Device changed my life; Diabetic used to inject four times a day.

Byline: Sara Nichol

A REVOLUTIONARY treatment for diabetes has transformed the life of a long-time sufferer of the condition.

Graham Thompson, who has chronic diabetes, was put on a new insulin pump three-months-ago. Before that, the 37-year-old had to take insulin injections four times a day and closely watch what he ate and drank.

But, after one of many trips to his doctor, Mr Thompson was put on the pump - called a Paradigm Veo - and now only needs a needle once every two days.

The machine was developed by North East doctor James Shaw, a senior lecturer and diabetes consultant at Newcastle University, and is the size of a pager that attaches to Mr Thompson's belt.

The pump automatically stops the flow of insulin to the body if blood sugar levels fall too low. It is designed to help prevent hypoglycaemic attacks - commonly known as "hypos" - which can leave diabetics in a coma and can prove fatal.

Manufacturer Medtronic said patients take glucose readings from the device's monitor, supplemented with occasional pin prick blood tests, to work out their blood sugar levels.

They then programme the pump to deliver the right amount of insulin and input a "threshold" below which their blood sugar levels must not fall.

Mr Thompson, of Cramlington, said: "It really has changed my life - it's amazing.

"About three-months-ago, I was talking to my general consultant. I have a lot of other health problems and, out of all of them, I told the doctor that it was my diabetes I wished I didn't have the most.

"I think she was a bit shocked by that and it was then she told me about the new insulin pump and put my name forward for it.

"It is really expensive, more than pounds 2,000, and I had to get funding but it's just been amazing. It is attached to my stomach and I have to change it once a every two days.

"I can now eat what I want - cakes and everything - at whatever time I want. The only thing I still have to steer clear of is sugary drinks.

"In the past, I have always had to eat at certain times and watch very closely what I do eat, but that's changed. I'm not as tired all the time and I just feel better in myself."

Graham's mum Veronica added: "I've seen a huge change in him - it's been brilliant to see.

"It took about a month for him to really feel the effects. At first, he had the nurse come out and then, after about a month, he really got to grips with it."

The pump, which is not yet available on the NHS and costs around pounds 2,850, is only suitable for people with Type 1 diabetes, which affects around 300,000 people in the UK.

This latest technology is thought to be the next step to creating an artificial pancreas.

At the time of the research trials, Dr Shaw said: "This new device enables the first steps towards 'closing the loop', whereby detection of dangerously low glucose levels by the sensor can suspend insulin delivery by the pump."

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CAPTION(S):

TRANSFORMED BY TECHNOLOGY Graham Thompson with the pager-sized system developed by Dr James Shaw, of Newcastle University, below.