The Unreasonable Math of Type 1 Diabetes • Hacker News Board

Re: The Unreasonable Math of Type 1 Diabetes

#241

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Feb 18, 2022, 9:06 AM UTC

arka2147483647 wrote: post #70

Trasmatta wrote: post #8

I'm a type 1 diabetic, and this was a helpful post at showing non diabetics why it is so. hard. Non diabetics typically think the difficult thing must be the shots and the finger pricks, right? Not really. The majority of diabetics get used to those things quickly (of course there are some of course that deal with a major major needle phobia that can make it even harder). The hard part is that it never ends. Almost e…

I have had Type 1 for 30 years. To be honest, i don't do the math. I choose the amount of units to inject by feel. I mean, i know by eating a banana, i get something like 20g of carbohydrates, and i should take 3u. But if i feel, that the correct dose is 6 units, then i take that. I cant really explain it. But i kind of feel the state, where i am going, and can adjust instinctively. Works more often than not. I have…

[deleted]

Re: The Unreasonable Math of Type 1 Diabetes

#242

Post by pimeys » Fri, Feb 18, 2022, 9:07 AM UTC

consp wrote: post #229

sokoloff wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had a “drunk” parked in the inside lane of the four lane road in front of my house one evening. He was just stopped in traffic and got out stumbling around. I was annoyed (naturally) and he handed me his phone. Whatever, dude; I don’t want to talk to your friend right now. Somehow he insisted and his friend told me he was diabetic and to call an ambulance. I did, got him some OJ, and moved his car out of traffic. H…

I've had the "are you drunk" comments a few times while hypoglycemic. I once walked home from work and apperantly didn't notice it, walked a few busy intersections and finally sat down somewhere where someone noticed me and called an ambulance who game me a glucose iv and everything was back to normal in a few minutes. So everything was still somewhat working and the "go home" signal was set but everything else was b…

A CGM, app like xdrip and a smartwatch to display the current glucose value, trend graph and insulin on body has completely removed these situations from my life. As people normally check the time, you'll be checking the glucose value when walking outside

Re: The Unreasonable Math of Type 1 Diabetes

#243

Post by pimeys » Fri, Feb 18, 2022, 9:14 AM UTC

archi42 wrote: post #240

emj wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I measure blood sugar A LOT, though. That is the most important part, you can really live a good life if you have that. I hope we get more powerfull and cheap way to do that continously. At the momemnt it's at least 300 USD a month for a CGM device that can measure every five minutes. It's abit like monitoring traffic load and adding more servers as you go, except too many servers kill you. That with knowing how yo…

300 USD? That is incredibly expensive! In Germany, the general public can order a Libre 2/3 from their website for 60 EUR. That's 150 USD per month (assuming 26 devices per year). Though that's a purely theoretical price: As with insulin, the mandatory health insurance seems to pay for it anyway. Even with import taxes/tariffs applied, I could imagine a vacation to Europe being massively subsidized by just bringing b…

In Germany a Dexcom G6 sensor is 80€ per 10 days. A transmitter about 400€ per 90 days. TK pays for all of this if you can show nightly hypos and jumpy glucose values, which should be easy for any T1d...

Dexcom is the only one accurate enough to use with SMB looping. And the only one in germany that sends the glucose numbers to your phone with BLE. Libre 2 can be hacked to do the same though.

Re: The Unreasonable Math of Type 1 Diabetes

#244

Post by LtdJorge » Fri, Feb 18, 2022, 9:23 AM UTC

sweston4 wrote: post #204

m_kos wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> gluconeogenesis I am very curious about gluconeogenesis. I am well aware of this pathway but have read a few times that glucose generation from protein happens very rarely. Have you ever tried eating zero carb whey protein in a fasted state? If yes, have you noticed a spike in glucose? I am genuinely very interested in your experience with gluconeogenesis as a person with diabetes.

Oh, I am very happy to answer this to the extent I can. Whey protein impacts my blood glucose in confusing ways! Most days, I'll have a whey protein shake that consists of one scoop whey protein, a little bit of coffee for taste, and some almond milk. This will typically be my first meal after ~12-16 hours without eating. The correct dose of insulin for this shake can vary from 2 units of insulin to 4. First, I belie…

I just want to point out that gluconeogenesis can also use fatty acids to obtain glucose.

Re: The Unreasonable Math of Type 1 Diabetes

#245

Post by hypefi » Fri, Feb 18, 2022, 9:24 AM UTC

grahar64, my nephew is in the same situation as your son he became diabetic at 18 months too, I want to ask a question, did your son get T1D after 18 months vaccination ? because my nephew got ill three weeks after vaccination. I think these data is not entered into the medical system, and if it is not entered no correlation can be made about the possible side effects of vaccines on the population at large. May God help you and your family.

Re: The Unreasonable Math of Type 1 Diabetes

#246

Post by carlmr » Fri, Feb 18, 2022, 9:27 AM UTC

ng12 wrote: post #224

irrational wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I never thought about how being diabetic takes emergency preparedness to a new level. We saw people unexpectedly stuck for a couple of days in traffic because of snow recently. What if there is an earthquake and you can't get to somewhere with snacks? There are so many situations that could unexpectedly arise that could cut you off from food. If I'm cut off from food, I'll be fine for a few days. Not so much a diabet…

Yep, very much. Most insulin pumps only cary a few days worth of insulin at a time so it's not uncommon to be heading home after work with only half a day of insulin left. That can quickly become a life-or-death situation.

Kind of reminds me of the movie with Justin Timberlake where people trade lifetime, not money, because people live forever.

I guess this is somewhat similar. Especially in places where your health insurance isn't a given.

Re: The Unreasonable Math of Type 1 Diabetes

#247

Post by liamwire » Fri, Feb 18, 2022, 9:44 AM UTC

paulcole wrote: post #144

irrational wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I never thought about how being diabetic takes emergency preparedness to a new level. We saw people unexpectedly stuck for a couple of days in traffic because of snow recently. What if there is an earthquake and you can't get to somewhere with snacks? There are so many situations that could unexpectedly arise that could cut you off from food. If I'm cut off from food, I'll be fine for a few days. Not so much a diabet…

> What if there is an earthquake and you can't get to somewhere with snacks? I’m a Type 1 diabetic (diagnosed in my 30s) and have been living with it for about a decade now. This really isn’t a “what if” situation. I know what will happen. I will die or hopefully just become incredibly ill. It’s not really scary at all. It’s just something I live with and prepare for as best I can. The one thing that I’ve learned fro…

Please forgive my ignorance, how is it possible that you lived until your thirties without knowing you have T1D?

Re: The Unreasonable Math of Type 1 Diabetes

#248

Post by quickthrower2 » Fri, Feb 18, 2022, 9:53 AM UTC

cleancoder0 wrote: post #105

csnover wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of the scariest experiences of my life was going on a walk after lunch with someone who had T1D and miscalculated their insulin dose. They went from totally fine, to saying “I don’t feel well, we need to head back”, to sweaty and sheet white and barely conscious within just a few minutes. The terror I felt as we waited for the doors of the lift to open so he could get to his emergency food is burned into my brain…

I once took a 5 hour bike trip on an empty stomach. At some point I couldn’t even turn the pedals. I had to lay on the ground, not feeling better even after half hour. I can still remember the feeling of eating some sweets. Felt like I was reborn. Can’t imagine what it’s like for T1

is this like “the wall” marathon runners are said to experience?

Re: The Unreasonable Math of Type 1 Diabetes

#249

Post by wellyousee » Fri, Feb 18, 2022, 10:22 AM UTC

liamwire wrote: post #247

paulcole wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What if there is an earthquake and you can't get to somewhere with snacks? I’m a Type 1 diabetic (diagnosed in my 30s) and have been living with it for about a decade now. This really isn’t a “what if” situation. I know what will happen. I will die or hopefully just become incredibly ill. It’s not really scary at all. It’s just something I live with and prepare for as best I can. The one thing that I’ve learned fro…

Please forgive my ignorance, how is it possible that you lived until your thirties without knowing you have T1D?

Peak age of diagnosis is mid-teens with quite a sharp bell curve. But, it can develop at any age.

It takes a genetic predisposition and a trigger - perhaps a virus? - for your immune system to start eating your pancreas' insulin-producing cells.

The old labels of "juvenile diabetes" etc. are as unhelpful as the notion it's caused by obesity.

Re: The Unreasonable Math of Type 1 Diabetes

#250

Post by code_duck » Fri, Feb 18, 2022, 10:27 AM UTC

This a good article. Pretty much sums up everything.

I developed type 1 two years ago as an adult, over 40. It's difficult enough for me, as a former software engineer who has always been decent at doing math in my head. I practically die every other week or so. Just tonight I walked to a bar and barely made it back because I didn't bring enough extra Doritos. Having an infant or toddler with t1 must be nuts. In addition to all the factors mentioned here, I read a medical article a while back which asserted that no two doses of insulin affect someone exactly the same. That's my experience too. Struggles with the medical/insurance system make it even more difficult, whether it's the total mess of the US or systems like the British NHS. The entire thing is basically insane.