Lauren Dayotas: Type 1 Diabetes Success Story
Lauren was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 3 and began receiving care at UMass Memorial with endocrinologist Dr. David Harlan when she started college. For years, her A1c averaged around 9%, but that changed dramatically after she switched to Tandem’s t:slim insulin pump with Control-IQ technology, which works with her Dexcom continuous glucose monitor.
After using an Animas pump for years, Lauren transitioned to Tandem and worked closely with Dr. Harlan, nurse practitioner Nancy Sidhom, and diabetes education manager Cheryl Barry, to make the most of the new technology. She credits the system with helping her gain much better blood sugar control almost immediately.
Lauren says the pump has also helped ease her longtime fear of low blood sugar by adjusting insulin delivery when her glucose levels are trending down. Just as importantly, it has helped her better understand what is happening with her blood sugars throughout the day and feel more confident in managing her diabetes.
She also credits her care team for listening, supporting her and helping her learn from the data. Together, they review patterns from her pump and continuous glucose monitor to better understand what is happening and identify ways to improve her care going forward.
Lauren’s story shows how the right technology and a supportive care team can make diabetes management feel more manageable and less overwhelming.