Joanne Tyndall: Type 1 Diabetes Success Story
Joanne was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1964 at age 16. After more than 60 years of living with the condition, she says one of the biggest challenges is that blood sugars can still be unpredictable, even when she does the same things every day.
After switching to a hybrid closed-loop continuous glucose monitor and insulin pump system, Joanne’s A1c has remained around 6.5%. Before that, her blood sugars were much more inconsistent. She has also lost 20 pounds by making small but meaningful lifestyle changes, including reducing portion sizes, cutting out unnecessary snacks and drinking less soda.
Joanne is amazed by how far diabetes technology has come since she was diagnosed as a teenager. She appreciates that her continuous glucose monitor (CGM) does not require finger sticks and says Tandem’s Control-IQ technology has made diabetes management much easier and given her greater peace of mind, especially overnight.
Living with diabetic retinopathy has reinforced for Joanne the importance of staying on top of her care. She feels confident in the technology and grateful that her care team is available whenever she needs support.
In this video, she talks about some of the major changes she has experienced in diabetes care during her more than 60 years living with type 1 diabetes.