What is Life as a Type 1 Diabetic Really Like?

Being told that you have diabetes can be difficult to hear, especially when it's type 1 diabetes. This is the most debilitating form of diabetes and the one that demands the biggest adjustments. But type 1 diabetes is still manageable once you understand the condition. It's also not as limiting as some people think and many sufferers can live a pretty normal life with the disease. Let's take a closer look at what it's like to live your life as a type 1 diabetic.

Testing equipment for diabetics:


You Can Still Eat Sweets

Let's start with some good news. Contrary to what many people may think, you can still have sweets if you're suffering from type 1 diabetes. Managing type 1 diabetes is about being aware of what you put in your body and how much insulin you'll need to cover it. This is why many doctors will focus more on the management of insulin than on your diet.

You should also know that there are many other things besides sweets that can affect your blood sugar levels. You'll also need to monitor your carb intake as carbs get converted into sugars by the body. Exercise will have an effect as well. Even things like stress can affect blood sugar levels, so don’t be stuck on the sugar part.

Sugar and raspberry on spoon: Photo by Myriam Zilles on Unsplash


You Will Need to Take Insulin

While type 2 diabetes can be handled with medication, this can’t be done with type 1 diabetes. This is because type 2 diabetes is caused by a lowered sensitivity to insulin while type 1 is when your body can’t produce it. This means that you will need to take insulin for the rest of your life to keep your blood sugar under control.

Insulin can be taken in many ways, but not orally. You can either take insulin injections or use an insulin pump. Insulin pumps are about the size of a mobile phone and are connected to a catheter that is inserted under your skin. You also have wireless pumps that look like pods that can be worn on the body. These will also be attached to a catheter but will be connected to a wireless device that is programmed to trigger an insulin release when needed.

You’ll Have a Very Close Relationship with Your Medical Team

Depending on your case, you may need to have a lot of people around you to manage your diabetes and the possible other conditions it can trigger. You might have to be followed by a physician, a heart doctor, a foot doctor, a dietician, and an ophthalmologist, just to name a few.

When looking for a diabetes care team, it's important to look at what their approach towards treatment is. You want to go with a team that is forward-thinking and is always looking at new type 1 diabetes treatment methods

Teams like The London Diabetes Centre are a perfect example. You should check out their website if you want to know more about type 1 diabetes and type 1 diabetes treatment options. They have one of the most well-rounded teams in the country and are often the first to introduce new technology. This means that you'll be among the first to benefit from new treatments and tools that could make your diabetes easier to manage.

Living with type 1 diabetes is not easy, but it doesn't mean that your whole life will be thrown upside now. Learn as much about the disease as you can and know what type of lifestyle changes you’ll have to make to live a long and happy life.