Hey, all. I’ve had T1 for 9.5 years now (my diaversary is 24 July–basic story: coma, DKA, big shock because I was 31 years old), on MDI after a stint on the pump and figuring out that buying the supplies was not conducive to a graduate assistant’s salary.
I’m not really new to the community, but I’m back after several years away (grad school does that). I’m back for a couple of reasons.
First, my mother was just diagnosed with T2, and I’m going to read up on some advice for her (and maybe get her to join in, although she’s still pushing the denial thing).
Second, at the beginning of the year, insurance became not cost effective for someone who doesn’t have a job, when insulin alone costs more than $500 per month, so I was going to look up prescription assistance and how to get some, quick. I know this isn’t the place to ask, so I’m off to scout the forums for the right answers.
I am new to this community have been posting a lot on Diabetesdaily. I am presently using an animas Ping for my basal insulin. I live in Calgary. I am 67 years old and find diabetes harder and harder to manage.
I am extremely insulin resistant about 1 unit of insulin per 2 grams of carbs. I don’t think I produce much of my own insulin .
I would like to take metformin as it would do marvels to even out my BG and curtail some of the liver dumps. BUT after 2 weeks or less I develop extreme fatigue and have to stop if I want to be able to get out of bed.
I’m not new to tudiabetes.org but I am new to the ‘new’ web site - I terminated my account after the site changed years ago.
I’m still getting used to this one (only about 10 minutes so far
Anyway, about me: My name is John Bowler, I’m a probably auto-immune T1D and have been since around 1971/2 (age 11/12). I haven’t ever experienced diet-only treatment (I started on regular bovine insulin+diet) but I’ve experienced a lot of the various approaches since the '70s.
I currently use Omnipods with Humalog most of the time; I scuba dive and then use Lantus and a mixture of the Omnipod (basal disabled) and Humalog by injection when the pod fails (yuk; can’t inject half a unit even!)
I’ve tried a Dexcom CGM but it failed always, invariably, after one day or so. At this point I’m considering trying again, though probably the Abbott product because of the Omnipod and because I don’t trust Dexcom (the company, not the product) after my previous experience.
My last HbA1C was 7.8, which scares me because I was doing better before. I think I just get lazy over time and need to re-energize by trying something different, hence the interest in trying a CGM again.
I am mom of T1DM kid. His diagnosis was a life changing for us, My husband and me. It was heartbreaking, still trying to recover, the memories are fresh . It’s seven years since his diagnosis but I am still recovering the feeling cause me heartaches. The guilt kills and torture of family and relatives replays in my mind. He is my dream and I want to see him achieve all the success. Whether in my lifetime I can see him achieving his dreams?
Hi I’m Helen been T1 for 52 years. Currently on Animas pump and which is now out of warranty but they still havn’t let us know what pump will be taking its place here in New Zealand so waiting and hoping will be soon. I am also using dexcom g4 so looking for pump that will be compatiable. At present only pumps here are the Animas and medtronic so looking forward to seeing what the new one will be. Hoping it will be the T-slim x2
It is definitely a tough battle, but it is doable. Look out for success stories. There are a few around. Focus on those, and emulate them. You can do it.
In the US they chose Medtronic but that didn’t mean that we were forced to go that route. I chose the Tandem t:slim X2 with G5 CGM. I was on the Animas Vibe with G4 CGM for years and was upset about being forced to change but, in reality, I am loving the Tandem Pump much more than the Vibe… Primarily the ability to have multiple programs for more than just the basil rate as well as the X2 delivering bolus insulin at a far slower rate than the Vibe.
Hi, I’m Steve and live in the Nashville, TN area. I was originally diagnosed as adult onset T2 but could never get things regulated with diet and oral meds. Additional testing revealed that I was really T1 since I was basically not producing insulin. I have been on Insulin injections since 1998 and have been on insulin pumps since 2004. I started with Medtronic, then moved to Animas (most recently the Vibe with Dexcom G4 integration), and now the Tandem t:slim X2 with Dexcom G5 integration because Animas is getting out of the pump business.
I try to keep tight control over my BG levels and have A1Cs that range from 5.6 to 6.3 but my most recent A1C was 5.4 and I’m ecstatic. That was just before my move to the Tandem pump and I’m expecting even better results with the greater flexibility of the multiple programs you can have with the Tandem X2.
I started with Novolog in the pump, then moved to Humalog (because insurance forced me), and am now doing experimentation with Fiasp, a newly approved fast acting insulin in the US. My initial results have been very positive but I’ve only been on it about 1 1/2 weeks now. If you are interested, you can find my post with more details by searching “pump Fiasp” in the forum. I actually found the forum through a Google search on Fiasp.
I’m always open to suggestions and ways others are managing their Diabetes. I often tell people that, if I had to choose a life-long disease (or illness, or condition, or whatever you want to call it), I would probably choose Diabetes as it is manageable if you take it seriously. I’m not saying it’s easy, because it isn’t. Just about the time you think you have it figured out and have things in a groove swing, something changes and you are back at the drawing board.
Be a problem if have to change to G5 as cgm is not funded here no diabetic consumables are covered by insurance so its
my cost. As it is for the G4 costs me $539 month just for the sensors. With G5 its more cause each transmitter is $1000 no way can pay that on top of sensors I’m only on a pension… I’m on G4 as totally hypo unaware now. Whats the lowest basal rate for the Tslim x2 Can’t use medtronic as we still only have the ones that arn’t color screen and I need a color screen.
Hello!
I’m Charles. I was diagnosed with Type 1 12 April 1990 (I remember, because the first full day I spent in Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital was Friday the 13th). I was a Freshman in high school at the time.
I now live in the Dayton area of Ohio, USA, where I work as a database administrator. I have three children ranging in age from 19 to 10.
My wife of 11 years was recently diagnosed with Type 2, so she’s now taking metformin and checking her blood sugar once a day. She says I’m starting a trend and/or that I’m contagious (hah), and that watching me be diabetic has made the transition easier for her.
I’ve been on a variety of treatments over the years, but I’m now on the 630g Minimed pump. It’s my 4th pump, I think? My first was the Cozmo, but I’ve been on Minimed for years now.
I also take Metformin. Yay for insulin resistance.
Hello, My name is Danielle and I am a type 1 diabetic for 5 years now. I was diagnosed in June of 2013 when my daughter was 3 months old. It is a daily struggle for me and I am glad to have a community of people like me that are struggling or in control and willing to help others. I hope to make other mom friends and friends as well.
I am a dutch man of 76 living in Belgium got diabetes some 6 years ago due a anorism and must treat myself 4 times a day. Thru my hospital over here AZ St Lucas in Bruges I have a convention treaty for chronic patients, and they give me excellent care. Now they want me to switch over to accu-chek instant from Bayer Contour USB next one. Personally I don’t like it…cause the Bayer glucose monitors I had and have over the years are excellent, also the program of them on my PC does the job get well. Time will tell if I’m right or wrong…
New member. I have been reading and following. I am trying to decide if I like the 670G. Just left Dexcom (no tubing—LOVED IT). I was sold on trying the 670g and I am still getting used to the pump and haven’t advanced to the closed loop training yet, but this tubing and sticky tape on the sensor is so awful- I feel like I am wrapped in tape after I secure the sensor- Dexcom just an easy snap in… I may go back- I swim so I like the no tubing and the fact its small and don’t have any problem hiding the pod versus wearing this device on my hip all the time!!
Hello to all my pancreatic-challenged and insulin resistance-challenged (type 2) brothers and sisters. Thanks to all the admins for adding me to this very inspirational community. I have been a constant visitor here reading and learning but not as a member. But now, I’m officially a proud member. This is a very well run group with good admins. It’s like feeling the positive anti-diabetes force with you. I’m LADA 67 years old male, 27 years insulin dependent. I’m using the Animas Vibe, not the dexcom part, instead just using the Freestyle Libre for BG monitoring. My insulin of choice is Apidra hence the moniker (Arpida-Seru = Apidra-User). Thanks for the great support and inspiration from this community. My last A1c was 6.4 and was below 7 for the last 10 years or more. This was achieved by being constantly in touch with fellow diabetics through communities like this. Being diabetic forces us to battle this disease on a daily basis. Not to mention negative/positive surprises along the way. Good luck to all of us. God Bless.
Hi all. I am new, my name is Samantha. I am 36 years old and usually consider myself active and fit. My boyfriend of 8 years and my 11 year old son and I love to do things outdoors. We love hiking and camping and backpacking. We love to walk, row, swim, bike, whatever there is to do. I worked as a Regional Center case manager for people with developmental disabilities for 10 years but recently left to work for a behavior agency as a behavioral therapist, in training, for many of the same clients and families. I live in a small rural town, hours from good healthcare and I was just diagnosed with LADA 2 weeks ago after ending up in the hospital in ketoacidosis with my BG at 420 and ketones at 127. My dad was a type 1, not healthy and active, passed away at 57 due to a heart attack; I was 18. I’m still dealing with the initial diagnosis, the anger, and sadness, but trying my best to manage. I was immediately placed on both 9 units of lantus first thing in the morning and 3u per meal humalog injections and a 60g carb or less per meal regimen, but I spent less than 48 hours at the hospital, not with the best reputation. my levels are still all over the place and I am waiting to see specialists. I saw my primary doc a few days ago and she increased my lantus to 11 for this week and gave me the sliding humalog scale. I’m experiencing both spikes up to high 300’s, low 400’s and dips down between mid 80’s - 90’s; average would be mid 200’s. I’m trying to eat approximately the same amount of carbs at each meal, staying between 30 & 60 and I’m eating very few simple carbs. I’m doing a little experimentation because I want to learn how to still enjoy the things I love on occasion (dessert, mochas, vanilla coffee creamer) without compromising my health. I’m learning low carb desserts, but want to enjoy a real dessert on a special occasion; I am trying sugar free options in moderation since I know most fake sugars still increase BG. I love coffee and it’s always been my one vice. I love a certain creamer so much that I’ve frozen it and taken it on vacation; I’ve tried others but nothing’s the same. I am being a bit stubborn with this one. We don’t eat fast food and we eat very little processed foods so while all of our diets can use some improvements, I don’t know how much farther to go and where not to feel guilty for not being perfect. I use complex carbs (thin sliced seeded bread, wild rice or sweet potatoes… 80% of the time and use sourdough, white rice, or other potatoes maybe 20% and when I do I eat less than I would if it were complex). It’s all so new and I am probably also being impatient, but I want to have good data for the specialists and also not feel like a failure or an idiot for making the wrong choices and compromises. I guess I’m just struggling with it all and trying to lead a “normal” life right away because I had to immediately jump right back into work and being a mom and while I’m doing my best to meal plan and prep ahead and bring food to work, I still have times that I have to delay a meal or eat out and I do my best to look up foods and roughly calculate carbs and snack appropriately etc. I am scared to go back to my fitness classes and exercise, scared because I’m hungry now, all the time and I don’t want to become unfit. I just have a lot of questions, concerns, and anxieties.
Welcome @Samantha16! You’ve come to the right place
It sounds like you’re on the right path! 2 weeks is a very short period of time. You’ll get the hang of everything, just give yourself some time.
The specialists are there to help! This is not a simple disease, and I can promise that you’re not an idiot or a failure. I can tell by your post. Any doctor that would see it that way simply isn’t worth your time!
It sounds like you have a set number of units of humalog for each meal. Once you see a specialist, they’ll help you determine how many units you should take for a certain number of carbs. Then you can give the right amount of insulin for any meal you wish to eat. You can also learn ways to incorporate exercise into your routine again.
IMHO, you should not have to give up your favorite creamer! You’ll just need to adjust your insulin dosage depending on the number of carbs in it. Things will become more clear over time. Don’t be so hard on yourself! This stuff takes time to learn.
There’s lots of information on this site to look through. If you have any questions, then definitely post them. People on this site love giving advice
