Today we had a chance to chat with Greg. A former management consultant, at age 70 he has been enjoying retirement for the past 6 years. Since his wife is still very involved in her career, he takes care of things around the house, including cooking. They live in a small, walkable village outside of Pittsburgh, where he is the president of the community development organization. When he’s not planning events for his community, he is running errands or enjoying time with his grandchildren. This is his story.
Livongo: Tell us about your diagnosis story and your early years with diabetes.
Greg: After age 35, I started dealing with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and metabolic syndrome. I was able to get each of them under control working with my primary care physician [PCP], taking the meds I was prescribed. However, in my late 40s, my blood sugar levels started rising.
About 5-6 years ago, I was told I had developed Type 2 diabetes. My PCP and I tried a number of medications with limited success. Eventually, he recommended I see an endocrinologist. It was like an awakening: My A1c levels have been in the 6-7% range since then.
Livongo: Tell us about your experience with Livongo.
Greg: In July 2018, I signed up for Livongo. I was matched with a coach called Marcia. She was amazing!
About 20 years ago, I had managed to lose a lot of weight on the Atkins Diet. But just as I lost it, I regained it. For years, I was wavering around 230-240 pounds, struggling to go below that. In the past couple of years, I started developing a new actionable awareness about the impact of carbs, portion control, meal timing, etc. on weight management. With my wife’s support and Marcia’s guidance, my weight started really going off. Today, I weigh 203 pounds.
Given how expensive they can be to the end user, free test strips are an obvious benefit of the Livongo program, but it goes beyond that. Combined with a supportive family and a knowledgeable care team, Livongo gets me timely information and feedback about my body that helps me be more educated in my day-to-day decision-making. For example, now I am the pain in the rear end at the grocery store, reading Nutrition Fact labels all over the place.
Livongo: What is the hardest thing about living with diabetes?
Greg: It has to be the constant feeling of being measured and evaluated. I actually have dreams of all those numbers swimming in my head. Sometimes I even get confused about what is my weight and what is my blood glucose measurement.
I live in an environment of constant monitoring and unrelenting evaluation: Is this good enough? What am I going to do about this high blood glucose? What have I done? I should have eaten this, not eaten that … It would be good to go on a little measurement vacation, and as a person with diabetes, that vacation would include chocolate cake and ice cream (which are not a regular part of my menu).
Livongo: What advice do you have for others who are living with diabetes?
Greg: Do not deny it: Nothing will be accomplished, and you won’t get better. I was not in denial, but early on I had a laid-back attitude about diabetes. You have to get a program together, and a big part of it is how you think about it, how you perceive it. That sets the tone for the actions you will take.
Nobody wants to have chronic conditions. But if you have them and you go at them with professional care, and professional support and resources, you can live with them for a long time. People don’t think I am 70 — they think I am in my mid-50s. I try to take very good care of myself, and the Livongo program is part of that effort.
The testimonials, statements, and opinions presented are applicable to the individuals depicted or quoted. Each member’s exact results and experience will be unique and individual to each member. The testimonials are voluntarily provided and are not paid.
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