Reflections of a Unicorn with Type 1 Diabetes by Beverly S. Adler, PhD, CDCES, Part 3

The Middle Years of Living with Diabetes

By the mid-80’s my insulin regimen involved four shots per day: 3 fast-acting insulin shots (bolus) to be taken prior to each meal and 1 long-acting insulin shot (basal) taken before bed. I was now using a blood glucose meter to help manage my blood sugar. However, pregnancy presented new challenges for me. Insulin demands tripled over the course of nine months. I took extremely good care of my diabetes in order to keep my unborn baby safe. In 1988, I gave birth (via C-section delivery) to a healthy son weighing under 9 pounds. In 1990, I was pregnant again but I experienced a miscarriage in my 11th week of gestation. It was devastating to me (and I rarely talk about it to this day). My gynecologist claimed that the miscarriage was the result of my poor diabetes management. My diabetologist*, Dr. Henry Dolger, disagreed with that assessment. He told me that 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage and it was totally unrelated to my diabetes self-care. In 1992, I was pregnant again and gave birth (via C-section delivery) to a beautiful baby girl weighing under 9 pounds. I happily devoted the next decade to exclusively raising my children.

Read Part 1

Read Part 2

*A diabetologist is a doctor who specialises in the treatment of diabetes.

Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDCES has published two books which include insightful lessons of empowerment written by successful men and women with diabetes. Available for purchase.

 

MY SWEET LIFE: Successful Women with Diabetes by Beverly S. Adler, PhD, CDCES and Friends is a collection of life stories – each chapter written by a highly respected successful woman with diabetes. This group of diverse women share their stories how they find balance between managing their careers and/or family AND managing their diabetes.

The book is compiled by Dr. Beverly S. Adler who is also one of those women. “Dr. Bev” as she is better known, is a clinical psychologist and Certified Diabetes Educator in private practice, specializing treating patients with diabetes and also has had type 1 diabetes for 37 years. All those years ago when she was diagnosed, there were no role models with diabetes for her. This book is geared for women with diabetes who need role models who can inspire them. The book is written for the newly diagnosed woman with diabetes who is overwhelmed with her diagnosis. Or, for the woman who has had diabetes for a while, but can also benefit from uplifting, inspirational stories to encourage and motivate self-care (especially if they already are trying to cope with some complications).

Dr. Bev is joined by 23 contributing authors who are all women of exceptional accomplishments! Each story is unique and heartwarming, as these very special women share their triumph over diabetes. The reader can learn how the women’s experiences with diabetes helped to shape them into who they are today. The theme running through the book is that “diabetes is a blessing in disguise.”

 

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic and very special guest, Dr. Beverly S. Adler,PhD, CDCES on this episode of Divabetic’s popular podcast. Known as “Dr. Bev,” to her patients, this Baldwin, NY, self-proclaimed “Diabetes Diva” is uniquely qualified to treat patients with diabetes. Dr. Bev has firsthand experience living with Type 1 diabetes for 35+ years. Hear her personal philosophy and learn how she empowers the lives of others living with diabetes. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, find inspiration in “herstory!”

Why 2 Young Women Died of Heart Trouble

18-year-old Félicité Tomlinson reportedly passed away from a heart attack/cardiac arrest. A person in the apartment called for an ambulance, but paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene after failing to revive her. She was the sister of One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson, the oldest of seven siblings.

Her shocking death comes days after former Miss Teenager Universe Lotte van der Zee passed away at 20 after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest the day before her birthday.

Why would young women who seemed healthy die that way so suddenly?

According to HollywoodLife, Dr. Reed Wilson, a Beverly Hills GP and cardiologist  stated, “a heart attack is caused by a blocked artery to the heart. The part of the heart that is supplied by the blood vessel dies and no longer pumps. If the area is small enough the individual can do very well. If it is a large area and there is no longer enough heart to pump, the patient can die. The most common deadly problem following a heart attack are abnormal heart beats that result in deadly arrhythmias and ultimately cardiac arrest where the heart stops.”

Since there were reportedly no warning signs, one can’t help wondering if a defect that went undetected?

Dr. Wilson states “some young adults can be born with abnormalities of the coronary arteries that can lead to sudden death. The heart has two arteries, a right and a left (the left immediately splits into two). But some individuals have just one that supplies the whole heart, while others have arteries that travel in strange directions to get to the heart. Both of these can lead to heart attacks.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A heart attack is when blood flow to the heart is blocked, and sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart malfunctions and suddenly stops beating unexpectedly. A heart attack is a “circulation” problem and sudden cardiac arrest is an “electrical” problem.

On March’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast we spoke to Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE about the findings from a recent study the more young women are having heart attacks. 

The study states that the proportion of heart attack–related hospitalization rates for women ages 35 to 54 increased from 21% to 31% over the last two decades.

Scientists can’t say for sure what’s causing an increase in heart disease among young women, but they do have some ideas. Last month’s study found that not only had hospitalization rates for heart attacks increased among young people since 1995, but that hypertension and diabetes rates had increased as well. The young women in the study were also more likely to be black than the young men, suggesting that heart disease is hitting young black women especially hard.

Another interesting finding was that, compared to the young men in the study, the young women were less likely to have previously been treated for conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or stroke. This suggests that women are being under-treated this link opens in a new tab for heart disease risk factors, wrote Viola Vaccarino, MD, PhD, an epidemiologist at Emory University, in a commentary published along with the study. Prevention guidelines may also underestimate risk among this age group, she added.

It’s also interesting to note that the estrogen in birth control pills and in hormone patches, implants, vaginal rings and injections can cause an increase in blood clotting, which could result in a heart attack. However, that risk is still very small for most women, especially for those under 35 who do not have other risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking or obesity.

Divabetic will presenting the first-ever Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience: Clued Inn on Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019 in New York City. Currently we have over 150 pre-registered for Clued Inn but there’s still room for you and your friends to participate! Register now at CluedInn.org.