Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness?

Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by cpwright on Monday October 19, 2020 @02:41PM (#24829464)

I was diagnosed when I was 30 (A1C of 13). After maxing out pills (7 a day between Metformin, Glimperide, Onglyza, Invokana), I went to multiple daily injections, and then a pump with CGM. The pump is life changing as far as getting better control. It still isn't perfect (latest A1C of 7.5), but it makes a big positive difference.

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by 49yearsold on Monday October 19, 2020 @02:56PM (#24829627)

Thanks for sharing - at what age did you start insulin - if you don't mind sharing and how long it's been since you are on insulin/pump now?

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by cpwright on Monday October 19, 2020 @05:13PM (#24831084)

I'm 38 now. I have been on the pump/CGM (MM670G) for just under three years. I was on pills for 2-3 years, at first the metformin and glimiperide were enough and I got my A1C back to the sixes; but I maxed those out and it was climing agian. Then maxed out Onglyza, then maxed out Invokana at which point I switched to the pens.

The problem with the pens is that I would need 25 units of basal insulin and 25 units of the rapid acting insulin. You can't "undo" your 24 hour basal injection; so if you don't eat enough carbs or exercise too much you can go low. The pens are also not nearly as precise as a pump for delivering the rapid insulin.

After my A1C climbed back, my endocrinologist prescribed the pump and CGM closed loop system. We did a blood test that showed I was T1, which was enough for United Healthcare to pay for the CGM and not just the pump.

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