Diabetes Connections with Stacey Simms Type 1 Diabetes

Lawmakers are starting to take a closer look at the price of insulin.  Nevada became the first to pass a law last summer regarding transparency and Colorado may soon do the same. Stacey talks to Colorado State Representative Dylan Roberts about the bill he’s put forward and how it could change things. He also shares his very personal connection to type 1.

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When you have diabetes, you have to think about food much more often than someone without. But sometimes, all of those food decisions, combined with pressure and perceived loss of control, can turn into a dangerous problem. This week, we tackle a tough subject, what many people call Diabulimia. Stacey talks to Erin Akers who says she developed an eating disorder that almost took her life as a teenager. She's fought back and founded the Diabulima Helpline. 

How are those fitness resolutions going? This week, advice to stay on track and avoid common pitfalls from personal trainer and coach, Christel Oerum from Diabetes Strong. Christel has been living with type 1 diabetes since 1997 and she's passionate about strength training and healthy nutrition.  Also this week, we talk about the history of the A1C and why doctors started using it as a diabetes management tool. A little history in our Now you Know segment.

Jennifer Stone, best know as Harper on the Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place, was diagnosed with diabetes four years ago. At the time, she was told to give up her dream of acting. Instead, she found a great care team, got educated and leaned on support of family and friends. She has two movies coming out in 2018. Jennifer has LADA, which is sometimes called type 1.5 and we talk about what that means and why it's often misdiagnosed. 

Getting organized is always one of the top New Year's resolutions. But keeping track of everything that goes along with diabetes can feel like an uphill battle. This week, easy and actionable advice from Susan Weiner, the author of The Complete Diabetes Organizer. Susan is the 2015 AADE Diabetes Educator of the Year, a registered dietician-nutritionist and certified diabetes educator. Plus, in our new Now you Know segment, a look at the origins of the Apple Watch’s potential to monitor glucose. 

This week, insulin maker Eli Lilly enters the device market with announcements of a diabetes “ecosystem," including a new automated insulin pump and advanced pens. Stacey talks to Lilly's Dr. Howard Wolpert & Marie Schiller who both have substantial personal connections to type 1. They talk about why the company made this move, what the tech is all about and yes, Stacey brings up the price of insulin.

He's lived with type 1 for more than 55 years and was one of the first people ever to use an insulin pump and later a CGM. Yerachmiel Altman is an engineer and computer scientist who worked for d-tech companies. Now, he wants to help educate kids and adults about living with type 1 through books and games.  Also this week, Noah’s March is at an end. We first met this family when they set off from florida to Washington, crossing the country for diabetes awareness and to raise money for research. 

How can Disney math - the kind that helps you wait less and do more in the parks - help people with diabetes? This week, Stacey talks to Len Testa and Dr. Bradley Eilerman to find out. Testa is the brain power behind Touring Plans, The Unofficial Guides to Walt Disney World, Disneyland and Disney Cruise Line. He and Dr. Eilerman have created an app called GlucosePath using Disney "best way around the park" algorithms, to help an endocrinologist prescribe the correct medication for people with diabetes.

Dexcom's Senior US Medical Director, Tomas Walker, talks to Stacey in a wide-ranging interview. Walker addresses everything from the features of the new G6 system recently submitted to the FDA, changes to the way the adhesive is created (which may have ease skin issues for some) to the news that Dexcom has partnered with Lilly as the insulin maker enters the diabetes device market.  Plus, in our Shoptalk segment, learn about the Genteel lancing device.

Happy Thanksgiving! However you celebrate, holidays and food can be a stressful combination, especially for many people with diabetes. This week, you'll hear from a round table of adults with type 1, and one parent of a child with type 1, about the pitfalls of Thanksgiving and about ways to make it work. Great advice, tons of understanding and a lot of laughter. 

CNN Correspondent & author Oren Lieberman has quite an unusual diagnosis story. He found out he had type 1 while on an around-the-world adventure with his wife. Oren shares how he found he had type 1 in Nepal, how long it took back to get back to the US and why he decided to write "The Insulin Express." Plus, fInd out about the College Diabetes Network's You've Got This: A Guide for Newly Diagnosed Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes."

Eric Paslay is a Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter. Diagnosed with type 1 when he was ten, he says diabetes has helped him in unexpected ways. Stacey talks to Eric about growing up type 1, knowing he wanted to be a musician as a teenager and what it's like now that those dreams are coming true. Eric is part of Dexcom’s Call of the Warrior campaign. Learn more about how you can use the hashtag #WarriorUp to raise money for diabetes charities through the month of November.

In October 2017, Animas announced it would exit the insulin pump business and discontinue the manufacturing and sale of Animas® Vibe® and OneTouch Ping® insulin pumps. Stacey talks to the company's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Brian Levy about what happened, what customers need to know and the future of insulin pumping as a business.

Kelly Kunik was 8 years old when she was diagnosed on October 31, 1977. 40 years later, she is a thriving advocate, humorist and blogger (check out her site, Diabetesaliciousness). And she hasn't missed a Halloween since. Kelly shares her story - quite a few people in her family have type 1 – and gives great advice for all of us. Shoptalk this week with two companies trying to make diabetes look better. Stacey talks to Gretchen Otte from  Myabetic & and Katie Larsen from Pocket Innerwear.