Dblog Week: Diabetes Life-Hacks

Dblog Week: Diabetes Life-Hacks

Share the (non-medical) tips and tricks that help you in the day-to-day management of diabetes. Tell us everything from clothing modifications, serving size/carb counting tricks to the tried and true Dexcom-in-a-glass trick or the “secret” to turning on a Medtronic pump’s backlight when not on the home-screen (scroll to the bottom of this post). Please remember to give non-medical advice only! (Thank you Rachel of Probably Rachel and Kelley of Below Seven for this topic suggestion.)

Life Hack #1

I'm amazed by the number of people who have never heard of Tegaderm/Opsite/IV3000...and then complain that they had to stop pumping because their sets/CGM sensors fell off. In my mind,that's not an excuse...THIS IS WHAT MEDICAL TAPE WAS MADE FOR. If you have an allergy to those products,this does not apply to you. (And this isn't meant to be medical advice) But really,there's a big,big internet full of D-forums with people who have had every sort of pump issue known to man and your pump trainer/CDE needs to be recommending these products in the first place. Do not say that pumping isn't for you because your set fell/got ripped off. There are ways to prevent that.

I personally use Opsite under my sets and over my CGM sensor. When I was podding, I'd use it over my pod.(guess what..I never had a pod rip out) The stuff is pretty awesome,in my book.

Life Hack #2


Let's play a game called "has this ever happened to you?" You are walking along,with your CGM or pump set displayed proudly on your upper arm when suddenly,someone asks you what that ugly tumor is on your arm. (It's happened(And then you get to explain your 'betes devices. And then it happens again,and again,and all day. Because people have no filters on their mouths,anymore. You may have just wished to be like everyone else that day,part of the crowd,but these devices catapult you to diabetes advocate #1...all day. Maybe this is agreeable,maybe not.




And then one day you put something like this

over it,and the awkward questions stop. Instead of geeky,you look super hip. And that,my friends,is a diabetes win.

Life Hack #3




I label when I open all my meds.(or kid's meds) I'm sensitive to the effects of meds,so I usually have to pitch the vial/etc.before it all gets skunky.I've also opened new vials before the original gets used,so it's pretty important that I know how long it's been open.(I keep them at room temp) Nothing is worse then wondering how old a vial is. I go through test strips much more quickly,so I don't bother with labeling them. I also put a piece of tape on my CGM site so I know when it was started,since I run my sensors as long as possible.(do not do this) 

Life Hack #4



Be prepared. I keep a diabetes case upstairs,and a diabetes case downstairs...in central locations that I know where they are. Inside are syringes,insulin,set change supplies,strips,emergency fast acting glucose,money. Said cases are brightly colored (and large)so I never have to worry about not finding it,and everything goes back in the case when I'm done. Hubby knows where the glucagon is(not in the fridge). And if there's an emergency I know what supplies I can quickly throw together to take.(with an emergency charger for all my diabetes/other devices) I hate not being able to find things.

Looking forward to reading others tips!