Type 1 Diabetics Super Mega Thread

Honestly, it took me about three weeks before I started getting decent numbers. Part of that may be ignorance or poor testing/dosing. I was scared to dose too much to begin with. Now I just dose away and drink something sugary if it happened to be too much, seems to be working well. A buddy of mine who has had type 1 since he was 8 months told me to not worry about the numbers in individual events it will drive you crazy, but look at the big picture- A1C.

I didn't get my eyesight back until a week after starting insulin. Then it got insanely good, like I didn't need glasses anymore. It was surreal being able to see perfectly without glasses. But unfortunately it wasn't permanent and it went back to pre diabetes after a couple weeks. Was a nice break though. I'm just happy to not be half blind, pissing like a racehorse, and drinking water like it's going out of style...

 

Also, I've been using an app to keep track of what I eat and when and how much I dose. I can export it and show it to my doc or just share it directly with their office. My continuous meter has an app, but when I was using test strips, I used a free one in the play store. There's a few to choose from.

 

Has anyone gone through the process of getting their insurance to cover the Dexcom? My blue Cross doesn't cover it, and the pharmacy said my endo can fill out a form (PA?) to try to get them to cover it. Using the libre now, but am unhappy with how inaccurate it is

 

As a former type1 after nearly 35 years of taking shots, pricking my finger, and having an extensive collection of low blood sugar takes I can advise that you should all keep pressing forward. The future as transplants continue to get better is bright.

 

Former type 1? Will need an explanation on that one.

 

Kidney/pancreas transplant.

 

don't disparage these guys ride bikes www.teamnovonordisk.com/teams/pro-team,
stay strong

 

Been type one since I was 8 years old....I'm 32...on an insulin pump mini med 870g with continuous glucose monitoring...hasn't slowed me down much

 

Ahhh ok. Forgot about that trick.

 

Pissing on a strip measuring for ketones back in the day was infinitely better than the blood testing they had then. It certainly has improved over the years.

 

Post my transplant I had never really had a sugar buzz before. A coworker gave me a candy bar to try. It hit me so hard, I almost threw up. I still dont understand how people consume so much candy/sugar laden drinks.

 

My 10 yr was diagnosed last Friday.

Met with the Endocrinologist. So much to take in.
Overwhelming is a good term to use when your new to this.

 

I've gone through this several times. Most endos or their admin know how to word the form ,etc. You have to know the magic words and phrases. "high blood sugars" "tests 3 or more times a day" etc.

I was really happy with the dexcom, but there was certain things that always irritated me and I've stopped using it because of that. Mainly the fact that if you go low, theres no way to silence the alarm. you can snooze it, but it sounds every 5 minutes until you go above their threshold. Really annoying if you go low right as you go into a critical meeting at work, so you turn it off and defeat the purpose.

 

Type 1 diagnosed at 24, am 48 now. (dam, half my life now) been on a pump since 26, minimed pumps the entire time, 670G with GCM currently. Its a constant battle for me, even with the CGM and auto mode, this thing tries to kill me, very low sugars in the late afternoon. (as low as 45 sometimes) I toggle on the temp target of 150 mid morning to get me through dinner time, sometimes works, sometimes not. Expensive to maintain tight control. Cant put a price on health though right. Minimed coach has tried to help, to no avail. I believe I have a slow metabolism, and the insulin stacks up and hits all at once. On Fiasp now, was on humalog forever. Fiasp is supposed to be 2x as fast to onset, and I think it has helped a bit. Always have a cooler with me with snacks and sugar pills, low sugar hits at the most inopportune time.

 

It's a flood of info, especially as a concerned parent. But really it boils down to a few basic concepts and the rest will be a trial and error game.

1. Dose on time and the proper amount.
2. Moderate the types of foods that really nobody should eat anyway like cake, but a slice every once in a while wont kill him if dosed for properly.
3. I write this one as a former kid with a mom that was a little too nervous nelly about the whole thing, and don't mean it in an assertive way: He's 10 and soon to be a teenager. Chill out. They'll go high some days for literally no reason at all and it isn't their fault, they'll sneak a cookie on occasion, let the kid be a kid and he'll learn his limits soon enough.
4. Halloween through New Years is the hardest cuz its all candy and cocoa and cranberry sauce. Gotta be on your game.

 

Mid tier riders on a good day, but they'd still kick my ass in a road race any day of the week.

Been mountain biking for years, and T1D hasn't slowed me down at all, just keep up your calorie and fluid intake and you'll be fine.

 

hahaha dude, I was diagnosed when I was about 5. Pretty sure one of my grandmothers asked me what I could eat every time I saw her for the next 10 years. That was trying haha

I kind of skimmed through the thread. You said you were on the pen and not wanting to consider a pump. Any change of heart since then? I've been on Medtronic pumps since I was a kid. The tube can be a bit annoying, but you get over it and find ways to tuck it in and keep it out of sight / out of the way as much as possible. Every once in a while you do get a bad site though - either hit a vein, or a nerve, or it just flat out goes bad after a day. Thats probably the biggest PIA, dealing with the pain from a bad site.

My Dr is trying to get me to upgrade to the 670G system like @JimboAnz has, but Im not too crazy about a few features on that new pump. Especially the auto-locking function. That seems like a huge pain in the ass to have to unlock the screen every single time you need to use the pump.

And honestly I dont really think T1D has had any real effect on the Taco life at all. Other than taking a bottle of glucose tabs with me on camping trips and taking an extra bit of caution/ planning when I do remote solo trips.

 

The 670G is very annoying with all the alarms, buzzing, and "safeties" At least 3-4 nights a week I am awakened to a buzzing beeping bastard that wont shut up until you click some buttons. I am not thrilled with it. I usually wear it when sleeping clipped on my panties, when it starts that shit, I unclip and set it on the bed net to me. I sometimes sleep through the buzzing, most times not. I do wake up wound up in the cord more often than not