The London-born actor has to have a glass of orange juice on film sets in case his blood sugar falls too low It means far less finger-pricking (though they still need to finger-prick occasionally as the sensor can give false readings and, unlike continuous glucose monitoring, flash monitoring doesn't alert the user to hypos). Users swipe the disc with an e-reader or smartphone to read their blood glucose level. It consists of a disc about the size of a £2 coin that sits on the arm with a small sensor inserted under the skin. These contain sensors to measure the amount of glucose levels and can alert the wearer to a hypo.Ī version of this is a so-called flash monitor currently, the only model available is FreeStyle Libre (which Theresa May has). There is also a less invasive way of checking blood glucose, with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices. But diabetics still need to give themselves a different, faster-acting insulin, known as a bolus, whenever they eat. This allows basal insulin (also known as background insulin) to be delivered around the clock. For example, some people rely on an insulin pump, a small electronic device with a tiny cannula (tube) that sits just under the skin. There are technologies that reduce this burden. 'Because my sister had been diagnosed so young, my parents already knew all about management and control, and also the need for that psychological balance between recognising that it's a serious, life-long condition, but not letting it define us,' he says. But then, when it was my turn, she got me through it, too,' says James, talking to Good Health exclusively at a major conference for families affected by type 1. 'Having type 1 was particularly hard for her through her teenage years when she had so many other things to contend with. I called her so many times, worrying about things, which was strange, because I'd always been the protective older brother, keeping an eye on Jessie at parties. 'But it was also manageable because I had the best role model in my sister, who was training to be a doctor. 'It was traumatic, because I'm a terrible hypochondriac anyway,' admits James. He was diagnosed with Type 1 at the age of 22 and is pictured at the fourth annual Talking About Diabetes (TAD) event held at The Royal College of Physicians in Londonĭespite his family history, the diagnosis still came as a blow. Research suggests type 1 is due to a combination of genetic predisposition (there are distant relatives with the condition on both sides of James's family) and some kind of environmental trigger. While most people with type 1 are diagnosed between the ages of 16 to 25, it can develop at any age. I was losing weight, urinating more often and feeling very tired.'Ī blood test confirmed he had type 1 diabetes. 'Then when I was 22 and just starting out in my acting career, I began to experience the same symptoms. 'My little sister, Jessie, was diagnosed when she was nine. 'Within our little nuclear family of four, it's completely normal to have type 1 diabetes my dad is the only one who doesn't have it,' explains James, who was brought up in North Yorkshire by his parents, Lavinia and Hugh, both teachers, and then studied at Cambridge and RADA. And, more recently, the latest diabetes technology - something he believes all people with type 1 diabetes should have access to. I've lost count of the number of times I've done that.'īut if he now manages his condition well and with good grace, James would be the first to acknowledge the example of his family. 'Then, if I start to feel shaky, I'll improvise: I'll wander upstage, throw three dextrose tablets in my month and then carry on with the scene. James has even been tipped as the next James Bond
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