Andy Wendling
What is your name, age, and what type of diabetic are you?
My name is Andy Wendling. I am 48 years old and I am a Type One Diabetic.
How old were you when you found out you had diabetes and if you remember, how much did you pay for your insulin?
I was 27 years old when I found out I was diabetic and I do not know how much it was. When I found out, my doctor told me that he thought my pancreas still might be working so he put me on an oral medication so I was not purchasing insulin.
What is the best piece of advice that you would give to a new diabetic that has helped you the most throughout your journey?
I would have to say not to worry about the number you get when you prick your finger or the readings on your pump. Work on the trends, the numbers do not define you. Another piece of advice that I would give is that your life is not over. You are still able to do the things you did today and you are still able to eat the foods you want but you just have to watch your sugar.
How often do you check your blood sugar?
I am expected to prick my finger at least twice a day but I am on an insulin pump so I am getting constant readings of my blood sugar.
What pump are you on?
Medtronic pump 770g
Have you always been on insulin or do you use oral medications?
When I started I did take oral medications for between 6 months to a year because at the time, my doctor thought my pancreas was still working correctly. Once my doctor realized that my pancreas was not longer working, then I started to inject myself with insulin and now I am using a pump that constantly gives me insulin.
Do you have any side effects with the insulin you take?
I had soreness when I had to inject myself before I got the pump. It was an inconvenience to give the injection, when I needed it, in public places, etc. My fingers also become sore after pricking them to check my blood sugar.
Did you notice a drastic change when you took the injection?
If I gave myself the injection in time, I noticed a change in my sugar levels. If I were to inject myself late, I would have large swings in my reading. I would inject myself 30 mins before my meals.
How has diabetes affected your daily lifestyle?
Early on and before I got diagnosed, I had to go pee a lot. As far as lifestyle, I had to watch how much exercise I did. If I did too much, my sugar levels would lower and I would have to drink a sugary juice. I have noticed that I am cautious when I go to the lake or do physical activity. I have to make sure that I do not lose my sensor to my pump because it is expensive. Being on the pump, besides worrying about losing my sensor, has not caused me any problems or disruptions. Something that affected me greatly, though, was remembering to check my blood glucose levels. I had to make sure to prick my finger four to six times a day. Also, adding on the price of insulin, the price of the equipment adds up. Every time I had to prick my finger, one test strip cost between $1.50 - $2.00. The price of diabetes adds up greatly.
Do diabetics cause an inconvenience to your productivity on a daily basis? If so, how? What does a normal day look like living with diabetes?
Depending on if I am high or low, I could lose focus.
Every 2 to 3 hours, I will have to use the restroom. When I am asleep the pump might go off due to my blood sugar so I might have to wake up and give myself insulin if I am high or drink or eat something sugary if I am low. I will get up to take a shower. To do this, I will have to remove my pump and then reconnect it right when I get out to get my insulin. I have recently noticed that I am always consumed by checking his blood sugar levels. I notice if I am starting to get low or if I am starting to get high. If I notice that I am getting low, I will make sure that I have something nearby that I can take. If my blood sugar starts to rise, I begin to question myself: “Did I do something wrong?” or “Was I too late with giving myself insulin?” Then I tend to beat myself up for miscalculating the amount of insulin that I give to myself.
How has the cost of insulin changed over the years affected your lifestyle?
For me, I am fortunate, I have insurance and I have coverage. I have little to no impact. I did switch from a more traditional to fast-acting insulin and when I did, for a period of time, the cost was not covered. I was paying nearly $400 for my insulin. I had to pay $400 monthly for less than 6 months, then insurance covered it. Before going on the new insulin, I was on regular insulin.
When you get your insulin, do you buy in “bulk” or monthly due to your financial limitations?
I get it in bulk.
Do you have insurance to help with the costs? Has that benefit changed over time?
Yes, with Caterpillar. It has helped greatly. The peace of mind knowing, the security and understanding that the cost of insulin will remain consistent and it does not affect me. I got 6 months of insulin and it would have been over $1000 but I got it for $405 with the insurance covering it. I would have only paid $10 but we have not met our deductible quite yet. I got test strips that were $100 out of my pocket.
Do you operate on a monthly budget? Why or why not?
Insulin is included in our monthly budget. I budget for every month but I do not buy it every month. I save money every month so when it comes to paying for the bill, I can purchase my insulin.
