Back to the Basics

Hiii everyone!! I wanted to get back to the basics of type 1 diabetes and break down two very common and important terms. The two major parts of T1D are testing your blood sugar levels and giving yourself insulin, among many other things. I thought this would be helpful for everyone because I knew absolutely nothing about diabetes after getting diagnosed nor did I know anyone close to me that also had T1D. I was hearing a lotttt of terms that were getting thrown around and I didn’t know what they really meant. You should always consult with your diabetes care team before making any final decisions, but I hope this helps you understand a little more about T1D.

Continuous Glucose Monitor

A continuous glucose monitor is a wearable device that continuously tracks your blood sugars so you don’t have to prick your finger before and after you eat. Having a continuous glucose monitor can be extremely helpful in tracking your blood sugars. It allows you to see your blood sugars in real time – either on a phone app, Apple Watch, or with a reader they provide. This is so helpful in finding your body’s patterns and managing your diabetes.

I currently wear a Dexcom G6 and definitely recommend this one if your insurance covers it. I wear mine on the back of my arm even though it is primarily meant to be worn on your abdomen. From doing my own research I’ve learned that people find other places that work better for them (back of arm, upper thigh, upper glute, etc.). So, try what works for you because everyone is so different, and some areas might give you better glucose readings than others. I personally prefer the back of my arm because out of sight out of mind and it doesn’t really get in the way of any of anything.

Tips for Dexcom:

• If your wearing it on your arm, you might want to have someone help you put it on and take if off because it may be tricky to reach (a year later and I still have someone help me).
• If you see a tiny bit of blood once you insert it that is OK. I used to get SO freaked out when I saw a little blood. As long as your readings are accurate it should be ok, but if you’re really concerned as always just reach out to your diabetes care team.
• Taking off your Dexcom will most likely hurt a little bit and that is completely normal. It’s like ripping off a band-aid every 10 days (so fun!!!). I recommend using coconut oil to loosen the adhesive. You can take some on a cotton pad and rub it around the Dexcom.

It took me a while to get used to wearing a CGM. Having a piece of technology stuck to me did not feel natural at all and made me feel self-conscious and different from everyone else. Eventually I did get used to it and now I sometimes forget it’s even there. Overall, I think a CGM is definitely worth it. However, I do want to note that it is a piece of technology, and technology can fail, and has failed me many times (Dexcom has great customer service so always call them if you need them!!). That’s why I encourage you to understand your own body cues because sometimes your CGM readings can be off. Always pay attention to how you feel when you feel low/high.

Insulin Injections

When it comes to giving yourself insulin, you can either be on shots and give yourself insulin injections, or you can be on an insulin pump. I am currently still on shots using a pen. It was recommended right after my diagnosis that I be on shots until I got a little more comfortable with giving myself insulin. It’s important to know how much insulin to give yourself without any technology and understand and calculate your carb ratios and corrections factors. Be prepared to do A LOT of math😊. 

After a few months of doing the math and calculations on my own and understanding it a little bit more, I got an InPen. I love it so much and would highly recommend it. It’s the perfect happy medium between an insulin pen and an insulin pump. It acts like a pump because you plug in your blood sugar and the amount of carbs you’re having, and it will recommend how much insulin to give yourself based on your correction factors and carb ratios you’ve input. It also tracks when you give yourself the insulin so there’s no forgetting if you gave yourself insulin or not.

I am thinking of switching to a pump at some point. Ultimately, I think being on a pump will give me more freedom and definitely help with maintaining a healthy A1C, but I do have my hesitancies. I finally just got used to being on shots and injecting myself with insulin and I feel like it took me so long to get used to wearing a Dexcom that I have to mentally prepare myself for wearing another piece of technology on me. I’ll definitely keep you guys posted on what I end doing doing, but would love to hear any thoughts or comments from anyone regarding pumps/shots.

I hope this helps you understand a little more about the basics of T1D. Thank you for reading and always let me know if you have any questions in the comment box below!!! xoxoxox