Do you sometimes feel that you and your immediate family or group of diabetic friends have a secret diabetes language that no one else understands? Welcome to the club. We decided to collate a little list of commonly used words in our D-world so that you can share it with your non diabetic friends and family and they can learn a few new things about T1D while joining in the fun and insider jokes with you too!

Bolus

A dose of insulin taken either at meal times or as a correction dose to lower a high BG back to normal range.

Rage bolus

We have all done this and regretted it later, haven't we?

Basal

Also called background or long acting insulin keeps our BG in range in periods of fasting, in between meals.

Rollercoaster

Blood sugars go high because of a specific food or a skipped or insufficient insulin dose, you rage bolus, land up in a sweaty, shaky mess of a low, eat the whole fridge because, well..hypo and whoops, you are high again! Sound familiar? It is, to most diabetics. While we might fist bump and laugh about our blood sugar rollercoasters, the fact is they do take a toll on our physical and emotional health. Now imagine going from 400 to 30 mg/dl several times a day or week. A little unsolicited advice here, be kind to yourself, treat your hypos intelligently with a measured amount of glucose and avoid the diabetes rollercoaster with the Law of Small Numbers.

Diaversary

Do you celebrate the anniversary of your diabetes diagnosis? I do! Tell us how you do it.

Bionic bits

For those of us using insulin pumps, CGMs or FGMs, these are our very visible bionic parts. A sweet old lady on the road once called out after me telling me I had a bottle cap stuck to the back of my arm (read : Libre!). This other time I confidently declared to a curious stranger that my Libre was a Wi-Fi hotspot! I clarified later, for the record. In the picture below, I am showing off my bionic parts - pump and Guardian Connect CGM!

A1c

Also called HbA1c, it is an average of your blood sugars over roughly a 90 day period. Most diabetics think of it as a report card of their glycemic control over 3 months.

Carbage

Carbage = carbs + garbage. "OMG, I would not touch that donut. That carbage isn't worth it"

Taking a shot / shooting up

If you have ever taken an insulin shot (injection) in public and have had people look at you strangely or ask you if you are shooting up (drugs), you will know what we mean.

Unicorn

Unicorns are one horned mythical creatures with magical powers. In the diabetes community, 'chasing a unicorn' could refer to multiple 'magical' moments, such as when you either get a blood sugar you really want (usually considered as 100 mg/dl or 83 mg/dl) or when your CGM/FGM and glucometer match exactly.

Cure

Another mythical occurrence which has been 'just round the corner' since only about 75 years now.

Gusher

A sudden spurt and gush of blood that most non diabetics would frankly find quite scary but us cool diabetics regularly boast about it. Put your hand up if you have had one. I have had a lancet gusher and an insulin pump site gusher too!

Diabuddy

Diabuddy : diabetes buddy. What would life be without our diabuddies? They relate to our frustrations most closely, they are the ones we call at 2AM in the middle of a hypo and they are also the ones we love to go on group runs with! Our diabuddies are our pillars of support! Talking of which, have you joined our support group on Facebook? Click here to join.

Diabadass

A person with diabetes who is also a real badass and super achiever in their field of choice. For instance, check out Chinmay's deadlift, he is the definition of a diabadass!

Hypo hangover

It is hard to explain what a hypo is like to people who do not have diabetes. Let's say you had a hypo in the middle of the night, treated it and went back to bed. The next morning you wake up and feel like you have been hit by a bus, yes? That is hypo hangover right there for you.

Diabag

A diabag is a bag that carries all of your diabetic supplies. What all do you carry in your diabag?

As part of our #ShowMeYourDiabag campaign, we had 6 year old cutie Nikhil doing the cutest ever show and tell of his diabag. Check it out!

Flat line

"I am flat lining and having a great day". Enough said.

Are you high?

Is what my Mum just asked when she called to check if I've eaten. "No and no, Mom. I've been completing this blog."

Diabetes Police

"Are you sure you can eat that?" is a line that annoys every diabetic. Your friendly local diabetes police could be your caring, well meaning friends, family or colleagues who inadvertently cross the line between caring and over caring.

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