The Sticky Truth About Diabetes Device Adhesives is a GREAT article by Mike Hoskins for DiabetesMine.com, 25 May 2021.  

Anyone who’s worn a diabetes device stuck to their body knows that some type of skin issues with the adhesives are pretty much inevitable. The struggle is real for people with diabetes (PWDs).  While many life hacks exist as a way around these issues, it doesn’t eliminate the challenges — especially for those who develop a skin reaction to a particular ingredient in the adhesive paired with their chosen diabetes device, like latex for example. 

But it’s a real concern for PWDs, because it can sometimes translate into not being able to use an insulin pump or continuous glucose monitor (CGM) — devices that could otherwise reshape diabetes management and their quality of life with this condition.

In 2018, a team of healthcare professionals including diabetes care and education specialists (DCES) recognized the problem in a research article on “Preserving Skin Integrity with Chronic Device Use in Diabetes.”  “With the increasing use of these devices, dermatological concerns are becoming more common in people with diabetes. Skin issues are frequently reported to endocrinologists and diabetes educators in clinical practice, and are a persistent topic in diabetes support groups and social media websites. Few resources are available, however, to guide clinicians on how to comprehensively assess, prevent, and treat skin conditions associated with diabetes device usage,” the authors wrote.

Manufactures keep close to their chest when it comes to data about customer service calls relating to adhesives or skin issues. And skimming through “adverse event reports” kept by the FDA to find data can be quite complicated and fruitless, given the complexity of the database.  Some researchers have found that at least 35 percent of diabetes device users experience intermittent skin problems due to irritation from sweating, occlusion and so on under the adhesive.

 “The problem will appear as long as things will stick on the skin for more days… Still, there is no transparency about components, and the factories — especially in the USA — do not want to hear too much about the problem,” according to Dr. Stefanie Kamann, a dermatologist and allergist in Germany, whose son lives with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and experiences these adhesive woes personally.

The article concludes with some solutions and where to find help, including

• • medical adhesive wipes and tapes
  • Dexcom’s page discussing the issues
  • Abbott’s special guide for adhesive problems
  • FB group called Dexcom and Libre Rashes (https://www.facebook.com/groups/393137240837215)
  • and much more

Read all this amazing article:  The Sticky Truth About Diabetes Device Adhesives

Anubis – the G6 Reborn was discussed by David Burren on BionicWookiee.com, 2 April 2021.  

In exciting news, Project Anubis has been announced. It is a modification to the Dexcom G6 “Firefly” CGM transmitter that gives a bunch of things that I personally see as advantages over new units.

• • User-replaceable battery (larger capacity than original). Unlike with re-batteried G5 transmitters, no fancy epoxy sealing is required. A tiny packet of Sugru/Kintsuglue can be carried with a spare battery, and even on extended travel away from civilization can be easily replaced without fancy tools (with a waterproof seal when you’re done).
  • 180-day transmitter expiration. To cope with the larger battery capacity, the transmitter no longer stops after 100/110 days.
  • After replacing the battery, the unit automatically resets to day 0 and enters deep sleep, not chewing battery until inserted into a sensor.
  • For users of xDrip+, xDrip4iOS, Spike, etc the transmitter again sends raw data as well as the “cooked”/”Native” calibrated data. Just like the original G6 units.
  • No sensor restart detection. To extend the use of a sensor past 10 days no longer requires removing the transmitter or jamming BG strips into awkward positions, and praying you’d held your mouth right. They should be as easily restarted as G5 sensors.

Read more:  Anubis – the G6 reborn!

What are the benefits of shirataki noodles? by Jon Johnson for MedicalNewsToday.com, 20 May 2021.  

 Shirataki noodles are long, white noodles that consist of a type of starch known as glucomannan. The body does not digest this starch, making shirataki noodles very low in calories and carbohydrates.  Shirataki noodles are a popular part of Japanese cuisine. However, because of their nutritional properties and versatility, they have gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly among those who follow low carbohydrate diets.

Shirataki noodles consist of water and starch from the roots of the konjac plant, which is a type of yam. Other names for these noodles include “konjac noodles” or “miracle noodles.”  Manufacturers make shirataki noodles by extracting starch from konjac roots. They then use this starch to create a block, known as “konnyaku.”  People can eat konnyaku on its own as a meat substitute, or use it to create different shapes. Konjac starch is gelatinous and clings to itself, which makes it ideal for forming into noodles.

Shirataki noodles are unique because of the starch they contain: glucomannan. In the digestive system, glucomannan acts like a dietary fiber, which means the body does not break it down to use as energy.  This makes shirataki noodles extremely low in calories and carbohydrates, as they provide little energy.

• • Benefits include:
  • No wheat, gluten or egg
  • Low carb, low calorie = feeling full and weight loss
  • Low glycemic index = don’t cause a BG spike
  • May lower cholesterol by prompting the liver to release bile
  • May act as prebiotic

I actually really like these noodles.  They DO NOT act like regular wheat pasta … but when mixed with veggies and/or protein, I think they work great!

Read more:  The benefits of shirataki noodles

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