This will be a quick, but, I believe an important blog on Baqsimi. Many of you, likely, do not know what Baqsimi is and why it is a major breakthrough for those with type 1 diabetes.

Baqsimi is a new product that replaces Glucagon and like Glucagon it is also made by Lilly. Glucagon has been a standard for treating extremely low blood sugar for a person with type 1 diabetes for many years. It is not the easiest product to use and is not in a the handiest item to keep on hand.

I heard about Baqsimi and knew that it would be a very valuable item to have. My insurance rejected my claim (it may eventually be an item that insurances cover) and I submitted a coupon from Lilly, which was also denied by insurance. I was told by my pharmacy that the cost of Baqsimi is $550 a vial. Baqsimi usually comes in a pack of two ($1100). While the value of Baqsimi could be life saving, I am working part-time and I could not afford the spray.

Keep in mind that Baqsimi is not simply a nasal spray of glucose. It is causing your body to release sugar, hence the extra cost that is involved.

I continued the search by submitting a generic email request to Lilly where I shared my situation. To my amazement I received a phone call within a couple of hours and a packet of two Baqsimi’s were in my mail box within a couple days.

No charge!

I am extremely thankful to Lilly for their positive response and I have begun to share with local Fire Departments to research the possible addition of Baqsimi to their rescue kits. I am aware that they have standard protocol and items that are approved and budgeted for. I am hoping that this valuable item can be added to their kits.

Baqsimi is easy to use and does not require an injection, as it is a nasal spray. It is also comes in a very small container so it is very handy to carry.

An added note is that the majority of those involved in rescue, fire departments, EMT’s, do not have the status to give glucagon injections. I have been the recipient of at least one Glucagon injection that was administered by someone on a fire department team who risked his job to give me a possibly life saving injection.

How to use baqsimi

I was not able to post the video on How to Use Baqsimi, but have included a link to the page that it is on.

The details below are from baqsimi.com:

What is BAQSIMI?

BAQSIMI is the first and only dry nasal spray that can treat severe hypoglycemia. It is a form of glucagon given as a puff in the nose. In a study, BAQSIMI raised blood sugar successfully* in 100%† of patients ages 4 through 16 within an average time of about 12 minutes. BAQSIMI has not been studied in children under the age of 4 years.

BAQSIMI should still be given in a low blood sugar emergency even if you are passed out, because BAQSIMI does not need to be inhaled. It should be given even if your nose is congested or you have used decongestants.

When you need a medication others can use to help you in a low blood sugar emergency, that’s where BAQSIMI comes in.

† All patients’ blood sugar raised successfully within 30 minutes of dosing BAQSIMI.

* Defined as a rise in blood sugar of 20 mg/dL from the lowest value.

Keep tube sealed until ready to use

Select Important Safety Information

BAQSIMI may cause serious side effects including:

High blood pressure. BAQSIMI can cause high blood pressure in certain people with tumors in their adrenal glands.

Low blood sugar. BAQSIMI can cause certain people with tumors in their pancreas to have low blood sugar.

Serious allergic reaction. Call your doctor or get medical help right away if you have a serious allergic reaction including, rash, difficulty breathing, or low blood pressure.