Today marks my 8th anniversary with type 1 diabetes. It’s been an interesting journey, one that ultimately led me to study nutrition and become a registered dietitian. I’ve had the unique privilege of experiencing diabetes as both a patient and a healthcare provider, and it’s taught me a lot. Here are a few important lessons I’ve learned over the past 8 years. I hope you find them helpful.
1. Find an awesome doctor, even if you have to shop around. It makes a difference.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have 2 great doctors over the past 8 years. My first endocrinologist made it a point to assure me that I could avoid all the scary side effects and complications if I managed my disease well and made available any resource she could find to help me out. She prescribed new forms of meds (lantus pens, etc) as soon as they became available and was quick to turnaround an expired prescription or return a call. She warned me early on that hypothyroidism could develop later on, but that it was easily managed and not something to fear. This turned out to be a huge comfort when I was finally diagnosed 2 years ago. My doctor in Boston has also been awesome.
Type 1 diabetics are dependent on insulin and, because we don’t make any insulin, can be subject to changes in blood sugar due to things beyond our control. Look for a doctor who responds to requests for prescription refills, returns calls in a timely manner, and spends time answering your questions. Continue reading 8 Lessons in 8 Years