OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio — University Hospitals is in the middle of a clinical trial that could impact millions of young diabetic patients across the country.
The hospital is working to learn if inhalable insulin can positively treat children living with diabetes.
Olmsted Falls senior James Jones has said that the inhalable insulin is a time saver and stress reliever.
Jones is always on the go either playing with his two dogs or juggling multiple sports throughout the year.
But his busy life started to slow down during the peak of the pandemic in 2021.
That's when he said he started noticing some changes.
"I'd be sitting in my classes. I'm at home and I started using the bathroom a lot. and I would drink just all day, non-stop water and juice," Jones said.
An urgent care visit to figure out what was wrong turned into a three-day hospital stay after doctors discovered he has Type 1 Diabetes.
"They checked my blood sugar, and it was so high it wouldn't even read on their monitor," Jones said.
Jones spent the next several months overhauling his diet, weighing foods and giving himself those cumbersome insulin injections with each meal and snack.
"I didn't want to take the shots. I'm personally not a fan. So I would kind of alter my meals to favor not taking a shot over using a shot," Jones said.
Then, Jones received a glimmer of hope when his doctor suggested trying an "Afrezza," which is a small portable device that packs a life-altering punch.
At 18, Jones began using the inhalable insulin instead of giving himself multiple insulin injections throughout the day.
"So much more convenient. It's in your system and out of your system in an hour and a half which is half the time of the injectable insulin which lingers in your system for about three hours," Jones said.
Before every meal and snack, he inserts a cartridge and inhales, just like someone with asthma would use an inhaler.
"This thing has changed your life. Yes for sure. 100%. I have more energy. I eat whatever I want," Jones said.
Researchers and doctors at University Hospitals are immersed in a study to see if the Afrezza can treat children aged four to 17 living with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.
Their goal is to get FDA approval in the years ahead.
"We need to demonstrate that now with the children that they have, that it's safe, that it helps keep their blood sugars in target without too many lows or too many highs, and that it also has the same degree of satisfaction," said Dr. Jamie Wood, Medical Director of Pediatric Diabetes at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital.
Jones said he has no side effects and has never felt better.
He said the device helps him feel like a normal healthy kid and the convenience factor has changed the game.
"This is much easier. The pods are smaller than needles," Jones said.
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