I recently posted an article about the three stages of T1D self-management as a reflection on my fifty years having T1D.
Perhaps what generated the most personal email were those asking how my A1c’s evolved over time, and my own self-management. So, I just wrote this article, Why I Haven’t Died Yet: My Fifty Years with Diabetes. How I manage T1D while waiting for “the cure.”
Excellent and enjoyable article! I was diagnosed in 1967 at age 4. Was I always managing T1D well? Heck, no! I laughed at the cure being just around the corner. I’m glad they’re always working on something, but I think the key is the fantastic tools T1s have available now. It has really, really helped me especially with nighttime lows.
Great article. Congratulations to you and I wish you continued good health.
I’ve had T1D since July 2020. After being too low too frequently, for close to a year now I’ve managed to get better numbers (i.e. not go low so frequently) and in turn have been able to increase my exercise routine. I didn’t realize prior to backing off insulin that I couldn’t develop stamina and felt like crap a lot b/c of lows and the inability of my body to be healthy and recover from them and build muscle and fight chronic pain issues. My first A1c after diagnosis was 4.7, which some perhaps can manage without going low too much, but I cannot. My last one a few months ago was 5.4. I feel so much better now. Everything you mention in the exercise section of your article rings true and I’m so glad I can engage in exercising more, b/c its effects on glucose really are stabilizing and easier to manage/predict than extra injections (just don’t exercise too vigorously after insulin only to go low!!). My insulin requirements have definitely gone down, like you mention, which was tricky to figure out, but really, all of T1D management is, unfortunately. Anyway thanks for sharing!
So much of what you said in the “3 stages” article really resonated with me, it made me smile the way you echoed a lot of what i have said over my last 36 years with diabetes. Everyone’s t1 experience is so personal, but we’re all in it together. It’s an odd feeling when you reach that point of not taking your doctor’s advice as gospel. Thank you, i really enjoyed reading this.
Thanks for the great article. When I was diagnosed in 1968, we were that much further behind in testing and treatment options. Autoimmune disorders were not understood at all. Despite this, we kids were promised a a cure “soon”! What Kool-aid were they drinking?!
That’s the cure in 5 years kool aid they were sellin me when I was diagnosed in 1987.