November is National Diabetes Month. How TikTok saved my life
Three years ago, a doctor diagnosed me with type 2 diabetes after routine laboratory tests revealed high blood sugar levels. He wrote me a prescription and sent me on my way without any information or instructions, leaving me feeling alone, scared and confused.
After taking the medication as prescribed for six months, I felt sick all the time and had lost 20 pounds. So I found a new doctor, who told me to test my blood glucose levels a few times a day. I was a tech YouTuber reviewing gadgets at the time, so naturally I decided to start documenting these efforts on social media.
I posted videos on TikTok talking about my diagnosis, using a glucometer to test blood glucose and my results. These videos exploded with comments telling me I should get tested for type 1 diabetes — specifically a C-peptide test to check for autoantibodies — so I went to do the lab work, and it turns out TikTok was right. The results were positive for an adult form of diabetes known as latent autoimmune disease of adults, or LADA, also known as Type 1.5, a chronic disease that is treated similarly to Type 1. Estimates from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that of the more than 38 million Americans with diabetes, 8.7 million are undiagnosed.
As I learned more about my Type 1 diabetes and the technology used to treat it, I made more videos. After every visit from an endocrinologist or diabetes educator, I would hop on TikTok and share what I had learned with people. This is how my channel started, Diabetechwhere I show people how I deal with diabetes and what technologies exist to help people live better lives. With the White House official recognize Last November, as National Diabetes Month, this education is more important than ever.
Here are two devices I carry and use that everyone should know about.
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Continuous glucose meters
A CGM on the author’s arm.
Wearing a CGM has made living with diabetes much more manageable for a number of reasons. The sensor warns me if I have a high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) or a low glucose level (hypoglycemia). A low glucose level can be life-saving; if left untreated it can lead to fainting or worse, a diabetic coma. These warnings helped me avoid scary situations and I am grateful that I was diagnosed at a time when it existed.
A screenshot of the blood glucose levels in the Dexcom G7 CGM iPhone app.
The real-time glucose readings sent to my phone help me understand how the food I eat and the insulin doses I use affect me. If I notice high glucose levels after a meal, I may not have delivered enough insulin to cover the meal and I may change my approach the next time I eat the same thing. Recently, CGMs have become available to consumers who do not have a diabetes diagnosis as a way to monitor blood sugar levels.
Perhaps the most powerful aspect of CGM measurements is its use in combination with an insulin pump to automate insulin delivery.
Insulin pumps
Insulin pumps deliver insulin throughout the day to help people with diabetes keep their glucose levels within target ranges. It’s a common misconception that people with diabetes who use a pump “have it figured out,” but this isn’t true. Although today’s automated insulin pumps remove much of the burden of diabetes from users, pumps still require user attention and interaction.
There are two types of insulin pumps on the market: tubes and tubes. The peristaltic pumps are as small as a pager or telephone and have a hose that connects the device to an infusion site at the user’s site. I wear a tubeless pump called an Omnipod. This is a portable, disposable pump that is taped to the body every three days and stores and injects insulin.
As someone who is active, I like the mobility of this device. Infusion sites for all pumps are approved in a number of areas, including the abdomen, arms, buttocks and more.
Insulin pumps, like the tubeless Omnipod pump shown here, can be linked to a CGM to help regulate insulin release.
CGMs allow insulin pumps to get the information they need to automate insulin delivery based on the trajectory of glucose readings. When people with diabetes eat, they still need to alert the pump how many carbohydrates a meal contains and ‘prebolus’ their insulin about 10-15 minutes before the meal. Without these two steps, users will likely have difficulty managing ideal glucose levels.
Ultimately, I’d like to see manufacturers create a true “artificial pancreas”: pumps that remove all user interaction and can keep blood sugar levels within the intended range. The industry there is making strides with meal detection technology, and the open source community known as #WeAreNotWaiting is experimenting with algorithms that have dynamic settings and require little to no interaction.
Know the basics of diabetes technology
There are still many people who struggle with diabetes management or who are not even diagnosed. By knowing about these life-saving technologies, you will be better equipped to support yourself and the loved ones in your life.
The opinions expressed by CNET Voices contributors are their own.
