A private person
This may seem like an odd thing to say, given my posts are all about what I/we have done as a family to lower our carbon footprint, but I am a very private person.
Being type 1 diabetic, I don’t feel that that is something I can do easily. It’s a relatively obscure condition for most people. Yes, they know we need insulin (often), but our day to day lives and how we do things are not well known and that leads to some weird conversations.
Here are some myth busting things you might want in your back pocket.
Yes, I wear my insulin pump 24/7. All day, every day. Even my hybrid pump needs me to do things, like give extra insulin when I eat. Or programme in a starting “basal rate” or background insulin programme. It does not run itself, it is not a cure or artifical pancreas.
The rest of my pancreas works just fine, thank you. My beta cells are one of 8 endocrine cells in the pancreas and the rest are working just fine – that’s not the case if I were type 3c.
My pump needs filling with insulin and its insulin cartridges, tubing and cannulas (tubes that go into the skin) all need changing regularly. Yes, it is more suitable for me than injections, no, I am not a bad diabetic and that’s why I have the pump. For me to do what I do with the pump using injections is extremely difficult.
Yes, my pump does get my sensor readings, but only if I allow it do can it do anything based on the readings. No, it does not outperform me in terms of blood glucose control – because it is only reacting to my blood glucose, it can make mind-blowingly bad decisions.
No, I am not ignoring you, I’m just checking stupid, I mean my insulin pump, isn’t making such a decision.
Yes, I do use the automation sometimes, because I do need a break sometimes. No, I do not do that and not check on what it is doing.
Often, when exercising I need more insulin, not less. No, it is not a good idea to do vigorus exercise when my blood sugar is high without having some insulin available – that can lead to diabetic keto-acidosis.
Even if I don’t eat, I still need insulin. There is no food that can as insulin.
Theoretically, I can die from a hypo, but I am much more scared of complications from high blood sugars (hypers). I have been type 1 diabetic for 48 years this year and don’t have any (yet).
No, giving up meat will not “reverse” my diabetes – my autoimmune system destroyed my beta cells. There’s a chance they grow back every so often, but my immune system goes and kills them again, so until anyone can stop that mechanism. I need insulin.
No, going for a keto diet will not remove my need for insulin.
No, doing hours of exercise a week will not remove my need of insulin.
No, I am not “used to it” yet. Despite being four, I remember what it was like to not be diabetic.
Insulin is way better than the alternative.
No, the insulin pump does not give me a treatment that is as good as not being diabetic. But it is better than injections. It is hard work, even a hybrid loop is hard work, much harder than injections – but the results can be better.
No, I can’t take “human” or “animal” insulin any more: the immune system that destroyed my beta cell functionality learnt to attack them too. I’m on my second analogue insulin. I am not sure what happens in 15 years or so if that stops being effective. I guess there’s glulisine…
Yes, I should get more than my insulin for free on prescription. I am really glad that was decided, because while I didn’t understand it when I was younger, I get why that decision was made.
If there was a cure available tomorrow, I would be in the queue to get it.
Yes, I would still test for a while to guarantee that cure was effective.
No, the injections/pump is not the bad thing about being diabetic. The testing, decision making, and being out of ideal range are the things that take their toll.
My glucose sensor is not as accurate as taking capillary blood samples. It can be affected by many different things which can stop it working completely or skew the results. It is a great deal more convienent.
Posted: October 15th, 2025 under 42, Diabetes.