So I have applied for continuous monitoring for a type 1 patient who has multiple hypos affecting daily living. He is on a top plan of momentum (I have other patients on this plan who fund continuous monitoring). I then appealed and put in a second appeal to their DECLINE.

We have been told in writing that they have declined it a third time but with no reason and that they are withholding their criteria from us.
This is common garden crime!

I say this is bullshit! to put it mildly.

In south africa where we have human rights we have a very progressive legislation and law. We have so much and yet we have nothing. Medical aids keep moving the goal posts and now we don’t even know what they are in this case. NO transparency. NO patient care. NO clear communication.

I believe that there needs to be a tide by both patients and doctors against this kind of bullshit decision and policy. Let me know if you are in and we can go to the ombudsman.

To be or not to be – TYPE 2 I mean. Lifestyle induced diabetes. This is a disease that we hardly saw 100 years ago. It’s a new thing really.

​A question of quality of life I believe. Both to prevent it and to “cure” it. Type 2 diabetes is essentially “toxicity of life” disease. Too much sugar, too much bad stuff, mainly sugar that causes inflammation generally but is specifically bad for the pancreas and the reason being it is like flogging a horse.

Why is it important to see a team when you have diabetes?

Well because complications are preventable. Dialysis, amputations, blindness, heart attacks and strokes are sequelae to sugars above 10.
Why? This is like pouring coke on the floor, the vessels stick to each other and everything else – creating a sticky stuck mess. Hence blindness, renal failure, amputations etc.

The answer is to be vigilant. See your team every year at least once a year and some of them twice a year, some even 4 x like your doctor if you are a type 1.

The team : dietician (1-2), the podiatrist (1), the educator (1-2) -essentially also the co-ordinator, GP (2-4), or endocrinologist, ophthalmologist (1).

​Additional benefits : psychologists, biokineticists, nutritionists, life coach.

The patient driven and marketed Freestyle Libre has arrived in South Africa!

Cost implication, making it the cheapest on the South African market:

• R990 for a reader once off which is a meter for both glucose and ketones.
• R990 for a sensor that lasts 2 weeks - your cost per month if worn every day is R990 x2

You scan your button and get a reading every 5 minutes.

The device has functions like calculated  a1c (3 month average) as well as about 100 more. Visit the Freestyle Libre website here.

Should you be interested you will need to fill out a form, pay the amounts after which the device will be couriered to you.

Email: drleesecretary@myinnatehealth.co.za for forms or contact us on 033 343 1826.