There are so many newer tools that can help you manage diabetes and it can be hard to keep up with what options are available. There are also companies that let you personalize your diabetes devices and add a little fun and whimsy into your life. Here are some that we know about –
Glucose Displays
There are a couple of options that allow for quick, easy visualization of the range of glucose your loved one with diabetes is currently experiencing.
- Glowcose – A small glowing display that changes color based on the glucose level. The thresh-olds are personalized and you can adjust at any time. The device is used with Dexcom Share, so you will use your Dexcom login information to set it up and you will need WiFi. Having the color show what range the glucose is in can help take Here is a visual depiction of what the Glowcose looks like based on glucose levels:
- SugarPixel – Another CGM Display device that can be used with Dexcom Share, Libre, or Nightscout with WiFi. This device displays glucose level, trend arrow, and it can even display two glucose readings at once (Bonus for those households with multiple T1Ds). One of the other features of the SugarPixel is customizable alerts with vibration as well as randomized sounds. This can be very helpful for people who have a hard time waking up to their diabetes alerts. Here’s what the SugarPixel tool looks like:
- Glucose Projector – An alarm clock with a projector that shows the glucose level, trend and time on the ceiling or wall. The goal for this product was to avoid the loss of sleep that can go along with diabetes, and let you quickly view what your glucose level is and what your trend is without waking you up with the brightness of your phone.
Insulin Storage Solutions
Keeping insulin within the optimal temperature can be difficult, especially when traveling and in the hotter seasons. There are a couple of great options to help ensure your insulin stays stable and works as it should.
- Frio – Frio packs are cooling cases designed for insulin pens and vials. The packs come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors and the way to activate the cooling gel in the packs is to immerse it into water. The cases can be reactivated and used again, making them a versatile tool.
- dot cool – This innovative product was created by a PWD whose insulin was frozen in his fridge. It’s a small square device that you can put wherever you are storing insulin at that time –your backpack, your refrigerator, the cooler you brought to the beach, etc.- and it connects to your phone via Bluetooth. You use an app and select what medication you’re monitoring, specify what alerts for what temperatures you want to receive, and track multiple medications and lo-cations at once.
- There is also a company that makes cases to store insulin vials to protect them from breaking, Riley Link cases, and diabetes supplies organizers called T1D 3D Gear. They have options for different insulin pump supplies, different CGM supplies, and they also have some adorable in-sulin vial cases with cute tops such as dinosaurs, Halloween themes, and other animals.
Other Diabetes Gear
There are a wide variety of ways to make diabetes more personalized and maybe even add in a little joy into your life with diabetes. From pump cases to diabetes bags, there are many op-tions for us; here are a few examples.
- Type 1 Tactical – A company that specializes in insulin pump cases that are more durable than the ones that typically come with the pumps. They make different designs and have customizable options. They want people to wear their insulin pumps proudly and want to make diabetes more fun (see below).
- Sugar Medical – Diabetes cases and accessories to help make traveling or just carrying a bag easier and more organized for life with diabetes. They also have skin adhesives, wipes, insulated supply cases, and silicone cases for diabetes technologies.
- There are MANY options for diabetes adhesives, so without getting into details about what each company has, here is a list of companies that we have for your reference:
- Peelz – with stickers for CGM’s, Pumps, and meters as well as adhesives in all kinds of styles
- Stay Put Medical – Adhesives to help keep pumps and CGM’s on in a variety of colors
- Expression Med – Overtapes and undertapes for diabetes technologies as well as stickers for CGM + pumps
This is not an exhaustive list; feel free to send us more information about other companies that you like for diabetes management so we can get to know them!
Written and clinically reviewed by Marissa Town, RN, BSN, CDCES
