Thanks for your response. I know about Dexcom-I actually got a G4 about a week before I started on the Medtronic study which I have been in for almost 3 years. I like the 670G and don’t look forward to carrying both a pump and CGM which I did when I had a Ping and the Dexcom G4. That aside, I have trouble bumbling around website, so I’ll skip setting up anything. I was just trying to give info that many seniors are unaware of.
Anita, how are your doing, well I hope. FYI just came out the first of March, from the University of Physicians, any one that has an A1C of 8 or below will not be given Meds, used to be 7% now it’s 8% that is a much better place for diabetics to be. My father in la and Brother in law are no longer Diabetics, they both watch their diets but are no longer on injections or any other meds, also by raising the range if cuts down on the amount of neuropathy diabetics have. It was raised because the physicians realized by doing this that diabetics were healthier and had less problems better late than never. Hope all is well. Bye jan
Not quite there but was diagnosed in 1965 so I’m over 53 years. Have had a T-slim pump for 5 years and before that, injections!!!
Close. I am 58 and came down with T1D at 12.
I have had a virus for about 2 weeks. my bs’s were crazy, but i am on the mend. i do not quite
understand your e.mail. no more diabetes? and no meds re: A1C. please explain that to me.
thanks
Anita
Hello Anita @anitanerwen, I do hope that you will soon be feeling much better and back to your old self.
The study / recommendation referred to is relative to screening for type 2 diabetes and not for management of our TypeOne. YES, you and I both will need to use insulin.
There are at least four conditions, with subsets, called “diabetes” and they are not all the same medical condition; they do have, when not properly managed, [at least] one thing in common - the frequent passing of sweet water. Frequent passing of sweet water is the literal interpretation of the name, Diabetes Mellitus, given to our condition 2,500 years ago by a Greek physician.
As of 3/1/2018 t he College of Physicians changed the guidelines for determining type 2 diabetes. Used to be that if your A1c was 7 or above you were a type 2 and given meds. Now with the new guidelines the 7% is now 8%. Reasoning behind is that too many people were running into trouble especially the seniors, and it has been shown that an A1c of 8% is healthier and safer. Back when the Glucose sale was 80-120 then it was changed to 66-99 and anyone over 99 was considered high, this scale still hasn’t been changed but most of the informed doctors are not in a panic if you are over 99. Like I have said before you need to find out where your body feels the best. as I have been reminded by a few and have reminded a few doctors that the numbers are guide lines and not carved in stone. For those of us that are type 1 we are on insulin until they come up with some thing better, or get our immune system to stop attacking our islet cells… I’ve thought about immune suppressors to back off our immune system to see if our islet cells will produce. Haven’t taken C-Peptide test to see if I am producing insulin and the immune system is blocking what has been produced or if it is blocking the production, in theory this would work in real life, don’t know. You realize what brings our condition to the attention of our physicians is NUMBERS, change the numbers and the diagnosis changes. Hope this helps. Bye have a great day, jan
There is all sorts of work going on with Peptides to correct or counteract the body working to destroy itself - and not just the beta cell issue we face.
A couple of years ago our daughter created peptides in her lab - I told her to add a “c-” and I’d let her use CRISPR-cas9 to implant it in or near my pancreas.
Hi Anita, I’ve had T1D for almost 54 yrs (end of July is my “diaversary”), so I’m not that far off!
Pam K.
How do you feel? Are you on the pump? I love my cgm machine.
Hi Anita. Sorry I haven’t been on this site for a while. I feel great! I have no complications and am doing well.
Yes, I am on a pump and a CGM. I keep debating whether I want to stay on a pump or not though. I feel my control was better on MDIs (multiple daily injections) than on the pump, although since I’ve been adjusting my settings it is getting better. My main concern is that I’m allergic to the adhesives, so I don’t know how much longer I can put up with it. Time will tell, I guess.
As for the CGM, I still check my sugars with my meter even though the manufacturer says I can dose directly from the CGM. I’ve had too many instances where the CGM reading was off, so I don’t completely trust it. Still, I wouldn’t give it up. I do like having a continuous reading of my BGs.
How are you feeling? Back at the beginning of the year I was fighting a C-diff infection and had to stay home for quite a while. I’m feeling fine now though. Hope you are too!
Pam K
I am fine. I have had a rough road. Tendanitis in my ankle, I fell and I am healing now. I do not
have any complications either. I do not see from one eye, which is the results of a study i was in
30 years ago. It was too much laser. Yes I do not understand why the cgm is off at times, but i still
love it. My testing has been much better with the machine. How long have you had diabetes?
Happy 4th,
Anita Nerwen
“It is estimated that up to 20 percent of older people with dementia also have coexisting diabetes. It’s a big problem because they may be more prone to low blood sugars (hypoglycemia) from their medication, but not recognizing the warning signs—or what to do if it happens,”
Research have monitored 12 participants who had been diagnosed with dementia and diabetes, they were using Freestyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system.
The wearable glucose monitors captured data for 14 days and the researcher interviewed them and their caregivers to see how they were using the devices. The study found that older people and their carers overwhelmingly found the device to be acceptable to use and reassuring to be able to check sugar levels more easily without affecting their daily activity.
Diagnosed T1D age of 4 in 1959.
This is my 61st year with T1.
What a ride! The changes those like me have witnessed. Still going strong without much in the way of complications. (Luck). Stay fit. Do the best I can.
It’s never an exact science. Like reading about those of you out there as well. Stay well.
Best.
Richard
Hi All, I’ve had T1D for 48 years since age 8. Am still taking insulin by syringe, which doesn’t bother me at all. Very well-controlled, in-range 90% of the time according to my CGM. A1c in low 6’s for many years.
For the “long- timers” who switched from shots to the pump:
What was the experience like ?
Is life much easier now ?
Any downsides of the pump ?
Thanks for any feedback/advice 
1 Like
hi @Jophilly I HATED my pump for the first month. I knew I was supposed to be taking more insulin but my “doctor” was sooooooo afraid that she put me on very conservative numbers for basal rate and for meal insulin… at the time I had 28 years of MDI experience, I knew that the meal was 8 units and when the pump said 4 units I knew I was going to be high , then I was high, there you go. I got the book “Pumping Insulin” and I set my own basal rate and my own correction and my own I:C ratios and everything has fine, after that, for me these last 12 years.
truth-be-told the only reason a pump works for me is because I don’t do well on “flat long acting insulin” im either always low or always high. when I get it nearly perfect I am low all day and high all night. I also travel for work so a shot at the same time every day is a big ask travelling 3, 6, and 12 hours our of mty home time zone. The 2nd best thing about pumping is I don’t have to plan to be active. when I am active I set an “active” basal rate and I don’t have to feed lows every minute hiking or riding my bike. When I am sick I can “up” my basal in 2 seconds. so, for me, it’s all about the basal and whether it’s ruling your life or not.
if you are in range, and happy, why change? IMO, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Hi Joanne @Jophilly , I used needles & syringe and then pens for 47 years before I got my first pump, and now using my 4th pump. The pump experience has been very positive for me.
My reasons for changing to a pimp were two: First, I had some scar tissue fron originally using needles the size of 3d nails [23 gague and 1 1/4 inch long] each needle used for years. Second, like @Joe, “long-acting” insulin and my body did not get along well, although the new Lantus “background” insulin which was just released as I was beginning pumping appeared to be moderately okay with me. As I look back, the most positive bit about pumping is the freedom of my life not being scheduled for eating and exercise. Both “long-acting” and “background” insulin formulations which stay active in the body anywhere from 18 to 42 hours restrict life to some extent.
I have always programmed my pumps myself; basal rates, I:C ratios, ISF, duration. In discussions with my doctors, I have taken advice and made some changes. On each pump, I have programmed multiple Profiles/Patterns which I activate for the style of activity I anticipate, or for body rhythm changes where my body becomes more or less sensitive to insulin.
Hi @Jophilly . I’ll hit my 60 years with diabetes next year. I started pumping in the mid 1990s, first with Minimed then with Tandem. I really appreciate the flexibility of my pump, and Control IQ is a great help for managing highs and lows, although it’s not perfect.
If you don’t mind my asking, if you’re considering a pump what are your reasons? While pumps are considered “the” tool for managing diabetes - the greatest thing since sliced bread - some people do just as well or even better on shots. If you’re happy on shots don’t feel pressured to switch.
Thanks so much to everyone who responded! Dorie to answer your question, my endo recommended I switch to decrease the frequency of hypos. She believes they’re less frequent with a pump. However I’ve begun using the new Freestyle Libre 2 with alarms and am now “catching” the lows before I get too low (currently set 80, originally at 70.) That change is decreasing frequency of hypos. I’ve always been hesitant to change regimen unless there’s a real reason to do so. Plus have had so many problems over the years with insurers (or pharmacy benefit managers/PBMs) frequently changing the insulins and CGMs they’ll cover. I fight tooth & nail to force them to cover what’s working by getting endo to file medical necessity letters. I expect it would be the same issues if I switch to the pump, endless battles. It’s SO frustrating what the PBMs get away with.
Current regimen is Tresiba 1x daily & humalog 3x daily before meals.
I work from home now so have plenty of freedom/flexibility for shots & meals, fortunately. But there is the constant work of fine tuning dosing with meals/carbs, which gets tiring.
I believe there isn’t yet a pump/cgm combo that would do this for the patient automatically - is that correct ?
Hi Dennis,
Could you explain what you mean about the freedom, life not being scheduled for eating/exercise with pump vs shots/pens ? Probably due to my lack of knowledge of how the pump works, I’m not following. Thanks !