What We Learned from the Online Community in June 2022 

Thank you to every member of the T1D Exchange Online Community for inspiring others who come to this community for advice and to know they’re not alone. Here is what we learned from the 3 most popular questions of June 2022! 

  1. If you are an adult with T1D, do you take any blood pressure medications?

June’s top Question of the Day had over 482 respondents! 277 respondents, which is 56%, chose yes, they take blood pressure medication.  195 respondents, 40%, said they do not take a blood pressure medication. A majority of comments from the community included which blood pressure medication they were on and the doses of the drug. The most popular medications were Lisinopril and Metoprolol, in doses of 10-20 milligrams.  

Here are the most popular comments for this question:    

  • “1st I hate doctors and pretty much use them to get scripts. Like any diabetic over 50 I am of course prescribed a blood pressure med. I lie and take the scripts but I don’t take the pills because I have perfect blood pressure… I am a mechanic and believe if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” 
  • “I can’t do anything about medical gaslighting, so I take medication to counteract how it raises my blood pressure.” 
  • “About 35 years ago my doctor prescribed Benazepril to ‘armor my kidneys’ from the long term effects of T1D. I think it’s for hypertension, but my blood pressure has always been normal.” 
  • “I have been taking Lisinopril for over 25 years, although never diagnosed with HTN. It was prescribed as a preventative for kidney disease.” 
  • “Having survived quadruple bypass, I dutifully take my meds.” 

 

 

  1. Which foods/drinks do you prefer to use to treat a low? Share your favorites in the comments!

Our second most answered Question of the Day had 479 participants respond, with 1,066 options selected. The most popular food/drink chosen to treat a low was juice. This option had 232 participants say that they prefer to use juice to treat a low. The second most frequently selected option was glucose tabs/gel or power. The least selected option to treat a low was sugar cubes.  

From the comments on this question, community members choose their low snack based on the severity of the low. The most popular comment from this question was regarding not just treating a low, but the challenge of avoiding a high blood glucose level afterwards. 

Here are some comments that resonated with the community:    

  • “Depends on my IOB and how my CGM trend is tracking. If pump still indicates I have IOB (Insulin On Board) from a previous Bolus and my level is still dropping, I usually treat with Smarties Candies, 1 roll 6 grams of the same exact ingredients contained in pharmacy available Glucose Tablets but at less than 1/4 the cost…” 
  • “In my more ignorant ways, I used to prefer juice and candy. Now I use Glucose tablets – faster response and more efficient than the other sugars that need to be converted into glucose. (Damn – I hate this disease!)” 
  • “Glucose tabs never tempt me or anyone else wanting a snack. I like that they are not bulky.” 
  • “The biggest problem for me isn’t ‘treating the low,’ but STOPPING treating it. When you get hit with a rapid-developing and severe drop, that hunger monster kicks in like a t-rex, and getting it to back off at the point when you’ve already adequately corrected but it’s still in full rampage is the real problem…” 

 

  1. If you use an insulin pump or CGM, has anyone ever mistaken your device(s) for any of the following?

The third most answered question this month had 449 respondents, with 674 options selected! When living with T1D, it is common to have people who are unfamiliar with T1D mistake an insulin pump or CGM for something else. The most frequently selected option that respondents chose was having their diabetes devices mistaken for a pager. The second most popular option was a cell phone.  

In the comments on this question, Online Community members shared stories about being in public and having people comment on their devices. We had 42 respondents who chose the “other” option, and many of them shared in the comments about the other devices for which their pumps and CGMs have been mistaken.  

Here are some comments that sparked some interesting conversation:    

  • “Just last week someone said to me ‘Hey, you’ve got something stuck on the back of your arm.’” 
  • “Pump did get confused with a camera by a strict security lady in a NO PICTURES room of Windsor Castle. Naughty, naughty. But she backed off. And maintain her severe, stern draconian stuffiness. Hrmmmph!” 
  • “No, but many HAVE asked me what the device I had was and I was happy to tell them.” 
  • “Someone started talking loudly and slowly to me thinking the pump was some sort of hearing aid.” 
  • “Years ago, an acquaintance reprimanded me for texting as we were sitting down to dinner. I looked sharply at her and told her I was giving myself insulin. That stopped her dead in her tracks. (She gets it now!)” 
  • “Pumping 24 years and someone commented ‘that sure is a long antenna on your phone!’” 
  • “I included “other” in my choices because one person at work asked me what my infusion set was (it was in my upper arm at the time) and another co-worker shushed her. I think the latter thought it was contraceptive patch!” 

We learn something new every day from this community’s Question of the Day responses. Thank you for sharing your experiences and wisdom with us!  

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