Overcoming Severe Hypoglycemia with T1D – Gvoke Success Story
Explore Tristan’s story: an 18-year-old athlete with T1D (Type 1 Diabetes) who had a severe hypoglycemic event and used Gvoke HypoPen®(glucagon injection). Learn about his journey and the benefits of Gvoke®.
This interview was translated into this blog piece using artificial information technology and was derived from a transcribed conversation with the subject. The interview has been published with the subject’s consent.
Tristan is an 18-year-old from Iowa, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) when he was in first grade. He’s an athlete, a competitive rower, and races for the U.S. men’s junior national team. Tristan has experienced severe hypoglycemia, and he is here to talk about his journey with T1D and how he treats severe lows with Gvoke HypoPen® .
Q: Hi, Tristan. Thanks for joining us. Can you tell us a little about your experience with T1D and severe lows?
A: Sure. I’ve had T1D for as long as I can remember. It feels like I’ve always had to take insulin, watch carbs, and monitor my blood sugar. I’ve also been an athlete for most of my life. Currently, I’m a competitive rower for my college team, and I raced for the U.S. men’s junior national team in Italy in the summer of 2022. I’ve experienced a few severe lows, which are very scary and can happen at any time, even when I have my day tightly managed.
Q: Can you walk us through what happened during one of your severe lows?
A: Sure. I was about 13 or 14, and I had a busy day. I had gone to school, practice, and then ate dinner. I went to bed, and my mom saw through her phone connected to my CGM that my blood sugar was low and dropping. She tried giving me juice, but it wasn’t bringing my blood sugar up. I was seizing and was unconscious for a few hours, and my mom was very worried. She used a glucagon kit, but she was stressed and worried whether she mixed it correctly. The ambulance came and took me to the hospital.
Q: That must have been very scary for you and your family. How did you learn about Gvoke HypoPen®?
A: A few years after that incident, we learned about Gvoke HypoPen® through a friend. They said that we should look into it because it was glucagon that was two steps and came ready to use. To me, that sounded like a good idea, and my mom thought so too. My mom talked to my endocrinologist about Gvoke®, and she wrote me a prescription.
Q: How has Gvoke HypoPen® helped you treat severe lows?
A: Gvoke HypoPen® has been a game-changer for me. I have it in my house, in our car, and in my gym bag. It’s portable and small enough that I can just have it in my bag and not even really think about it.
In 2020, I had another severe low, and my mom saw that I was low and brought me juice, but I wasn’t able to drink or eat anything. She called 9-1-1, and then she remembered that I had Gvoke HypoPen® by my bed. She grabbed it, removed the cap, and inserted the needle directly into my abdomen. By the time the ambulance arrived, I had regained consciousness, and my blood sugar was going back up. Because of Gvoke®, we were able to handle the low on our own.
*Note, Gvoke HypoPen® should be stored in the original sealed foil pouch until time of use and stored at room temperature between 68°F to 77°(20°C to 25°C). Do not refrigerate or freeze. It is not known if Gvoke® is safe and effective in children under two years of age.*
Q: That’s amazing. Can you tell us why you think Gvoke HypoPen® is important for people with T1D?
A: I think Gvoke HypoPen® is essential for people with T1D because severe lows can be very scary, and they can happen at any time. In an emergency, you need a ready-to-use glucagon option that can be administered in two simple steps. Gvoke HypoPen® the ready-to-use rescue pen that can be administered by anyone.
Individual results may vary. To determine if Gvoke HypoPen® is right for you, speak with your doctor.
US-GVKHP-23-00023
INDICATION AND SAFETY SUMMARY
GVOKE is a prescription medicine used to treat very low blood sugar (severe hypoglycemia) in adults and kids with diabetes ages 2 years and above. It is not known if GVOKE is safe and effective in children under 2 years of age.
WARNINGS
Do not use GVOKE if:
- you have a tumor in the gland on top of your kidneys (adrenal gland), called a pheochromocytoma.
- you have a tumor in your pancreas called an insulinoma.
- you are allergic to glucagon or any inactive ingredient in GVOKE.
GVOKE MAY CAUSE SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS, INCLUDING:
High blood pressure
GVOKE can cause high blood pressure in certain people with tumors in their adrenal glands.
Low blood sugar
GVOKE can cause low blood sugar in certain people with tumors in their pancreas called insulinomas by making too much insulin in their bodies.
Serious allergic reaction
Call your doctor or get medical help right away if you have a serious allergic reaction including:
- rash
- difficulty breathing
- low blood pressure
COMMON SIDE EFFECTS
The most common side effects of GVOKE in adults include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- swelling at the injection site
- headache
The most common side effects of GVOKE in children include:
- nausea
- low blood sugar
- high blood sugar
- vomiting
- abdominal pain
- headache
- pain or redness at the injection site
- itching
These are not all the possible side effects of GVOKE. For more information, ask your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
You are encouraged to report side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
BEFORE USING
Before using GVOKE, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:
- have adrenal gland problems
- have a tumor in your pancreas
- have not had food or water for a long time (prolonged fasting or starvation)
- have low blood sugar that does not go away (chronic hypoglycemia)
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if GVOKE passes into your breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you can use GVOKE while breastfeeding.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
HOW TO USE
- Read the detailed Instructions for Use that come with GVOKE.
- Use GVOKE exactly how your healthcare provider tells you to use it
- Make sure your relatives, close friends, and caregivers know where you store GVOKE and how to use it the right way before you need their help.
- Act quickly. Having very low blood sugar for a period of time may be harmful.
- Your healthcare provider will tell you how and when to use GVOKE.
- After giving GVOKE, your caregiver should call for emergency medical help right away.
- If you do not respond after 15 minutes, your caregiver may give you another dose, if available. Tell your healthcare provider each time you use GVOKE. Low blood sugar may happen again after receiving an injection of GVOKE. Your diabetes medicine may need to be changed.
HOW TO STORE
- Keep GVOKE pre-filled syringe and HypoPen in sealed foil pouch until time of use.
- Keep GVOKE kit vial and pouched syringe together in original carton until time of use.
- Store GVOKE at temperatures between 68°F and 77°F.
- Do not keep it in the refrigerator or let it freeze.
Keep GVOKE and all medicines out of the reach of children.
For more information, call 1-877-937-4737 or go to www.GvokeGlucagon.com.
Please see the Full Prescribing Information for Gvoke