#1771 Defining Diabetes: Temp Basal
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In this episode of the Juicebox Podcast, "temp basal" (temporary basal) is the primary term being defined.
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DISCLAIMER: This text is the output of AI based transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors and should not be treated as an authoritative record. Nothing that you read here constitutes advice medical or otherwise. Always consult with a healthcare professional before making changes to a healthcare plan.
Scott Benner (0:00) I attended my first ever Friends for Life conference in July 2025. (0:05) And while I was there, I interviewed eight children of various ages, all who wear a Tandem pump. (0:10) I wanna thank Tandem Diabetes for sponsoring this short episode of the Juice Box podcast. (0:16) Check them out at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox. (0:22) Nothing you hear on the Juice Box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise.
Scott Benner (0:28) Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan. (0:35) The episode you're about to listen to is sponsored by Tandem Moby, the impressively small insulin pump. (0:41) Tandem Mobi features Tandem's newest algorithm, Control IQ Plus technology. (0:46) It's designed for greater discretion, more freedom, and improved time and range. (0:50) Learn more and get started today at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox.
Scott Benner (1:06) Ready?
Elias (1:06) Yeah.
Scott Benner (1:07) Hey, Elias. (1:08) I'm Scott. (1:09) Where are you from?
Elias (1:11) I'm from Michigan.
Scott Benner (1:12) Michigan. (1:12) How old are you? (1:13) Nine. (1:14) Nine. (1:14) Tell me your name again.
Elias (1:16) I'm Elias.
Scott Benner (1:16) Elias. (1:17) Excellent. (1:18) Elias, do you have type one diabetes? (1:20) Yes. (1:20) No kidding.
Scott Benner (1:21) How long have you had it?
Elias (1:22) A year and a half.
Scott Benner (1:24) Just a year and a half? (1:25) Mhmm. (1:25) It's pretty new for you still or does it feel like you're getting used to it?
Elias (1:28) I'm getting used to it.
Scott Benner (1:29) Getting used to it. (1:30) Yeah. (1:30) And you told me you have an older sister?
Elias (1:32) Yes.
Scott Benner (1:32) Does she have diabetes? (1:33) No. (1:34) No. (1:34) Anybody else in your family have it? (1:36) No.
Scott Benner (1:36) No? (1:37) Not so far? (1:38) Yeah. (1:38) Yeah? (1:39) Okay.
Scott Benner (1:40) What was it like being diagnosed? (1:41) Do you remember the day it happened? (1:43) Yeah.
Elias (1:45) It was on 04/10/2024. (1:48) Mhmm. (1:49) I was in the ER, and then the doctors came in, and they were thinking about what I could have, and then they were thinking about type one.
Scott Benner (2:00) Okay. (2:01) Do you remember feeling sick leading up to that, or did your parents tell you you had to go to the hospital? (2:05) What what got you to the hospital?
Elias (2:07) I was peeing and drinking a ton.
Scott Benner (2:09) A lot. (2:10) Yeah.
Elias (2:10) And we did blood work, my blood sugar was 365.
Scott Benner (2:16) Oh, they caught it pretty early then. (2:18) Mhmm. (2:18) Yeah. (2:18) You weren't in DKA? (2:19) No.
Scott Benner (2:20) No? (2:20) That's good. (2:21) That's awesome. (2:21) So your parents were paying attention? (2:23) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (2:23) It's nice to know that they're paying attention to you. (2:25) Right?
Elias (2:25) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (2:26) Yeah. (2:26) Absolutely. (2:26) So were you in the hospital just for a day or did they keep you for a couple days?
Elias (2:29) It was three days.
Scott Benner (2:31) Three days. (2:31) When you left, did you leave with insulin pens? (2:34) Did you get a CGM? (2:36) What did they give you?
Elias (2:36) They gave they gave me a finger poke around insulin pens.
Scott Benner (2:41) Insulin pens. (2:42) And today, do you wear a CGM?
Elias (2:44) Mhmm. (2:44) I wear a CGM and a pump.
Scott Benner (2:46) Oh, what pump do you have?
Elias (2:48) Mobi.
Scott Benner (2:49) Mobi? (2:49) Mhmm. (2:49) Oh, where are you you don't have to show me, but where are you wearing it?
Elias (2:52) My leg.
Scott Benner (2:53) On your leg. (2:53) Do you like it? (2:54) Mhmm. (2:54) Yeah. (2:55) What do you like about it?
Elias (2:56) It lets me up my basal, and then they have Control IQ that help lowers and ups my basal if I'm high or low too. (3:06) Right. (3:06) You can also manually up the basal and set it down too.
Scott Benner (3:10) Yeah.
Elias (3:10) And then it's doesn't hurt a lot.
Scott Benner (3:14) Is it better than injections for you?
Elias (3:16) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (3:17) Yeah. (3:17) You didn't like the injections?
Elias (3:18) No. (3:19) I didn't really like them.
Scott Benner (3:20) Yeah. (3:20) My daughter doesn't like them either. (3:22) She, she doesn't like them at all, actually. (3:24) So your pump helps you not get as many injections.
Elias (3:28) Mhmm. (3:28) You can
Scott Benner (3:28) control your insulin better. (3:30) Right? (3:30) You're doing your bases. (3:31) Your mom and dad doing that? (3:32) Are you doing that?
Elias (3:33) I do it most of it, but they help out.
Scott Benner (3:36) You make you make adjustments to your insulin?
Elias (3:38) Yeah. (3:38) Awesome. (3:39) Most of it, actually.
Scott Benner (3:40) They do most of it? (3:41) But you're learning?
Elias (3:42) Yeah.
Scott Benner (3:42) Yeah. (3:43) So do you count your carbs?
Elias (3:45) Yeah.
Scott Benner (3:47) Yeah? (3:48) What what do you like to eat that you need that you know how to bolus for really well?
Elias (3:53) Protein bar.
Scott Benner (3:54) Yeah. (3:54) So you know, like, what's the bolus for your protein bar?
Elias (3:57) 16 carbs.
Scott Benner (3:59) 16 carbs. (4:00) And you get a nice do you get a nice, like, flat line? (4:02) Do you go up?
Elias (4:04) I go up a little bit and then I kinda go down.
Scott Benner (4:07) Okay. (4:07) It's not bad though. (4:09) Right?
Elias (4:09) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (4:09) Yeah. (4:10) Do you get low at the end or no?
Elias (4:12) I think because I don't really eat until lunch, so I go low from not eating.
Scott Benner (4:17) Oh, so you do what do you do? (4:18) Protein bars at breakfast?
Elias (4:20) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (4:20) Yeah. (4:20) And then you have lunch at school?
Elias (4:22) Yeah.
Scott Benner (4:22) How do you do the lunch bowls at school? (4:24) Do go to the nurse or do do it, like, through text with your mom?
Elias (4:27) I do it with the office.
Scott Benner (4:31) Yeah. (4:31) You go into the office and they help you? (4:33) But do you have, like, carbs written down and they
Elias (4:36) Yeah.
Scott Benner (4:36) Yeah. (4:37) So do you give your Moby pump to the office person or do they just watch you do it?
Elias (4:41) Yeah. (4:41) They watch meatballs.
Scott Benner (4:43) Is it easy?
Elias (4:43) Yeah.
Scott Benner (4:44) Yeah. (4:45) Controlling it is like, how do you control it? (4:47) Do you control it on the pump? (4:48) Do you control it on a phone? (4:49) How do you do it?
Elias (4:50) You control it on a phone.
Scott Benner (4:52) On the phone? (4:53) What's your favorite snack when you're low?
Elias (4:55) Fruit snacks and juices.
Scott Benner (4:57) Juice boxes and, like like like what what kind of fruit snacks? (5:00) Do you have a favorite or does it not matter?
Elias (5:02) I can't have any other brand other than the organic fruit snacks.
Scott Benner (5:07) Organic? (5:07) That's smart.
Elias (5:08) I'm allergic to red forty. (5:10) Really? (5:10) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (5:10) No kidding. (5:11) How'd you find that out?
Elias (5:12) I I had a ton of Kool Aid, like, when I was five, and then I threw up all over.
Scott Benner (5:20) Wow. (5:20) That's how you found out? (5:21) Oh, so you but you have a fruit snack that works good for you?
Elias (5:24) Yeah.
Scott Benner (5:24) Awesome. (5:25) That's very cool. (5:28) Have you ever done anything that's made you feel really proud? (5:31) Anything with diabetes that you thought, like, I couldn't do this, but you did and then you were just proud of yourself?
Elias (5:36) Polishing myself for the first time.
Scott Benner (5:39) Yeah. (5:40) With your new pump?
Elias (5:41) Yeah.
Scott Benner (5:42) Yeah. (5:43) That that made you feel like, I can probably do
Elias (5:45) this? (5:45) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (5:45) Yeah. (5:45) And now it's going well. (5:46) Right?
Elias (5:47) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (5:47) Yeah. (5:47) That's awesome. (5:48) So you feel really comfortable with diabetes?
Elias (5:50) Yeah.
Scott Benner (5:50) That's right. (5:51) Who do you think has been helping you? (5:53) Is it mostly your mom, mostly your dad, or do they do it together?
Elias (5:55) The my whole family helps me.
Scott Benner (5:57) Oh, that's awesome. (5:58) Your sister too?
Elias (5:59) Yeah. (5:59) A little bit.
Scott Benner (6:00) A little bit? (6:01) So do you feel very supported by that? (6:03) Mhmm. (6:03) Can you tell me how that makes you feel knowing everybody's got your back?
Elias (6:07) It may just makes me feel comfortable with diabetes.
Scott Benner (6:10) Yeah. (6:11) That's awesome. (6:11) That really is great. (6:13) Do you play any sports or do have any activities you do?
Elias (6:15) Yeah. (6:15) I play baseball and basketball.
Scott Benner (6:18) Oh, awesome. (6:18) Where do you play on the field in baseball?
Elias (6:21) Left center, right center, all of the outfield, then I do third, second, shortstop.
Scott Benner (6:30) You've been trying the whole thing? (6:31) Yeah. (6:32) Listen. (6:32) I'm gonna tell you what my son would tell you. (6:34) Okay?
Scott Benner (6:34) When you get older, the outfield is a ton of fun. (6:38) When you're younger, it's not quite as much fun. (6:40) But as soon as the kids start hitting the ball a little farther, outfield turns into a real good kick. (6:45) So you'll like it if you if you end up in the outfield. (6:47) Are you fast?
Elias (6:48) Yeah.
Scott Benner (6:49) Gotta be fast to play in the outfield. (6:50) Right? (6:50) Mhmm. (6:51) How do you hit? (6:51) Left or right?
Elias (6:52) I'm a lefty.
Scott Benner (6:53) Yeah. (6:53) How do you you you yeah. (6:55) You you're doing well hitting the ball?
Elias (6:57) Yeah. (6:57) I actually hit, like, four 13 times.
Scott Benner (7:01) No kidding. (7:01) You've been getting on base?
Elias (7:03) Yeah.
Scott Benner (7:03) Yeah. (7:03) Where do you play? (7:04) For, like, Little League or
Elias (7:06) your Ten
Scott Benner (7:07) Ten u? (7:08) You guys you're hoping to go to the Little League World Series one day?
Elias (7:11) Yeah.
Scott Benner (7:12) Yeah? (7:13) It's pretty cool. (7:14) Son never made it. (7:14) He got three games away from it one time. (7:16) My daughter got closer.
Scott Benner (7:17) My daughter is type one. (7:18) She played softball. (7:19) They were two wins away from going to the Little League World Series when she was 12. (7:23) It was pretty cool. (7:24) Maybe you'll get to do that one day.
Scott Benner (7:26) It's a lot of fun. (7:28) When you switched from injections to a pump, you went right to the Mobi?
Elias (7:33) No. (7:34) We we first had an Omnipod.
Scott Benner (7:36) Okay. (7:36) And then what made you switch from Omnipod to Tandem?
Elias (7:39) My mom was looking on social media, and then she found out that Tandem the Mobi controls your blood sugar better without you having to do all the stuff.
Scott Benner (7:51) Okay. (7:52) And what's and did that end up being what happened for you?
Elias (7:54) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (7:55) Awesome. (7:55) What's your a one c? (7:56) Do you know?
Elias (7:57) It was 6.1 because we had, like, a bad month, but You it should start going back down.
Scott Benner (8:03) We're calling 6.1 a bad month? (8:05) Yeah. (8:05) Oh, you're doing great then, aren't you?
Elias (8:07) We were just at 5.5.
Scott Benner (8:09) Five five? (8:10) Mhmm. (8:10) Wow. (8:10) That's awesome, man. (8:11) It it how are you doing that, do you think?
Elias (8:15) I don't know. (8:15) We just keep good control on my blood sugar levels.
Scott Benner (8:18) The pump helps?
Elias (8:19) Oh, yeah.
Scott Benner (8:20) Yeah. (8:21) And your mom? (8:22) Is your mom up all night? (8:23) She's not you're not up all night, are you? (8:24) She's we need you to sleep a little bit.
Scott Benner (8:26) So She sleeps
Elias (8:28) a lot.
Scott Benner (8:28) She's fine. (8:29) Don't worry about her. (8:30) Yeah.
Elias (8:31) She slept perfectly last night.
Scott Benner (8:33) Oh.
Elias (8:33) I had no lows, no nothing. (8:35) That is true.
Scott Benner (8:36) Nice. (8:36) All night. (8:37) So you've been running around here in Florida, and you don't have any lows last night? (8:40) No. (8:41) That's awesome.
Scott Benner (8:41) What'd you eat yesterday?
Elias (8:43) I ate Raisin Cane's Brew.
Scott Benner (8:47) You had a burger?
Elias (8:49) No. (8:49) I had chicken.
Scott Benner (8:50) Chicken.
Elias (8:51) And then at lunch, I the lunch.
Scott Benner (8:57) You don't remember?
Elias (8:58) I thought it might have been Chick fil A or Wawa. (9:02) Wawa. (9:03) Yeah.
Scott Benner (9:03) Wawa. (9:03) There's Wawa's in Florida?
Elias (9:04) Yeah.
Scott Benner (9:05) Oh, no kidding. (9:06) Where are you from again? (9:07) Where did you say?
Elias (9:07) Michigan.
Scott Benner (9:08) Michigan. (9:08) You got Wawa in Michigan?
Elias (9:10) No. (9:10) We only we don't even have seven Elevens around our area.
Scott Benner (9:13) What the heck? (9:15) I grew up around Wawa. (9:16) I grew up in Philly. (9:16) I was probably near the first Wawa.
Elias (9:18) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (9:18) Yeah. (9:20) You ever get a hoagie?
Elias (9:22) A what?
Scott Benner (9:22) A hoe. (9:23) Yeah. (9:23) You don't know hoagie. (9:24) Right? (9:24) No.
Scott Benner (9:25) No. (9:25) Have you ever had a real soft pretzel? (9:27) Oh my god. (9:27) You have you ever had good pizza? (9:29) Has he ever had good pizza?
Scott Benner (9:30) Where would you do you do you like pizza? (9:33) Pizza. (9:33) No. (9:34) I gotta get you a better place. (9:35) Alright.
Scott Benner (9:35) I'm gonna hook you up with some places to get pizza. (9:37) Are you driving home or flying?
Elias (9:39) I'm flying.
Scott Benner (9:40) Okay. (9:40) Well, you can't pull the plane over. (9:41) That's not gonna work. (9:43) Do you have any heroes with diabetes? (9:44) Any famous people or people that you follow or you look up to?
Elias (9:48) I don't know any people who have any.
Scott Benner (9:51) That's interesting. (9:52) Yeah. (9:52) There's a lot of people. (9:53) A lot of professional baseball players have type one. (9:55) The general manager of the Phillies has diabetes.
Scott Benner (9:58) Yeah. (9:58) There's been a lot of type one pitchers. (10:00) There's a guy right now throwing for the, athletics. (10:03) Mhmm. (10:03) He throws, like, a 100 miles an hour.
Scott Benner (10:05) He has type one diabetes. (10:06) Can you imagine throwing a ball a 100 miles an hour?
Elias (10:08) It's that has to take so much power.
Scott Benner (10:11) Yeah. (10:11) He's a big guy. (10:12) I can't think of his name right now. (10:14) I'm sure he's real appreciative of that. (10:16) What else?
Scott Benner (10:17) The tight end for the the Chiefs? (10:19) Do you like football?
Elias (10:21) I don't watch it, but my parents do.
Scott Benner (10:23) Okay. (10:24) Noah Gray plays tight end for the Chiefs. (10:26) He wears a tandem pump just like you. (10:27) Mhmm. (10:28) Ain't that cool?
Scott Benner (10:28) Yeah. (10:29) Yeah. (10:29) There's plenty of guys. (10:30) Tight end for the Ravens. (10:31) Who else?
Scott Benner (10:32) Anybody wanna help me here? (10:33) Chad Muma. (10:33) Chad Muma. (10:34) He believes there's a lot of football players. (10:36) Here today.
Scott Benner (10:37) Oh, wow. (10:37) There's gonna be football players here today that that that wear a pump. (10:40) You gotta check them out?
Elias (10:42) Yeah.
Scott Benner (10:42) Yeah? (10:43) What else you go ahead.
Elias (10:44) You can hear my parents screaming at the TV.
Scott Benner (10:47) They yell at football? (10:48) Yeah. (10:49) Well, Michigan, what are watching? (10:50) The Lions?
Elias (10:51) Yeah.
Scott Benner (10:51) Yeah. (10:52) See, what happened there, Lions, if you don't mind me telling you, is it looks so promising, but then it fell apart so majestically, they're probably upset. (10:59) That's all. (11:00) Yeah. (11:01) They didn't get to live in Philadelphia like me and really enjoy what football should be, you know.
Scott Benner (11:05) But they were this close to it, and it was probably really, really upsetting. (11:08) So you gotta cut them a break. (11:09) You know what I mean? (11:10) Plus the baseball is sketchy at best. (11:12) So there's not a lot to do out there.
Scott Benner (11:14) You say you play basketball too though. (11:16) Right? (11:16) Yeah. (11:16) You like playing defense? (11:17) You like shooting?
Elias (11:19) I like shooting, but I'm mostly defense still.
Scott Benner (11:24) Yeah. (11:24) It's important. (11:25) If you watch professional basketball, there needs to be more people playing defense, so I'm glad you're doing that. (11:30) You're doing so well with your diabetes. (11:31) Do you have any advice for other kids that have type one?
Scott Benner (11:34) What do you think what do you think one of the things is that you do every day that leads to that grade a one c and your stability that you have?
Elias (11:41) Exercise, drink.
Scott Benner (11:44) Yeah. (11:44) Stay hydrated? (11:45) Mhmm. (11:45) And exercise. (11:46) You exercise every day?
Elias (11:48) Yeah.
Scott Benner (11:49) It's a big part of it, actually. (11:50) I'm I'm very proud of you. (11:52) That's what you said. (11:53) I did not expect you to say that. (11:54) That's a great answer and really true.
Elias (11:56) I actually need to drink more yesterday.
Scott Benner (11:59) Yeah. (11:59) You didn't drink enough?
Elias (12:00) No.
Scott Benner (12:01) Me either. (12:01) How'd you know you didn't drink enough?
Elias (12:06) Dizzy. (12:07) Like, really dizzy.
Scott Benner (12:08) You were dizzy?
Elias (12:09) Yeah.
Scott Benner (12:10) You're getting really comfortable now, aren't Mhmm. (12:12) Yeah. (12:12) You're all chilling out. (12:13) You got your feet up. (12:13) I should put my feet up.
Scott Benner (12:15) This looks better. (12:15) How come I haven't been doing this all week? (12:17) So this is your first time at Friends for Life.
Elias (12:20) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (12:20) And you're seeing all kinds of people wearing what? (12:23) Pumps like yours, CGMs like yours. (12:26) How does that make you feel?
Elias (12:28) Welcome.
Scott Benner (12:29) It makes you feel welcomed? (12:30) Mhmm. (12:30) That's awesome. (12:31) Do you think you'd come back and do something like this again?
Elias (12:33) Yeah.
Scott Benner (12:34) Yeah? (12:34) How what what are you what are you enjoying about it right now?
Elias (12:39) Swimming.
Scott Benner (12:40) Swimming. (12:41) My wife has been in a pool for the last two days. (12:44) She never comes with me on stuff like this, and she's like, I'm coming. (12:47) I'm swimming. (12:48) It's all she's done so far.
Scott Benner (12:49) She's turning brown. (12:51) You must put a lot of suntan lotion on your you got a little pale here. (12:54) Right? (12:54) You don't wanna burn. (12:55) Is mom blushing you
Elias (12:56) up? (12:57) Yeah? (12:57) Yeah. (12:58) Yeah? (12:58) Probably.
Scott Benner (12:59) You look good. (13:00) Mhmm. (13:00) Yeah. (13:00) You didn't burn or anything. (13:02) So you're here.
Scott Benner (13:03) You've seen all these people. (13:04) Mhmm. (13:04) Makes you feel welcomed. (13:06) Mhmm. (13:06) Have you gone and talked to people?
Scott Benner (13:08) Have you made friends?
Elias (13:09) Yeah. (13:10) There's this kid. (13:12) He doesn't have type one diabetes. (13:14) He he's a he has a sister that has type one, but he's actually really cool.
Scott Benner (13:21) So What what did you guys have in common?
Elias (13:25) We we play the same sports.
Scott Benner (13:28) Yeah.
Elias (13:29) We live in the same state.
Scott Benner (13:30) No kidding. (13:31) You came all the way to Florida to meet a guy from Michigan?
Elias (13:33) Yeah.
Scott Benner (13:34) Yeah. (13:34) That's cool. (13:36) And at home, do you know a lot of kids with type one at home?
Elias (13:39) Mhmm. (13:40) Well, friends. (13:41) But
Scott Benner (13:41) People you know? (13:42) Yeah. (13:43) So is there a feeling that you have here that you don't get at home?
Elias (13:47) No. (13:48) It's kinda like the same, but it's just more type one people.
Scott Benner (13:51) Just more people here.
Elias (13:52) Yeah.
Scott Benner (13:52) And and that makes you feel comfortable and well.
Elias (13:54) Yeah.
Scott Benner (13:55) That's awesome.
Elias (13:55) It also feels I feel welcome at home too. (13:58) You do. (13:58) Makes me feel more Yeah. (14:00) Welcome then.
Scott Benner (14:01) Awesome. (14:01) And that was great. (14:02) You were terrific. (14:03) I really appreciate you doing this with me. (14:05) Thank you so much.
Scott Benner (14:05) I hope you have a great time. (14:07) The podcast you just enjoyed was sponsored by Tandem Diabetes Care. (14:11) Learn more about Tandem's newest automated insulin delivery system, Tandem Mobi with Control IQ plus technology at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox. (14:21) There are links in the show notes and links at juiceboxpodcast.com. (14:25) If you'd like to hear about diabetes management in easy to take in bits, check out the small sips.
Scott Benner (14:31) That's the series on the juice box podcast that listeners are talking about like it's a cheat code. (14:37) These are perfect little bursts of clarity, one person said. (14:40) I finally understood things I've heard a 100 times. (14:43) Short, simple, and somehow exactly what I needed. (14:46) People say small sips feels like someone pulling up a chair, sliding a cup across the table, and giving you one clean idea at a time.
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Scott Benner (15:10) Small sips makes diabetes make sense. (15:13) Search for the Juice Box podcast, small sips, wherever you get audio.
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The Juicebox Podcast is a free show, but if you'd like to support the podcast directly, you can make a gift here. Recent donations were used to pay for podcast hosting fees. Thank you to all who have sent 5, 10 and 20 dollars!
