Hello 
I’m Masha, I’m 33 and although I don’t have diabetes, I’m learning about it everyday for the last 6 months — since my startup team has got an idea of making an app for people with diabetes. (I know there’s a lot of apps out there, but (of course ;)) we are set to make a really good one, focusing on people rather than on their condition). So I’m here to listen and to talk to people to better understand the daily routine problems of living with diabetes, and to ask for your feedback and opinions in the proccess of app development.
Hi, I’m Anita, Thank you for having me in your group! My Endo is currently trying to figure out what I have type 1 or type 2, but I don’t seem to fall into any category. A little bit about me…I am 55, post menopausal and not overweight, I have been having episodes of hypoglycemia both day and night and both fasting and postprandial. I have been wearing a Freestyle Libre sensor
and so I have been able to see what causes my blood sugar to go up, but the thing that really confuses me is that I cannot not eat any fruit or my bg will go up to 200+ even with just 1 apple. My peptide c was .82 which I thought was low because the cut off was .80 on that specific lab, but my doctor said it was good? My A1C was 5.7 however I feel that the hypo’s cancel out the high bg levels. My antiGAD was negative, I have high cholesterol, high liver enzymes, and two autoimmune diseases; hypothyroidism and ulcerative colitis. I am lactose intolerant and I eat healthy. The next thing my doctor is testing me for is a wheat allergy. I look forward to your insights!
Hi all! I’m Marsha, mom to two crazy little boys, one who was diagnosed a month before kindergarten 5 years ago with T1D. We’ve been plugging along with your basic BG tester and insulin pen since getting out of the hospital at diagnosis. I’m of the mindset that my son has a say in which treatment options we choose as its “his disease” and he’s the one that needs to make the choices that he feels comfortable with. Recently, we’ve been having some roller coaster days, and he’s now interested in a CGM due to the fact that we can see the trending arrow and the low alarm. He’d rather the freestyle Libre, but in the US it isn’t approved for kids under 18 yet, so we are looking at the Dexcom G6 - which is how i found your site 
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Welcome Marsha! Smart kid–if I had to choose between a pump and a CGM, I’d go with the CGM. Up to now you’ve just been getting a snapshot when you take a fingerstick, but with a CGM you get a dynamic view of how your BG is trending. It can really change your view of how you manage the disease. I just upgraded from the G5 to a G6 and I’m amazed at how accurate it is, also very easy to insert and has a lower profile so it’s less obtrusive. Lots of discussions about it here—just search on G6—as well as parenting T1 issues and other stuff. Glad to have you with us!
Hi 
I’m Fresca, my hubby was diagnosed about nine months ago with type 2 diabetes. We are struggling along with things he should and shouldn’t eat. So far he’s been doing somewhat well. We’ve had a few episodes of low blood sugar because he didn’t realize he was hungry. Time can be an enemy. I’m learning so much on this site as a caregiver.
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Hi Fresca. I was diagnosed with T2 nearly 10 years ago, but I so remember how confused and frightened I was at first. I learned to eat to my meter, each one of us is different, so that in the end you eliminate things which cause a spike in your blood sugar and eat mainly the foods that do not. I eliminated all white stuff from my diet, bread, pasta, rice, potatoes. In fact all bread because wholemeal grainy bread spikes you, just more slowly. That leaves a lot of food to enjoy and work with. Try searching the net for low carb, keto, paleo recipes, omit the foods you cannot eat, but there are some lovely recipes to be found.
Don’t forget if he over-indulges and is high, drink plenty of water and go for a walk. A twenty minute walk and a glass of water can return things to normal.
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hi Anita, welcome to TuDiabetes. You might find some helpful info here
I hope you get some answers soon.
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Hello, brand new today. Happy to have found this community. 25+ year T2 with related complications. I am desperately trying to gain control of dm for a better quality of life. Just started Ozempic and am having good results after just 8 days.
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Welcome to TuD, @Vtfishgirl1! You’ve found a great resource to help you get on track with your diabetes. There is a wealth of information here. To access it, use the search function. It is found at the magnifying glass icon at the upper right corner of your display, near your user icon. As an example, click on the search icon and type in “T2D nutrition” and you’ll soon see a list of topics that might interest you.
Good luck and look forward to your participation!
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Hi! I’m LeeB, a long-term T1D (65 years). Brand new to pumping - using Dexcom G6 paired w/ Tandem. Trying, always trying for perfect numbers. I’m seeing wide variances ranging from ~60 to ~+200. Looking for guidance as to smoothing the line chart into the mid-ranges…Thanks for being here!
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@LeeB — What foods do you typically eat? Do you prebolus for your meals? What is your exercise routine and frequency?
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Hi Terry, Yes, diet is in the forefront - I’ve had my best control on very low carb diets. And historically I’ve been very active. Ran for years, biked, and backpacked. Still hiking and plan to swim, but arthritis has put a hitch in my gitalong. Pre-bolus; I try for 15 minutes prior - it’s a good thought to wait maybe 30 if BG allows. Thanks for the direct questions.
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Welcome to the forum @LeeB 
Have you read or seen anything about SugarSurfing?
It’s an excellent resource for anyone new to pumping. I’ve tightened my control dramatically over past 2 years simply by cutting back on carbs and micro-bolus’ing according to my CGM and being aware of insulin on board.
Also there are occasions when I might pre-bolus 60 minutes or more prior to eating (generally when carbs are involved)
You should also read up on the extended bolus as most of us on pumps use that almost daily.
Don’t hesitate to ask questions - there’s a wealth of experience on the forum.
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I think eating low carb makes the glucose easier to manage but some people are able to eat much higher carb levels without their management suffering.
Prebolus is a potent tactic, yet under-utilized, for keeping post-meal BGs from going too high. Using a standard 15 minutes does not always perform well. The best technique for getting a better handle on your unique metabolism is to take your meal insulin dose and then watch your CGM trace and wait to eat until the trace takes a decided downward bend, like 10-20 mg/dL over, say, a 15 minute period.
This is a Sugar Surfing tactic. Starting to eat when the trace is falling is a great way to keep post-meal BGs tamed. It’s best to experiment with this when you’re at home and can keep the meal ready to go on short notice.
Another technique that works wonderfully for me is to go out for a 20-30 minute walk when post meal blood sugars start to rise. I’ve found it effectively chops off what would have been glucose mountain tops.
You can also eat higher glycemic index foods first or last in the meal depending on what direction you think post meal BGs are expected to trend. If I expect the trend to go higher after a meal, I’ll eat the meat first and the beans second, for example, since the beans tend to send my sugars higher and more quickly than meat.
You’ll need to do your own personal experiments to see what works best for you. There is no single tactic that works best all the time. The combination of these techniques have served me well. But things are never consistently perfect since diabetes is a wily foe. Good luck!
Thanks for this info. I’ve been on a course of prednisone which has put a big hitch in my gitalong. As to diet, historically I do best with a low or extremely low carb regimen. And my 2020 goal is get back in the exercise saddle. That has always smoothed the BG data. Now here’s a magic question: I’d like to hear from my Tandem pump once with highs or lows. Not ten million times (metaphorically)…I’ve read the Tandem book (which frankly reads like their application for FDA approvals) and talked with their tech folks. Ideas on quieting the chirping?
LeeB
Hi Bill, I’m Lee. We’re in the same boat. I’m a long term T1 and just started with a Tandem pump paired with Dexcom G6. It’s a whole new world. I’m working out the kinks and one of my solutions is to inject a little humalog/novalog when the infusion/connections don’t seem just right. Maybe a bad idea, but that’s ok…Best to you in your discovery!
Hi, I’m Steve. Diagnosed with T2 in October, treating with metformin, diet, walking, and a Freestyle Libre. I think I have it under control, my next A1C test is in a couple of weeks. We’ll see how it goes. Fellow user @Tony24 pointed me here.
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Hello, Todd here - just informed today during a routine physical for a new job that my a1c is 13 and I’m pretty upset about it, honestly, but trying not to get too crazy about it. I’m a psychiatric nurse, for the past 25 years, so I’ve worked with thousands of diabetics over the years! I’m also a vegetarian. I really don’t want to start on insulin. The NP got me going on metformin and I’ll up the dose to 1,000mg BID next week, started on 500 BID.
I’m wanting to drop this a1c without insulin, as I stated above. I’m willing to do just about anything including intermittent fasting, getting back into the gym, keto/veggie diet, whatever. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!