Good Glucose Vibes Only

If you've been following our journey you may have noticed some lingo or medical terms, and you might wonder what they mean. I will go through some slang terms and explain some medical terms you might see or hear. It might be easier for you to follow along with us!

Let's start with the medical terminology...

A1C

A test that measures a person's average blood sugar level over 2–3 months

Autoantibody

A protein produced by the body's immune system that attacks healthy proteins

Bolus insulin

A dose of insulin is given to cover an expected rise in blood glucose

Pre-bolus insulin

Pre-bolusing is taking a dose of rapid-acting insulin before eating to help manage blood sugar levels after a meal. The idea is to give the insulin time to become active and match with the food before it's eaten, which can help prevent blood sugar spikes.

Basal insulin

Typically slow-acting insulin; also known as “background” insulin. When using an insulin pump, rapid-acting insulin serves as a basal.

Basal rate

The rate at which insulin pumps deliver small doses of fast-acting insulin.

Blood glucose meter

A battery-operated machine where a blood sample is taken from a finger by using a lancet. The sample is then placed onto the disposable test strip when the meter is ready. It will then display the data and put the results into the memory.

CGM

Continuous glucose monitors are devices that continuously receive glucose levels from a sensor on the body and send the information to a receiver for patients to view trends and 24-hour glucose readings. Dexcom (G4, G5, G6, G7), and Medtronic are the most common CGM brands

Diabetic Alert Dogs (DAD)

Service dogs that are trained specifically to assist diabetics. Their primary task as service dogs is to alert diabetics of an oncoming hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic event (low or high blood sugar).

DKA

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious condition that occurs when blood glucose levels are high and the body uses fat for energy

Glucagon

A hormone produced by the pancreas that increases blood sugar by promoting the breakdown of glycogen in the liver.

Glucagon injection

Glucagon injections are a prescription emergency medicine used to treat severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in people with diabetes who are treated with insulin and are unable to take sugar orally or have passed out.

Good Glucose vibes

Expressing that you are thinking positive type one thoughts for them in the hope that it will help them in some way

Hyperglycemia

High blood sugar can occur when a diabetic doesn't take insulin

Hypoglycemia

Low blood sugar can be caused by too much insulin or too little sugar in the body

Insulin

A hormone made by the pancreas that allows the body to use sugar (glucose) from carbohydrates in food to produce energy

Infusion site/set

The location where the insulin pump attaches to the body on the skin. Most infusion sets give you the option of a plastic/Teflon cannula or a steel cannula.

Insulin to carb ratio (ICR)

You and your endo determine this ratio. It tells you how much insulin your body needs for a specific amount of carbohydrates.

Insulin pen

An injection pen with a needle that delivers insulin into the subcutaneous tissue.

Insulin pump

A small computerized medical device that regulates and delivers doses of insulin.

Insulin sensitivity factor (ISF)

The drop in blood glucose level is caused by each unit of insulin taken.

Insulin stacking

When someone with diabetes takes doses of fast-acting insulin at close intervals to lower high blood sugar, can results in low blood sugar. It is also known as over-correcting or over-bolusing.

Long-acting insulin

It is background insulin used to maintain blood glucose levels throughout the day. Also known as basal insulin.

Rapid-acting insulin

Mealtime insulin. It is used to cover carbohydrates for meals and snacks and also used to correct high blood sugar. People receive rapid-acting insulin via syringes, insulin pens, and insulin pumps.

Multiple daily injection (MDI)

An insulin replacement regimen that involves multiple insulin injections throughout the day

Ketones

Ketones are chemicals produced when the body breaks down fat for energy due to a lack of insulin. This can happen in people with type 1 diabetes, who don't produce insulin or only produce a small amount.

Honeymoon phase

The honeymoon phase, also known as the remission phase, is a period after a type 1 diabetes diagnosis when symptoms improve and it's easier to manage blood sugar levels. During this phase, the pancreas continues to produce insulin-making beta cells, which can help with fewer blood sugar swings, lower insulin doses, lower average blood sugar levels, and Less risk of hypoglycemia.

Islets

In type 1 diabetes, the body's immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, known as islets. Islet cell transplantation is a cell replacement therapy that involves taking healthy islet cells from a deceased donor and implanting them into a person with type 1 diabetes. The transplanted islet cells then begin to produce and release insulin in the recipient's body.

Syringes

A medical device used to inject fluid into or withdraw fluid from the body. (People with diabetes may use syringes to administer insulin.)

Type 1 diabetes (T1D)

It is an incurable, autoimmune disease, not a lifestyle disease. T1D accounts for roughly 10% of the almost 400 million global cases of diabetes. People with type 1 are insulin-dependent for life. It is not curable and it is not the same thing as type 2.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D)

It occurs when the body cannot properly use insulin, also known as insulin resistance, and can often be treated through diet, exercise, and medication.

504 Plan

Ensures that no student with any disability is discriminated against, and is given the same education as every other student while being provided a safe space to manage their condition as needed during school. It was established by section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a civil rights law of the USA.

I will touch on this later - schools are notorious for non-compliance!

Now for the more fun slang..

Bat Belt

A belt or fanny pack you may wear if you have T1D. It is usually worn around the waist and holds your pump and everything from insulin and a continuous glucose monitor to that grappling hook thing that Batman uses to scale buildings.

Crashing

When blood sugar drops low and drops fast, this can sometimes result from a rage bolus.

D-Bag

A bag to carry your diabetes supplies in.

D-Mama

The mother of a child with T1D, who is not afraid to take the disease head-on.

D-slang

Type one diabetes slang

Dawn Phenomenon

When your hormones cause glucose levels to rise in the early morning hours

Dead Strips

The used test strips that—though you swear you threw them away—show up under your bed, between the couch cushions, and in your laundry.

Diaversary

The anniversary of your diagnosis - we celebrate every year!

Diabuddy

A friend who also has type 1 diabetes

Diabestie

Your best friend with diabetes

Endo

Shortened name for endocrinologist

Food police

Those people who question every piece of food you put in her mouth and often say things like, “Should she really be eating that?” or "it was just one bite" One bite can do SO much harm if the t1d caregiver isn't informed. Don't be the food police.

Free food

Food that you don't have to bolus for, no insulin is needed! Things like cheese or meats are typically free!

Flicked

When your pump infusion site/pod scrapes against something like a door handle or a chair. Ughh, that sound... iykyk!

Gusher

When you do a finger prick, blood spurts everywhere, and the finger keeps bleeding.

Hyper/Hypo hangover

When you’ve been up all night with low or high blood glucose and are over tired the next day. In this case, Myabel has the hypo hangover and I feel like I was up all night with a newborn.

Poker/pricker

Quite simply, a lancet. But let’s face it, it sounds cooler.

Podder

Someone who uses an omnipod pump

Rage Bolus

A large bolus/series of mild boluses is administered to correct high blood sugar and sometimes leads to low blood sugar.

Rollercoastering

When blood sugar starts out high, then goes low … then goes high … and then goes low. Basically, your blood sugar level alternates everywhere outside the normal range.

S.W.A.G.

Scientific and Wildly Amazing Guess. Deciding an arbitrary bolus/injection amount for a certain food or drink when you don’t know how many carbs are actually in it. Most mom-and-pop shops don't have nutrition information, birthday parties, cookouts, etc.

Saying “I’m beeping” or “My pancreas is just talking to me again” when your insulin pump beeps.

Snake eyes

When you poke your finger to test your glucose and an old finger poke opens up.. you get snake eyes!

Type Zero

These are people who think they know everything about T1D because they know someone with T2D - but they really have no idea

Twilight Zone High

When your blood sugar is high for no apparent reason.

Unicorn

Actually getting the same readings on your glucose meter as your Dexcom or CGM

Unplugged

When you are completely disconnected from your pump, and CGM. Very rare!

Zombied

That super gross feeling when your fingers are too cold and no blood comes out when you prick them.

I'm sure there are more and I would love to hear them - if you have any, please comment below!

This is all meant to be fun and helpful if you are following our story - I am not a doctor and only share from my own experiences.

"Diabetes Queensland member Ashleigh Doss said using slang with others who have type 1 diabetes is not only fun but creates a sense of community - What’s the fun of being in the non-functioning pancreas club if we can’t invent our own secret language,” she said. “But it does complicate things when you have to remember not to talk about getting high, shooting up, sharps and needles at airports.”