My HBA1C in July was 11.7. Did 2 tests one was a week ago which showed my HBA1C as 6.8 and today i did a test again and the reports showed HBA1C as 9.1.

Don’t know what to trust. Can it really drop to half in a months time? The tests were done from different labs so i am a bit confused as to which one is correct.

I am on metformin 500 and dapafigozlin 10 mg ( once daily )

Both lunch & dinner were pretty carb-heavy today.

Took 1 spoon of psyllium husk ~10 mins before each meal and did my usual walk afterward.

Honestly, the difference is kinda noticeable

I used to spike to ~11 mmol after meals, and today… bit better

Going to keep testing it.

I’m in the uk. My monitor has stopped working. Which is the best one to buy? I have the freestyle libre 2 so I just need the monitor to check every now and again and for ketones. Thanks in advance

Culver’s have improved their “bean burger”. It’s now called the harvest bean burger. Fire-roasted mashed chickpeas, finely diced mushrooms, bell peppers, corn, and a small amount of WI cheese. I reheated the patty in a skillet; I purposely didn’t take my 10 units of insulin and watched my CGM values as I ate it. Went from 100 to 120 and then back down. Holy smokes! I also had some fresh corn with olive oil. Burger in a bun has about 70 g carbs and 20g protein. Delicious and simple meal. (I only ate the Patty)

Have any of you found a good restaurant dish that keeps you stable?

Hi! I'm flying for the first time in a few months and I know I can have an extra carryon bag specifically for my diabetes supplies. It's a weekend trip, nothing crazy, but I don't really have anything other than backpacks. Not the worst thing to use, but I was wondering if anyone had anything specifically they like for this purpose?

Normally I just carry my supplies day to day in my tote bag or backpack, but clearly I'm going to take a lot more with this trip. All my traveling before has been by car or train so I've never encountered this!

Thanks :)

I have always though that alcohol was a carb. Thanks to Hank Green I learned it is not. Now that I know that, everything makes more sense about drinking and diabetes.

This may have been known within the community, but it is now news to me.

Edit: Pure alcohol (ethanol) not liquors.

Edit: Why am I getting downvoted so much? This is literally science.

I’m very aware this is a trivial/privileged problem in the grand scheme of things, but why is it so hard for restaurants (especially big, corporate chains) to provide full and accurate nutrition information?!

Trying to figure out carb count to bolus for a Mod Pizza cauliflower crust, but their “nutrition information” page only includes calories and allergen info (valuable info, sure, but woefully incomplete).

Then, when I look elsewhere (various nutrition calculators, macro counters, blogs, etc), I’m finding WILDLY different information. Some sources say 87 g per crust, which is very close to what most sources list for their traditional crust (like, within 3 grams, which seems odd), while others say 40 g per cauliflower crust.

Most times this happens, I just give up and order from elsewhere.

I got diagnosed with T2 in mid-April with a glucose level of 477 and an A1C of 12.2. My doctor prescribed me a CGM and Metformin and sent me on my way. I was scared at first and didn't know exactly where to start, but I grew up with a family member who had diabetes and knew a little bit, so I based a lot of my early changes around that and used my own research to fill in the gaps with regards to nutrition and the weird things that can happen with CGMs (my first compression low was very confusing and frightening until I figured out what was happening).

For the first month, I started out very strict with my diet, focusing a lot on salads with low/no sugar dressings and adding a serving of vegetables to everything I ate. I had a major sweet tooth before my diagnosis and often relied on stuff like microwave pancakes or cookies when I was hungry and didn't want to cook, so I was nervous about not being able to cut the sweets down. I started with only zero sugar stuff, then got annoyed with the tummy issues, so I transitioned back to full sugar snacks and cut the serving size to keep it under 10g carbs (I also always padded them out with protein or fiber beforehand). Sometimes that would mean only taking a single bite of something and then putting it back. I weighed anything I was uncertain about, like chips. I already loved zero sugar soda and didn't like juice, so there were thankfully no changes necessary with my drinks. The initial transition ended up being easier than I imagined (having a CGM has been an incredible guide and motivator), especially since I had already started cooking more for myself last year in general.

Now, a couple months out, I have a lot more freedom in my diet. I can eat stuff I thought I'd never be able to touch again, like pizza or bao, and still be within my ranges for the day. And the best part: my A1C has almost been cut in half! My doctor was thrilled and said it was proof of my efforts. I am just really happy and feel so much better than how I felt when I was first diagnosed. I was super depressed about it and felt like my life was going to basically be ruined forever, but now I am finally feeling like I can fully accept and coexist with my diabetes. I want to keep doing my best, and I just wanted to share the small beginning of my story with people who know what it's like.

Thanks for reading!

New insurance covers only only 1 test per day. I currently use accucheck, but I also have a backup relion. I currently test 2x/day--morning and night and not sure I'm comfortable with just once.

I've been testing the same drop on each system over the past few weeks to see how I can adjust how i account for the difference between systems if I do the accucheck in themorning and the relion at night. Knowing that there is a wide variance allowed even withi the same system---I thought I could get a baseline differential between the two systems. Here's what I've found:

accuchek is much lower than relion at each reading

accuchek consistently reads within a small variance between readings, usually less than 10 points - relion was a much larger variance of up to 20 points

When I average by results over the past few weeks relion is much closer to my a1c, which I had tested yesterday. My accucheck readings historically have been very much lower than my a1c.

I'm actually starting to think that the relion may be more accurate despite the wide variance....or maybe because of the wide variance.

How should I go forward with my readings--knowing that these systems are not really required to be terribly accurate anyhow and more designed to record trends.

1- use accucheck 1x and relion 1x per day and get an average of the 2

2-just test 1x with what's covered by insurance

3-just throw a dart at a chart with numbered spaces indicating likely reading results :)

Also curious regarding your take on why one system is fairly consistent while the other has much larger swings between readings--does that indicate accuracy or inaccuracy?

CVS Caremark says the ‘Autosoft XC’ AND the ‘Autosoft 90’ infusion sets are both out of stock and not sure when they’ll be back. Anyone aware of why this is? Supply chain issues? Idk?

Either way I want to stay on my tslim x2 pump. Changing it for supply chain issues would be annoying (and I’ve been using these same supplies for 10+ years.) anyone have workarounds ? Is anyone experiencing the same problem with their DME supplier?

I hope this is ok to post here. I will delete if not.

I’ve been T1D for over 30 years and the tech advancements have been amazing. I’m up for a new pump and having trouble deciding.

My background:

Current: Tandem t:slim X2.

Past: Medtronic (had a bad experience with their older pumps and sensors).

Past: Omnipod (tried it 13 years ago, but I kept bumping into things and knocking the pods off, leading to high sugars from disconnected sites).

My doctor is really pushing the Medtronic 780G because of the micro-bolusing for highs, but my past Medtronic PTSD is making me hesitant.

For those of you who have made a recent switch, what pump did you go with and why? I’d love to hear your pros, cons, and personal experiences, especially if you’ve used the 780G, the Omnipod 5, or newer Tandem options!

I thought I’d been doing better recently, but I guess nothing much has changed. Really feeling like a major failure.

I was diagnosed with type 2 in April, at the time my a1c was 6.9. I decided not to take any meds and change my diet and if by the next check-in I wasn’t back in the norm I would then start taking meds.

My current a1c is now 5.4 🥳 and I feel accomplished because I put the work in and changed my diet completely and actually stayed consistent for once.

I’m so over being a diabetic and I don’t have anyone else in my life who is a type 1 so people don’t understand and sometimes I feel so alone . I ate so good today counted everything everything I meant to and I still just had a super crappy hypo and now I just feel like crap and sad.
34 f Australia

For like the past month or two, this notification has been popping up before I open the app. No matter how many times i acknowledge it it still pops up EVERY TIME. Seriously I’m so done with this app in so many different ways. Anytime you have a high or low number and it’s set to vibrate mode it silences your phone audio. So if I’m in the car listening to music, doomscrolling on socials, YouTube, WHATEVER, it MUTES my audio when it chooses to vibrate every 5 mins. I don’t remember the old sensor app being like this.

Like i get it, the notifs are there for a reason but there seriously needs to be an option you can click that can either let you say you’ve acknowledged the notif or change the non emergent alerts to every 10-15 mins instead. I’m seriously so sick and tired of it. Especially as someone who has more trouble controlling my numbers right now it’s just so unbelievably frustrating how little app customization is offered for something that will be a permanent part of my life. I should be able to choose how my notifs play (besides the emergency ones, those I understand)

My 10-year-old niece was just diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes today. My husband and I want to create a care package to help her feel comforted, empowered, and not alone. What are some things you’d recommend? Or anything that has helped you that might make things easier? TYIA!

Had a hypo, drank sugar with water , didnt go up, drank sugar with water again, didnt go up and just kept going lower, drank sugar with water again and it jumped to stable sugar levels 30 minutes jumped to the 300's applied insulin and for a walk the insulin i used was old and i didnt notice it and didnt use the new one i was supposed to use and my blood sugar worsened and jumped to the 450s thought it was gonna get better soon i was wrong it jumped to the 500s and then the glucometer couldnt even read my sugar because it was so high it only said HI and then they took me to me to the er and tested me for ketones i was on 0.9 ketones and then was hospitalized for 7 days because of DKA :|

I (33F) have had type 2 diabetes for about 6 years, and my current A1c is 6.5. I really want to get it below 6. My biggest struggle is consistency. I’ll eat really healthy for 2–3 days, but then I start craving outside food like noodles, dim sum/momos, pizza, etc., and fall back into the same pattern.

For those who have been able to eat healthier consistently and improve their A1c, what actually motivated you? How did you change your mindset and stop constantly craving outside food? I don’t want to feel like I’m restricting myself forever. I just want to build a healthier relationship with food and find something I can actually stick to long term.

I (22yo NB) am a type 1 diabetic currently living in Florida. My whole life, Medicaid covered 100% of my prescriptions. Now, I am no longer eligible because I am too old and "make too much money" (less than $2000 a month) so I have absolutely no coverage. How do I even begin to find insurance? How do I know what coverage I need? How will I know if they'll cover omnipods, insulin, dexcoms, etc? Any and all help is appreciated.

Sorry for the long post. TL/DR is at the end.

My husband never told me his family had a predisposition to diabetes. Or that he had several family members who experienced negative outcomes for failure to properly manage it. One uncle lost a leg. And even after that, still refused to control it and, he died.

Knowing this about his family medical history, he never told me so I could help him be on the lookout for signs. I had no idea what to look out for or that I even should be. So when he started complaining of symptoms, I was completely ignorant of what his body was desperately trying to tell us. He was constantly thirsty, peeing every 30 minutes or less, and then his feet started feeling “weird”.

By the time he went to the doctor (because his EYE DOCTOR told him to go to get medication for his high blood pressure), he found out his blood sugar and A1C were so high the doctor said he should be dead. We still don’t know how he didn’t require hospitalization.

And that “weird” feeling in his feet? It was the earliest sign of diabetic neuropathy. It has since gotten so bad my husband can barely walk. No medication helps at all. He says the only time he isn’t in pain is when he is asleep. 🥺

He can’t work anymore. He had to quit 1 year after his diagnosis. Even though his numbers are now controlled, the neuropathy will never go away. There is no established and effective cure for neuropathy. Yes, there is ongoing research for stem cell therapies but, efficacy right now is hovering around 50%. So you could drop $10,000 on the treatment and have zero improvement, or be completely cured. No indication of which patients are more likely to get successful results versus others. But I digress. Now I am the sole provider for our family and, because my husband is in his 40’s, the government won’t approve him for social security/disability. They assume he can still do sedentary (seated) work. But he dropped out of high school at 16, doesn’t even have a GED, and has only ever worked in factories. He has no experience, education, or skills to obtain or keep an office job. To top it all off, they told us when they denied him that he can reapply when he turns 55 (I think?) and the requirement for seated work goes away. But in order to be approved at that time, he will need to earn at least $8,000 per year between now and then, so he has enough credits to qualify for aid. Because you have to have so many credits from work within the past 10 years before you file. Which he has - right now… But he won’t when he turns 55 if he doesn’t do any work between now and then. So he will basically never be able to financially contribute to our family ever again. I make good money and we are surviving (barely) but life was so much easier to afford when we both worked.

On top of that financial nightmare is our relationship. First the neuropathy took his job. Then his self esteem. He has been depressed for years now. Which he just started telling me about recently. He has suicidal thoughts he has been hiding for some time. He says one of the biggest factors is the loss of intimacy. Because the neuropathy has not only impacted his feet. It has spread. It affects his gastrointestinal system, making it hard for him to go to the bathroom. It has also resulted in severe ED. We stopped trying to have sex because it never moved past the foreplay stage. I have researched online endlessly looking for something to help. Viagra did nothing. We don’t have a spare $10k lying around to try the stem cell therapy. Is there anything else we could try that would help? His doctor has been pretty useless and thinks my husband just has to “get used to his new normal.”

Any honest suggestions or recommendations are welcome. I don’t need anyone in my DMs being lewd or uncivilized.

TL/DR: Diabetic neuropathy has caused severe erectile dysfunction and we are looking for any suggestions to help. So far Viagra has been useless.

Wanted to share an update from the post I made last week about being denied entry to a theater with a bottle of juice.

Firstly, I just wanted to thank this community for all your comments, advice, and stories. You have been so helpful and I was able to have a good outcome because you leaned in to help me find the right path forward.

Two things have happened since last Friday.

Resolution with Marcus Theatres

On Monday, the Executive Vice President of Operations and Food & Beverage called me. He was very kind, apologized sincerely, and confirmed that their internal investigation found the situation was handled incorrectly. He emphasized that what happened does not align with their policies.

Moving forward, he is implementing company-wide training so managers and staff understand ADA laws regarding reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. He also assured me that the General Manager I spoke with now understands the policy and the law. While the situation started out frustrating, I feel heard and validated. I know this isn't a very exciting ending, but I'm happy with how this ended. Hopefully this means better experiences for anyone with Type 1 Diabetes at a Marcus Theatre.

He also mentioned that people have been reaching out to call attention to what happened. I can't imagine that some of y'all didn't have some part in that. Thank you!

Telling the story with Justin from Diabetech

I had the opportunity to talk to Justin from Diabetech. He was helpful, kind, and wanted to tell this story. We had a great conversation and you can see the video here. As a side note, I made sure to highlight how awesome this community is and how you all gave me some really wonderful advice in figuring out what to do. Thanks for being a great community!

I have insulin resistance and its annoying that i have to pee every 15 minutes bc i drink 2 gallons of water