29 Comments
Did you learn anything new about T1D in 2020? Share what you learned in the comments!
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Using overnight insulin control to set basal rates and how to use time in range.
Steps forward in research about suppressing the autoimmune process
I learned that I can keep my blood sugars normal by avoiding carbs as much as possible. I also have lost weight as a result and use very little insulin.
I learned that about 60% of people with T1D are diagnosed in adulthood.
I learned getting excited/stressed by simply watching your kid’s football game releases cortisol and adrenaline which can spike sugar levels!! I kept spiking during games and couldn’t figure it out 😂
I learned that time in range was just as important as the A1C number. They are both important but before cgms, we couldn’t see time in range as well. Happy New Year to all of the type 1s from a 72 year old woman with LADA for the past 23 years. Husband was a juvenile type 1 and one adult child is also a juvenile. 3 under the same roof for awhile; now my grand dog is a diabetic on insulin, wore a freestyle libre at first, and has had cataract surgery! I learned vets treat diabetes too and vet opthamologists are expensive and hard to find!
I learned about Control IQ and how to make work arounds when it does not work the way I want.
I learned two things: (1) As others have said, Time in Range is more important than A1C, since the latter can be affected more from the lows and I always seemed to go low a lot, even with my CGM. And (2) It’s ok to be out of the 80-120 range as long as I’m keeping in the >80% TIR value. In the past trying to keep within that tight range pretty much ensured I would always gravitate to lows.
I started using Afrezza, the fast acting insulin that I inhale. The last doctor visit I had before the March shut down was to the pulmonologist to have the test to see that my lungs work well enough to use this insulin (no problem). I only use it when my blood sugar won’t come down after a few boluses from my pump. But then I need to pay attention because sometimes the numbers come down really quickly.
I learned of a wider range of even just Type 1 diabetes sub-types and the several different varieties of broken gene pieces(!) in the context of T1D-social media. For example a couple of Facebook T1D group surveys of “will you take the COVID-19 vaccine”, revealed a minority whose reluctance and/or concerns were the range of comorbidities beyond ‘merely’ pregnancy – allergies, Lupus, etc. Hooray for bioscience research!
I learned a lot from other subscribers on glu. I’m not learning as much from others on this site and on my phone can no longer read ALL the comments. It only shows me the last few. I too learned TIR is more important and don’t know why meters don’t calculate those like they do averages. Should be pretty easy to program.
Says are 11 comments but I can only view the last 6 on my XR iPhone that is only a couple of years old. What’s up with that? How can I learn from others if I can’t see the comments? I am on my laptop 55 hours a week for work. Don’t feel like seeing if I can get to more comments on the laptop. I’m done with that in off hours.
Alarm fatigue is a real thing relating to medical decides ( GGM/PUMPS). I thought I was being overly sensitive.
If COVID-19 hits you, confirmation is uncontrolled high blood glucose levels. Even before the results are back.
I have to new discoveries: 1. Control-IQ works better to produce stable BG levelsthan anything I have tried before. 2. For me, as I grow older I find that very small changes in activity level (it does not have to be even light exercise) produces quick changes in BG level. I started using Control-IQ in May, 2020 with good results. My biggest challenge is to be patient with it so that I receive full benefits. I have spent years trying to manage my own insulin and carb interaction to adjust for ups and downs. Control-IQ provides a more finely tuned result than I can, but I have to wait for the adjustments to take effect, Then it is great. On the activity level question, I find that shifting from desk work to even 10 or 15 minutes of food prep or other household activities will trigger a drop in BG level. (I am 78 years old. Diagnosed at age 20. I did not have such swings in BG from light activity even 5 years ago.
Nothing about T1D. A lot about how to control T1D. Which is what the question ask.
I learned to use Control IQ. It’s fantastic for night time. During the day it helps, but waiting for adjustments to work takes forever. I keep my pump on sleep mode, that way it strives to keep the glucose at a lower level than when it is at the standard setting. It has also help me determine that if my glucose levels are not as they’re supposed to by my food intake and insulin on board, it has nothing to do with the insulin going bad in the cartridge, it has to do with the infusion site not absorbing the insulin well. So now all I do is get a new infusion set but do not replace the cartridge if it still has more than half the insulin I originally put in. I also agree with another contributor that the way this site is set up now, it doesn’t allow us to see all the answers. It’s also more complicated to sign in. Why do all the sites push us to sign up thru Facebook or Google when we can sign up directly to the site. It takes longer.
I have been using Control IQ and love it but as others said it takes getting used to. A tiny bit of activity-putting out trash etc.-can send me low. A correction doesn’t show up immediately so I put in a fake BG-85-to not have another alarm. All other alarms are turned off.
Strategies for bg management from TCOYD web conferences. In particular how to bolts for the different arrow configurations going up. Very helpful.
Added Afrezza to my tool box. Helpful with stubborn highs. Also, I’ve had a Dexcom for about four years, and just started using its Clarity program. Really like ability to see Time in Range. Keep learning, everyone!
Consistently, Medtronic Guardian sensors glucose readings have a bias towards numbers lower than blood glucose readings.
This year I’ve joined several d product and T1D Facebook groups. The thing that seems to have never changed, even with the new technology, is that the lack of direct support and education about managing T1D is still causing a lot of suffering and killing us. Facebook can be very helpful, however, the abundance of misinformation and negativity comes from those who think they’re right or know the facts.
I have learned that with even more accurate blood glucose information I’m able to greatly decrease my hemoglobin A-1 C and improve my time in range. A year ago Medicare allowed us to get the Dexcom G6 which gives much more accurate information and when you are using more accurate information to make dosing decisions you’re going to get a lot better results. I also started using a More accurate blood glucose meter for win I need to double check the Dexcom This year I also researched all of the major insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitor systems on the market to understand them more completely as I am going to have to be getting a new insulin pump soon. Although all the new technologies for type one diabetes are fantastic, I learned that all of the alarms and alerts and hands on things that you have to do are very stressful. I am involved in a number of diabetes related social media sites and there is never an end to learning. I have had diabetes for 60 years.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a great long-term BG lowering ‘tool’.
I learn when to take my insulin before meals and the new insulins I could use.
It is interesting to read pubmed.gov and see headway being made on knowledge of and vaccinations for T1D.
I learned that I enjoyed the previous “glu” online site more than this revised one, my apologies to those who revamped it! The previous version was so much easier to navigate and I got so much more from it. I also learned that recovering from major surgery while hospitalized was difficult when an endocrinologist picked up my Tslimx2 pump and tried to make changes to my settings. T1D is always teaching us each and every year. Hoping 2021 will bring happiness and good (or at least improved) health and stable blood sugars to everyone!
I changed from Humalog to lyumjev to help with BS spikes I have not experienced any stinging or pain on insulin delivery Wearing Omnipod and G6 and looper for 2 1/2 years T1D 55 years T1D for
After 25 years with T1D, I still learning about how my body responds to different carbs, exercise, insulin, and other life happenings. Also, involved in diabetes research and encouraged by discoveries and advances being made.