‘This will save lives’: Insulin-user embraces the era of Luigi and doles out free medical advice for fellow diabetics

Between healthcare companies that care more to protect corporate greed than about, well, protecting health, and employers that don’t allow any holidays, it’s rough out there. And although trolls and judgmental people take a toll on everyone’s social media usage, sometimes the kindness of strangers makes it all worth it.

TikTok user @amirnosir8 shared an incredibly helpful tip that will help diabetics get more insulin out: remove a needle from a syringe, and insert it in the top of the insulin pack. He said, “There is still insulin. They’re scamming y’all. They’re shortening us of our f*cking insulin but me, I get every last drop.” Amir got 10 units, which he said is “the difference between Diabetic ketoacidosis and a safe blood sugar.”

One user emphasized the significance of this video: “this will save lives.” Several others commented the same thing, and more than a few left comments, ensuring that Amir gets more views and more people can be helped. A few explained that they have used this trick for IVF. When someone asked how this could assist a diabetic, Amir wrote, “if i had a meal like a burger and fries and forgot to switch out my empty pen, that would be the difference between having severe hyperglycemia and a normal blood sugar.”

So, what is diabetic ketoacidosis? It’s a scary and life-threatening situation when your body is not making the insulin that you need. And, since insulin costs add up quickly, it’s impossible to overstate how necessary this medication is. In 2018, one vial cost $98.70 on average, and as NBC reported, Type 1 diabetics have to use between one and three vials monthly. Spending a few hundred dollars every month is wild. A heartbreaking 2018 Yale study found that 25% of those with diabetes don’t use the full amount of insulin because it’s so expensive. If a diabetic doesn’t use insulin, tracking blood sugar via a Dexcom or other device isn’t cheap, either. Buying a Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitoring system sets someone back $366 USD if they don’t have health insurance. Medicare should pay for a CGM, though.

It’s hard to overstate the cleverness of Amir’s idea. According to Healthline, although Type 2 diabetics are insulin resistant, Type 1 diabetics have an autoimmune disease and tend to receive the diagnosis when they are younger. As the Cleveland Clinic points out, every Type 1 diabetic must take insulin, but only some who have Type 2 take it.

There’s another reason why Amir’s TikTok is so important, though: the sense of compassion and community it evokes. Living with a chronic illness can be challenging, and it’s easy to feel isolated. Although of course no one should feel ashamed or like it’s their fault, it can be hard not to spiral and view it as a negative experience. Everyone wants to be able to eat the way they choose or go to a restaurant with a friend for dinner and not have to worry about their blood sugar. And when it’s so pricey for diabetics to stay healthy and on top of things, it’s easy to feel discouraged and hopeless. Hopefully your friends and family are there for you, but if you don’t know any diabetics IRL, finding support online can be amazing. Amir has some other helpful TikToks, including a review of the Dexcom G7, and he should continue to share his awesome videos.