What We Learned from the Online Community This Month

Thank you to every member of the T1D Exchange Online Community for answering the Questions of the Day, inspiring others, and sharing your expertise! Here’s what we learned from the three most popular questions of October 2022!

In the past 7 days, how many nights was your sleep disrupted by device alerts, checking blood glucose levels, or treating a high or low?

When you live with T1D, T1D doesn’t always choose to sleep when you want to sleep. Almost everyone who responded to the question said their sleep was affected at least once per week due to T1D. The most popular answer, with 21% of responses, was twice per week. The comments shared the community’s personal stories about dealing with lows, compression lows, and other T1D management woes.

Popular quotes from the community included:

  • “Generally, 3-4 nights a week, I get woken up because my alarms are set for 70-125 mg/dL which is pretty tight.”
  • “I don’t use a CGM so I said 0. My endo helped me adjust my basal rate so I don’t go low while sleeping like I did. Usually, I will wake up hot when I am low or have very strange dreams when high, so I guess I have a built in CGM.”
  • “My pet peeve is when the alarm wakes me up to tell me that I had a high reading two hours ago!”
  • “I’d rather get interrupted sleep than the alternative. I do, however, find that the Dexcom sensors do not last 10 days as claimed. The sensors seem to start having issues 3 to 5 days prior to the sensor’s expiration day. That does get annoying.”
  • “Not sure disturbed is the right word. I am glad to get the alert.”

*Comments have been edited slightly for clarity as needed.

Which of the following supplements or vitamins do you take on a regular basis? (Select all that apply)

According to the responses to this question, supplements and vitamins have become a part of our community’s daily T1D routine. The most popular vitamin choice was vitamin D for 27% of respondents. The second most popular vitamin was multivitamins for 19% of respondents. Within the 98 comments, people shared the wide range of other supplements and or vitamins they take on a regular basis.

Interesting comments included:

  • “I am good about taking Vit D and Biotin (because—hair growth!)…but there are others that sit in the drawer, ignored and forgotten! I should be taking my multi and turmeric more consistently.”
  • “A couple supplements I take that are not on the list are sublingual B12 and alpha lipoic acid. Both were recommended by doctors for my mild neuropathy in my feet. Turns out I’m in the 5% of well controlled type 1s who still get neuropathy!”
  • “I don’t do supplements unless I can count craft beer and bourbon. Always in moderation. The cure can’t be worse than the disease.”
  • “I take a hand full of supplement three times daily: alpa lopic acid, B12, C-timed release, CoQ10, D3, lutein, super B complex, multivitamins and minerals. If it wasn’t for diabetes, I would be considered in good shape for being 78 years old. My last A1C was 6.1 percent and always in satisfactory range.”

*Comments have been edited slightly for clarity as needed.

If you had to pick one person, who is the person you turn to most for support with your diabetes?

When you live with T1D, it is extremely important to immerse yourself in support and care. The feeling of knowing someone is looking out for you can make living with T1D just a little bit easier. The most popular answer was “spouse/romantic partner” selected by 48% of respondents. Within the comments, our community shares who they turn to for support and why.

Thoughtful comments from the community included:

  • “I belong to a group of T1 women and that is where I get most of my support. Online websites are also helpful in seeing the commonality of our struggles and successes.”
  • “That would be my husband of 52 years. He never gives up, always there to keep me going. We’ve traveled all over the world, been mountain climbing and scuba diving, and worked together through it all. He won’t let me give up.”
  • “Friends (Fiffles) within the Children with Diabetes Friends For Life community. Online, but in person a few times per year, as well!”
  • “My brother also has T1D so we commiserate and laugh about it. I also have three friends who are T1Ds. One time, my friend and I were at a party and someone’s pump alarmed, and we both looked at our pumps at the same time and laughed about it.”
  • “My service dog that detects my hypoglycemia and goes nuts until I eat and drink something. If I have a hypoglycemic seizure, she tends to me.”
  • “Sorry to say ‘no one’ and that’s been for a long time. I have some non-T1D issues lately and all the medical people I see are amazed that I am 90 years old and 70 years with T1D and have no T1D problems.”

*Comments have been edited slightly for clarity as needed.

Thank you to every member of the T1D Exchange Online Community for sharing your experiences. If you are not already a member of our Online Community, join us by clicking the “Join” button in your upper right corner!