I have lived with type 1 diabetes since the age of three, diagnosed over 25 years ago so I could not imagine my life without it.

That said, it hasn’t always been plain sailing. During my childhood, my parents pretty much did everything for me to help control my blood glucose levels. This made it really difficult in terms of gaining independence as a teenager.

Teenager in denial

When I started high school, I fell in to a huge state of denial and I was incredibly de-motivated to manage and accept my diabetes. I wanted to do whatever my friends were doing, eat what they were eating and drink what they were drinking, which as a teenager tends to include a lot of food/drink high in sugar!

Worst of all, social media back then wasn’t as widely used or accessible, meaning I couldn’t connect with anyone else living with type 1 diabetes like I can now, which impacted my motivation.

The turning point

Unfortunately for me, what made me change my bad habits towards my blood glucose management was a diagnosis of retinopathy (damage to the blood vessels in my eyes) at the age of 18. That was the last straw for me, as I didn’t want to lose my sight at such a young age.

So, I started to make a conscious effort to monitor my blood glucose levels more consistently, as well as increase my healthy habits to try to lower my HbA1c.

And that’s when I heard about the FreeStyle Libre system. I remember hearing it mentioned during a peer support call and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, a device that monitors glucose levels without needing to draw blood!*

The right technology for me

I decided to purchase a FreeStyle Libre sensor and a reader. I remember crying tears of happiness when I first started to use it, due to the fact I was presented with so much useful information regarding what was happening with my glucose levels, including what my levels had been, what they were and most importantly, the direction they were going in, information I had never had accessible to me before.**

Since having access to the FreeStyle Libre sensor and reader, the management of my type 1 diabetes has been the best it has ever been and my HbA1c has decreased to a healthy level, which I believe is linked to the visual feedback the reader provides.

I cannot imagine my life without my Freestyle Libre sensor now; I’m able to scan the sensor using the FreeStyle LibreLink app on my phone, making tracking glucose levels even easier.*** As a personal trainer and fitness enthusiast, I am constantly on the go, whether that’s exercising in the gym, training clients or running outdoors, so being able to scan using my phone while I’m on the move is a lot easier for me, compared to setting up my blood glucose meter to prick my finger throughout the day.

A wealth of data when I want it

As a behaviour analyst, I am trained to interpret data, so for me, the data insights provided by my FreeStyle Libre system are very useful in terms of making proactive decisions, identifying patterns and also providing an estimate of my HbA1c.

My diabetes team is also so much more aware of what is going on by being able to access my data via LibreView, making my appointments so much more insightful and useful.****

A reminder of how strong we are

I love to show off my sensor on the back of my upper arm, as I feel this symbolises the physical, mental and emotional strength I have living with type 1 diabetes. I have had many people message me who feel a little self-conscious when it comes to having their sensors exposed, which inspired me to create the social media hashtag #showoffyoursensor. The aim of this campaign is to empower and inspire others who wear sensors, to show them off to the world with pride and not be ashamed to live with diabetes.

Overall, the FreeStyle Libre system has had such a positive impact on my glucose management, my health and my relationship with my type 1 diabetes. I am so grateful to now also have access to this amazing piece of diabetes technology on the NHS, as I previously self-funded for two years.

Living with type 1 diabetes has given me a purpose in life, a purpose to help, empower, motivate and inspire others living with the condition to not let it defeat them. 

Vanessa Haydock is a health and fitness coach, a Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) and a FreeStyle Libre ambassador. Follow Vanessa on Instagram @diabetic_health_coach_