Allergic reactions (or hypersensitivity) are as common as they are uncomfortable. Most reactions happen very quickly (usually within minutes). You might have noticed any of:
Very itchy break outs
Sometimes, the reaction is delayed – by even up to a few days.
What you’re experiencing is an “abnormal reaction” - involving your immune system - to a chemical that is actually harmless. Most commonly, the allergen your body is reacting to is the adhesive used to attach your CGM (An allergen is the substance causing the allergic reaction).
Often, our bodies will react to a foreign allergen like pet hair, dust, grit, or any other sort of debris. Simply put, this can confuse our immune system into reacting to the CGM as well; this is a common trigger for those who suddenly start reacting “out of the blue”.
Unfortunately, the reactions won’t just go away. Once you’ve become hypersensitive to the chemical in the adhesive, your skin will always react to it. Your reactions may also become worse and appear more quickly. Your immune system is now irreversibly primed to respond to that allergen every time it appears.
You need to find ways to avoid the allergen. It might be worth asking your T1D healthcare team to conduct patch testing to identify if there are any specific adhesives you can tolerate.
The only way to truly eliminate the allergic reaction is by creating a barrier between your skin and the allergen – in this case, the adhesive on your CGM. Underpatches serve to do just this: protecting your skin from the adhesive.
When you’re wearing an underpatch, your skin is physically blocked against contact with the allergen on your CGM adhesive. This prevents the immune response from starting, thus preventing irritation.
Protect your skin with one of our certified-hypoallergenic underpatches as a layer between your skin and your CGM. Follow these steps and enjoy your CGM, reaction-free.
If you have any questions, please contact our T1D support team at support@typeonestyle.com.
If you’d like to try our underpatches, you can order a free one with code SAFE here 😊
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Our sensor patches will ensure that your CGM sensor will last its expected lifetime. As long as you apply the patch correctly, your CGM will be kept safely in place for the full wear-time. By keeping it securely fixed, CGM patches will give you peace of mind that your CGM will be working perfectly day and night.
CGMs are not cheap. Replacing your CGM when it gets knocked off could cost you £50 (US$63/€59) – and let’s not forget the worry and pain if this happens. CGM patches therefore provide a longer-lasting safeguard for your - or your T1D child’s - CGM. Type One Style’s affordable CGM patches are made from proven, effective, non-fraying and waterproof materials – therefore making them even more long-lasting (and cost-effective).
Your fingerprint’s unique to you. So’s your skin. A CGM might stick perfectly well to someone else’s skin, but you might need a little extra help ensuring it stays attached to yours. Diabetes is different for everyone!
You should still be able to do all the things that you love – even if they are highly physical. Besides, it’s particularly important to stay active if you are T1D. It’s equally important that you support your mental health when you are T1D – so nothing should be out of bounds if it makes you feel happy! CGM patches ensure that your CGM will stay firmly in place; so you don’t need to worry about knocks, tugs and bumps dislodging it. Also, there’s no need to worry any longer about your CGM peeling off because of perspiration from an intense workout or from being immersed in the sea or a swimming pool. This will give you the confidence to participate in whatever activities you enjoy.
Some of our customers love using their patches as an opportunity to express themselves. Our range alone carries over 300 gorgeous designs, so you (or your T1D child) will find loads you’ll love, enjoy wearing – and even show off!
Whether you prefer a CGM patch that’s colourful and distinctive, clear or in a single colour, you’ll definitely find the patch for you.
You’re free to mix and match your patch depending on your mood – or outfit! Finally, because modern CGM patches are also hypoallergenic, they are safe and comfortable even for sensitive skin.
Our customers also feedback regularly that our CGM patches are easy to apply (and remove!) and very comfortable. Our user-friendly website makes (re)ordering very easy too. If you haven’t tried them already, why not Whichever CGM you’re using (Dexcom, Medtronic, Omnipod, or Freestyle Libre), you’ll find a patch for it.
Discover the joy of really living your T1D life to the fullest.
]]>Many CGM users find that the medical adhesive on their sensor, pump, or cannula doesn’t last the full lifecycle of your device; a recent survey of ours uncovered that the average person loses 20% of their CGMs each year.
Everyone’s skin is different and so your experience will vary from other people’s. If your Dexcom or Libre sensor is coming off early, then you need an adhesive patch.
If:
Then a CGM patch will ensure you have one less thing to worry about!
Everyone’s skin is different, so don’t expect “one size to fit all”. What might be the perfect patch for someone else may not be right for you. We all have different levels of oil in our skin, some of us sweat more than others, some of us shower twice as much, and some of us live in hot climates; and so much more.
We find the optimum time to apply our patch is an hour (at least) after showering and before we go to bed. This is because the adhesive on a CGM patch is activated as soon as it touches our skin but takes 24 hours to reach maximum sticking power. During this time, it is critical that you protect your patch from moisture, sweat, and water. If you apply the patch before bedtime, this ensures a relatively uneventful first part of the maturation phase.
10 top tips to help your CGM patch stay on longer
Type One Style patches are made from a unique material, and unlike other brands will last up to 21 days; if for some reason it doesn’t, we’ll send you a new patch free, each time.
Here’s a few pointers to ensure that your patches go the full distance.
When it’s time to change your device your patch will still be going strong. We find that the best way to remove CGM patches is after a warm shower or bath. If it’s a struggle to remove the CGM patch, or it just won’t come off, oils help loosen the adhesive. Tea tree oil is particularly effective, in our experience!
Yes. Our patches are designed to stay on if you are in the bath, shower, hot tub; or swimming in a pool or the sea. Notable patch users of ours include deep sea divers and competitive swimmers; those patches get very wet, every day.
Yes. Our patches are designed to stay on during exercise, and we even have one customer using them to protect her Omnipod on the front of her thigh – she’s a forward prop for a Rugby team too.
No. Once your patch adhesive has matured after 24 hours, that’s it. There is nothing you can do to reduce the strength of the adhesion.
Ensure that your CGM patches are stored so that they are in optimum condition before you’re ready to use them. Keep the patches in a secure, waterproof container. And don’t leave them anywhere super-hot (eg a boiling car in direct sunlight) - the heat could degrade the adhesive.
Many CGM patches are not just functional – they can also look fantastic! So don’t miss this opportunity to express your personality! Check out our huge range of 350+ designs – we’re sure you’ll find some that you’ll love.
New to CGM patches? Try one for free today with code SAMPLE.
]]>Ready to donate now? Click here.
We’re huge dog fans: their waggy tails and adorable floppy, velvet ears! But it’s their amazing sharp noses and incredible sense of smell that are giving T1D children (and some adults) greater freedom and independence.
By the way, there’s an epic competition later in this article, don’t miss it!
Hypo Hounds train Diabetic Alert Assistance Dogs to use smell to detect subtle but dangerous changes in their T1D “partner’s” blood sugars. These genius dogs then alert their T1D partner (or partner’s family) that something is wrong, helping prevent potentially life-threatening hypoglycaemic episodes.
Hypo Hounds’ dogs assist T1Ds who have no hypo awareness – meaning their blood glucose levels can fall below 3mmol without any symptoms.
After training, some of the dogs’ noses are even more accurate than CGMs - and faster by 15 minutes. They can distinguish their partner’s blood sugar levels from those of people around them and can be trained to detect and prevent hyperglycaemic episodes & DKA admissions.
The pups can even fetch your diabetes supplies for you to help you recover from any episode you are having at the time.
The charity does train dogs for adults - but prioritises those with the greatest clinical need. A key criteria for this is the number of hospital admissions a person has had. Generally, Hypo Hounds caters for children with T1D.
By dramatically reducing the risks of experiencing a hypo, the dogs help increase the confidence and independence of children living with T1D. This has also been shown to improve the mental wellbeing of the children’s parents and carers. Severe hypos or hypers often require hospital admission, costing the NHS millions each year, so they are also saving our health service money.
Mental health and stress has an immense impact on diabetes management, and it is well known that animal companions can provide a lot of help here. This benefit should not be understated.
Hypo Hounds’ fantastic trainers are some of the UK’s leading scent trainers, drawing on 200 years of scent detection knowledge. They understand the unique bond between human and dog and know how it feels to depend on a dog for your safety. Above all, they are skilled in picking and training the right dogs.
Hypo Hounds dogs are trained at the charity’s national training center in Maidstone, Kent.
During training, the dogs are socialized by being fostered nearby in home environments with children – so they become used to all the noises and activities of a family home.
To apply for a Hypo Hounds’ trained dog, your child (or you) must be 1 year from diagnosis, so they/you have adjusted to living with T1D.
Visit their website for more information.
Founded in 2016, it costs Hypo Hounds just over £25,000 to train a dog for a child. Run purely on donations, the charity desperately needs financial support. You can support it in 3 easy ways:
What’s more? Everyone who sponsors a puppy or makes at least a £10 donation to Hypo Hounds will be entered into a competition to win free patches for the rest of their life. Once you’ve donated, just pop a picture of the confirmation page or receipt to us at support@typeonestyle.com to enter.
Find out more about Hypo Hounds
Visit the charity’s website for further information, to find out how to volunteer or foster a dog; or donate: https://www.hypohounds.co.uk.
You can read more about Hypo Hounds in this January 2024 article in Desang.
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Many CGM users share a very common concern: what if your CGM sensor falls off or gets knocked off? What if – as a very real-life example – it gets caught in your bedsheets during the night? Not only would it be a painful experience, but you’ll need to buy a replacement – and they’re not cheap. (Your concerns might be greater still if the CGM is for your type one diabetic child.)
These are the top 3 ways we found that CGM patches make T1D life easier for you:
Adhesive CGM patches provide a longer-lasting safeguard for our CGMs or Insulin Pumps. Ours are made from proven, effective, non-fraying medical materials - making them even more reliable. Our patches are trusted by thousands of customers around the world to safeguard their CGMs, insulin pumps, and other diabetes devices. Whether you are using a Dexcom G7, a Libre 2, an Omnipod, or something else, you’ll find a patch for it, giving you the same level of protection and support.
If your CGM gets knocked off, you have to replace it – and they aren’t cheap! By keeping your CGM fixed firmly in place, you don’t need to worry about paying out £50 (US$63/€59) for a new one. In a recent customer survey we found that the average T1D knocks their CGM off SIX TIMES per year; that’s up to £300 of loss without patches.
Did you know a Dexcom G6 user can protect their device with patches all year-round for just £40 per year?
We all know that exercise is so important to helping you stay healthy when you are T1D. We also know that your mental health is as important as your physical health. If you know your CGM is stuck firmly in place, then you will be more confident to do the activities you love doing. Helping you stay healthier and happier – and living your life to the fullest!
Try any of our patches you like for free with code SAMPLE. There are over 350 designs to choose from!
By keeping your CGM firmly in place, patches give you real peace of mind. So, live your life to the fullest, free from anxiety of CGM mishaps!
Discover what people are saying about our wonderful patches, and follow us on Instagram here for inspiring users’ stories. Check out all our 5-star reviews too!
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Team Type One Style began with the goal of setting up a UK elite cycling team, made entirely of cyclists living with T1D. However, as we started recruiting the best riders in the UK, we quickly learnt that - across all sports - athletes living with T1D were missing a sense of community.
The team instantly expanded our reach to become a driven, passionate community of T1D athletes from a wide range of sports. We include the UK’s first (and only) registered cycling, running and triathlon teams made up entirely from athletes living, racing - and thriving - with T1D.
Team Type One Style is an independent sports team & entity that is exclusively sponsored by Type One Style Limited, a separate entity.
The team is spearheaded by our registered cycling, running and triathlon teams. However - at heart – we’re an open community of athletes from all sports empowering each another to improve and excel. We’re passionate about the philosophy of collaboration driving innovation. Which is why we operate a ‘free-to-all’ community whose goal is improving lives for all of you living with T1D.
Taking part in regular activity with T1D brings its own unique set of diabetes management challenges. These include keeping glucose levels in range, through to the practicalities and use of technology in monitoring blood glucose levels during sports.
We’re educating and sharing experience in a variety of ways, including:
In our video calls, we’re learning from both peers and experts who are teaching us the science of T1D. These calls are also designed to be motivational: sharing inspirational success stories and providing opportunities to learn from our failures.
Our community is supported by a range of organisations who share our vision. They help our registered athletes benefit from a range of free or discounted products or services - all facilitating members to regularly exercise with T1D.
Currently, our community includes cyclists, runners, triathletes, open water swimmers, ultra-marathon runners, footballers, rugby players, rock climbers and rowers. But the sky’s the limit! There are no entry requirements to getting involved except:
Without a shadow of a doubt, our biggest and proudest achievement is our community. It began between mid-2022 and January 2023 when we registered our cycling, running and triathlon teams. We have 37 registered athletes in our British Cycling together with those in other teams and are constantly expanding into new sports.
In 2023 we took part in over 1,000 sporting events. These ranged from park runs all the way up to the 2023 UCI World Championships in Glasgow - in which our very own T1D athlete, Tom Boshell, qualified and competed.
This team is dedicated to shifting the perception of T1D. Our mission is to inspire, empower and enhance the lives of those with T1D by building a globally supportive community of athletes living with T1D.
Through a commitment to excellence and solidarity, we aim to achieve the following:
By pursuing these goals, we are dedicated to shifting the perception of T1D: helping to create a world in which T1D athletes are celebrated for their achievements and resilience, and in which anyone with T1D can achieve better health and greater quality of life.
Our community is made by you, its members. The greater the community, the more experiences there are to share - and the more there is to learn from one another.
If you’re living with T1D and taking part in any recreational sports, then we’d love to hear from you!
We want to see a Team Type One Style kit at every event up and down the UK!
By wearing our slogan (“Shifting the Perception of Type One Diabetes”), you’ll be helping to do exactly that - not only for T1D athletes but also for their family members, coaches, caregivers … and among the general public too!
Type 1 Diabetic for 18 years. A cycling professional who's earned a 1st Category British Cycling licence.
"My goal is for our team to positively impact as many other type ones (T1D) as possible through wider awareness raising. I am passionate about helping fellow T1Ds by sharing with you the knowledge that I have gained over my years of racing at an elite level. I firmly believe that you will save valuable time and energy by listening to others."
Type One Diabetic for 25 years with a passion for cycling & helping others.
"Since I was 14, I’ve been cycling and racing with T1D. I found hospital clinics didn’t actively encourage or support me to take part in regular or intense exercise. Instead, it was research, science and community who provided what I needed. I wanted to bring these three areas together in a single, easy-to-access space … and Team Type One Style was born! I still race recreationally but I dedicate the majority of my time to supporting others with T1D to achieve your own goals."
Type One Diabetic for 19 years with an interest in cycling and triathlon.
"I'm inspired by every single type one who doesn't let diabetes define you. My goal is to encourage as many of you as possible to share your stories and experiences. Together, we’ll learn, grow and shift perception of T1D."
Follow us on social media: @teamtypeonestyle.
Reach out to us: by direct message or email us: hello@teamtypeonestyle.com.
We’d love to hear from you and welcome you to our inspiring community of T1D athletes.
]]>If your child is managing type one diabetes, you’ll need to consider more than just a new uniform, shoes and a haircut. You’ll also be planning strategies to build a strong partnership with your child’s school so your child navigates this transition smoothly and successfully. This will be particularly important if they are going into Year 7 (or above) as your child will be given a lot more independence.
Depending on your child’s age and how long ago they were diagnosed, you might already be fully on top of it. But if it’s all-new, we’ve gathered some tried and tested tips to help you ensure your child is safe - and feels confident and secure - in their new school.
Start by informing the school as soon as possible that your child has type one diabetes: usually you would do this when you accept their school place or as soon as they are diagnosed – whichever comes sooner.
Arrange a meeting with school before or at the start of term to discuss the support your child will need with their type one diabetes. This should cover your child’s individual healthcare plan (IHP), school medical policies and any other aspects you feel relevant. This can include how to manage their CGM, their insulin pump, and any specific-needs your child may have.
Typically, you’ll need key members of staff, including:
Also…
Ask to see the basic procedures that the school should have in place to support your child:
The most important and effective way to support your child is to ensure regular and constructive communication with their school and their diabetes team within school.
Check and agree who within school needs to receive training; who will deliver it (your PDSN might be best placed) and when; and what training is required. Start with the basics:
From the outset, you may also need to explain certain key features essential to your child’s care so they appreciate when/how they will occur. These might include:
You may need to discuss support for your child when undertaking school field trips or activities outside of the classroom; as well as extracurricular sports and clubs.
Your child’s teachers may need help understanding when they should intervene. Some might not even know there are different types of diabetes! The school’s medical room might not be nearby, so it does help teaching staff appreciate when they will need to step up – or when your child just wants to manage things themselves.
One parent advised us that their child carries traffic-light-style cards that they can display on their desks with no fuss:
Orange – “I am having a hypo and managing it myself. Please let me get on with this.”
Red – “I am having a bad hypo. Please stay with me whilst I manage this.”
Also be open with teachers who haven’t an understanding of diabetes management that it really is a burden on your child, so they can avoid making thoughtless comments which might have a negative impact.
Depending on your child’s comfort level, let them choose how open or discreet they are with their classmates and schoolfriends about their diabetes. It’s very common for children in your child’s shoes to feel “other” or different from their peers.
They may try to hide their diabetes, experience feelings of low confidence or low self-esteem, or worry about being teased. Consider using decorative patches and stickers to improve the look of, and their confidence in, their CGM.
Work with your child, their school and diabetes care team to support them socially and deal with any reactions they have to deal with. Have a strategy in place to deal with teasing – or even bullying – if it does arise.
If your child’s not taking in a packed lunch, you can help them ensure their lunch choices meet their meal goals:
Think of practical essentials that need to be on hand:
And don’t forget your Dexcom, Libre, or other CGM patches! They’ll keep your device on no matter what they get up to in the playground.
These are just a few initial top tips to get you started. Follow our Insta or TikTok on @typeonestyle for more content and product launches. If you'd like to speak with other parents who's child is starting school with Type One Diabetes, pop us a message on our contact form and we'll try to pair you up with another person.
To browse our Kids range of CGM patches, click here.
You can also check the below for more information.
Useful links:
Diabetes UK’s guides for parents, pupils and schools
Useful reading:
]]>We have completed a range of skin type and adhesion tests and found the below-proven method to keep your Freestyle Libre, Dexcom, or Omnipod on for the entire duration.
Once you have applied your device, push down on the patch adhesive!
Make sure as many of the patch adhesive molecules get into all of the nooks and crannies of your skin as possible. This will increase the surface area of device adhesion and make an incredible difference to the longevity of your CGM or insulin pump.
We use pressure-sensitive adhesives in our Dexcom, Freestyle Libre, Omnipod, and Medtronic patches.
Have you ever wondered why the CGM adhesive doesn’t stick to the paper you peel off? Why do glue sticks not stick to the tube?
You're on a clock as soon as that paper is off of the adhesive. Get it on and get it stuck, and then you’re okay.
Check out the video below of how Emma applies her Dexcom G6 adhesive patch quickly and effectively.
Patches and tapes for diabetes devices are huge at the moment, and that’s because they make a difference to thousands of type 1 diabetics. The adhesives from the makers of the Dexcom G6 and Freestyle Libre don’t always stand up to what we can throw at them as diabetics, so here at Type One Style, we researched and created an innovative new type of adhesive patch.
What do adhesive patches do?
Let’s look at the science.
You’re adding an adhesive patch to your CGM device with a pressure-sensitive adhesive that’s almost triple the CGM device's surface area.
Mechanically, you’re also covering the CGM device.
If you catch your Freestyle Libre, Omnipod, or Dexcom on a door or a table, the adhesive patch will stop it from being ripped off. It’s still going to hurt, but you can’t “catch” a sticky patch, so you’re protected.
Take the worry out of it keeping your Freestyle Libre, Dexcom, or Omnipod on - put an adhesive patch on and relax.
Step 5 – You MUST let the adhesive do its thing over the first 24 hours
Once our insulin pump or continuous glucose monitor has been applied, we’ll be relieved. We’ve been through the pain of the applicator, and we don’t want it to fall off and have to go through that all again.
From the moment the adhesive hits the skin, a clock starts. Your adhesive will mature to maximum strength for the next 24 hours, forming bond after bond. After 24 hours, you’ll have all the bonds.
If you get your patch or device wet in the first 24 hours, you’ll stop all of the bond-forming from that moment onward, and it won’t start up again. Instead, any bonds that didn’t form in time, will bond with the water you introduced. This applies to sweating as well.
Go and live life. Test your device and adhesive patch and see what you can throw at it.
Check out some examples of what Type One Style customers do with their adhesive patch below:
As a trusted provider of patches and stickers, we're on hand to advise and support you at every step of your journey. You can explore designs and styles from the menu or by clicking here :)
Best Way To Keep Libre Sensors On? | Diabetes Forum • The Global Diabetes Community
What is a pressure-sensitive adhesive? | Definition (labelplanet.co.uk)
How do adhesives and glues work? | The science of sticking (explainthatstuff.com)
8 Tips: How to Stop a FreeStyle Libre Sensor From Falling Off (makingyouthink.ca)
]]>Are you interested in science? One fun fact is that there are no actual chemical bonds in adhesives between the adhesive and the skin. It’s millions of van der Waal force interactions in three dimensions, using the electrostatic force to stay stuck to your skin. But let’s be honest, it’s easier to call it a bond – nobody needs to know the granular physics behind adhesion.
We know what we’re talking about at Type One Style. Complicated question? Please message us at hello@typeonestyle.com or on Instagram @typeonestyle and ask to speak to our founder Charlie.
Type One Diabetes affects over 400,000 people in the United Kingdom and over 1,600,000 in the USA alone.
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1D) is an autoimmune condition that results in an inability to produce insulin. Your immune system mistakenly recognizes your beta cells as foreign and attacks them. Beta cells are a part of the Islet of Langerhans family of cells and are responsible for insulin production in the pancreas.
While our immune system protects us from harmful bacteria, viruses, and more, it can malfunction and produce an autoimmune condition. Science has not yet discovered why our immune system can target our beta cells, but a tremendous amount of research is underway to understand this.
It is essential that you understand that type one diabetes is not your fault. We can't prevent it in any way, and there is nothing you can do to increase your likelihood of getting it or reduce your chance of getting it. You are not responsible for your Diabetes.
Ultimately, type one diabetes means you can no longer produce enough insulin.
When we digest food, we absorb nutrients into our bloodstream. Insulin is like a chaperone, guiding energy toward one of our cells, like a muscle cell. Insulin will then activate the GLUT4 receptor on the surface of one of our cells. Once activated, the GLUT4 receptor tells the cell to ingest the energy delivered to it from the bloodstream.
Without insulin, there isn't a chaperone. That means nothing is activating GLUT4 and other glucose receptors, so glucose can't leave your bloodstream, and so you become hyperglycaemic. When we inject insulin, like through an Omnipod or Novopen, we give ourselves the ability to shuttle glucose out of our bloodstream.
So without insulin, your sugars continue to rise. When your sugars are high for long periods, a process called glycosylation starts. This is the permanent binding of glucose molecules to structures in your eye, peripheral nerves (like feet), and more. Fundamentally, the accrual of glycosylation events over your life produces most of the long-term complications of Diabetes.
Our body likes to preserve homeostasis, ensuring our temperature, blood glucose, blood pressure, hydration, and more are kept relatively constant and in a safe range. Maintenance of blood glucose levels (i.e., homeostasis) is the foundation of the blood glucose target ranges in continuous glucose monitoring, like with Dexcom, Freestyle Libre, and other systems.
When our internal environment changes suddenly, like in hyperglycemia, the body initiates various symptoms as part of its emergency response to bring your blood glucose levels back down to the normal range. Hyperglycaemia is also when the "high blood glucose" alarms can go off on continuous glucose monitors, like Dexcom G6.
If you notice any of these signs over recent days, weeks, or months, you need to see your doctor immediately. If you are experiencing symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis, go to the emergency room now!
Below is a list of references, sources, and further reading used for this article. If you have any questions, please write to us - we will do our best to help you, and if we can't we will find somebody who can.
Diabetes.org. 2022. Diabetes & DKA (Ketoacidosis) | ADA. [online] Available at: <https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/dka-ketoacidosis-ketones#:~:text=When%20ketones%20build%20up%20in,high%2C%20you%20can%20develop%20DKA.> [Accessed 23 February 2022].
Edwards, M. and Mohiuddin, S., 2022. Biochemistry, Lipolysis. [online] Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560564/> [Accessed 23 February 2022].
Encyclopedia Britannica. 2022. immune system - Antigens. [online] Available at: <https://www.britannica.com/science/immune-system/Antigens> [Accessed 23 February 2022].
Encyclopedia Britannica. 2022. islets of Langerhans | Definition, Function, Location, & Facts. [online] Available at: <https://www.britannica.com/science/islets-of-Langerhans> [Accessed 23 February 2022].
Gerich, J., 2010. Role of the kidney in normal glucose homeostasis and in the hyperglycaemia of diabetes mellitus: therapeutic implications. Diabetic Medicine, 27(2), pp.136-142.
JDRF. 2022. Type 1 diabetes research - JDRF, the type 1 diabetes charity. [online] Available at: <https://jdrf.org.uk/our-research/> [Accessed 23 February 2022].
Meyts, P., 2022. The Insulin Receptor and Its Signal Transduction Network. [online] Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK378978/> [Accessed 23 February 2022].
Modell, H., Cliff, W., Michael, J., McFarland, J., Wenderoth, M. and Wright, A., 2015. A physiologist's view of homeostasis. Advances in Physiology Education, 39(4), pp.259-266.
Morabito, G., Miglio, C., Peluso, I. and Serafini, M., 2014. Fruit Polyphenols and Postprandial Inflammatory Stress. Polyphenols in Human Health and Disease, pp.1107-1126.
nhs.uk. 2022. Hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar). [online] Available at: <https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-sugar-hyperglycaemia/#:~:text=Hyperglycaemia%20is%20the%20medical%20term,pregnant%20women%20with%20gestational%20diabetes.> [Accessed 23 February 2022].
Singh, V., Bali, A., Singh, N. and Jaggi, A., 2014. Advanced Glycation End Products and Diabetic Complications. The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology, 18(1), p.1.
Skyler, J., 2021. New insights into halting type 1 diabetes. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 9(8), pp.475-476.
Stöckli, J., Fazakerley, D. and James, D., 2011. GLUT4 exocytosis. Journal of Cell Science, 124(24), pp.4147-4159.
UK, D., diabetes, C., confidence, M., diabetes?, D. and possible, Y., 2022. Complications of diabetes. [online] Diabetes UK. Available at: <https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/complications?gclid=Cj0KCQiA09eQBhCxARIsAAYRiynGrKCe0jhHY1HQrfz_YWesOM4QcEkagSpyohcaML295PgLOXJii4caAvl7EALw_wcB> [Accessed 23 February 2022].
UK, D., diabetes, T. and possible, Y., 2022. Type 1 diabetes. [online] Diabetes UK. Available at: <https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/types-of-diabetes/type-1?gclid=Cj0KCQiA09eQBhCxARIsAAYRiylHCYdmCbsTT2NxKyYREHTK_oqeezbE5ZjS5Vx3e7ssjqwrLW4pV9saAh6aEALw_wcB> [Accessed 23 February 2022].
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That's what most people find when they first create a personal budget plan. Read on to see how this 30-minute exercise can help you save more, and worry much less. Understanding your finances is critical in lowering money-worries and associated stress.
At Type One Style, we're big on mental well-being and positivity. But give a man a fish, and he eats for a day, teach him to fish, and he eats for life. The same principle applies here.
No one will give you or me £200 - most charities won't either. But we can teach you how to save £200 a month, and you can use this knowledge for the rest of your life.
Managing our money month to month is hard enough already! Over 90% of us have never seen a personal budget, let alone made one, so we're almost living blindly with our finances.
When you factor in test strips, pumps, lancets, your Freestyle Libre or Dexcom, wipes, adhesive patches, kitbags, and more, it gets ridiculous.
We can improve our mental well-being by getting on top of our finances. By creating a personal budget and forecasting the diabetes supplies you need, like your CGM and other life costs, you can relax knowing what is covered and when.
1 - Gather up all of your bills, statements, loans, and everything from everywhere, for the last 3-6 months. You should have something to show for every penny leaving your life.
2 - Calculate your income per month. For most of us, it's just our monthly pay.
3 - Make a big list of your fixed expenses each month: mortgage, car payments, Dexcom, Omnipod, fuel bill, phone costs, etc.
4 - Make a big list of your variable expenses each month. Food shopping, eating out, gifts, device stickers, clothing, and other things that change month to month.
5 - Add everything up! You should have a figure for your total income and total expenses. Now, deduct your expenses from your income. If you have a positive number, congratulations - you've got spare cash! If you have a negative number, it's time to start cutting costs.
6 - Start slashing your expenses. Here are some examples:
If all of the above applies to you, don't worry. Your quality of life won't change very much, if at all. But, you'll be £2,384 a year better off.
That's £198 a month you've just unlocked. If you got a promotion at work and pay 20% income tax, you'd need to earn an extra £3,000 a year to take home the same money.
You can always save this money up and go on holiday; it's all up to you. Plan what you want and need to buy, like CGM supplies, clothes, and significant upcoming expenses, and add those items in for the next 12 months.
If you're going to do all of the above, it will take maybe 3 hours, with all of the phone calls. If you save £2,384, you've earned £794 per hour. Pretty good!
We sincerely hope that this article helps you discover the money you didn't know you had and helps to pay for your Dexcom G6, Insulin, or other essential parts of your life.
We did this, and it changed our lives. We want you to benefit from this too.
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Re-using your needle increases your risk of infection significantly.
The last thing you need is an infection. Diabetes management is hard enough already. Unfortunately, people with diabetes are much more likely to get a skin infection than non-diabetics.
We're constantly creating opportunities for bacteria to get under our skin because we inject things so frequently. Freestyle Libre applicators, Dexcom inserters, and Novopen tips are fantastic vehicles for bacteria to hitch a ride on. Think of a Novopen tip as a one-way train ticket to your interstitial fluid for a gang of microbes.
Above is an image of a needle that has been used once and pulled out, taken using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The orange bits are bacterial cells. When the needle touches your skin, it also touches bacteria on your skin. Generally, a new needle is so fine-tipped it goes in without much issue and comes out okay.
But when it comes out, it's dragging along the hole it has just created and acquiring bacterial hitchhikers.
When you use this needle again, it's pre-loaded with pathogens, and they've multiplied on your needle tip. So when you inject that next shot of insulin, you're also going to deliver these microbial stowaways directly into your body. From a microbes' perspective, this is a reliable and easy way to get inside their next host - great!
Every time you re-use your needle, you add to the microbial population on the tip. Even if you sterilize your injection site with an alcohol wipe beforehand, you won't be protected. It doesn't matter how clean your skin is when you're inserting bacteria into your body yourself.
Changing your needles will reduce injection pain.
Above is an image showing the tip of a needle after multiple uses, and you cannot see this with the naked eye - do not tell yourself that yours "is fine" because it's not.
Ever notice how re-using the needle gets more and more painful? Well, this is why. As far as a skin cell is concerned, you're trying to inject insulin with a tree trunk.
As the tip bends, you're also building a bacterial scoop. This shape will come into contact with many more microbes, and your risk of infection will go up with each re-use.
Change your needle!
So, it's pretty clear that you should be changing your needle every single time. And you need to be cleaning your injection or insertion site every single time. You need to use something with anti-microbial activity to get the best results, like alcohol wipes.
Unfortunately, this is just impossible for some people. We live in a world where we all suffer from similar diabetes, but none of us have access to equal care. Many people with diabetes cannot afford to use this many needles, and we all have our own circumstances.
So don't feel bad if you can't change your needle, but do feel better about spending money on needles instead of something else you might not necessarily need. You're looking out for yourself, and that's important. For some people, the risks of re-using needles are not as significant as other problems in their lives, and that's okay. They are looking after the sum total of their health and being, and that's the end goal.
We want you to be happier. We hope that this is a solution and that this knowledge helps you reduce your injection pain and reduce any anxiety around skin infections.
Now, do you clean your site? You can get leading skin site preparation wipes from us for just 10p here. Never worry about a skin infection from applying your Freestyle Libre, Dexcom, or Omnipod ever again.
Sources & References:
Abe, S., Haraga, I., Kiyomi, F. et al. Bacterial contamination upon the opening of injection needles. JA Clin Rep 4, 61 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40981-018-0197-7
Yutaka Kawakami, Takashi Tagami, Pumping infusions with a syringe may cause contamination of the fluid in the syringe, Scientific Reports, 10.1038/s41598-021-94740-1, 11, 1, (2021).
This article is for informative purposes only and should not be used and is not intended as medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional in all instances.
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Controlling our blood glucose is difficult at the best of times. But sometimes, no matter what we do, it seems like some food is just out to get us.
Many of us have experienced this with pizza and chocolate, and you bolus for it, you eat it, and all is great.
Then 45 minutes later, your Dexcom G6 shows your sugars as a picture of a hyperglycemic mountain range instead of that flat line you expected to see.
Well, as with everything that happens to our blood sugars, there's some science for that.
You need to consider how fats & protein impact your blood sugars.
But fats aren't glucose? How does something that isn't even glucose make my blood glucose go up?
Well, dear friend, this is where our digestive system comes in.
Proteins and fats can slow down the rate at which your stomach empties into your small intestine, which means it's going to take longer for the nutrients to be absorbed. Also, when you have a very fatty meal, there are just too many molecules there for the small intestine's surface area to handle, which means they have to take turns being absorbed.
The molecules are queuing up to board the rollercoaster of your blood sugar because they can't all go through at the same time!
Crucially, this means that all of the carbs you just ate can't be absorbed straight away and will be entering your system later.
In terms of fats, our digestive system processes them and starts to increase the level of triglycerides in our blood steadily. When the liver detects this, it initiates a degree of insulin resistance and secretes glucose - as explained here.
This means that when you eat foods like Pizza and Chocolate with equal or significant carb and fat levels, you need to prepare for two spikes on your Freestyle Libre or CGM.
You'll have an initial spike from fast-digesting simple carbohydrates, like bread, and then you're going to get a second spike. The second spike comes from the glucose generated due to the fats in the cheese and toppings.
But it's not just applicable to pizza.
This second spike threat applies to all foods with a fat content, like chocolate. For example, if you've got a dish that's 70% carbs and 30% fat, then you've got a second spike coming from the part of the meal that was 30% fat. If you're eating something that's almost pure fat, like an incredible dessert, you probably won't have much of a first spike.
But you're going to have a super stubborn second spike, fuelled by the long and slow release of the glucose derived from the fats.
What can we do?
Ultimately, everybody digests at different speeds and reacts to things differently. Some of us get a second spike after 30 minutes, and for others, it can take up to 2 hours - but the average is about an hour.
You need to discuss with your nurse or doctor before you make any decisions, as there are an incredible amount of variables that can affect the success of anything you do.
A study by Penn State backs up the idea of split-bolusing - which is now quite common.
If you decided you needed, say, five units for a pizza, you'd take three just before and then two an hour later or when you expected spike two to come around. Split-bolusing is effectively micro-managing. But again, this might not be appropriate for you, and you need to check with your healthcare professional before you try this.
Of course, if you're using an Omnipod, a Touchcare Nano, or other pumps, this is much more complicated, and you'll definitely need to raise it with your healthcare professional. For individuals on these, you need to involve your basal insulin and different delivery profiles, so you must calculate this with your doctor.
Should I avoid these foods?
Absolutely not! Fats are essential for many critical body functions, such as protecting your vital organs, and you need to be eating them.
It's not a case of avoiding food. It's a case of better understanding the impact a meal might have on your blood glucose control. As you progress on your T1D journey and understand your diabetes better, you'll be more able to accurately estimate the impact foods with different carb & fat levels have on you.
Remember, many technologies can help you with this; your Freestyle Libre, Dexcom G6, or Eversense CGM, and even carb-counting apps like MyFitnesspal.
This way, you can eat the foods you love and look after your diabetes in the most effective way. This is better for our mental health. Ultimately, we come first, and our diabetes comes second - but we treat our diabetes respectfully.
]]>Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), like Dexcom G6, update our blood glucose levels, usually every few minutes.
CGMs like the Dexcom G6 measures glucose levels just underneath our skin and convert this data into a readable graph for the user. For example, the Dexcom G6 will provide an updated reading every 5 minutes to your Dexcom Receiver, phone, or smartwatch.
In short, CGM systems like Dexcom G6 have three main components. First, there's a sensor that goes directly into the skin to interact with glucose on a molecular level. The sensor then feeds data back to the G6 transmitter adhered to your skin, which beams that information to your device. Some CGMs can even beam data to your insulin pump and help you to create an almost automatic closed-loop system!
Different CGMs generally have different wear times, with the leading Dexcom G6 at ten days and then the Glucomen Day at 14 days.
CGMs can make life easier. On average, wearing a CGM saves over 30 finger-prick tests per day. They allow for easier monitoring and checking of your levels. For parents, you can even have your child's Dexcom G6 beam data to your smartwatch or phone - this means you can monitor their blood glucose levels while playing (not too far away!).
CGMs gather lots of data, but fundamentally they can show you the changes in your blood glucose. You can use this data to understand the impact of your lifestyle on your sugars. You'll be able to see how they change as you sleep, after certain activities like exercising, and in regards to almost any other aspect of life.
Suppose you're somebody who frequently "rides the rollercoaster" of highs and lows; the CGM data can help you better understand your glucose levels which means that you can test changes in your care to stop these huge spikes and rapid drops. For example, we've found that when we are unwell, our sugars are high for a long time but will crash; therefore, we adjust our care accordingly.
In a more complex vein, CGMs may also assist with improving your A1C values without increasing the risk of low blood glucose. Currently, there are high-quality data sets that indicate CGMs can help people with type one diabetes keep their blood glucose levels within their target range.
The most significant and most immediate benefit from using a continuous glucose monitor, like the Dexcom G6 or Glucomen Day, is that you can make data-driven decisions on your care. You can see trends and understand how your diabetes reacts to life. Everybody's diabetes is different, and some people's levels change much more than others to the same stimuli. Hence, we must know about our diabetes on a personal level, and CGMs enable this.
Only your healthcare provider can answer this question, and you should not take advice that is not from your healthcare provider. Generally, CGMs are helpful to anybody with diabetes because they make glucose monitoring much easier and more convenient. They will benefit the percentage of time our blood glucose levels stay in range and our mental health as well because we can understand our diabetes better and are not having to administer constant finger-prick tests.
But CGMs are not perfect, and they're not a final solution. Like all technology, sometimes they go wrong, and you will have to do finger-prick tests to double-check the accuracy. We often find that when our Dexcom G6 says we are in a critical low, but we don't feel low, a manual finger prick test shows us to be comfortably in range.
The sensor probe on the CGM can detect minute changes in the glucose concentrations in the interstitial fluid on a molecular level. This fluid lies between your cells and tissues and is separate from your blood. This is also why finger prick blood tests are more accurate because physical compression and other factors can alter the glucose readings from the interstitial fluid.
Well, they can be pretty expensive, and it depends on where you live. In the UK, you can now get a Freestyle Libre (this is not a CGM, but it's extremely similar) on the NHS, owing to new NICE guidelines. However, most diabetics will have to pay privately if they would like a Dexcom G6. If you have specific needs and are lucky enough to live in a postcode where that CCG or trust has direct funding, you can also get an insulin pump and other tech on the NHS.
For example, in Kent, there isn't much funding for insulin pumps. However, there is a dedicated specialist hub for insulin pump therapy in London, so patients often refer themselves there to get the treatment on the NHS.
Suppose you are in a country with private healthcare, like America. In that case, it's more complicated, and you'll have to go through insurance or pay privately. Combinations of care, like an annual setup of a Dexcom G6 + Omnipod Pump, will set you back over $5,000 personally per annum before we include the price of Insulin and other consumables. Terrifying.
You might also have to buy a reader or receiver if you do not have a compatible phone or smartwatch, which are generally a few hundred £/$.
There are also associated running costs with CGMs. Some skin types or lifestyles will not work well with CGM adhesives. If you cannot comfortably replace devices, you'll want to protect your skin, device, and wallet with an over patch. Type One Style adhesive patches are the only medically rated fabric in the world at present, which go around your CGM and protect it from coming off. The protection from the adhesive patch means that you can focus on living your life while passively shielding your CGM.
Lastly, you'll want clinical backing to get your CGM. When you're going into your endocrinology appointment ready to defend your request for a CGM, or even a pump, you'll need some support. It's beneficial to get approval from your nursing team or another vetted clinical opinion that affirms it is indeed right for you. This clinical opinion is essential because CGMs and pumps are not suitable for all patients.
There are quite a few options, but they are for slightly different age groups.
There are many important considerations when choosing a CGM. Ultimately, it needs to be a discussion with your doctor or physician. Your technologies impact every part of your diabetes management. You might find that changing one piece of tech can have a knock-on impact on others, so it is not possible to say or decide whether or not a CGM or pump is in your best interests. But that's why we have endocrinologists!
Protecting your CGM:
As a trusted provider of patches and stickers, we're on hand to advise and support you at every step of your journey. You can explore designs and styles from the menu or by clicking here :)
This information is a guide and might not be explicitly helpful for you. Your friends might be mean or a whole range of things that we, as authors, cannot possibly predict or cater for. This is a guide designed to inform and help those struggling with this topic and no other audience. This guide is also to help non-diabetics understand the perspective of a T1D when this question is asked. The content of this guide is not a reflection, inference, or comparison in any way or form against your circumstances or your understanding of general T1D audiences and groups or your friendship group. If you have taken offense to this guide, please write in detail to hello@typeonestyle.com. We appreciate and explicitly action all constructive feedback.
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But do you need them? Yes. Patches help in a range of ways and they can make a big difference. Just like below:
Do they sound useful to you? Then you probably need them. They’re available for Dexcom, Freestyle Libre, Guardian, and Omnipod, and we do custom designs and shapes for free, for anyone.
Unsure? You can try your first patch free with code SAMPLE, with free delivery.
Take your devices from cold & clinical to personalised & protected with Kids, Floral, Sports, and many other design ranges.
So, what designs will you choose?
]]>This is a question that we are often asked by non- diabetics - especially when eating out.
But before you get cross, remember that they don’t know about blood glucose control, they don’t know what’s best for you, but they are probably trying to look out for you the best they can.
Yes, it’s frustrating getting this question CONSTANTLY, but if it’s coming from a good place we should try and give them the benefit of the doubt and educate them a little bit.
Perhaps, in a few weeks, they aren’t worried and will let you get on with doing you. This is a critical part. Most of us have anxiety. I mean, who doesn’t in 2022? This means that often the people that care about us most will consistently ask the most low-key annoying questions, because they are worried and want to look after us.
Obviously, some people pick things up quicker than others. But you should always be able to say that your Dexcom or Freestyle Libre tell you what your sugars are, and because you have a “live feed” (do they really need to know it’s every 5 minutes? Not really, keep it simple) you know what impact the food will have, and you’ll be okay.
Tell people that your meal is a “textbook” case of eating as a T1D. You know that that burger has about 60g of carbs in it, including the bun, so you’ll have X units before. And tell them that because you opted for a double whopper with extra cheese, no pickle, you’ll have a bolus about an hour afterwards as well when the fat has been metabolized and starts entering your bloodstream as glucose.
Often, when we hit people with numbers or math, we win the conversation instantly.
But ultimately, this helps quell their anxiety because you become a subject matter expert in that moment, and they will be reminded that you are the expert in the care of your own body.
“Of course I can”
You can eat whatever you like. What you eat isn’t the problem, it’s the amount of insulin you have in response (because we don’t have an auto-calculating pancreas anymore). You can have a 15” meat feast pizza or a banana – mess up the bolus, you’ll go high either way.
What they really want when they ask this question, is to know that you know what to do and will be fine. They want to know you will bolus correctly.
They’re scared something might go wrong or be mis-calculated and you’ll be unwell. This happens in diabetes, there’s thousands of factors that influence your sugars.
There is no right answer for anything, it’s all dependent on your adaptability in the moment, and how in tune you are with your specific diabetes.
Think about why they are asking the question – they aren’t asking it to annoy you, I’m sure there are much more annoying things they could say with that goal. Thank them for their concern and explain to them how much of a genius you are. Do this a few times, they’ll stop asking.
No type 1 diabetics are psychic. Well, some are, but we'll talk about that another day. Anyhow we’ve all been there, giving a pre-bolus when the food is about to come out, only for it to take another 20 minutes, only to get some very bad news from our Dexcom.
When you order your food, tell the waiter you are diabetic and ask for a 5-minute warning on when the food is coming. You can also ask for a list of the nutritional ingredients, or if this information is available on their website, so that you can more accurately pre-bolus. If this information is not available, choose the dish you want, and ask them to check the packaging in the kitchen.
You’ll be surprised how many people will do this to help you.
This information is a guide and might not be explicitly helpful for you. Your friends might be mean or a whole range of things that we, as authors, cannot possibly predict or cater for. This is a guide designed to inform and help those that are struggling with this topic and no other audience. This guide is also to help non-diabetics understand the perspective of a T1D when this question is asked. The content of this guide is NOT a reflection or inference or comparison in any way or form against your personal circumstances or your understanding of general T1D audiences and groups, or your friendship group. If you have taken offence to this guide please write in detail to hello@typeonestyle.com. We appreciate and explicitly action all constructive feedback.
]]>“5 to drive!” This is something that I was told by my NHS endocrinologist that has stuck with me. Before driving I always check that my sugars aren’t below 5.0 mmol with my blood glucose meter. It’s always best to do a manual prick test, and do not rely on a continuous glucose monitor like a Dexcom G6 or Freestyle Libre.
Continuous glucose monitors like Dexcom G6 and Freestyle Libre measure blood sugar through the interstitial fluid, whilst a blood glucose meter measures it directly from your blood. This means that your blood glucose meter is slightly more accurate and is not as affected by site compression as much as your CGM readings will be. Also, we’ve all seen our Dexcom or Freestyle Libre be completely off and have to do a manual blood glucose test anyway!
The risk of hypoglycemia is the main danger to safe driving. If your Dexcom G6 or Freestyle Libre gives you the wrong reading, and you don’t know, you could start to experience hypoglycemia symptoms whilst at the wheel. That is serious. Many of the accidents that have happened due to hypoglycemia have occurred because drivers have ignored warning symptoms of hypoglycemia and have carried on driving, thinking they’ll be okay.
Unfortunately, almost 100% of drivers that have suffered an accident owing to the sudden unset of hypoglycemia symptoms did not plan on it, or were not expecting it, and likely thought they would be okay. Obviously, you wouldn’t drive if you thought you wouldn’t be okay. But we all know hypoglycemia can hit us suddenly & fast, so we should be prepared and do our due diligence with a blood glucose test.
The below points are taken from the gov.uk website and DVLA guide.
It is critical to carry an emergency supply of a fast-acting glucose carbohydrate such as glucose tablets in the car with you. If hypoglycemia occurs whilst driving then you should stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible. The DVLA says that if this happens you should switch the engine off, remove the keys from the ignition and move out of the driver’s seat. Even if you are in a rush to get somewhere you must wait 45 minutes after the blood sugars have returned to 5.0mmol. This is because it takes up to 45 minutes for the brain to fully recover from a hypo. After all, that’s why hypoglycemia symptoms can cause us to lose control of our bodies – because our brains are not functioning correctly without glucose.
The DVLA has said that drivers who have any form of diabetes treated with any insulin preparation must inform the DVLA.
More information can be found via the link below and you can read more of our blogs here.
https://www.gov.uk/diabetes-driving
This information is a guide and referenced from the DVLA website. Please see our editorial policy for more information. This information may not be applicable in your country and is intended for a UK audience. Everybody’s diabetes is different and you must consult your doctor or care-giver. This is not medical advice.
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