AskNadia: How Do I Find an Insulin Pump Support Group in My Area?
Dear Nadia,
How do I find a type 1 insulin support group near me? I am in an online group but it would helpful to be part of a live insulin pump support group with monthly meetings. I am in the Atlanta, GA area about 30 miles outside the city. Please help.
Sandy
Dear Sandy:
I am not surprised as a pumper that you want to connect with a local group. Online communities are an excellent source of information and practical tips. Sometimes misinformation is unintentionally dispersed. Meaning what happens to me does not necessarily mean the same holds true for you.
As a former distributor and insulin pump trainer, I can tell you the type 1 insulin pumper groups have always been the early adopters of the newest medical devices on the market. Reason being, the insulin pump minimizes the low blood sugars with the added benefit of the background basal insulin; helping to reduce the high blood sugars as well.
I remember putting a nurse on an insulin pump because she experienced many hypoglycemia episodes. She was desperate and going on an insulin pump was her last resort for coping with all the low blood sugars that affected her personal and professional life.
Her husband told me confidently, he was at the end of his rope with his wife’s low blood sugars, and if the insulin pump did not make a difference in her hypoglycemia, he did not know what he was going to do. It never occurred to me that a spouse could respond this way. These types of concerns get worked out before you get married not after.
Feeling a tremendous amount of pressure and hope for his wife and their marriage, I started her training.
After the nurse went on the pump, I did recommend she attend a support group in her area. No one knows how you feel unless they are walking in your shoes. The bonding friendships that build from a local support group makes a big difference. Imagine calling one of your local pumpers to say, I just had a severe low, my boss is on a rampage, and I left my glucose tabs in the car. I feel like I am going to lose it. People that know us, usually have the right words. Sometimes calling a buddy is just about emoting to someone that gets it and will not judge you.
I met a few women at the Diabetes Sisters conference who told me that they have a hypoglycemia buddy system. When they attended big events like conferences, they would text or call each other when they were having a low. This way if they were too low to treat their hypoglycemia, the other person would find them and give them what they needed. Sometimes they will sit with each other to ensure the other person’s blood sugar is going up before they leave.
What a beautiful sisterhood!
Did you know that there are 200 million people in the world that use insulin pumps? Approving them in Europe is easier than the U.S., creating a stir with the European healthcare professionals. They are asking for more reviews on the safety of insulin pumps. Their big concern comes for the patient who finds themselves with an insulin pump that is no longer working and the turnaround time it takes in getting a working pump.
Here is my recommendation for you:
I found a support group in your area. The All Type 1 Diabetic Meetup Group Group in Atlanta Georgia.
If you want to explore a general diabetes support group, not specifically for type 1’s, try this diabetes meetup group.
Not sure if you are familiar with Diabetes Sisters . One of my favorite organization where groups in local areas form to support one another. The groups are called pods. Reach out to them to see if someone has started a pod near you. If not, they can show you how to set one up and how to enlist members.
You might also be interested in ready this article we wrote about the founder and members of Diabetes Sisters:
Special Diabetes Sisters Magazine Dedicated to Their Conference
If you would like to pre-order my new book “Sugar Happy- Your Diabetes Health Guide in Achieving Your Best Blood Sugars and Letting Go of Your Diabetes Complication Fears” launched on April 6th and pre-orders ranked #7 on the Kindle top 100 new releases. This book is for both Type 1 and Type 2 people living with diabetes. It is meant to be a guide, allowing you to look up the topics of interest.
For a limited time before the June 3rd release, I am offering the Kindle version for 99 cents.
Source:
Insulin Pumps Need Greater Safety Review: American Diabetes Association Issues Joint Statement with European Association for the Study of Diabetes
You can now pre-order my new book “Sugar Happy- Your Diabetes Health Guide in Achieving Your Best Blood Sugars and Letting Go of Your Diabetes Complication Fears” launched on April 6th and pre-orders ranked #7 on the Kindle top 100 new releases.
This book is for both Type 1 and Type 2 people living with diabetes. It is meant to be a guide, allowing you to look up any topic by interest.
For a limited time before the June 3rd release, I am offering the Kindle version for 99 cents.
Disclaimer:
Nadia’s feedback on your question is in no way intended to initiate or replace your healthcare professional’s therapy or advice. Please check in with your medical team to discuss your diabetes management concerns.
AskNadia and receive her unique perspective on your question.
About Nadia:
AskNadia (ranked #1 by Google), named “Best Diabetes Blog for 2017 by Healthline and one of the top 50 diabetes influencer’s blog that is a must follow, and with 23 nominations, Nadia Al-Samarrie’s efforts have made her stand out as a pioneer and leading patient advocate in the diabetes community.
Nadia was not only born into a family with diabetes but also married into one. She was propelled at a young age into “caretaker mode,” and with her knowledge of the scarcity of resources, support, and understanding for people with diabetes, co-founded Diabetes Interview, now Diabetes Health magazine.
Nadia has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, and other major cable networks. Her publications, medical supply business, and website have been cited, recognized and published in the San Francisco Chronicle, The Wall Street Journal, Ann Landers advice column, former Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca, Entrepreneur magazine, Houston News, Phili.com, Brand Week, Drug Topics, and many other media outlets.
