Living with Type 1 Diabetes

Understanding Type 1 Diabetes

It isn’t easy living with a chronic condition like Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Managing your blood sugar every day while balancing other aspects of your life can be overwhelming. While it may take time to get a handle on this condition, there are many strategies you can use to manage it well.

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Medical Management

Working with an endocrinologist and other healthcare providers is key to staying healthy with Type 1. They’ll help you find a combination of strategies to manage T1D. You’ll need to see your provider regularly, as your needs will change over time.

Insulin

If you have T1D, you need insulin every day to manage your blood sugar. Options for taking insulin include:

Multiple daily injections (MDI). Injectable insulin uses a vial and syringe. For each injection, you draw a specific amount of insulin from the vial.
Pen. Insulin pens are like injections, but the pen is pre-filled with insulin.
Pump. Insulin pumps deliver insulin continuously and on demand.
Rapid-acting inhaled insulin. You inhale this type of insulin through your mouth. It works much quicker than other types of insulin.

Glucose monitoring

Maintaining a healthy blood sugar (glucose) range is key to preventing complications. To track your glucose, you can use:

Blood glucose meter. You prick your finger and put a drop of blood on the meter’s test strip. Your glucose level appears within seconds.
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). CGM is wearable technology that tracks your glucose levels over time.

Lifestyle Management

Your diabetes care team will help you set blood sugar goals and check your insulin needs. But you also need to make countless decisions on your own, every day to manage T1D.

Counting carbs and meal planning

A large part of T1D management is counting carbohydrates in the things you consume to take proper doses of insulin. You’ll need to learn how many carbs are in all the foods you eat. A dietitian can help you put together meals and snacks that work best for you.

Physical activity

Physical activity makes your body more sensitive to insulin. Regular activity can make it a little easier to manage your blood sugar. Work with your diabetes care provider to find the type and frequency of exercise that works for you.

Managing Type 1 Mentally

Living with T1D can take a large mental and emotional toll. People with diabetes are more likely to have depression and anxiety than those without diabetes.

Know that you’re not alone. If T1D causes distress, talk to a mental health professional. You can also connect with the diabetes community to find others who can relate to your experience.

Everyone’s Journey Is Different

There’s no one right way to manage Type 1 diabetes — it’s just as unique as you. Your healthcare team will be there to support you as you find the tools and tricks to lead a healthy life with T1D.