theiipump.com/documents/the_developmental_history_of_the_implantable_insulin_pump.pdf

Read the above real slow and perhaps click on the link. It is an early history of the implantable pump. I am sorry if you can't admit when you are incorrect.

It appears Medtronic has been distributing them in Europe for over 20 years. Medtronic's world headquarters is located in Minnesota. I currently work in the same area as a large teaching facility. While I was unaware that these were not approved in the US, contrary to others opinions I am aware of the difference between implanted and external and have taken care of patients with implanted pumps, albeit not many. I will ask my coworker next time I see him if he has been involved in a study between Medtronic and the teaching facility. Medtronic has done a lot of studies with teaching hospitals over the years and I wouldn't doubt this is what I have seen.

Thanks for the link Chris.

 

[Chris the CPA]

It appears Medtronic has been distributing them in Europe for over 20 years. Medtronic's world headquarters is located in Minnesota. I currently work in the same area as a large teaching facility. While I was unaware that these were not approved in the US, contrary to others opinions I am aware of the difference between implanted and external and have taken care of patients with implanted pumps, albeit not many. I will ask my coworker next time I see him if he has been involved in a study between Medtronic and the teaching facility. Medtronic has done a lot of studies with teaching hospitals over the years and I wouldn't doubt this is what I have seen.

Thanks for the link Chris.

I would love to see the FDA approve an internal pump. That sure would make life easier on a number of type 1 kids.

 

[Tink-aholic]

I posted several pages back that I work with someone who has an implantable insulin pump -- but now, I am not so sure. She's a nurse and we teach Medical Assistants, LPNs, and CNAs, so we are in and out of local teaching hospitals all of the time. Anyway, every time my coworker has a meal, she calculates the number of carbs in what she just ate and then just programs the unit to bolus insulin as necessary.

I haven't actually seen it, but she offered to show it to me (and went to lift up her sweater at the time). I told her it wasn't necessary, since we were in a very public area at the time.

Maybe she just has an external pump? Sorry if I misled anyone...

 

[twinboysmom]

I posted several pages back that I work with someone who has an implantable insulin pump -- but now, I am not so sure. She's a nurse and we teach Medical Assistants, LPNs, and CNAs, so we are in and out of local teaching hospitals all of the time. Anyway, every time my coworker has a meal, she calculates the number of carbs in what she just ate and then just programs the unit to bolus insulin as necessary.

I haven't actually seen it, but she offered to show it to me (and went to lift up her sweater at the time). I told her it wasn't necessary, since we were in a very public area at the time.

Maybe she just has an external pump? Sorry if I misled anyone...

There are several types of external pumps and I have seen some than hang on a necklace type cord but most that I have seen look like a beeper.

 

[angwill]

My husband lived in Germany and his sister and our nieces still live there. My niece has had diabetes from birth and I can tell you first hand that Germany has research going on in their country. Their doctors are excellent and not lacking either. She had an insulin pump implanted that regulates her insulin based on what her body needs and it has saved her life. She has grown and gotten married and had two children as the result of the excellent medicine in Germany. Thanks to the result of German research in this area without all the regulations there are here in America where it takes forever for the general public to be able to benefit from the discoveries. She has a much better chance of living longer there than she would have here and she is not stuck worrying about paying all those medical bills or if she can afford the latest innovations because of her income level.

Originally Posted by Chris the CPA
It appears that the first implanted insulin pump was developed in Minnesota. I do believe that is in the US but please don't quote me do the research yourself.

http://theiipump.com/documents/the_developmental_history_of_the_implantable_insulin_pump.pdf

Read the above real slow and perhaps click on the link. It is an early history of the implantable pump. I am sorry if you can't admit when you are incorrect.

Why do you keep saying I am inncorect and need to read slowly like I am some idiot? Are you saying I am inncorrect about my niece getting an insulin pump implanted in Germany? Am I inncorrect that they have done research on this in Germany? Why are you questioning Minnesota being in the US?

I don't know what you are trying to prove but your condecending manner toward me has gotten really old and I would appreciate it if you stop.

 

[Bonnie151]

Maybe she just has an external pump? Sorry if I misled anyone...

It's probably an external pump, but a few of us were head scratching until it was clear we were debating two entirely different products. . As far as I can tell, Medtronic pulled out of testing the implanted insulin pump in the US in 2007 and all of the trial participants at that time had to have their pump removed because the insulin used for it is not available in the US. A small handful kept their pumps and now travel 3-4 times a year to France for their insulin.

Medtronic is now focusing on the next development, semi-closed loop systems which are currently available in Europe, but again are not yet approved in the US.

ETA: Which is not me trying to say, "Oooh lookie, we have all of these new advancements that the US doesn't!". There's obviously drugs available in the US that aren't available over here- it does go both ways. In some cases it's a cost/benefit or benefit/side effects decision - e.g. when my mother moved over here she was considered overmedicated by UK doctors becuse she had a number of prescriptions which would not have been prescribed over here, including one (some eye drops whch are preventative for some sort of eye cancer) which is not licensed in the UK because the benefit is deemed to be little while the side effects are great. So she's now off these drugs and is no longer experiencing some of the side effects (unfortunately the eye drops left her with dry eyes). There's no right or wrong, it's just a different approach.

As another example, the criteria for diagnosing ADHD are more stringent here so you are less likely to be prescribed drugs for the condition (as in fewer are diagnosed so fewer are on drugs, not that those diagnosed are less likely to get prescriptions)- some would probably say that is a good thing while others might argue that there are children who should be diagnosed but haven't been.

 

[Bonnie151]

Why do you keep saying I am inncorect and need to read slowly like I am some idiot? Are you saying I am inncorrect about my niece getting an insulin pump implanted in Germany? Am I inncorrect that they have done research on this in Germany? Why are you questioning Minnesota being in the US?

I don't know what you are trying to prove but your condecending manner toward me has gotten really old and I would appreciate it if you stop.

I'm assuming he's trying to argue that if the pump hadn't been invented in Minnesota then your niece in Germany wouldn't have been able to get one. Personally I'd argue that it's a cross-border development given that the insulin used was developed/produced by a French company in France and without one, you wouldn't have the other. However, I think many medical advancements should get global credit given the numbers of countries carrying out research/developing products in parallel.

 

[Chris the CPA]

Why do you keep saying I am inncorect and need to read slowly like I am some idiot? Are you saying I am inncorrect about my niece getting an insulin pump implanted in Germany? Am I inncorrect that they have done research on this in Germany? Why are you questioning Minnesota being in the US?

I don't know what you are trying to prove but your condecending manner toward me has gotten really old and I would appreciate it if you stop.

Because you have called me a troll and a liar. You said I was wrong about the profits that finance multinational corporations healthcare innovations, you said I was not talking about implantable pumps and you said I was wrong that the pump was invented in Minnesota. If you want to disagree with someone and you are proved wrong step up and admit it. Stop acting like you are a victim of some clandestine assault.

 

[angwill]

Because you have called me a troll and a liar. You said I was wrong about the profits that finance multinational corporations healthcare innovations, you said I was not talking about implantable pumps and you said I was wrong that the pump was invented in Minnesota. If you want to disagree with someone and you are proved wrong step up and admit it. Stop acting like you are a victim of some clandestine assault.

I have said you are acting like a troll and a pot stirer. If you felt like a liar that is your issue don't pull me into it.

I never even saw you post anything about profits of any type. I simply told you I was talking of implantable pumps after you accused me of running my mouth about something I knew nothing about. I never said you were wrong about where it was invented and never talked of where it was invented. Personally, I don't care where it was invented or where the profits are.

All I know or care is that my niece in Germany is healthy and happy because of her implantable insulin pump. I also know that she paid nothing for it because of the way healthcare is provided in her country. There is nothing to be proved wrong or admit wrong doing in that.

Why are you seeing things where there are none? I didn't run my mouth I shared my experience. I am not slow, I know where minnesota is and I don't have to read slowly to comprehend yet you have accused me of both.

Why are you so set on proving people wrong about things they have experienced or have opinions on? Is that making you feel better to try and prove you are superior and smarter than others? In my opinion, you are looking way too much into things and looking for reasons to make yourself feel intelligent by belittling others.

I am pretening nothing just asking someone who is hiding behind their computer trying to belittle me to stop. Is that really so hard for you? There is nothing to be won in discussions on a message board.