Hello. I am brand new to prepping. My husband is a type 1 diabetic for the past 25 years. I was hoping to find any advice or tips I could from other diabetics and preppers for how we can help prepare. Thanks!
Type 1 Diabetes
- Thread starter Kahlan
- Start date
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Has he tried Bitter Melon? I have heard great things about it, and it can be had in pill form.
Also.there's diff types of herbs for medicinal porpases.so you might want to look into them
Not an easy one this I'm afraid but firstly you are going to need a completely reliable off grid cooler to keep your Insulin in if TSHTF, that in itself is your primary method of defence , cooled Insulin lasts much longer. I think over on Survivalist Boards (another US site) there has been much in depth discussion over Type 1.
The issue of type 1 was well documented in the PA fictional novel ONE SECOND AFTER, it did not have a happy ending but I was led to believe the author has a family member with type one so he explored options in his book.
I have these three very recent articles on type one that may offer hope
http://time.com/3500201/type-1-diabetes-stem-cell-research/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29566784
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...ent-after-Harvard-stem-cell-breakthrough.html
FYI my wife is a specialist diabetes nurse practitioner she suggest investigating your hubbies suitability for an insulin pump as these devices help improve overall health condition against only using needles and pens.
The issue of type 1 was well documented in the PA fictional novel ONE SECOND AFTER, it did not have a happy ending but I was led to believe the author has a family member with type one so he explored options in his book.
I have these three very recent articles on type one that may offer hope
http://time.com/3500201/type-1-diabetes-stem-cell-research/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29566784
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...ent-after-Harvard-stem-cell-breakthrough.html
FYI my wife is a specialist diabetes nurse practitioner she suggest investigating your hubbies suitability for an insulin pump as these devices help improve overall health condition against only using needles and pens.
Last edited:
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Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune destruction of the insulin producing beta cells of the pancreas. Once your pancreas stops producing insulin, you have to supplement it or die. There is no natural remedy that will provide insulin.
Don't know if this would be of any help but my wife is type 2 and is suffering with neuropathy and for the past month has been taking bicarbonate of soda and the feeling is like when you have slept on your arm and the blood flow has come back and it's all tingly. Whereas before it was numb with no feeling at all.
The sensation in her feet has improved so much she can't stand me touching her feet again, before this I could tickle her feet and she would not even know I was touching her feet.
The doctors just said to keep an eye on her feet and to come back when they get worse! WORSE FFS, how much more worse can they get - other than black due to being DEAD!
And what can they do then to help? NOTHING but amputate!
That's why I looked into natural cures/remedies and found bicarbonate of soda.
She is also going blind due to the diabetes and again, since taking the bicarb, she has notices a very small improvement with her eyesight.
The sensation in her feet has improved so much she can't stand me touching her feet again, before this I could tickle her feet and she would not even know I was touching her feet.
The doctors just said to keep an eye on her feet and to come back when they get worse! WORSE FFS, how much more worse can they get - other than black due to being DEAD!
And what can they do then to help? NOTHING but amputate!
That's why I looked into natural cures/remedies and found bicarbonate of soda.
She is also going blind due to the diabetes and again, since taking the bicarb, she has notices a very small improvement with her eyesight.
LOL... in 'some' SHTF scenarios, money ain't gonna be worth squat!
but with the right equipment and materials to make insulin post SHTF situation..a person can trade the insulin for pretty well what they want and or need..it'd be like using a 80 LB gold bar to buy a limo
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2013
- Messages
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Simple really, isolate the human gene responsible for insulin production, insert that gene into E Coli bacteria, and then the bacteria makes insulin. Nothin' to it
Simple really, isolate the human gene responsible for insulin production, insert that gene into E Coli bacteria, and then the bacteria makes insulin. Nothin' to it
And yet, the big Pharma's wont even consider it as it could cure people and they wouldn’t make a penny.
by Chuck Fenwick
I ran across an article on survival and diabetics written by a nurse. It was what we call a basic brush and floss kind of article that quoted from some well-known medical books. I call it a brush and floss article because it contained mostly information which a diabetic already knows, much like the way a dentist tells you what your mom has told you a bazillion times about brushing your teeth.
However at the end of the article the nurse pretty much consigned type 1 diabetics to doom and even referenced Darwin and the "survival of the fittest". I know in the book, One Second After, the diabetic daughter died because of lack of insulin, but the part in the book about it going bad because of temperature variations is not accurate.
http://www.medicalcorps.org/insulin-storage.htm
I ran across an article on survival and diabetics written by a nurse. It was what we call a basic brush and floss kind of article that quoted from some well-known medical books. I call it a brush and floss article because it contained mostly information which a diabetic already knows, much like the way a dentist tells you what your mom has told you a bazillion times about brushing your teeth.
However at the end of the article the nurse pretty much consigned type 1 diabetics to doom and even referenced Darwin and the "survival of the fittest". I know in the book, One Second After, the diabetic daughter died because of lack of insulin, but the part in the book about it going bad because of temperature variations is not accurate.
http://www.medicalcorps.org/insulin-storage.htm
From what little I know if you're lucky enough to have type 2, then a lot of these people will do ok. After shtf, with food being scarce and with the weight they loose and the exercise they will be getting, their blood pressure and diabetic problems may get better. I'm afraid that there is no good option for type 1 though. Without a large supply of insulin and a way to keep it cold/preserved, the outlook isn't very good. The best advice I can give is to enjoy the gift that modern medicine has given to you by extending their life at this moment. Take each day and enjoy it and be greatful.
Yes, for Type 1, the best bet is to stockpile or be ready to liberate quantities of insulin, as well as a means of refrigeration, test strips, monitors, syringes, et cetera, and hope that some vestiges of medical science survive which can produce more.
Money is merely a representation of wealth. True wealth is having the ability to "buy" whatever you need or want. In this case, if you were a producer of this, you could demand just about any payment for it, which you could then trade for whatever you wanted, if it wasn't the right item.
Granted though, such a producer and seller would only emerge after things quieted down, and they'd be few and far between, and likely part of a larger trading community I'd imagine. Think about it, an entire community of Type 1 diabetics, all exchanging their goods and services for the thing only you can make. They'd protect you, feed you, house you, get the materials you need, as well as get you anything else you'd desire, just to keep you producing. And, they can't kill you and take it from you, because the know-how is why they need you! Hail to the King baby.....LOL.
Even then, you're doomed. It has a pretty finite shelf-life, so even if you could stockpile it, you've only got months to live post SHTF. Sucks, but it's true. There will be a lot of conditions that will either kill off, or make some survivors miserable with pain...without modern manufactured medicine.
Well I can't cure major health issues, but I've gotten pretty good at making good wine! That ought to help keep me alive for a while
. So far I have 80 gallons in the works, and have about 25 or 30 more gallons of grapes in the freezer when I have the containers freed up after bottling.
Wine not so much, but vodka and tequila, without sugars, are actually good for diabetes, as is PGA.
I was just talking about producing something for trade if shtf, not as something for a diabities treatment. As far as ANY form of alcohol, none of it is good for diabetics. When the body breaks it down it converts it back into sugars, regardless of wether it's hard liquor, beer, wine or any other variation. The moral of this story, if you have any form of diabities, find another hobby, but don't drink at all.
Insulin
I read some years ago of an American family or two who relocated to live very close to cattle stations and pig farms with the theoretical intention of being able to extract insulin from cattle after TSHTF in order to regulate their Type 1 diabetes, not a cheap or convenient option but if you have loved ones it is something that needs to be considered. Also after a full societal collapse and desperate times call for desperate measures it MAY and only MAY be of some use to Type 1 diabetics to know the biggest factory, store and source of Animal based insulin in the UK is to be currently found at.
Wockhardt UK Limited
Ash Road North
Wrexham Industrial Estate
Wrexham (NR)
ALL CAVEATS APPLY.
Animal Insulin
Animal insulin comes from pigs or cows
Animal insulin was the first type of insulin to be administered to humans to control diabetes. Animal insulin is derived from cows and pigs.
Until the 1980s, animal insulin was the only treatment for insulin dependent diabetes.
These days the use of animal insulin has largely been replaced by human insulin and human analogue insulin, however, animal insulin is still available on prescription.
How is animal insulin produced?
As the name suggests animal insulin is taken from the pancreases of animals, usually pigs (porcine or pork insulin) and cows (bovine or beef insulin).
The insulin is purified which reduces the chance of the insulin user developing a reaction to the insulin.
Can animal insulin be prescribed?
Animal insulin, under the name Hypurin, is being produced by Wockhardt UK and is available on prescription.
What types of animal insulin are available?
Animal insulins are available in 3 different types of action and durations, short acting, intermediate and long acting:
Short acting: Hypurin Porcine Neutral, Hypurin Bovine Neutral
Intermediate acting: Hypurin Porcine Isophane, Hypurin Bovine Isophane
Long acting: Hypurin Bovine lente, Hypurin Bovine PZI (protamine zinc insulin)
Premixed: Hypurin Porcine 30/70
What are premixed animal insulins?
Premixed animal insulins combine a ratio of short acting and intermediate insulin.
For example, Hypurin Porcine consists of 30% short acting and 70% intermediate acting insulin.
How quickly do animal insulins act?
Short acting animal insulin starts to act from about 30 minutes after injecting, with their peak action occurring between 3 and 4 hours after injecting.
The duration is up to 8 hours.
Intermediate acting animal insulin takes about 4 to 6 hours to start acting, has its peak activity between 8 and 14 hours and has duration of up to 24 hours.
http://www.slideshare.net/Heifer_in_Tank/how-do-they-harvest-insulin-from-pigs
http://beforeitsnews.com/prepper/20...-diabetes-part-1-how-to-make-insulin-984.html
prepeparedness for People with Diabetes pt 1
It’s not easy to live with diabetes, especially when you are insulin dependent. Even now, under normal circumstances, when you have almost unlimited access to medical services and medication. Think about how radically your life will change when SHTF. In a collapsed society knowing how to make insulin can make the difference between life and death.
Type 1 diabetes is a tricky disease that requires a special diet and constant medication, i.e. insulin. In a disaster scenario, a diabetic person is very vulnerable, way more vulnerable than the regular Joe, because insulin dependency is yet another thing that must be taken care of, besides regular survival needs, such as food, water and shelter. When you have diabetes, you’re playing a perpetual chess game with your body. Type 1 diabetics, besides being insulin dependent, are prone to various diseases/infections and a multitude of metabolic problems.
Knowing how to make insulin at home is like the ultimate level when it comes to preparedness. But before getting there, let’s make a few notes about how a person with diabetes should prepare for the worst case scenario.
First thing, you should stockpile lots of testing strips and syringes. These are pretty cheap hence making a serious stockpile would present no significant problem. In case you’ll need them, you’ll see that they are more valuable than money/gold/diamonds/ammo or whatever.
Another thing to stockpile is obviously insulin. But, keep in mind that a stockpile of insulin, if stored properly (the temperature must not exceed 84F, refrigeration isn’t a must-have), has a "shelf life" of just a few months (even days). Keep in mind that expired insulin will kill you (expired insulin forms crystals that are lethal when injected).
How To Tell When The Insulin Goes Bad
Don’t use bottled insulin past the expiration date printed on the label. And no matter what the expiration date is, throw away a bottle one month after you open it. To help you keep track, write the date that you opened the bottle on the bottle’s label.
There are two ways to tell when insulin is no longer good: poor performance and unusual appearance.
If your blood sugar stays high even though you’re following your treatment plan, your insulin may have lost its effectiveness.
1. Poor performance could be due to two things:
The insulin bottle has been open for more than 28 days.
There are a lot of punctures in the rubber stopper because you take very small doses of insulin and you’re getting close to the end of the bottle.
2. If your insulin has an unusual appearance:
The insulin is cloudy when it is supposed to be clear.
The insulin is supposed to be cloudy but it has clumps, even after rolling it between your palms.
The insulin looks stringy.
The insulin has changed in color.
Diet
Diabetes VeggiesDiet is another crucial thing to consider. The human body needs insulin to break down carbohydrates. So, a low carb-protein rich diet will keep your insulin dependency a little bit under control. But of course you probably know that. If you’re on a protein-rich diet, you should drink lots of water and prevent your blood from becoming too acidic (ketones are the culprit in this case, for a diabetic in survival mode) by ingesting a solution of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda, cheap and excellent for lots of uses). Baking soda alkalizes the body (the opposite of acidification).
Your diet must be very strict, just enough to maintain your weight and must consist of lots of small meals during the day, protein rich meals and as little carbs as possible. You must be moderately active given the limited caloric intake and avoid heavy-duty activities that can drain your body of energy.
You must keep an eye on the symptoms of hyper/hypoglycemia, hence monitoring your blood sugar must be high on your priority list. These symptoms include sweating, hunger, dizziness, fatigue, erratic heartbeat, confusion and in extreme cases even the loss of consciousness.
There is so much to say about this subject! A few months ago a friend of mine with type 2 diabetes succeeded in overcoming his disease with a proper program, including a very specific diet. He is writing a book together with his doctor about it. He promised the book will be posted on this website.
How To Make Insulin When SHTF
ALL CAVEATS APPLY, do your OWN research to sort out FACTS from internet BS (NR)
Now, let’s get back to our main problem: how to make insulin in a long-term survival scenario. I must warn you: this is not a simple task. It’s actually very complicated and you’ll need access to some equipment. Actually, I think you’ll also need a degree in Chemistry just to make sense of the "lecture" I will give you a little later.
Now, if you want to know how to make insulin at home, you should go back to basics, i.e. to read a lecture about how the first batch of insulin was created in the lab almost 100 years ago (actually, in 1922 and the scientists got the Nobel prize for that).
As I already told you and I must emphasize, knowing how to make insulin at home is not enough. You’ll need to have access to lots of stuff, such as pancreatic organs of cows or pigs, power (very unlikely in a SHTF scenario) in order to use centrifuges and lab equipment, not to mention very solid Chemistry knowledge. Truth be told, it is highly improbable that you’ll manage to make insulin at home, to put together all the chemicals and all the equipment in a disaster-scenario, but who knows, maybe you can do it, hence let me show you the actual transcript of a lecture from the 1920′s, given by the insulin inventors themselves, describing the process.
"The present method of preparation is as follows. The beef or pork pancreas is finely minced in a larger grinder and the minced material is then treated with 5 c.c. of concentrated sulphuric acid, appropriately diluted, per pound of glands. The mixture is stirred for a period of three or four hours and 95% alcohol is added until the concentration of alcohol is 60% to 70%. Two extractions of the glands are made. The solid material is then partially removed by centrifuging the mixture and the solution is further clarified by filtering through paper. The filtrate is practically neutralized with Sodium Hydroxide. The clear filtrate is concentrated in vacuo to about 1/15 of its original volume.
The concentrate is then heated to 50o degrees Centigrade, which results in the separation of lipoid and other materials, which are removed by filtration. Ammonium sulphate (37 grams. per 100 c.c.) is then added to the concentrate and a protein material containing all the Insulin floats to the top of the liquid. The precipitate is skimmed off and dissolved in hot acid alcohol. When the precipitate has completely dissolved, 10 volumes of warm alcohol are added. The solution is then neutralized with NaOH and cooled to room temperature, and kept in a refrigerator at 5oC for two days. At the end of this time the dark coloured supernatant alcohol is decanted off. The alcohol contains practically no potency. The precipitate is dried in vacuo to remove all trace of the alcohol. It is then dissolved in acid water, in which it is readily soluble. The solution is made alkaline with NaOH to PH 7.3 to 7.5. At this alkalinity a dark coloured precipitate settles out, and is immediately centrifuged off. This precipitate is washed once or twice with alkaline water of PH 9.0 and the washings are added to the main liquid.
It is important that this process be carried out fairly quickly as Insulin is destroyed in alkaline solution. The acidity is adjusted to PH 5.0 and a white precipitate readily settles out. Tricresol is added to a concentration of 0.3% in order to assist in the isoelectric precipitation and to act as a preservative. After standing one week in the ice chest the supernatant liquid is decanted off and the resultant liquid is removed by centrifuging. The precipitate is then dissolved in a small quantity of acid water.
A second isoelectric precipitation is carried out by adjusting the acidity to a PH of approximately 5.0. After standing over night the resultant precipitate is removed by centrifuging. The precipitate, which contains the active principle in a comparatively pure form, is dissolved in acid water and the hydrogen ion concentration adjusted to PH 2.5. The material is carefully tested to determine the potency and is then diluted to the desired strength of 10, 20, 40 or 80 units per c.c. Tricresol is added to secure a concentration of 0.1 percent. Sufficient sodium chloride is added to make the solution isotonic. The Insulin solution is passed through a Mandler filter. After passing through the filter the Insulin is retested carefully to determine its potency. There is practically no loss in berkefelding. The tested Insulin is poured into sterile glass vials with aseptic precautions and the sterility of the final product thoroughly tested by approved methods."
Storing Insulin
General Rules
To ensure that your insulin remains effective, stable and undamaged you should discard your ‘in use’ insulin after 28days, whether in a vial or cartridge.
Insulin that is not in use should be stored in the refrigerator. If refrigeration is not possible, it can be kept at room temperature [15-25 degrees C] for 28 days.
The in use vial may be kept at room temperature [15-25 degrees C] for 28 days.
In use cartridges should be kept at room temperature and SHOULD NOT be kept in the refrigerator.
Insulin has a ‘use by’ date as well as an expiry date.
The advice about storing insulin may differ from one manufacturer to another and so we have obtained information from the various companies:
Wockhardt UK, formerly CP Pharmaceuticals Ltd – manufacturers of natural pork and beef insulins:
Wockhardt UK Limited
Ash Road North
Wrexham Industrial Estate
Wrexham
LL13 9UF, U.K.
Tel: 01978 661261
Fax: 01978 660130
"Our recommendation is that a single vial may be used repeatedly over a 3 month period, as long as the vial is maintained at the correct storage temperature of 2 to 8 degrees C.
If the vial is stored outside the refrigerator [at room temperature] then this period of use should be reduced to 28 days. This also assumes that the vials are appropriately stored and are used under normal conditions [that is to avoid microbial contamination]. Insulin in cartridges is stable for up to 4 weeks once open if stored at 25 degrees C. We do not recommend that ‘in use’ cartridges are stored in the refrigerator."
Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Ltd – manufacturers of synthetic insulins, ‘human’ and analogues
"Our unopened insulins are stable until the expiry date if stored in a refrigerator. Once open vialled insulin is stable for up to 3 months in the refrigerator and 6 weeks at 25 degrees C. Insulin in cartridges is stable for up to 4 weeks once opened if stored at 25 degrees C; we do not recommend that in use cartridges are stored in the refrigerator. Brief exposure to temperature extremes need not necessarily reduce its efficacy. Our guidelines are quite cautious and are a guide so that people can be aware that should these restrictions be exceeded there is a strong likelihood that their insulin may be damaged and they should consider discarding it.
This table with permitted temperature and exposure times applies to single exposures only and repeated exposures to higher temperatures will gradually reduce the efficacy of the insulin. It shows permitted temperature and exposure times that will not reduce the efficacy of the insulin, PROVIDED it is then returned to the refrigerator."
Permitted Exposure Times For Various Temperature Ranges
Insulin preparations should not be exposed to temperatures between:
-20 to –10 degees C for more than 15 minutes
-10 to –5 degrees C for more than 30 minutes
-5 to +2 degrees C for more than 2 hours
8 to 15 degrees C for more than 96 hours
15 to 30 degrees C for more than 48 hours
30 to 40 degrees C for more than 6 hours
Insulin should never be stored above 40 degrees C.
It is important that insulin is never frozen, or exposed to a combination of high temperatures and excessive vibration.
Above table provided by Novo Nordisk
Eli Lilly – Manufacturers of synthetic insulins – ‘human’ and anaolgues.
"Our Humulin range has regulatory approval for in-use out of the fridge for 28 days. We have also performed our own in-house studies, however these were also completed after 28 days. Therefore, we do not have any data on in-use of Humulin vials after 28 days and thus, although we have no information to suggest that there is any problem with in-use vials stored in the fridge after 28 days, without data to support this we currently can only recommend in-use for 28 days."
Warning!
Patients should always discard their ‘in use’ insulins after 28 days as a necessary precaution
Why is this important?
There are no insulins that mimic the human body’s production of insulin in response to food intake. Diabetes is not an easy condition to live with and people with diabetes are individuals with different hormonal and metabolic rates. Each person responds to insulin in different ways.
There are many variables that affect diabetic control, such as:
Diet and exercise
Lifestyle
Fears of low blood sugars [hypoglycaemia]
Emotions and stress
Diabetes will remain a difficult and complex condition until we are provided with better ‘tools’ with which to control it. Until then it is important that we rule out anything which could affect our diabetic control. This must include ruling out the possibility that our insulin has started to break down so that it is less potent. This results in it being absorbed and moved around the body differently, so affecting blood glucose levels.
It is also important to realise that if we have been using ‘old’ insulin that has gone off, with a change to a new fresh fully effective vial there is a greater chance of a severe hypo at the changeover time.
I read some years ago of an American family or two who relocated to live very close to cattle stations and pig farms with the theoretical intention of being able to extract insulin from cattle after TSHTF in order to regulate their Type 1 diabetes, not a cheap or convenient option but if you have loved ones it is something that needs to be considered. Also after a full societal collapse and desperate times call for desperate measures it MAY and only MAY be of some use to Type 1 diabetics to know the biggest factory, store and source of Animal based insulin in the UK is to be currently found at.
Wockhardt UK Limited
Ash Road North
Wrexham Industrial Estate
Wrexham (NR)
ALL CAVEATS APPLY.
Animal Insulin
Animal insulin comes from pigs or cows
Animal insulin was the first type of insulin to be administered to humans to control diabetes. Animal insulin is derived from cows and pigs.
Until the 1980s, animal insulin was the only treatment for insulin dependent diabetes.
These days the use of animal insulin has largely been replaced by human insulin and human analogue insulin, however, animal insulin is still available on prescription.
How is animal insulin produced?
As the name suggests animal insulin is taken from the pancreases of animals, usually pigs (porcine or pork insulin) and cows (bovine or beef insulin).
The insulin is purified which reduces the chance of the insulin user developing a reaction to the insulin.
Can animal insulin be prescribed?
Animal insulin, under the name Hypurin, is being produced by Wockhardt UK and is available on prescription.
What types of animal insulin are available?
Animal insulins are available in 3 different types of action and durations, short acting, intermediate and long acting:
Short acting: Hypurin Porcine Neutral, Hypurin Bovine Neutral
Intermediate acting: Hypurin Porcine Isophane, Hypurin Bovine Isophane
Long acting: Hypurin Bovine lente, Hypurin Bovine PZI (protamine zinc insulin)
Premixed: Hypurin Porcine 30/70
What are premixed animal insulins?
Premixed animal insulins combine a ratio of short acting and intermediate insulin.
For example, Hypurin Porcine consists of 30% short acting and 70% intermediate acting insulin.
How quickly do animal insulins act?
Short acting animal insulin starts to act from about 30 minutes after injecting, with their peak action occurring between 3 and 4 hours after injecting.
The duration is up to 8 hours.
Intermediate acting animal insulin takes about 4 to 6 hours to start acting, has its peak activity between 8 and 14 hours and has duration of up to 24 hours.
http://www.slideshare.net/Heifer_in_Tank/how-do-they-harvest-insulin-from-pigs
http://beforeitsnews.com/prepper/20...-diabetes-part-1-how-to-make-insulin-984.html
prepeparedness for People with Diabetes pt 1
It’s not easy to live with diabetes, especially when you are insulin dependent. Even now, under normal circumstances, when you have almost unlimited access to medical services and medication. Think about how radically your life will change when SHTF. In a collapsed society knowing how to make insulin can make the difference between life and death.
Type 1 diabetes is a tricky disease that requires a special diet and constant medication, i.e. insulin. In a disaster scenario, a diabetic person is very vulnerable, way more vulnerable than the regular Joe, because insulin dependency is yet another thing that must be taken care of, besides regular survival needs, such as food, water and shelter. When you have diabetes, you’re playing a perpetual chess game with your body. Type 1 diabetics, besides being insulin dependent, are prone to various diseases/infections and a multitude of metabolic problems.
Knowing how to make insulin at home is like the ultimate level when it comes to preparedness. But before getting there, let’s make a few notes about how a person with diabetes should prepare for the worst case scenario.
First thing, you should stockpile lots of testing strips and syringes. These are pretty cheap hence making a serious stockpile would present no significant problem. In case you’ll need them, you’ll see that they are more valuable than money/gold/diamonds/ammo or whatever.
Another thing to stockpile is obviously insulin. But, keep in mind that a stockpile of insulin, if stored properly (the temperature must not exceed 84F, refrigeration isn’t a must-have), has a "shelf life" of just a few months (even days). Keep in mind that expired insulin will kill you (expired insulin forms crystals that are lethal when injected).
How To Tell When The Insulin Goes Bad
Don’t use bottled insulin past the expiration date printed on the label. And no matter what the expiration date is, throw away a bottle one month after you open it. To help you keep track, write the date that you opened the bottle on the bottle’s label.
There are two ways to tell when insulin is no longer good: poor performance and unusual appearance.
If your blood sugar stays high even though you’re following your treatment plan, your insulin may have lost its effectiveness.
1. Poor performance could be due to two things:
The insulin bottle has been open for more than 28 days.
There are a lot of punctures in the rubber stopper because you take very small doses of insulin and you’re getting close to the end of the bottle.
2. If your insulin has an unusual appearance:
The insulin is cloudy when it is supposed to be clear.
The insulin is supposed to be cloudy but it has clumps, even after rolling it between your palms.
The insulin looks stringy.
The insulin has changed in color.
Diet
Diabetes VeggiesDiet is another crucial thing to consider. The human body needs insulin to break down carbohydrates. So, a low carb-protein rich diet will keep your insulin dependency a little bit under control. But of course you probably know that. If you’re on a protein-rich diet, you should drink lots of water and prevent your blood from becoming too acidic (ketones are the culprit in this case, for a diabetic in survival mode) by ingesting a solution of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda, cheap and excellent for lots of uses). Baking soda alkalizes the body (the opposite of acidification).
Your diet must be very strict, just enough to maintain your weight and must consist of lots of small meals during the day, protein rich meals and as little carbs as possible. You must be moderately active given the limited caloric intake and avoid heavy-duty activities that can drain your body of energy.
You must keep an eye on the symptoms of hyper/hypoglycemia, hence monitoring your blood sugar must be high on your priority list. These symptoms include sweating, hunger, dizziness, fatigue, erratic heartbeat, confusion and in extreme cases even the loss of consciousness.
There is so much to say about this subject! A few months ago a friend of mine with type 2 diabetes succeeded in overcoming his disease with a proper program, including a very specific diet. He is writing a book together with his doctor about it. He promised the book will be posted on this website.
How To Make Insulin When SHTF
ALL CAVEATS APPLY, do your OWN research to sort out FACTS from internet BS (NR)
Now, let’s get back to our main problem: how to make insulin in a long-term survival scenario. I must warn you: this is not a simple task. It’s actually very complicated and you’ll need access to some equipment. Actually, I think you’ll also need a degree in Chemistry just to make sense of the "lecture" I will give you a little later.
Now, if you want to know how to make insulin at home, you should go back to basics, i.e. to read a lecture about how the first batch of insulin was created in the lab almost 100 years ago (actually, in 1922 and the scientists got the Nobel prize for that).
As I already told you and I must emphasize, knowing how to make insulin at home is not enough. You’ll need to have access to lots of stuff, such as pancreatic organs of cows or pigs, power (very unlikely in a SHTF scenario) in order to use centrifuges and lab equipment, not to mention very solid Chemistry knowledge. Truth be told, it is highly improbable that you’ll manage to make insulin at home, to put together all the chemicals and all the equipment in a disaster-scenario, but who knows, maybe you can do it, hence let me show you the actual transcript of a lecture from the 1920′s, given by the insulin inventors themselves, describing the process.
"The present method of preparation is as follows. The beef or pork pancreas is finely minced in a larger grinder and the minced material is then treated with 5 c.c. of concentrated sulphuric acid, appropriately diluted, per pound of glands. The mixture is stirred for a period of three or four hours and 95% alcohol is added until the concentration of alcohol is 60% to 70%. Two extractions of the glands are made. The solid material is then partially removed by centrifuging the mixture and the solution is further clarified by filtering through paper. The filtrate is practically neutralized with Sodium Hydroxide. The clear filtrate is concentrated in vacuo to about 1/15 of its original volume.
The concentrate is then heated to 50o degrees Centigrade, which results in the separation of lipoid and other materials, which are removed by filtration. Ammonium sulphate (37 grams. per 100 c.c.) is then added to the concentrate and a protein material containing all the Insulin floats to the top of the liquid. The precipitate is skimmed off and dissolved in hot acid alcohol. When the precipitate has completely dissolved, 10 volumes of warm alcohol are added. The solution is then neutralized with NaOH and cooled to room temperature, and kept in a refrigerator at 5oC for two days. At the end of this time the dark coloured supernatant alcohol is decanted off. The alcohol contains practically no potency. The precipitate is dried in vacuo to remove all trace of the alcohol. It is then dissolved in acid water, in which it is readily soluble. The solution is made alkaline with NaOH to PH 7.3 to 7.5. At this alkalinity a dark coloured precipitate settles out, and is immediately centrifuged off. This precipitate is washed once or twice with alkaline water of PH 9.0 and the washings are added to the main liquid.
It is important that this process be carried out fairly quickly as Insulin is destroyed in alkaline solution. The acidity is adjusted to PH 5.0 and a white precipitate readily settles out. Tricresol is added to a concentration of 0.3% in order to assist in the isoelectric precipitation and to act as a preservative. After standing one week in the ice chest the supernatant liquid is decanted off and the resultant liquid is removed by centrifuging. The precipitate is then dissolved in a small quantity of acid water.
A second isoelectric precipitation is carried out by adjusting the acidity to a PH of approximately 5.0. After standing over night the resultant precipitate is removed by centrifuging. The precipitate, which contains the active principle in a comparatively pure form, is dissolved in acid water and the hydrogen ion concentration adjusted to PH 2.5. The material is carefully tested to determine the potency and is then diluted to the desired strength of 10, 20, 40 or 80 units per c.c. Tricresol is added to secure a concentration of 0.1 percent. Sufficient sodium chloride is added to make the solution isotonic. The Insulin solution is passed through a Mandler filter. After passing through the filter the Insulin is retested carefully to determine its potency. There is practically no loss in berkefelding. The tested Insulin is poured into sterile glass vials with aseptic precautions and the sterility of the final product thoroughly tested by approved methods."
Storing Insulin
General Rules
To ensure that your insulin remains effective, stable and undamaged you should discard your ‘in use’ insulin after 28days, whether in a vial or cartridge.
Insulin that is not in use should be stored in the refrigerator. If refrigeration is not possible, it can be kept at room temperature [15-25 degrees C] for 28 days.
The in use vial may be kept at room temperature [15-25 degrees C] for 28 days.
In use cartridges should be kept at room temperature and SHOULD NOT be kept in the refrigerator.
Insulin has a ‘use by’ date as well as an expiry date.
The advice about storing insulin may differ from one manufacturer to another and so we have obtained information from the various companies:
Wockhardt UK, formerly CP Pharmaceuticals Ltd – manufacturers of natural pork and beef insulins:
Wockhardt UK Limited
Ash Road North
Wrexham Industrial Estate
Wrexham
LL13 9UF, U.K.
Tel: 01978 661261
Fax: 01978 660130
"Our recommendation is that a single vial may be used repeatedly over a 3 month period, as long as the vial is maintained at the correct storage temperature of 2 to 8 degrees C.
If the vial is stored outside the refrigerator [at room temperature] then this period of use should be reduced to 28 days. This also assumes that the vials are appropriately stored and are used under normal conditions [that is to avoid microbial contamination]. Insulin in cartridges is stable for up to 4 weeks once open if stored at 25 degrees C. We do not recommend that ‘in use’ cartridges are stored in the refrigerator."
Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Ltd – manufacturers of synthetic insulins, ‘human’ and analogues
"Our unopened insulins are stable until the expiry date if stored in a refrigerator. Once open vialled insulin is stable for up to 3 months in the refrigerator and 6 weeks at 25 degrees C. Insulin in cartridges is stable for up to 4 weeks once opened if stored at 25 degrees C; we do not recommend that in use cartridges are stored in the refrigerator. Brief exposure to temperature extremes need not necessarily reduce its efficacy. Our guidelines are quite cautious and are a guide so that people can be aware that should these restrictions be exceeded there is a strong likelihood that their insulin may be damaged and they should consider discarding it.
This table with permitted temperature and exposure times applies to single exposures only and repeated exposures to higher temperatures will gradually reduce the efficacy of the insulin. It shows permitted temperature and exposure times that will not reduce the efficacy of the insulin, PROVIDED it is then returned to the refrigerator."
Permitted Exposure Times For Various Temperature Ranges
Insulin preparations should not be exposed to temperatures between:
-20 to –10 degees C for more than 15 minutes
-10 to –5 degrees C for more than 30 minutes
-5 to +2 degrees C for more than 2 hours
8 to 15 degrees C for more than 96 hours
15 to 30 degrees C for more than 48 hours
30 to 40 degrees C for more than 6 hours
Insulin should never be stored above 40 degrees C.
It is important that insulin is never frozen, or exposed to a combination of high temperatures and excessive vibration.
Above table provided by Novo Nordisk
Eli Lilly – Manufacturers of synthetic insulins – ‘human’ and anaolgues.
"Our Humulin range has regulatory approval for in-use out of the fridge for 28 days. We have also performed our own in-house studies, however these were also completed after 28 days. Therefore, we do not have any data on in-use of Humulin vials after 28 days and thus, although we have no information to suggest that there is any problem with in-use vials stored in the fridge after 28 days, without data to support this we currently can only recommend in-use for 28 days."
Warning!
Patients should always discard their ‘in use’ insulins after 28 days as a necessary precaution
Why is this important?
There are no insulins that mimic the human body’s production of insulin in response to food intake. Diabetes is not an easy condition to live with and people with diabetes are individuals with different hormonal and metabolic rates. Each person responds to insulin in different ways.
There are many variables that affect diabetic control, such as:
Diet and exercise
Lifestyle
Fears of low blood sugars [hypoglycaemia]
Emotions and stress
Diabetes will remain a difficult and complex condition until we are provided with better ‘tools’ with which to control it. Until then it is important that we rule out anything which could affect our diabetic control. This must include ruling out the possibility that our insulin has started to break down so that it is less potent. This results in it being absorbed and moved around the body differently, so affecting blood glucose levels.
It is also important to realise that if we have been using ‘old’ insulin that has gone off, with a change to a new fresh fully effective vial there is a greater chance of a severe hypo at the changeover time.
Very interesting and potentially useful post, I'll be sharing this, thanks!
Really good research NR! I hope it can help someone one day.
Jerusalem Artichoke/ sunroot / topinambur can really be the salvation for diabetics:
They contain inulin, similar to insulin, and are really delicious if eaten raw (properly scaled or scrubbed). Tip: scrub with a handful of sand or take the time to peel it, definite taste improvement.
http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/05/letter_re_diabetes_mananagment
They contain inulin, similar to insulin, and are really delicious if eaten raw (properly scaled or scrubbed). Tip: scrub with a handful of sand or take the time to peel it, definite taste improvement.
http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/05/letter_re_diabetes_mananagment
https://survivalblog.com/2021/11/11/home-made-insulin-c-s/print/
"After seeing several discussions online in various forums about how individuals with type 1 diabetes would be able to survive post-Schumer Hits The Fan (SHTF), I became curious.
FIRST AND FOREMOST: I AM NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL NOR A SCIENTIST AND ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS ARTICLE SHOULD BE RESEARCHED INDEPENDENTLY AND ALWAYS CONSULT WITH MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.
Okay, insulin is the body’s way of controlling the levels of sugar in your blood. All of today’s insulin is synthesized but when it was first discovered it all came from animals. Insulin is produced in the pancreas or pancreatic areas. Approaching this from a preparedness standpoint I was curious if insulin could be produced at home. The leading sources of home-produced insulin would be the pancreas of pigs or cattle. The issue I see with this would be the potential killing of a food source before it was needed just to make insulin. After some digging I found that fish also produce insulin and if you were raising Tilapia for other prep then you would have a source."
"After seeing several discussions online in various forums about how individuals with type 1 diabetes would be able to survive post-Schumer Hits The Fan (SHTF), I became curious.
FIRST AND FOREMOST: I AM NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL NOR A SCIENTIST AND ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS ARTICLE SHOULD BE RESEARCHED INDEPENDENTLY AND ALWAYS CONSULT WITH MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.
Okay, insulin is the body’s way of controlling the levels of sugar in your blood. All of today’s insulin is synthesized but when it was first discovered it all came from animals. Insulin is produced in the pancreas or pancreatic areas. Approaching this from a preparedness standpoint I was curious if insulin could be produced at home. The leading sources of home-produced insulin would be the pancreas of pigs or cattle. The issue I see with this would be the potential killing of a food source before it was needed just to make insulin. After some digging I found that fish also produce insulin and if you were raising Tilapia for other prep then you would have a source."
recently pieced this posting together for another site >>> thought a copy here wouldn't hurt
Home-Made Insulin, by C.S.. The traditional method of preparation. >>> recent article on DIY
How To Make Insulin | Medical Preparedness | Doom and Bloom (TM) | Doom and Bloom (TM) >> Doc Doom's remedy
Preparedness for People with Diabetes (part. 1 – How to Make Insulin) | Prepper | Before It's News >>> older 2014 article
https://www.survivalistboards.com/threads/1-2-3-home-made-insulin.33479/ >>> 13 year old sticky complimation on the subject - pick thru it for the gems
>>> good UTUBE on the subject
Diabetes and Survival: Part 1 | Survival Medicine | Doom and Bloom (TM) | Doom and Bloom (TM)
Diabetes and Survival, Part 2 | Prevention | Doom and Bloom (TM) | Doom and Bloom (TM)
Diabetes and Survival, Part 3: Type 2 Prevention | Medical Preparedness | Doom and Bloom (TM) | Doom and Bloom (TM)
Diabetes and Survival | Collapse Medicine | Doom and Bloom (TM) | Doom and Bloom (TM)
Diabetes and Survival, Part 5: Natural Remedies | Medical Preparedness | Doom and Bloom (TM) | Doom and Bloom (TM)
Home-Made Insulin, by C.S.. The traditional method of preparation. >>> recent article on DIY
How To Make Insulin | Medical Preparedness | Doom and Bloom (TM) | Doom and Bloom (TM) >> Doc Doom's remedy
Preparedness for People with Diabetes (part. 1 – How to Make Insulin) | Prepper | Before It's News >>> older 2014 article
https://www.survivalistboards.com/threads/1-2-3-home-made-insulin.33479/ >>> 13 year old sticky complimation on the subject - pick thru it for the gems
>>> good UTUBE on the subject
Diabetes and Survival: Part 1 | Survival Medicine | Doom and Bloom (TM) | Doom and Bloom (TM)
Diabetes and Survival, Part 2 | Prevention | Doom and Bloom (TM) | Doom and Bloom (TM)
Diabetes and Survival, Part 3: Type 2 Prevention | Medical Preparedness | Doom and Bloom (TM) | Doom and Bloom (TM)
Diabetes and Survival | Collapse Medicine | Doom and Bloom (TM) | Doom and Bloom (TM)
Diabetes and Survival, Part 5: Natural Remedies | Medical Preparedness | Doom and Bloom (TM) | Doom and Bloom (TM)
This physician has been very helpful to the prepping community for years now! I really appreciate his knowledge and ability to share. Their books are excellent and their classes were too!
talking Doc Doom ???
