Tag: diabetes type 1

What Are “Normal” Blood Sugar Levels?

Medically reviewed and verified by Kate Burke, MD, MHA Managing blood sugar levels is crucial for anyone with diabetes, especially for those with Type 1 diabetes. Unlike Type 2, which can sometimes be managed through lifestyle changes, Type 1 diabetes often needs a more hands-on approach with insulin therapy. What are normal blood sugar levels?… Continue reading What Are “Normal” Blood Sugar Levels?

Diabetic Foot Pain: Managing this Common Symptom

People with type 1 diabetes need to pay special attention to their feet because of their increased risk of foot complications. Elevated blood sugar levels can cause nerve damage (neuropathy) and reduce blood flow.   Living with diabetes presents many challenges, and one of the most debilitating can be diabetic foot pain. This symptom is often… Continue reading Diabetic Foot Pain: Managing this Common Symptom

Is Type 1 Diabetes Genetic? How This Disease Is Passed Down

Medically reviewed and verified by Kate Burke, MD, MHA Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood by allowing your cells to take in and use glucose… Continue reading Is Type 1 Diabetes Genetic? How This Disease Is Passed Down

What’s the Link Between Sugar and Type 1 Diabetes?

A mix of several types of delicious sweet chocolate broken into cubes on a black plate on a dark concrete background

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. Insulin helps move sugar from the blood into the cells, where the body uses it for energy. Without enough insulin, blood sugar builds up in the blood, leading to high blood… Continue reading What’s the Link Between Sugar and Type 1 Diabetes?

Bruising and Skin Conditions with Type 1 Diabetes

Medically reviewed and verified by Kate Burke, MD, MHA If you have type 1 diabetes, you might notice that you bruise more easily and that your bruises take longer to heal compared to others. This isn’t just in your head! It is a well-documented phenomenon. Dealing with this can be painful and frustrating. You might… Continue reading Bruising and Skin Conditions with Type 1 Diabetes

What Does It Mean to Be Diagnosed With Prediabetes?

Medically Reviewed and Written By: Kathleen O’Shea Northrup, MD Most of us have some understanding of what it means to have diabetes- medication, blood sugar monitoring, careful food intake- but what about prediabetes? And what do I do if my doctor tells me I have it? What Does “prediabetic” Mean? If you have been told that… Continue reading What Does It Mean to Be Diagnosed With Prediabetes?

What’s in my bag? Motherhood with a health condition = “Mary Poppins” purse

Happy (almost) Mother’s Day! I’m Erin, a PatientsLikeMe senior copywriter living with type 1 diabetes – and a very busy toddler. My sister recently joked that my purse is “quite the Mary Poppins bag.” And it is. Between my diabetes “jazz” and baby paraphernalia, I need a big bag. The spread of stuff I lug… Continue reading What’s in my bag? Motherhood with a health condition = “Mary Poppins” purse

Member JoeSixPack shares his experience with diabetes

Say hello to Peter (JoeSixPack), a father of three and member of the diabetes community. He was first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1998 when he was 34 years old. In a recent interview, he told us about his life-long struggle with his weight, managing treatment, and how he found the motivation to lose… Continue reading Member JoeSixPack shares his experience with diabetes