Symlin: A New Discovery

    Many diabetics experience blood sugar highs after a meal.  It is difficult for insulin alone to lower these peaks, and blood sugar levels may remain above normal and difficult to control.  One reason for your blood sugar swings is that your body may be missing or may not have enough of a hormone called amylin.  This hormone "is secreted along with insulin by beta cells in response to eating. Amylin helps the body to regulate how quickly nutrients from food are converted into glucose and delivered into the blood, while insulin regulates how quickly the glucose is absorbed by cells. Thus insulin and amylin work together in the process of metabolism." (1)

   Symlin is an artifical form of amylin.  It was discovered by Garth Cooper, an Oxford scientist.  It has been on the market since July 2007, following its approval by the FDA.  It is an injectable medicine for adult (not approved for children) both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics.  Symlin is not a replacement for insulin and should not be mixed with insulin.   Symblin may cause a loss of weight.  The user must also be careful of severe lows after eating.

   This sounds like an interesting discovery. There are people who wear a separate pump for symlin.  I think it is smart to wear two pumps, one for insulin and one for symlin.   As a Type 1 diabetic, I would do it!

(1) www.childrenwithdiabetes.com