Do you know the day and year that you received your T1D diagnosis? What brand(s) of insulin are you currently using? Do you have a T1D-related tattoo?

These are this month’s Top Questions of the Day! Your answers inspire research, so we encourage you to keep on answering them.

Here’s a breakdown at the most popular Questions of the Day in November.

(*Comments have been edited slightly for clarity as needed.)

Do you know the day and year that you received your T1D diagnosis?

Getting diagnosed with diabetes is a memorable moment in someone’s life no matter the age of their diagnosis. More than 50% of our community shared that they know the day and year that they received their T1D diagnosis.

Here are a few insightful comments from community members:

  • “Somewhere around the first week of December 1966, but not sure of the exact date. I was very young and only remember getting out of the hospital a few days before Christmas. Mom was so relieved it was T1D and not leukemia.”
  • “I was tested in December 1969 at the University Health Center but did not get the result until I returned from break 2-3 weeks later, January 1970.”
  • “It was February 1969. I was 11. I had lost a lot of weight and was drinking a lot of water. When to the doctor and wound up in the hospital for a week.”
  • “I was 45 years old. I told them they had the wrong person. I’ve always been active, never a junk food or soda guy. This hit me like a ton of bricks. Been managing it w low carb. But the last 6 months I have been experimenting with celebrating with foods.”
  • “I was two so only know story from parents as well as pedestrian. I do have copy of doctor notes from the time frame including initial insulin dose.”

What brand(s) of insulin are you currently using?

Insulin is essential for someone living with type 1 diabetes! There are several different types of brands of both short acting and long-acting insulin that are available. Our community shares what insulin they use for both their insulin pumps and or multiple daily injections.

Here are a few insightful comments from community members:

  • “Novolog in my insulin pump. Lyumjev for manual injections to reduce stubborn high BG’s.”
  • “With my pump I use Novolog, when off pump and as back-up I use Fiasp, Novolog and Tresiba. I keep a supply of all the insulin’s I always use on hand.”
  • “I’ve been through several brands of insulin in my lifetime. The short acting one called Fiasp is the first one that actually absorbs like it’s supposed to. I’ve also been on several long acting insulins and the brand that works the best for me is called Tresiba. When I started using that the dawn phenomenon actually disappeared.
  • “I am using Afrezza for mealtimes and Novolin N as my basal. These are the only insulins that do not contain metacresal, a preservative, that I am allergic to.”
  • “I’ve been using Novolog but was just informed last week that it will no longer be covered and will be replaced with Fiasp. Meeting with my endo soon and will discuss challenges/differences. From what I’m reading online, it seems to be similar, just a bit faster acting.”

Do you have a T1D-related tattoo?

People that live with an autoimmune disease often chose to wear a medical alert bracelet, jewelry or some sort of sign, like a tattoo, on their body that would identify them as living with their disease in case of an emergency. If an emergency were to happen, it is important that whoever is taking care of you knows you live with T1D.

Here are a few insightful comments from community members:

  • “For my 70th birthday in 2020 I got a tattoo celebrating 70 years of life and 35 years as a T1D. My owl is sitting on a needle and syringe.”
  • “No tattoo, but I do have a red “sleeve” on my watch band that says, “Type 1 Diabetes” and a second sleeve with a QR code that leads to a website with more of my health information. I hope an EMT would notice them.”
  • “My tattoo says “I>^v”- Which means, I am greater than my highs and lows.”
  • “I have the diabetes ribbon with the blue diabetic circle. It says DM T1.”
  • “I have several parts to my T1D tattoo. The blue circle is for Diabetes Awareness and is of blue daisies and blue rose with a Monarch butterfly. I have daisies that I drew on my BG logs as a kid. I also have the date that I was diagnosed in Roman numerals V1•1V•MCMXC11. I have a medical alert tattoo on my left forearm and have shown it to many 1st responders and one family physician.”

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.

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