Living With Type 1 Diabetes

People with type 1 diabetes have to pay a little more attention to what they're eating and doing than people who don't have diabetes. They need to:

check blood sugar levels a few times a day by testing a small blood sample
give themselves insulin injections or use an insulin pump
eat a balanced, healthy diet and pay special attention to the amounts of sugars and starches in the food they eat and the timing of their meals
get regular exercise to help control blood sugar levels and help avoid some of the long-term health problems that diabetes can cause, like heart disease
have regular checkups with doctors and other people on their diabetes health care team so they can stay healthy and get treatment for any diabetes problems
Sometimes people who have diabetes feel different from their friends because they need to take insulin, think about how they eat, and control their blood sugar levels every day. And some people with diabetes want to deny that they even have it. They might hope that if they ignore diabetes, it will just go away. They may feel angry, depressed, helpless, or that their parents are constantly in their faces about their diabetes management.
If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, it's normal to feel like your world has been turned upside down. Fortunately, your doctor or diabetes care team is there to provide answers and support. Don't hesitate to ask your doctors, dietitian, and other health professionals for advice and tips. There are also support groups where you can talk about your feelings and find out how other people cope with the disease.
Diabetes brings challenges, of course. But people with diabetes play sports, travel, date, go to school, and work just like their friends. There are thousands of teens with diabetes, all learning to handle the same challenges.