Just an idea - speaking ketone meters for blind / partially sighted?

[trophywench]

T1 lady on Facebook, on the chat re my pump, was saying her BG had shot up after her CV jab and clueless why - shedloads saying There there dear and Oooh, mine did but not that far and the usual sympathetic but not useful type of reply - so I waded in saying that's good means your body is responding as it should - so explaining briefly - and then saying Oooh, and don't forget to check your ketones and drink water to help get rid of any.

She said TY and said BG coming down now so that's good - but can't check her ketones cos she's blind. I replied and here's what I said.

It surely wouldn't be rocket science for someone to invent a method of ketone testing for the visually impaired?

So - a possible cause for DUK to promote???

 

[Kaylz]

GlucoRx make a voice meter but unfortunately as far as I can see it only does BG and not ketones, shame that xx

 

[MarkGeordie]

I’m only partially sighted so I still have some of my sight. I use the Libre and also the talking BG meter that you mentioned I also used to use but as mentioned doesn’t do the ketones.

I was prescribed the sticks still. All I could do was rely on family to drive over when I needed to test the ketones and get them to look for me.

It would be good if something could be developed as I don’t know of anything.

 

[trophywench]

Well I've given you a Like Mark - but I do NOT actually like the situation whatsoever.

If ruddy old weighing machines at fairs/on station platforms could speak your weight years ago - and a Glucometer can speak your BG why the hell isn't there a speaking Ketone meter?

 

[Ljc]

Thanks for reminding me about ketones, I’m having my jab next week, so I must check my sticks are still in date.

Maybe the RNIB can assist re getting glucose meter companies to develop talking ketone meters

 

[MarkGeordie]

Well I've given you a Like Mark - but I do NOT actually like the situation whatsoever.

If ruddy old weighing machines at fairs/on station platforms could speak your weight years ago - and a Glucometer can speak your BG why the hell isn't there a speaking Ketone meter?

Yes I totally agree. You have given me a good idea though, I might raise it directly with DUK and see if they can help with trying to resolve the issue.

Thanks for reminding me about ketones, I’m having my jab next week, so I must check my sticks are still in date.

Maybe the RNIB can assist re getting glucose meter companies to develop talking ketone meters

Another spot on ides, Ive worked with RNIB before, they actually give me a grant last year for £500 to purchase a handheld video magnifier.

So I might drop them an email too and raise it.

 

[trophywench]

Well I was hoping that now people actually from DUK are involved in the forum eg @Josh DUK and others and being as I've long been a member of said Charity (paid my annual subs again recently as per usual!) then DUK would consider themselves having been duly requested by a member by my post on here, to consider my idea. No idea whether they would consider themselves being so requested or not, hence am waiting until after the beginning of their normal working week to see if I get any reaction from DUK or not.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

This is really interesting @trophywench and @MarkGeordie

I hadn’t realised there was this gap in the available technology for blind and partially sighted people.

I will certainly feed this back to Diabetes UK and see if there is some pressure they can bring to bear on manufacturers

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I’ve tweaked the title of the thread to make it more ’search engine friendly’ just in case it’s the sort of thing people are scouring the internet for too!

 

[leonS]

My problem is bringing the sensitive part of the strip into contact with a very small drop of blood.

I e-mailed six meter-makers and explained this problem. two replied that integrating the lancing device with the meter was a far too difficult a problem for them to solve. The others did not reply.

I have no sight in my left eye and poor sight in my right eye. I have been offered an operation for the right eye which will remove sight from that eye for a few days. So what might have been day surgery will have to be a week
in hospital.

Will not be able to use a talking meter and Libre don't talk.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

My problem is bringing the sensitive part of the strip into contact with a very small drop of blood.

I find that fiddly, and I have normal vision and coordination. In the evening I often have to turn the lights up to get it to work. (I've no idea what kind of thing would help, though something combining the lancing device and the test strip could be part of it. I guess.)

 

[leonS]

It need not be much more than a cloths peg with a hole in it! Clamp finger in cloths peg and put lancing device into hole, followed by meter reader. Bit of design work needed to get the shape of the hole right, but nothing beyond the capabilities of a first year engineering student.

If the reader and device were designed as a unit then it would be a very useful bit of kit. One could use it on a romantic dinner date...

 

[MarkGeordie]

This is really interesting @trophywench and @MarkGeordie

I hadn’t realised there was this gap in the available technology for blind and partially sighted people.

I will certainly feed this back to Diabetes UK and see if there is some pressure they can bring to bear on manufacturers

There’s quite a few things I still struggle with been partially sighted in terms of diabetes management.

In terms of libre, I can use it, but I need help, I have to get someone to come and apply my new sensor every 2 weeks from my support bubble, alongside this is, my actual reading of the scanning I have to use my handheld magnifier to assist.

The worst bit is the numbers on my insulin pens, although I can count the clicks, it’s nice to know I’m injecting the right amount.

Things have got that bad recently that I had to be refered to adult social care but I’m in a battle with them right now about care needs assessments.

 

[AndBreathe]

@MarkGeordie - if you are to be the man on a mission, I could be inclined to suggest you get in touch with the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Research), who are into,...... erm research into health matters.

They have at least one hub doing lots of work on Diabetes, including Leicester. The researchers tend to be a mixture of full time researchers and PhD students carrying out their studies and so on. Many initiative start there. They also have a robust relationship with Diabetes UK, who fund a number of studies and projects at any given time.

They do look at technology - both existing and looking to the future.

Diabetes, metabolic and endocrine

We fund, support and deliver research in diabetes, as well as supporting diabetes researchers and working with patients who have diabetes.

www.nihr.ac.uk

I have been involved with the NIHR in Leicester for a number of years, and find it extremely rewarding.

 

[MarkGeordie]

@MarkGeordie - if you are to be the man on a mission, I could be inclined to suggest you get in touch with the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Research), who are into,...... erm research into health matters.

They have at least one hub doing lots of work on Diabetes, including Leicester. The researchers tend to be a mixture of full time researchers and PhD students carrying out their studies and so on. Many initiative start there. They also have a robust relationship with Diabetes UK, who fund a number of studies and projects at any given time.

They do look at technology - both existing and looking to the future.

Diabetes, metabolic and endocrine

We fund, support and deliver research in diabetes, as well as supporting diabetes researchers and working with patients who have diabetes.

www.nihr.ac.uk

I have been involved with the NIHR in Leicester for a number of years, and find it extremely rewarding.

That’s really interesting, I’m going to take a look.