Products That Changed The Way I Manage My Diabetes

Introduction

    Through my many years of experience with type 1 diabetes, I have found several different products that make my life and managing my diabetes a lot easier.  In this article, I am going to share with you these products so that you can take advantage of my knowledge and start using these products before problems start.  All of these products solve a problem or lessen the stress of caring for diabetes.

Chill-Out

    The first product is called FRIO.  FRIO is a company that makes cooling, insulated containers for insulin storage.  Insulin can't withstand high temperatures, or it denatures and is no longer functional.  So, this storage device allows for carrying insulin while not having to worry about it getting too hot.  Pictured below, the container keeps the insulin at a stable temperature and allows for more protection as well.  They have many different sizes of containers, so it is customizable to different needs.
    The FRIO has two different layers; the first is the darker blue pictured above.  You soak this part in water for 10-15 minutes followed by placing the insulin into it.  Then, you put this layer into the lighter blue layer.  The outside layer adds protection and is waterproof so the water from the inside doesn't leak out which makes it cleaner and more user friendly.
To be directed to their website, click here.

Hold On!

    The worst feeling is putting on a new site for the pump or a new Dexcom and the adhesive starts to peel off your skin.  You don't want to waste the new devices so what can you do?  Personally, I have found that skin tape (also called first aid tape) works amazing for this.  I take a strip and put it fully over the device or site or a small piece on top of where it is peeling off the skin.  This really depends on how bad the adhesive is peeling off already.  But this is an easy $4 fix to a drastic problem that can occur.
To be directed to amazon for this product, click here.

Stay Organized

    This product isn't really a necessity, but it does help a lot.  Obviously, you are supposed to store insulin in the fridge when it is not in use.  But do you ever get tired of using so much fridge space on a bunch of boxes with insulin in them?  I found a product on Etsy that makes this system a lot easier.  People on Etsy have 3D printed storage organization for insulin vials in the fridge.  This is a great way to save space in the fridge and it looks nicer than a bunch of boxes or vials laying around randomly.


    This really doesn't seem like a big deal, but after having this container I couldn't never live without it now.  It may seem like a small thing, but it truly is a life changer for me.
To be directed to Etsy for a list of options, click here.

"Essential" Oil

    You know that residue that is left over on your skin after taking a pump site or Dexcom adhesive off?  It is very stubborn and takes a lot of rubbing to actually come off, and even then, in leaves your skin irritated.  A solution I have found to this is using lemon essential oil.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Here is what the process looks like for me:
      • First, I put the lemon essential oil on my finger
      • Next, I rub the lemon oil on the adhesive lightly
      • Then, I let it sit for about 30 seconds
      • Finally, I take a paper towel and the left-over adhesive wipes right off after a couple passes


    This is one of my favorite products I use because there have been times when I didn't have the lemon essential oil and just tried to rub the left-over adhesive off.  Sometimes, this resulted in my rubbing my skin so raw that I start bleeding.  For me, it is safe to say that lemon essential oil has truly changed my diabetes management experience.
To be directed to Amazon for a list of lemon essential oils, click here.

Who Wants to Take a Trip?

    Traveling with diabetes can sometimes be stressful.  How can you stay organized while taking your supplies on the go?  For me, this looks like using a product that is intended for a different purpose.  I have a product labeled as a "roll-up makeup bag" that starts as a square shaped bag and unrolls into 4, triangular shaped sections that allow you to carry all the supplies you need while keeping them separated and organized.

    Pictured above, you can see the different sections that the bag unrolls into.  Personally, divide the sections up like this:
  • blood sugar meter, test strips, lancets
  • cartridges and syringes
  • tubing and pump sites
  • insulin in a FRIO bag (mentioned earlier in this article) and candy like skittles in case of a low blood sugar
    I usually take another bag along with this to carry my Dexcom as well, but this keeps all of my pump supplies in one place and organized so I know right where it is.  Doing this helps me keep a checklist when I am packing so I don't forget anything, and it keeps me organized because I can see how much of each item I have left.
To be directed to Amazon for a list of different roll up organizers, click here.

Conclusion

    This concludes the list of the products I use to help me manage my diabetes.  I feel I have had problems before these products which is what lead me to finding them.  My hope in publishing this article is that you find it early on and can get these products before you experience the problems yourself.  
    All of these products are relatively inexpensive but their value is priceless.  Goin back to before I knew all of this, I wish I knew about them from the start and had an article like this that I could've got this information from.

If you have any questions or want more information about my experience, feel free to contact me!  This is done by clicking the "Contact" link at the top of the page and filling out the form. Or you can always leave a comment below!

If you are interested in purchasing merch such as t-shirts, a mug, and a hat from DiabeticDecipher, use the link provided to view useful, everyday products branded with a logo made by DiabeticDecipher!  

https://www.cafepress.com/diabetestalk

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