Living With Type 1 Diabetes
SYOUR TOOLKIT
When youre first diagnosed, its pretty easy to be overwhelmed by the number of items youre given or told to procure in service of making sure you stay well. After a few weeks, it becomes second nature, but the first few days can be pretty scary. Here we break it down to tell you what you need, or even just remind you what everything you have is for and how it works.
There are two separate components to monitoring your blood glucose levels: using a meter to check your levels and then using the readings to determine how much insulin you may or may not need.
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Checking Your Blood Sugar
What You Will Need:
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Lancing Device
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Lancets
The lancing device is a tool that allows you to easily draw blood from your finger so that you can test your blood glucose level. This device has refillable lancets that are used a maximum of four times and then discarded. It will have a cocking mechanism so that once you remove the top of device, insert a lancet, and replace the top, you will have to cock back the lancet inside the device. You will then press the device to you finger and push the release button, which will allow the lancet to superficially pierce your skin.
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It is important to keep in mind that different brands of lancing devices make lancets that are branded to match their product, and lancets are not always interchangeable between devices. Try and keep in mind when you’re at the drugstore that you want lancets that are compatible with the brand of lancing device that you have (this is something you can ask your pharmacist).
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Source: https://diabetes.ascensia.co.uk
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Blood Glucose Meter
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Test Strips
As with the lancing device, your blood glucose meter and the corresponding test strips go hand in hand, so make sure that you have the same brand of both so that they are compatible.
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Generally, your blood glucose meter should turn on once you insert a testing strip. Wait until the meter has recognized the strip and indicates that you should apply blood to the strip. Apply your blood to the strip, which will suck it up like a straw, and wait for the meter to provide a reading of your blood glucose level
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Insulin Pens
For the first year of your diagnoses, you will have to inject insulin using disposable syringes/pens or refillable pens. After you’ve been injecting for one year, you can talk to your endocrinologist about an insulin pump and whether the pump is the right way for you to continue to manage your insulin therapy. Refillable pens are the easiest way to gt, and I highly recommend using them. You will require two: one that holds rapid-acting insulin for daytime use and one that holds slow-acting insulin for nighttime use.
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Insulin Cartridges
It’s really, really important that the right refillable cartridge is prescribed for the corresponding pen, otherwise you won’t be able to reload the pen when you need it. Insulin cartridges usually contain five to six cartridges in a box and should be stored in a fridge. Once the cartridge is removed from the fridge, it’s good for up to 30 days.
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Needle Tips
Needle tips are disposable and are screwed on and off the end of the pen before and after every use. They come in boxes of 100 or more.
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Sharps Box(es)
Sharps boxes are available for free from most pharmacies, and come in large sizes (to stay at home) and small (if you wish to have a portable one). It’s important that you don’t dispose of your needle tips or lancets in regular garbage because they’re considered a biohazard.
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Medical ID Bracelets
It is highly advisable to invest in a medical ID bracelet that has an engraving detailing that you are a type 1 diabetic and insulin dependent. I recommend avoiding the bracelets that are advertised in pharmacies and considered “official” because they’re overpriced and not particularly attractive. Nicer medical ID bracelets can be ordered and customized from independent sellers. I got mine from etsy.com and it’s much nicer than anything I would have found in the official catalogue!
Source: http://www.gerresheimer.com
