Do you keep snacks in your car for lows? 

Thank you for being a part of our Online Community! Your answers to our daily questions offer a valuable glimpse into real life with type 1 diabetes (T1D)! Here are the three most popular questions of April 2023:

If you use a CGM, on a scale of 1-5, how satisfied are you with the accuracy of your CGM?

Our most popular question from April asked our community about how satisfied you are with the accuracy of your CGM. While living with T1D, a vast amount of our community relies on their CGMs, but this lifechanging technology still isn’t perfect. Most of our community said they were either “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with their CGM tech.

Popular quotes from the community:

• “Very happy and satisfied with Dexcom G6 and Tandem CIQ. Have lived with T1D for over 60 years and am grateful for the technologies that make life with TID more manageable and so much easier to live as we grow older and wiser.”
• “A lot better than the alternative. Started with chemistry set in 1962. Love all the progress!”
• “With the exception of the first 12 hours after sensor insertion, I’m satisfied with the accuracy. The trend arrows tell me more than the numbers.”
• “It’s still not perfect, measured against finger sticks, but I’m satisfied. Flakiness in the first 24 hours of a sensor is still a thing, though to some degree ameliorated by the practice of ‘pre-soaking’ (inserting your new sensor 12-24hrs before the expiration of the previous one).”

*Comments have been edited slightly for clarity as needed.

Do you keep a low treatment in your vehicle?

When you live with T1D, low blood sugar can occur at any time. It is important to be prepared with fast-acting carbs! If you live in an area where seasons change, please keep in mind the types of low treatments that you can leave in your vehicle — will they melt, freeze, or rot? 83% of the community says they keep a low treatment in their car.

Inspiring comments:

• “I keep glucose tabs in my car and also carry a tube of 10 glucose tabs in my pocket.”
• “I always have multiple items to raise and sustain my blood sugar in multiple locations, not to mention in my purse and the tote I carry everywhere I go.”
• “I don’t keep it in my car due to the wide temp fluctuations in my area through the year. I do, however, keep carbs my purse. I keep my purse with me while driving, too, so I have it on hand while I’m out.”
• “I never leave home without my glucose tabs. They are in my pocket, car, and any other place where I can keep them. My wife also carries a glucose gel tube.”
• “I always carry a ‘stash bag’ with me — a backpack bag with all my snacks. So, no, I do not keep a low treatment in my car. But, yes, I always have my stash bag with me.”

*Comments have been edited slightly for clarity as needed.

Have you ever dropped a vial of insulin and had the vial crack or break open?

Accidents happen! We asked our community: if they use insulin vials, have they ever dropped a vial and had the vial crack and break open? It was a nearly even split of yeses and nos with 46% of respondents choosing yes, and 50% of respondents choosing no. The comments share how they coped in this situation.

Some of the most engaging comments from the community:

• “Only one cracked vial in many decades. I didn’t realize the vial had leaked most of the insulin until two days later. I always keep at least one spare of each vial of Humalog and Lantus.”
• “Twice. First was a vial of NPH so that hurt, but back then prices were around $14 a vial so not so bad. Second was a vial of Novolog, but since I was on Medicare the loss was even less than the $14 NPH!”
• “Of course. Bathroom tile floor + 60 years of T1D = several broken vials.”
• “Yes! As a teenager, in the middle of a shift working concessions at a movie theater! From then on, I wrapped a rubber band around every vial — a cheap safety system! I’m glad insulin pens are more protected by all their plastic.”
• “Oh, the horror when I dropped and broke a vial. Amazon to the rescue, purchased clear rubber vial protectors for both regular and long-acting insulin.”

*Comments have been edited slightly for clarity as needed.

Thank you to every member of the T1D Exchange Online Community for sharing your experiences. Your words inspire others who come to this community looking for advice and the reminder that they’re not alone.

If you are not already a member of the T1D Exchange Online Community, join today!