Type 1 Diabetics Super Mega Thread

That is the most annoying thing about it at this point. Until they get away from having to use a PDM its still something extra to carry which blows.

 

I've just taught myself to take one with breakfast and one with dinner.

 

For whatever reason I struggle with the 2nd pill. I now have a reminder on my phone. Helps.

 

Apparently a select few android phones (all Samsung it looks like) are supported, but I’m in the Apple world phone wise and I really don’t want to ditch it or carry a PDM.

I really like having background insulin in the form of long acting. When that tandem pump went haywire I had nothing to keep me from going sky high. That sketches me out about pumps in general. Not to mention I’ve had Dexcoms that were way off and its terrifying being dosed automatically by a pump based off of an inaccurate sensor…

 

I die if I don’t take insulin or take too much so I don’t get to forget

Controlling with diet and exercise for type 2 is probably the healthiest way to do it. Unfortunately most (but not all) with type 2 are likely in that predicament from not having good health habits so that makes it difficult to do.

 

A1C blood draw at 2:10 today.

Minor shit.

 

Yo! Cool if I follow/ engage this thread? Not that it makes me an expert of what it means to live with diabetes, my wife has t1d and I'm a diabetes psychologist in an endo clinic.

 

Cool with me.

Whats a diabetes psych do? Never heard of a specialty like that, but I could see why one would be a good idea to have around if its what I think it is.

 

That’s awesome. I’ve never heard of that specialty either, curious to know more.

 

It's really unfortunate how often I hear this because it shows that the popular endorsement of holistic medicine and the mind-body connection is just lip service! Peds psychologists in diabetes clinics are a dime a dozen, but I'm 1/3 working purely with adults in a 300 mile range (according to the ADA anyway). The majority of referrals relate to diabetes distress/burnout and difficulties integrating management into life/ adhering to testing/bolusing recommendations (many of my folks have an A1c over 10%, some >14%). Following that, I work with a lot of people who are struggling with disordered eating behaviors, anxiety, and depression. Believe it or not, over the past 2 years at this particular clinic, I've worked with 4 people who have needle phobia - a fantastic combo with t1d! Apart from all that, I facilitate support groups and a young adult diabetes clinic (help folks transitioning from peds to adult care), and I'm engaged in teaching/training/research.

 

Good stuff.

I mean I'm T2 and I'm already burned out. I get it.

 

I mean, it certainly doesn’t discriminate! All versions dramatically shift your relationship with food and add to the chaos of life in general. Dude should start paying me for this endorsement, but it’s good enough to promote for free: Diabetes Burnout: What to Do When You Can't Take It Anymore

$41 Diabetes Burnout: What to Do When You Can't Take It Anymore

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1580400337

 

That is worthwhile work right there. I wish it was more available for folks. I feel like I was thrown to the wolves at first, but that’s probably best for me anyways. I was diagnosed much later in life. It was a pretty big life change. Honestly dealing with the healthcare/insurance side of things was worse than the diabetes at first

 

Man, dealing with healthcare/insurance can be an absolute nightmare even for those of us on the inside! But yah, my wife was diagnosed at 26 and was essentially told, "Good luck!" Part of what motivated me to go this direction in life.

 

Yeah my wife had a run of Dexcom sensors recently that constantly required calibration to stay right. The old Tandem "sneaky bolus" as we like to call it is the worst. She recently switched from the Tandem over to the current style Omnipod for summer for that reason. She leads a pretty active lifestyle and the Tandem can be real hard to work with in that regard.

I never heard of it either, but that's awesome work man. Glad to hear that is a thing. My wife was diagnosed with T1D at 40, and the above is pretty much a description of that entire rollercoaster of emotions she has been through since. 100% see a need for it.
I do my best to play that role I guess.

 

I'm surprised I've never seen this thread.

Diagnosed in 2010 diabetic. VA doc told me I was Type 2, tried treating with metformin no dice. A1C was still high 10's. Had a CT scan done shortly after (unrelated), doc took me off Metformin for the time being, and on novalog. Immediately noticed a HUGE BS improvement. Been on insulin since. Recently moved from syringes/vials to Omnipod Dash and Dexcom. Went from 7.8 A1C to hovering high 5's. DKA Oct '17, Dr's diagnosed me as Type 1.

About the same time (because of uncontrolled diabetes) my kidney's started shutting down. Saw a nephrologist and he said I'm going to be put on dialysis in Apr 22 time frame. Jan 2nd, went to bed around 200, over bolus'd and had a grand maul seizure due to low BS. Was in the hospital for 3 days monitoring.


Had the cath placed in Dec, got an infection. Pushed my start date to March. Been doing dialysis since then. Endo was on board for a pancreas transplant at the same time, as kidney transplant. All testing is completed, waiting on KU to call me.

Last week Endo ran some blood work, confirmed her suspicions of actually being a insulin resistant type 2. Pump is still being used and has officially taken me off the pancreas transplant list option. Which is a HUGE bummer.

STAY VIGILANT folks. Dialysis isn't very fun, time consuming, restrictive. Take care of you, no one else is going to.

 

I raise funds for the JDFR annual bike ride supporting T1D. https://www.jdrf.org/

I was at the JDFR ride, and a bunch of the teens were comparing notes about the subdural pumps. I thought it was a Duopa pump (inject medication into your small intestine). Friendly group and happy to explain what their pump does. They got a kick out of my Medtronic brain pacemaker (Deep Brain Stimulation).

A friend of mine has diabetes and an avid cyclist/healthy eating for years. MDS nailed him, diabetic due to mediation and treatment (saved his life, but ended up diabetic).
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/myelodysplastic-syndrome/about/what-is-mds.html

Meanwhile, my wife's Albumin is considered way low. She cannot absorb nutrients and is on daily TPN IV feeding, which includes finger pricking for blood sugar. Something she hates, but at 5'6", it's a challenge keeping her weight over 100 pounds.

No one deserves medical issues.

 

Just seeing this...

Pee'd "hot" for a DOT physical 20 years ago...

Doctor read me the riot act and changed up my diet....plus new med's

Now at age 60 my body is improving because of those eating/life style habits.

I just passed my latest DOT with flying colors and without my glasses ( required for driving ).. Doctor was quite astonished, me I just

I will NEVER be off Metformin because of my career choice; DOT frowns upon it BUT when we switched health insurance and Ivanka became customer pay my pharmacist quickly got approval for Glipizide

Life changes but I consider my self lucky to be given a little longer to drive my "kids crazy"

 

I legitimately wish I had had one available with that description. 15 to 21 was a rough time for me dealing with T1d and some of the related stuff.

 

A1C 7.3%. Ugg no real change 1 year on Metformin.

I like bread and rice way too much.

I don't drink sweet sodas and crap.

Not sure where to go at this point. Doc gonna chew my ass.