#1931 Fight Fire With Fire - Part 2
Fight Fire With Fire (Part 2)
Part 2: managing type 1 on a fire scene, a candid detour into what people get wrong about the podcast, and Nick on a GLP — half the insulin, and a firehouse-floor case against the stigma.
Jump to a moment
- On scene, he checks before he masks up. A glance at the CGM on his watch at the truck, glucose tabs or juice from his go bag if he’s trending, and a recheck during rehab. Firefighting mixes anaerobic and aerobic work, so adrenaline and effort often hold him up while the algorithm chases the rest.
- He came on partly to answer the “is Scott a jerk?” question — for himself. Nick found the show through a split-opinion thread and listened to settle it. Part 2 turns into a candid conversation about hosting, reviews from people who heard one episode, and why an unproduced show reads as more honest.
- A GLP changed his numbers. After tightening control led to some weight gain and rising insulin needs, his provider added Zepbound at the lowest dose. Nick reports losing about 20 pounds, cutting his insulin roughly in half, fewer stubborn post-meal highs, and A1cs in the mid-6s.
- He’s blunt about the stigma. Coworkers told him to just hit the gym or eat less. His answer: this is a metabolic issue, not the easy way out — the same way type 1 isn’t a choice. Scott adds the defibrillator analogy: nobody refuses the paddles to avoid “cheating.”
- Being the proof helped a family. On a call for a 13-year-old kept home for high blood sugar, Nick told the mom he has type 1 and does this job — and watched it land. His close: get comfortable with your body, get good control, and most goals are within reach.
- GLP-1 Medications series — Scott's ongoing Juicebox coverage of GLP medications and type 1 - context for Nick's experience, not medical advice.
- T1D Exchange Registry — US residents 18+ with type 1 can complete the survey and help move T1D research forward.
- Juicebox Podcast on Facebook — The private community Nick found the podcast through — 86,000 members and, as Scott puts it, the most un-Facebook-like place on Facebook.
Every word of the conversation
“You found part two”0:00
Hello, friends, and welcome back to the juice box podcast. If you don't love today's episode, you can have your money back. T1dexchange.org/juicebox. Head over there and Allan take the survey. Over 18 US resident, type one diabetes.
I think that's what you need to be. Taking the survey does not take very long, but it does do a lot to help type one diabetes research. T1dexchange.org/juicebox. Check it out. While I'm here, let me remind you that nothing you hear on the juice box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise.
Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan.
Hello, friends. You found part two. Scott knew you would. He believes in you. Right where he left it backed in your ears.
Let's finish the show. We're glad you're here. Part two. Part two. Scott knew you would.
Part two. Part two. You found it right where he should. Part two. You made it.
Let's get back to Scott. Wait. You haven't heard part one. Go find it now. Part two.
Part two. Part two. Part two. Knew you would. Part two.
Part two. Part two. You found it right where he should.
Today, we've got a great podcast, and it's sponsored by great advertisers. US Med, the Eversense three sixty five, and Twist. You know about Twist? It's an insulin pump. I'll tell you all about in a second.
I'm having an on body vibe alert. This episode of the juice box podcast is sponsored by the Eversense three sixty five, the only one year wear CGM. That is one insertion and one CGM a year. One CGM, one year, not every ten or fourteen days. Ever since cgm.com/juicebox.
This episode of the podcast is sponsored by the Twist AID system powered by Tidepool that features the Twist loop algorithm, which you can target to a glucose level as low as 87. Wanna learn more? Go to visit .twist.com/juicebox. That's visit.twist.com/juicebox, and twist has two i's. You understand?
Twiist.com. Visit.twist.com/juicebox. Hey. US Med is a longtime sponsor of the podcast. It's where we get our diabetes supplies from.
You could as well. Usmed.com/juicebox, or you can call (888) 721-1514. US Med, that's where my daughter gets her supplies. Use the link or the number. Get your free benefits check today and get started with US Med.
Telling the crew, staying safe on scene3:00
Then, you know, potentially have all this insulin on board with absolutely no carbs to back it up and then be in a sticky situation. You know?
Guys or did the your fellow coworkers, they treat you any differently or or they're
not really. No. This is also kind of ties into the whole reason that I'm here because when I really had first gotten the job, I had thought a lot about that and about how I didn't want people to treat me differently or think I wasn't capable of doing the job because I have type one, you know. So most of my coworkers know, all of my officers a 100% know. I've I've sat them down and and told them, hey.
You know, this is what I got. I got an insulin pump. I'm well controlled. And if I come to you and I say that I don't feel good, you know, something's really wrong, but otherwise, you know, check-in with me. Let me do my job.
I'll I'll be okay. But
Yeah.
You know, I think I think for the most part, they don't, you know, the the guys who I'm close with really don't don't treat me any different. I think I think we all have things that we come with, whether it's diabetes or somebody has asthma or somebody has other conditions. I think everybody has that thing that's happening outside of work or in their life that, you know, they just make do and mine might just be a little bit more intense or Yeah. In my face.
Might pop up out of nowhere once or twice. Has it happened? Have you ever had to go to somebody and go, I gotta tap out for a second?
No. Actually, knock knock on some serious wood. I'll go back to work tomorrow after being off. Hasn't, but not
on
a fire scene anyway. I'm I'm really good when I'm going to a fire and I get down at the truck. Like, if I'm starting to trend any certain way, I I try to look at my watch with my CGM on it or my phone really quick before I put my stuff on and just say, okay. This is my sugar. I'm at a good number.
Or, hey. I'm trending this way. I need to, you know, take a couple glucose tabs or drink a little bit of juice that I keep in my go bag on the truck Mhmm. Just just to keep myself safe. And then when I come out and, you know, we do rehab after changing out bottles and stuff, I'll recheck again.
Hey. I'm in a good spot or, no. I'm not.
Yeah.
So I I really try hard to make sure that I'm not an added issue as we're already dealing with this big, you know Right. Flaming inferno of an issue.
Oh, I wouldn't if I mean, if my recollection's correct, you're also it's a balance of anaerobic and aerobic exercise at the same time. Yes. Like, you're hustling, but you're also lifting and carrying and throwing. And and and so you are it's probably helping itself. Like, the adrenaline's probably helping keep you up.
The anaerobic part of what you're doing is probably help keeping you up. The aerobic parts probably help not letting it go too far. The pumps, these algorithms are fantastic. It's trying to stay ahead of it. Like, it's a lot of you got a lot of things on your side.
Yeah. I mean, there's it's definitely a I agree with the the anaerobic versus aerobic. I mean, it's definitely a a balancing act because, yeah, you're you're running, you know, up to it, and then you get up there. And then all of a sudden, you're now pulling ceilings or, you know, using heavy machinery like a saw or something. So, you know, you're then decreasing, you know, that that aerobic and you're starting actually moving those those muscle groups around and
Yeah.
So it it that definitely helps for sure.
Rolled hose, no socks, and the squawk box6:18
Listen. In until you've rolled up a a length of hose and turned it over your shoulder and carried it 50 yards back to a truck, you you you don't know. It's Right. It is a lot, especially after you've caught a fire for five hours. You you know what Like, there's not a different crew that comes in and cleans up when it's over.
Right. Not usually. Yeah. We might have standing here for six hours, and we're looking around, like, you know, where the hell is the backup.
Right? And Oh, we got the fire out. Now clean up. Now take this stuff back and scrub it up, and then lay it out and dry it. And, like, gee, it just doesn't it's a it's a big job.
Yeah. And then, you know, try to take a shower after doing all that. Well, guess what? You got another call. So now you gotta go you know, you're you're you're all gross, soaking wet.
You know, you you smell like smell like house fire, and now you're picking grandma up off the floor. It's like, oh my gosh. You
know? I remember one time literally crawling through a building thinking, I don't have socks on. That's all I could say. Like, we it was late at night, and it was overnight. I I I don't this is a a strange piece of little context, but I lived across the street from the firehouse that I volunteered at.
So I was frequently the first one there. Sure. And and but sometimes you'd get so yanked out of bed. Like, we used to have this thing. God.
What was the company that made this? It was like a squawk box. Right? And it didn't I I I mean, technology is so much different now. People probably can actually don't understand this.
But, like, imagine being asleep in your bed and a thing I'm gonna I'm gonna face away from the microphone for a second. A thing in your bedroom just goes wee. And like that, you're like, what the hell? Like, so you're bold upright at that point, and you can't even you can kind of hear voices. This is RF radio coming from, like, you know, 50 miles away.
Can sorta hear, like, a voice say, like, you know, engine one respond blah blah, like, to a fire and, like, know, like, okay. And one time, like, I got up and I just it's I'm you know, I get yanked out of bed. It's 02:00 in the morning, and I couldn't find socks. And I could hear them talking about what the and I just I don't know what happened. I just ran out of my house.
Yeah. And now, like, I'm now I'm in this goddamn boots, which, by the way, I wanna tell somebody a story. The last time my bunker boots got replaced, they let me keep them. I was 19 years old. I am 54 now.
I still use them to shovel snow. It's maybe one of my greatest personal, like like, possessions. Those things are they're And, like like so I still have my boots. But but you're in those boots. They're not exactly made for comfort.
My feet are just rubbing against the inside of them. We're crawling through a building, and I remember thinking, I wish I had socks on. Yeah. Oh. For sure.
You're good. But but it's just it's a it's a weird thing to do. I only did it for three years. How long have you been at at this now? Diabetes, as you know, comes with a lot of things to remember.
Cold open & sponsors9:05
So it's nice when someone takes something off of your plate. US Med has done that for us. When it's time for Arden supplies to be refreshed, we get an email. The email just rolls up in my inbox. It's like, hey.
This is, you know, time for your supply order. I don't exactly know what it says. I open the email. There's a big button. I click on it.
I reorder, and I'm done. Finally, somebody taking away a responsibility instead of adding one. And boy, oh, boy, has US Med done that for us. An email arrives, we click a link, and the next thing you know, your products are at the front door. That simple.
Usmed.com/juicebox or call (888) 721-1514. I never have to wonder if Arden has enough supplies. I click on one link. I open up a box. I put the stuff in a drawer, and we're done.
US Med carries everything from insulin pumps and diabetes testing supplies to the latest CGMs like Libre three and the Dexcom g seven. They accept Medicare nationwide, over 800 private insurers, and all you have to do to get started is call that number, (888) 721-1514, or use my link, usmed.com/juicebox. Using that number or that link helps to support the production of the juice box podcast. This episode of the juice box podcast is sponsored by the Eversense three sixty five. Get 300 and get three hundred and sixty five days of comfortable wear without having to change the sensor.
When you think of a continuous glucose monitor, you think of a CGM that last ten or fourteen days. But with the Eversense three sixty five, it lives up to its name, lasting three hundred and sixty five days. That's one year without having to change your CGM. With the Eversense three sixty five, you can count on comfort and consistency three hundred and sixty five days a year because the Eversense silicone based adhesive is designed for your skin to be gentle and to allow you to take the transmitter on and off to enjoy your shower, a trip to the pool, or any activity where you don't want your CGM on your body. If you're looking for comfort, accuracy, and a one year wear, you are looking for Eversense three sixty five.
Go to Eversense c g m dot com slash juice box to learn more.
Four years in, and buying a house11:17
So I got hired with my department in 2022. So I just hit, I just started my full fourth year.
Wow. You think you're gonna keep at it?
Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, you know, truth be told, I've when you ask kids what they wanna be when they grow up and I was, like, five and I said a firefighter, and then, you know, when I was 10, I said the same thing. And I think it's just something that I've always wanted to do. That's awesome.
So it's it's a good job. It's it's rewarding. And, honestly, from a selfish standpoint, I like doing it.
And Yeah. Is it pay okay? Is it provide a decent lifestyle for you?
Yeah. I mean, obviously, I think if you ask majority of firefighters, they're gonna tell you for the work we do and for the things we have to endure. It's not enough pay. Mhmm. But I think it's definitely enough where, you know, I can provide for my family and and be comfortable Nice.
For sure. That's awesome. Do you guys plan on having kids or getting married, the two of you?
Yeah. I mean, we we have these plans. So we actually bought a house together, this past summer.
So Congratulations.
We're doing all of the thank you. We're doing all of the the married things, you know. She's obviously got my son, which is like her stepson, but just trying to find the right time. But I I definitely think, you know, once we once we do get married, I think an another child might be in the the mix for sure.
No. Well, hey. Listen. In 2026, you figured out how to buy a house. You're you're doing pretty well.
It's the the difficult thing to accomplish nowadays.
It it was. I mean, we we were on a house hunting journey for quite a while, and we we probably looked at, like, almost 40 houses
That's crazy.
But bids on half of them and got outbidded every time. And we're we're putting, like, serious serious over asking offers in and
Yeah.
You know?
No. It's not a, it's it's it's not it's not a great time to be young and trying to buy a house. That's for sure. No. For sure.
Okay. So I feel like I okay. Is there anything I haven't asked you about that I should have? Like, this is the part where I I worry I start worrying I haven't done a good job. So anything because I have another question for you, but I wanna make sure based around your work, is there anything left?
His message: anything is possible13:22
Not really work. I just I think the the whole premise though is that, you know, I just want everybody to know who's listening. But especially, like, the younger kids, you know, or or parents who have younger kids with type one that, like, anything is possible. You know? And if if your kids grow up or you even as a person, you know, think, oh, I I can't do that because I have type one.
You know? Try again. You know? Right. Really really hunker down, get yourself under good control, get comfortable with your body, and then I think a lot of a lot of goals are really easily attainable if you, you know, put your mind to it.
So don't be discouraged.
That's a great message. I appreciate that. So I wanna I I wanna kinda not go backwards, but you you talked about meeting your your new practitioner, you know, pulling pulling settings together and everything. But then it sounds like a number of years later, maybe three years later, you found the podcast. So what led you to look for a podcast?
Did it find you, or did you find it?
It's a great question. I honestly think maybe a little bit of both. So, like, I I specifically remember just relaxing. I think I was scrolling social media, whether it be at, like, Reddit or Facebook or something. Mhmm.
And it was like a diabetes group, not your diabetes group, of course, at that point. But it was a diabetes group and somebody was, you know, either talking about something or complaining about something that had happened or whatever. But somebody had mentioned the Juice Box podcast in the comments, and I was like, this is kind of interesting. And there was a couple a little bit of discussion about it. Like, some people were super for it, some people were like, oh, you know, I'm not really sure about that.
And I was like, just kind of interested. I was like, okay. Well, what's the hype or what are they saying?
Is this guy great, or an ass?15:16
So Oh, so you're I kinda so you get in a position where you're like, either this is awesome or this guy's a prick. I'll go find out which it is.
Well right. But it was like it was so stark differences. People were like, oh my god. This is great. And they're like, no.
This guy's complete asshole.
I know. I I'm
like, like, what what's the answer here? So I almost, like, I almost kind of searched it to be like, well, damn. Now I gotta figure this out for myself.
I gotta tell you. I don't I I don't know the answer.
So so I I listened. I don't can't remember the first episode I listened to, but, like, wasn't something that was really, like, personal to me. It really didn't, like, super resonate with me. So I was like, oh, like, I I caught the vibe, you know, and I was like, okay. Like, that's kinda cool.
And then like a week later, was driving to work and I'm like, I don't really wanna listen to music. I'm like, maybe I should try it again. And I listened. Again, I don't remember what episode it was. Sure.
And I was like, wow. That that person talked about points that were, like, practical to me. They said things that I had maybe gone through. I remember having that kind of feeling listening to it.
Okay.
And then it just kinda took off from there. It's something that I listen to all the time in the morning and in the evenings when I'm going to and from work. That's when I normally listen to it. But
Can can I ask, do you find now that you're more into it that conversations that don't feel like they're for you are still valuable, or do you skip some?
For sure. I I usually at least try to listen to all of them. I feel like there's always sometimes those statistical outliers where you're like, yeah. Like, I'm I'm just having a hard time kind of getting in the in the groove with this conversation.
Yeah.
But I do think that understanding everyone's stories, even if they don't align with you, hearing just the diff the the the way that people think differently, the way people operate differently, I think it adds a lot of valuable, you know, other thoughts for yourself. Like, oh, I I never thought of that that way or wow, that's a great way to do that. You know? Yeah. Even having diabetes for thirteen years, not as long as some people have, but, like, listening to someone's story or or somebody saying, hey, this is the way I do it.
And you're like, holy cow. Like, I never thought about that. Right. You know?
I listen. I I am very interested in people. Like, so I it's not hard for me to have a conversation that doesn't jive with what I would do personally. Right. But I do wonder sometimes, like, when you have that feeling like, oh, this one's not quite right for you know, is it me or is it them?
Like, am I not doing a good job of of because, like, there are I mean, there are people I've interviewed that if I'm being honest with you, if I was listening to a podcast, I wouldn't be interested in them. Like, if if I was doing it for entertainment. But as the person making this, I think there's probably something incredibly interesting about them and I wanna hear it. But I wonder if I fall short of being as engaged sometimes. And, like and I don't know if that comes I how that comes across to somebody who's listening.
Right. I get what you're saying, but I think I think there's only like, being the host, I think, puts you in a in a interesting place. Right? Because you obviously are helping guide the conversation. You can definitely make or break it with the direction that you take that person or if you're not catching, you know, the the cues that they're setting for you to kinda take them in the right direction, you know.
But I also think that at the same time on the other side of the coin, like, you're dealt the cards that you have, you know. So if you are interviewing somebody that people for who are listening for enjoyment might not necessarily find intriguing per se, I think that can be hard to you can only shape a person so much before you're just you know, you can't really shape them anymore.
What a host can and can’t control18:55
Yeah. You see something interesting there that I think about a lot, which is, like, I can only an I can only ask the questions that occur to me. And there's times, by the way, that I'm tired or it's later in the day or I'm I'm I'm wasted for some reason or, like, I I know I'm not always at my best. Like, that's neither here nor there. Like like, but I only can think of the questions that I think of.
Right.
And and it it's never lost to me that another person would have asked a different question in that situation, and this would have gone in a completely different direction. And, normally, people are really kind about it. Because I'll ask, like, you know, you'll see. We'll get done. I'll be like, hey.
Was this okay for you and stuff like that? Because, you know, when you're not being recorded, you don't have the pressure to, like, acquiesce to me. Right. Like, then which, by the way, there's no real pressure for that, but there but I know some people feel that way. Like, I'm like, you know, I'm a voice on the other end of a thing.
You might have had a really great experience with. You might have been listening for a long time. It's probably hard to tell me no in some situations. So, like, I like to get you not being recorded and say, like, were you comfortable with all that? Like, know, that kind of stuff at the end.
And I do wonder if sometimes people don't push back because I'm the guy from the thing.
Right.
And and I and I feel badly about that, but I don't know how to I don't know how to effectuate that at all. Like, you know what I mean? Like because there are some people come on here. Like, the woman I interviewed yesterday, her name was Eden. She was awesome.
But before we started, she's like, I am really nervous. Right. And I was like, why? And she was, I I don't she's she pauses and she's like, I don't I don't I'm just really, really nervous. And some people will tell me, well, you're famous.
And I'm like, no. No. I'm not. Like, I'm in a small room in my house making a podcast. Like, you know what I mean?
Like, I'm I'm I'm Right. That's crazy. But to them, it's not. And so when I say when I ask a question, I never know. Like, sometimes I wish people would push back more or you know?
And I think you do. Like, I've said things to you today, you're like, well, actually, that I appreciate because I'm not right. I'm just doing my best to, like I don't know, keep us moving forward.
Sure. Well, I mean, it it should be a conversation. Like, I think I think if you were to not that you would ever do this, but if you were to tell people, oh, I'm not recording, I think you would actually get people who are a lot more candid. Because I do think people hear that that whole, like, recording thing.
Oh, shit, son. You have no idea. The minute I the minute it stops, there's something people's voices change.
Right. Right? And and I could see that. And that's that's what it should be. And I think, like, I was definitely when I signed up, I was like, oh my god.
I'm gonna do this. And I'm like, hold on. This is like months out. You know? I took a breath.
Mhmm. But then I realized, like, coming on the podcast, like, you don't have to do much research. You you know, that this story should usually come pretty easy because it's usually about you or something that you or a loved one has has lived through. You know?
I I tell people, I'm like, I'd be stunned if you didn't know the answers to the questions I ask you. Like, that Right. This is not a thing you're studying for. That's for
sure. Right. And it's not multiple choice, so you don't have, like, a 25% chance of getting it right. Yeah. Like, I
How do you feel?
Pretty good chance you're gonna get it right.
Yeah. Yeah. What's your feeling? Like, you by the way, some people share their feelings, and I bet you they feel differently about them later or might even say, oh, I I would have said something different. But I I periodically get emails.
By the way, when you find yourself sending me this email, just know it's not gonna go the way you expect. Here's what makes Twist different. It measures the volume of insulin delivered with every dose using Soundwave technology. That gives it the ability to recognize a blockage quickly, allowing you to step in and deal with it before things potentially get out of range. It is also the only automated insulin delivery system that can be controlled from an Apple Watch, so you can discreetly check-in, enter carbs, or deliver insulin right from your wrist.
You can also set your glucose target anywhere from 87 to 180 milligrams per deciliter and adjust it for different times of day. So if mornings, workouts, school work, or bedtime all need a little different approach, Twist can flex with that. And here's a real life example. You enter carbs, then something changes, and you do not actually eat what you planned. With Twist, you can go back and correct or remove the carb entry, and the system adjusts based on the new information because diabetes doesn't always follow the plan.
And your tech probably should not expect you to either. If you'd like to learn more, go to visit.twist.com/juicebox. That's visit.twist.com/juicebox. Don't forget, twist has two i's. When someone emails and goes, I need to do that again.
I didn't do a good job. That's not happening. Like like like, you're just you're gonna say the same things, and I'm gonna ask the same questions because you and I had a vibe together, and that's what's gonna like and some and and just take from it that someone's gonna get something from your conversation even if it's not the thing you were hoping to impart when you started. Something came from it, and that's good. You you know?
But oh, okay. That that's interesting. I I appreciate that. Does your girlfriend who would do suggested you come on, does she listen, or does she just know what it means to you?
She I don't know. She's obviously gonna listen to this episode. Yeah. When
you say that she's the most kind, beautiful woman you've ever met.
She is. Yeah. A 100%.
There you go. Good job. A 100%. Yeah. Yeah.
But we because when we bought our house, it is a 100 years old, so we've been in the process of doing a lot of remodeling and kinda bringing its charm back to it, you know, that type of thing. Yeah. So there's been plenty of times where, again, we've kinda tapped out on the music. And I said, oh, you know, I'll throw the podcast on. So she's kind of passively listened to a couple episodes.
I mean, there's been episodes where I'll come home and and talk to her about it or, you know, certain things like that. So Yeah.
She said that lady on Reddit was right. He is an asshole.
No. She hasn't said that to me yet. So at least you got you got two two two fans over here.
Well, thank you. Oh, I'll contextualize it for people listening and for you a little bit too. When I I'm not trust me. I'm not wrong. The minute I hit stop, a lot of people, their the pitch in their voice changes, the pace they speak at changes.
They they they do get a little more often. Even people who are very open get a little more open. Like, it's and and I understand that. These are not people who are used to being recorded or doing stuff like Right. It's up to me to be unguarded.
Like like that that like because I'm already grabbing people who are who are just they're not practiced at this. Right? And and I think you one, you get from them a lot of honesty because they're not even they're not media trained to, like, protect themselves. Like, you know, you get somebody on here from a company. They've been media trained for Oh, right.
Dozens of hours about things not to say and don't use this phrasing and things like that. Like, their lawyers will beat that into their heads. I I don't have that. And I could. I don't I mean, could I do it?
I probably could. Would I want to? I don't. But I also think it takes the authenticity out of the conversation. Like, so I am for people who have listened before and thought, like, oh my god.
He's a narcissistic or he's this or he thinks I hear people say, what woman told me yesterday, like, she's like, I have I know somebody whose kid also has diabetes, and she won't listen to you. She says, you think you're a doctor. And I'm like, I don't think I'm a doctor. And she goes, well, she thinks you do. And I'm like, okay.
Well, there so I gave her that impression at some point. Right? Like but I can't be worried about any of that. Like, I have to just talk, and then those people who are gonna enjoy it are the ones who are gonna benefit from it. And the ones who don't I couldn't have reached you one way or the other is is sort of how I think about it.
Reviews, disclaimers, and staying real26:23
Well, I think that's I think that's any platform, though. I mean, you look at even keeping it diabetes related, some of these other type one influencers that are out there, like, there's always the hate side. You know? There's always gonna be the negative. And, also, you know, the disclaimer obviously says it's not medical advice.
I mean You know?
Yeah. Always talk to a physician. Right?
I've been using disclaimers before disclaimers were cool, Nick. Okay? Because Right. Exactly.
Be But I mean but I mean, that's the thing. Like and I think I think the difference though too is, like, people are like, well, this this guy's an ass. Well but is it just this episode? How many have you listened to? Because if you, you know, have a a certain vibe with someone you're talking to, yeah, you might be more sarcastic or you you guys might have a
Yeah.
A more lighthearted conversation versus you're talking with somebody who's really struggling and you're trying to help them get back on their feet or get their settings right for their kid. Like, I think those are two vastly different not different Scotts, but different versions, different conversations that are being had. So
Yeah. You're all like that, by the way. I'm just the only one recording myself every day. So Right. Right.
And I would say I would listen. I I had a review at some point in the last year. This person was like, look. You know? I everybody told me this was good, and it wasn't.
And then you see as you're reading the review that they listen to one episode. I'm like, well Right. How how can that part baffles me. Like, if you don't like me, that's fine. If I turned you off enough that you don't wanna listen again, I mean, even that's fine.
Why would you write a review about it? Like, you you've listened one time to something with eighteen hundred hours of content, And now you heard forty five minutes of it, you're like, I know all about this enough such that I should go tell other people about it. I'm like, you don't know me. By the way, you could listen to all 1,800 of these. You wouldn't know me.
And it it's it's you you'll get close. I don't really I don't I don't think I hide a ton. So, like, I you're gonna get pretty close to knowing me. But but you're not gonna know everything, and it's I don't know. I find that such a weird thing.
I listen to plenty of stuff. I really am a a I listen to a lot. I'm listening to this interview now with this British doctor talking about type two diabetes. I wish he'd come on my podcast, but he's on such a big podcast now. I don't think I could I don't think I can corral him.
He's he probably probably his head's probably as big as the as a as a balloon at this point. He's on a really big show. Yeah. But, like, I'd love for him to come have this the conversation he he seems to have. Like, I would love to have it here.
But, I mean, I don't know how it would go. And maybe I'd say something silly in the middle of it or not. I don't know. Like, it just you just keep talking and something comes of it. But I I again, I don't know.
Like, I listened to him. He was talking about some things, and I thought, oh, that'll that that's gonna make people mad. And this isn't and I but I was real re respectful of the guy because he didn't care. He's like, this is how I they I've been doing this for decades. These are my takeaways.
I'm I'm sharing them here with you. You know? And Yeah. And I thought I think that's sort of what I do a little bit. Like, you're everything's not gonna come out smooth, and everything's not gonna make everybody happy.
But at least it's been said, and you can filter through it now and do what you want with it.
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. And, I mean, I think that's also the piece that some of those particular people might forget is that, like, if you come into this and just expect this one person who's got all these podcast episodes to just, like, come in and sweep you off your feet and up one episode had all the answers to my problems. Like Yeah. Yeah.
You're you're probably gonna be let down quite a bit. Oh, yeah. But if you use your good personal judgment and you you listen to other people's stories, you you listen to the pro tips, you use these things, and then kind of cater them to how they can fit best into your lifestyle, into your treatment plan, or your kid's treatment plan, whoever, I think that's when you have the success. I think that's when it it actually comes in. I I I don't know if it's just unrealistic expectations or
Right.
What it might be. But
Also, it's not a it's not a movie. I'm not, like, I'm not as handsome as, like, you know, a mid twenties Brad Pitt, and I'm not being shot with giant cameras from 17 angles 43 times, then we pick the best one. Like, you you know, like, I'm I'm I'm that's not happening. Even, like, a lot of these video podcasts you guys are watching, they're really highly produced. Mhmm.
You know? I am not like dude, I sat down here and turned this thing on. I was like, oh, I'm late. Like, I was like, too I felt bad about that. Like, I felt like but but I was late because three minutes before that, I was at my front door talking to a guy who stopped by and wanted to sell me something.
I was like, no thanks. I gotta work. Right. And, like, you know, like and I've been up early today because somebody had to come measure for carpet in the office that I made for myself. Like, I'm not I I don't know.
I was watching this podcast the other day. This guy's he's huge. He must have 2,000,000 followers. And it's really I think it's really well done. I'm a fan of it.
But you realize, like, he's in a studio with a crew. Yeah. You you know? And, like, and lighting and scripts. And he's he's got seven producers who sit down and talk about what they're gonna talk about beforehand.
And I'm like, I'm just getting on here and going, so you're Nick? Right. Right. You know? And there's
That's kinda one of the draws, though. Right? Because it's
I hope
little more raw. I mean, at least to me, like, I've heard people cry on the podcast. I've heard people swear. I've heard people, you know, get upset and and beat their chest, you know, for lack of better words.
Right. Right.
I think that's what that keeps it real because I think there comes a point where you're, like, almost overproduced some of those
I think yeah. This the one I'm talking about is is done I think it's done well. Is it called Diary of the CEO maybe? Maybe it's gotten away from that. He's a British guy.
He's young. I don't know what the hell his name is. I also, that's I it's important for me to remember when I talk like this when I'm like, I can't believe people don't know the name of the pro tip series. Telling you about a thing I watched an hour ago, and I'm like, I don't know that. Maybe his name's Steven.
Like, I don't even know. It's weird for me to think that somebody's thinking of me that way. They're like, I don't know what his name is, but, my a one c went down.
Right. Right.
It is. It's called it's called diary of a CEO. He's like, I I don't know if he's the 30 guy, British guy. And I think he does a I think his show does a good job. Like like and he picks topics, and he talks through it.
And he's talking to this doctor named Unwin, David Unwin, and they're talking about, like, sugar and healthy eating. And I gotta tell you, for half of this conversation, I thought, they're talking about glycemic index and load. I've been trying to get people to think about that for ten years. And these two were having a conversation about it like they like like like, they just discovered it. And I'm like, oh, okay.
But I'm glad somebody's talking about it. It's awesome. Because, you know, I chose I chose when I started doing this, Nick, to to say I can't I don't think I can effectuate how people eat, but I think maybe I could affect how they think about using their insulin. Yeah.
I agree
with that. Right. Right. And then to hear somebody twelve years after I started doing this, like, having a conversation I know these conversations happen all over the Internet, and they were happening before me too, where they're talking about, like, oh, the quality of the food, and there's way more sugar in in things than you think there is. There's way more sugar in carbs than you think there is.
You know? Here's how your body breaks down a carb and turns it into glucose. And I'm like, yeah. Yeah. I've been trying to tell people that, but at the same time, I don't want them to shut off and not take care of their diabetes.
Like, I had to pick one.
Right.
Does that make sense?
Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. And so, like, I'd like to have that conversation, but there's part of me that thinks that people will go, oh, well, I thought you told me I could eat whatever I want and just bolus for it. And I I do think you you could could do that. I also think you maybe shouldn't drink a glass of sugar.
Like, so Right. You you know, like, it's but I but I've chosen one side over the other. And then at my peril, because people who eat low carb then call me a carb pusher or an insulin pusher. And I'm like, man, you cannot win in this world.
Like like You're never going to.
Yeah. Yeah. So, anyway, I hope you all take good care of yourselves and and have great success like Nick does. Look. Nick's crawling around in a smoky building, dragging a trust me, those hoses are heavy as hell when they're charged.
Mhmm. And he's he's out there trying to help people, man. It's really cool. What did we miss though? Anything at all?
Tell me if I missed anything.
The pivot: Nick’s on a GLP34:45
I don't know if we necessarily missed anything. I just had here too since I know it's kind of been a big topic on the podcast. I actually got put on a GLP, this past year
Tell me.
As well. So I
Hey. Take By the way, Nick, you just got yourself a two part episode. Go ahead.
Oh, sweet. That's actually funny you say that not to not to segue too far, but when I was before I was coming out, was talking to my girlfriend. I'm like, what do you think? Am I gonna be interesting enough for a two part episode or are we gonna cut this short?
Nick, I'll No.
You you could do it.
Do do some of them feel like they get cut short?
No. No. No. No. I I was just saying, like, me, like, am I just gonna have nothing to say?
Like, am I just gonna have total brain fart?
You know? I'm glad you say that because there are times when, like, I have to end at an hour. So I've said this before. It's behind base it's a it's a little inside baseball. But, like, you know, there's a gentleman that, you know, has a business and he edits the podcast.
I can't I can't send him a two hour episode every day. Like, a, I can't afford to pay him, and, b, he can't he can't actually get it done. Like so, like, I need some of the episodes to clock in at an hour. And For sure. And and there are times there have been times, I I couldn't tell you which ones at the the where I I wind it down and I think, oh, I'm not done yet.
Right. But No. I get that.
Yeah. But but it it and it it hurts because I am really and I don't know if people would find it interesting. Maybe I'm being saved by my, you know, by my my better angels here and not not knowing it. But I could probably talk for a couple of hours every day to somebody.
100%.
I mean,
I I could too. But, again,
it's kind of Yeah. It's good.
Yeah. It's
good. You're you're actually a great mix, Nick. You're a guy who is you're talking like a guy, but you're effusive enough that it you don't sound shut down. And Right. Well, I appreciate that.
And you're willing to talk and you're and you're somehow a little wise beyond your years. Like, twenty eight's not I don't know what happened
to you. I've I've always been told that, like, my whole life. Yeah. They actually that's the running joke at work. Like, oh, I'm the youngest guy on shift, but yet somehow I'm like the old fart.
Listen. My favorite story from fighting fires is that at, like, you know, at a job, something was going off. It was like 01:00 in the morning and I wasn't supposed to be there because I was too young. But because I live next door and I was good at it, I just used to go and people would ignore it.
Yeah.
And so I ran a lot of calls illegally over the time. I won't tell you where it was, but I was too young to actually be out because I wasn't supposed to be out after midnight. And so they're loading up a truck to go, and I'm up front. And I'm basically, like, back then, I I I people find it hard just to believe, but the the the there was a book. It was a book with pages in it.
That was the map. That's how we gridded our way around the town.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. And so I'm getting ready to run the book and the radio and get us there and get us to the hydrant that we need to like, I'm getting ready to do all that. And a a guy twenty years older than me comes up to the door, opens the door, looks at me, and I think they called us Probeys maybe or something like that. I forget what we were. And he's like and he said that, and he's like, out.
And he was right. Like, I I was filling the spot, and I should have left when somebody else came. And the driver reached across me, grabbed the door, pulled it closed, and goes, I'd way rather have him than you, and he drove away. Wow. And that was tough because then people did not like me as much after that.
For sure. But I But, again, that's that's that politicking thing, you know, a little bit.
You know? Yeah. Yeah. Well, that guy, the driver didn't care about the politics. He cared about the truck running right.
Right. Well, absolutely. Right. Absolutely.
But I was I've always been sort of like a like I think I code older than my age sometimes, especially when I was younger. And I actually got an opportunity to meet that guy again in the last two years. It was at a funeral, which was sad, but he was in his seventies. And I reminded him from that. And I said, I have to tell you, like, even though we don't know each other anymore, I was like, you are a huge part of my self confidence growing up.
Yeah. Like like because I was like I wasn't, like, in great I was probably chunky, like, a little short. Like, you know what I mean? Like, I I didn't fit the bill, but that guy was like, listen. You can think, and that's important.
So you come you come with me. And, anyway, I'm sorry. The the web.
That's okay.
Once I said two parter, like, my brain just reopens again.
Zepbound, and half the insulin39:09
Right. Right.
Right. On a GLP. How did that happen?
Yeah. So when I had kinda restarted getting myself better under control in, you know, handful years ago, I think that I definitely had some weight gain. Well, I don't think. I know for a fact. I had had some weight gain.
But but I had also just kinda noticed, like, I think my metabolism changed because I'm starting to get a a little bit older to that point now. And I think that since I had really gotten a lot more, not to use your phrase, but a little more bold with insulin, you know, and and really start to get things under control. I think that just kind of affected my my body more than I was actually anticipating it would.
Yeah. That's when you learn you might be taking in more calories than you think you are. You know?
Right. Yeah. And, like, you know but then I was also I feel like too with that, you also have that, like, when you're trying to hone in your settings and then you
Get lower.
Or right. Finding yourself getting low, and now you're, like, constantly, like, trying to snack, and then all of a sudden you're fighting these highs, and it's like, hang on a second, like, you know. So between that and just not being training every day, so coming out of the academy, getting really tight sugar control, trying to to navigate, you know, the highs versus the lows, trying to stay somewhere in the middle, I feel like that's kinda where things went a little little cuckoo. So
Okay.
I had talked to my provider, and she was like, well she's like, you're using more insulin because, you know, whatever reasons. You might be a little resistant at this point. And she said, you know, why don't we try a GLP? It'll help you lose a little weight. It'll keep, you know, help your cardiac function and, you know, help give you all the added benefits of having the GLP with your your heart and your kidneys and stuff.
And and she's like, I think it'll also help your a little little bit of insulin resistance. So I said, okay. So I've been on the, Zepbound, the two point five, the the lowest dose, and, I lost, like, 20 pounds, and I've cut my insulin needs in half. And it's been super big. So, like, my last a one c, a little bit higher than I wanted it to be, was a six point eight.
My one before before that was a six point five. Good hear. Mean, I've
That's awesome.
I've been super happy with that. Yeah.
Good for you. Do are you continuing to lose weight, or do you has your body kind of found a stasis?
I think my body's kind of hit a stasis. I haven't okay. So my last appointment, was supposed to go see her and I had something else come up so I had to reschedule knowing the endos and how hard they are to get into. I don't have my rescheduled appointment until September, but, I think my body's kind of hit a stasis. You know, there's obviously a lot higher of doses that I can go.
I I don't know how my provider feels about it, but I think it's definitely I mean, she's always up for discussion. She definitely is very open to things that I bring to the table. So increasing to the next dose of five might be beneficial to me.
Yeah. Do you feel like you have weight to lose?
I mean, I'm sure we all feel like we have weight to lose.
I listen. I don't know if you saw my Instagram this weekend, but, like, I had a moment this weekend where I'm down, like I I think I've lost, like, 65 pounds. I probably lost 70 and put, like, five back on or something like that. Wow. But I was I I don't wanna I probably said this somewhere else, but I was so I don't wanna go all the way into it.
But I was meeting a friend in a public place, and as I walked in, I felt like, oh god. I picked the wrong shirt. I look fat. And so much so that I went into the bathroom to look, And then as soon as I saw myself in the mirror, I was like, yep. There it is.
Look at you. Like, look look at this disaster. And then I stopped myself, and and I was like, this is crazy. Like, I don't I I this doesn't look bad at all. And, like, but why do I feel that way?
Like, why is the shirt grabbing me? Like, why do I feel like the shirt's grabbing me? Why do I like, all this stuff. And I just took a picture of myself so that I could look at it, and I'm like, I look fine. Like, I don't know what, like, what my brain's trying to tell me right now.
But, like and then I thought, bet you other people are feeling like this because a lot of us are using GLPs and not just people with diabetes, but everyone else too. And and I so I made a post about it. I I think it's been one of the more popular Instagram posts I've put up in a really long time because there's so many people like, oh my god. I feel like that too. And Right.
So yeah. So I don't know what what I'm supposed to feel like or look like. I, you know but I'm I'm asking you. Yeah.
Oh, I get what you're saying. But I also think that when you are somebody, not that I know from personal experience, but I guess relating it to my experience, like, when I was growing up, like, I was always pretty pretty thin. Like, I had a really high metabolism. And I think when that changed for me, was kinda like, wait a minute. Like, who is that in the mirror a little bit?
You you know? And you just had to kinda learn to see your body in a different light. I think when you are somebody who might have, you know, be be a little overweight or somebody who is used to seeing themselves a little heavier, even when you do lose all this weight and you make all this progress, you almost look at yourself and in an inverse way, you're like, wait a minute. Who is that?
Yeah.
Or you're always sort of guarded because now there's sort of part of you that's always like, oh my god. What would happen if I went back to that? Or Oh, no. No. People think you know what
I mean? Yeah. No. I don't wanna I definitely don't wanna go backwards. That's for sure.
For sure. Nobody does, but I think you almost kind of have trained your your brain to be guarded in that way a little bit or so I would suspect. I can't speak for you, but do you know what I mean? Like, I I think there's there's changes that happen physically, but sometimes I feel like our brains and eyes and bodies don't necessarily work together when those correlations you know, like, when those when those things happen.
Yeah. No. No. I I mean, there's there's a you know, I think it's pretty reasonable to call it, like, body dysmorphia of some point. Like, I don't see myself well.
Like, listen. I I can you promise not to tell anybody when you get done here, I think I can say this because it'll be far enough out in the future. But, like, I I filmed a a a commercial for for Omnipod recently.
And Okay. Was it the one I saw something of?
No. You saw me do a video where I explained, like, some settings and stuff like that.
I actually Okay.
I actually made a commercial with them and a lot of other people, by the way. But Cool. But yeah. You would think. But, you know, the feeling of, like, oh god.
Like, they're gonna point that camera at me, and I'm not stood on the stage. I'm not, like, go rigged up and, you know, standing perfectly the way they want me to. I'm gonna be moving around doing it. I was, like, I was pretty mortified. Like, I was like, this is gonna be terrible.
I'm gonna look horrible. I'm gonna do a bad job. Like, I was pretty sure. And I got done, and the first thing I did was, you know, I texted the person who, you know, you know, asked me to do this thing. And I said, guys, I'm so if I get you fired, I'm so sorry.
You you know, like like and and she goes, I don't I don't know what you're talking about. I'm like, I I think I did a really bad job. Like, I don't even imagine you're gonna be able to use that. And that's all that, like I don't know where all that comes from because I got done and she says, Scott, listen. We we've seen the the rough cut already.
She's like, you're fantastic in this. Like, she's like, you are so personable and, like, like, at ease and, like and she and she's like, I I genuinely don't know why you feel that way. And and she's like, I just, you know, let me be comforting and tell you that's not the case. But I I don't know that about myself. Like, I Yeah.
Like, I if you made me sit here and intellectualize about it, I could remove myself from myself and tell you the things about me that are positive. But while I'm living, I don't feel that way. Oh, right. Yeah. You know?
And so, like, it it's it was really, like, I was worried about how I was gonna look. I was worried about and I I don't wanna give away too much, but it's a kind of a a comical thing, and that part I was fine with. But, like, I I mean, like, am I gonna look old? Am I gonna look fat? Am I gonna look like like, is this gonna be embarrassing?
Like, you know, I'm sure it's going to be. And then she sent me a couple of stills, and I'm like, this is fine. Like, I wonder what I was worried about even.
Right.
I mean, it's You know?
It's easy to get in your own head, though.
Man. 100%. Two two seconds in, and it didn't stop me. I still did the thing. But I was so unsure of it that as I walked away from it, I thought, oh god.
I botched that. And then and then you hear back from them, they're like, oh, it's so natural and good and blah blah blah. I'm like, wait. Really? Like, how is that?
I so, anyway, it and I don't know if that's ever gonna go away. I should just stop doing stuff like this, and I wouldn't have to think about it, honestly. But it it it is a good growth thing to go do something you're uncomfortable with. Yeah. But, anyway, I I you know, going back to this weekend, I I left that bathroom.
I put that post up, and I thought, I hope this helps somebody. I'm not I'm actively not gonna think about this again. I'm gonna walk around and enjoy myself. And and I did, and I didn't think about it again. I did actually, when I got to my car later, I real I found myself going like, oh, I put that post up.
I wonder if anybody interacted with it. And so it was a few hours later, and I went back and looked at it. And I think it had, like, 400 likes already, and it had been viewed, like, 16,000 times, like, because I figured and I was like, oh, wow. People are, like, looking at it. I'm and they're mostly saying the same thing I'm saying right now, which is I don't know.
Would he stay on it?48:25
Anyway, do you think you'll use a GLP, like, now that you see the impacts of it on your blood sugar? Do you think you'll just you think you'll continue to use it at a low level?
I think so. I mean, even if even if I stay at this level, like, I think I've really found a good kinda happy place because it's even wait. Like I said, wait aside. I mean, just decreasing my insulin needs, it helps a lot of those post meal spikes. You know?
I've just you don't get those such stubborn highs, you know, for as long or as often on it. I mean, it's it's done a lot of good things for my body and my my type one too.
I'm a huge fan of what I'm seeing it do for people.
Like Yeah. I mean, honestly and and I'm I don't know if she wants me to share this or not, but but my girlfriend's was on a GLP. She came off because her insurance stopped covering it. She just went back on again, but, like, she saw and she's been on it longer than I have, but she saw a huge thing too. She also has, PCOS, and she noticed a huge reduction in her symptoms with it.
And then she came off of it and started having those symptoms again and then went back on it and
Oh, sure.
Getting it better. You know? So just with with all the inflammation and, obviously, her having an illness that already causes inflammation, her HAE. You know what I mean? Like, taking away all the other other inflammation and and helping all those things in her body is, like, super huge for her too.
I'm I I believe that a million percent. I I I always go back right to the, like, brightest GLPs were becoming mainstream, like, but not no. These things have been around for so long, and then people act like it just happened. But but right when it got in in the I always I always think of it as the time when people are like, is that Mindy Kaling from The Office looks awfully thin? I think that's about the time everybody started paying attention to it.
Right?
Right. Right.
And there was this this just great little, like, you know, colloquial story of, like, this group of women in a PCOS Facebook group. And they all, like these are people who are, you know, by their own account or, you know, have been having unprotected sex and not getting pregnant for a long time. Yeah. And then went on GLPs and, like, boom, babies started coming. Right.
And I don't mean, like, after they lost 50 pounds all the time. Like, I mean, like, GLP hit them and, boom, they're having babies. Like, that's that's cool stuff. Yeah. Know?
It's crazy.
Yeah. I I can't wait to see what else they learn about all of it. Yeah. One of the big one of the big pharma companies is running, like like, an AI now just looking for, like, different ways to use drugs and looking for Mhmm. Different compounds that might be helpful and everything.
And I don't know if it'll I'm I'm excited by that idea. Like, I I hope they figure something out. You you know what I mean? Like, any for p it doesn't have to be around diabetes. For anybody out there struggling, how cool would it be if a computer just, like, sat up one day and went, oh, hey.
You know what? Look what we got here.
Right.
This this and this equals you feel better. Get out of here.
Right.
You know? Awesome. But but, yeah, GLPs have been I don't know. Like, I I I I I I'd say life changing for a lot of people, but I I wanted to say something more thoughtful than that. But I just think that's what I'm saying is for the people who are there helping, they're really, really helping.
They're yeah. They are. And I it sucks because, like, there's still unfortunately, at least I've seen, there's still a little bit of that stigma about them.
The stigma, from the firehouse floor51:57
Oh, a lot.
Which because not that I, I guess, should be worried about people's stigma towards me because I'm literally on a podcast talking about all my medical problems. But the you know, even even at work, people there's been other people that are maybe not diabetic. I know of another coworker that is on it and, you know, some of the guys have been kinda like, oh, like, just get in the gym more, just eat less. I'm like, no. You don't you don't understand.
Yeah. Like, it's it it doesn't have to do with just the easy way out. It's not because people aren't making good choices. Like, people are predisposed to, like
I have a metabolic issue.
Right. A metabolic issue. I I mean, type one diabetes. People have these things that trust me. I didn't choose this.
Believe it or not. Yeah. I'd love to I'd love to go to the gym and have it work for you the way it works for you.
Or, like, hey. I just don't eat that one piece of pizza when I'm, you know, 14 years old and suddenly I just don't get type one. Yeah. That's not how that works. Right.
You know? So I that's the the the kind of shitty thing is that I think it helps a lot of people. There's a lot of good, but there's still this, like, oh, well, that whole, like, get rich quick quote unquote type thing. Oh, you wanna get thin, you wanna just take the easy way out, and it's not
just that You're mixing you're mixing two different things.
A 100%.
Yeah. They don't have much to do with each other. Listen. I was, like, somewhere recently again, I and I feel terrible saying this, but I was with a person who desperately needs a GLP medication. And I will be at this person's funeral and way and way sooner than I should.
And now that person has got to see me over the last three years and the just, you know, the transformation that's happened for me. And they I'm not doing that. I'm not cheating like you did. And I'm like, oh, okay. Okay.
Yeah. I'm like, cheating what? Cheating who? Like, who who do you think you're cheating against? Like, what's the
Right. What what's the race?
Like, like, what's the measurement we're using right now? Like, what do you it's it's not the Olympics. Like, you're you're trying to stay alive. No? You know?
And I I wonder if they even see it that way. Like, do they do they think of it as their size? And did they even see their size as their health? And what and and by the way, if if if cheating was the only way to stay alive, well, then sign me up if that's the case. Like like, what's the there's no other alternative.
Like, you don't reset and come back. Like, you know what I mean? Like, is
take Yeah.
Yeah. You don't just hit reset on your controller and give it another whirl. You're gone now. And and so even if it is cheating like, let's just take that argument away. Let's say it's cheating.
Who cares? Like, what? Like, you're trying to you're not stealing from anybody. You're not hurting anybody. It's only helping you.
And and and I mean, and even if you have a psychological go see a therapist. Sure. Yeah.
Yeah. That I mean, that's almost similar to saying, like, well, you're on an insulin pump that has an algorithm, so that's cheating. That's why you have such good numbers, and I don't be like like, that's not cheating.
Well, imagine imagine you got a guy in the rig who's in cardiac arrest. You pull the paddles out, and he goes, no. No. No. No.
I don't wanna cheat. Right. I'll live or die the way Jesus intended. You can't hit me with those paddles. I'll tell you what, Prince tried that, and now I haven't heard Purple Rang sing Rang sung live in quite some time.
Right. Yeah. Yeah. So, like, sometimes you need help. You know?
And that's I think that's also depending on who it is. Again, I don't know this person, but I think that can also be, like, an ego thing a
little bit. It definitely is.
You know?
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
So I think that has a lot to do with it. And especially guys, I mean, you know, trust me, there's we got a firehouse full of people Those guys? Too, but full full of guys, and it's you know, you can definitely tell the ones who got a little bit of an ego trip versus the ones that don't. I mean, we're all human. We all have our our things.
But Mhmm. You know, ego can play a lot more into things than I think people realize sometimes.
Ego, heart attacks, and staying alive55:58
He's gone now, and I imagine he'd be okay with this story helping another person. My father-in-law had a heart attack when he was 50 years old. Wow. Which is now 20 would have been twenty six years ago maybe. Has a heart attack and has numbness in his hand, so rubs Neosporin in his hand.
Mhmm. And while he's standing around his house for hours with his heart muscle dying. Mhmm. And people are trying to get him to no. No.
No. And finally, he acquiesces. He says, I'll go to the hospital, but I gotta get a shower first. Like, what are you trying to do? Beat the heart attack?
Like like Right. Of all the and I've said this to his face when he was live. So he he's I was nicer about it than I'm being now. But, like but the but but, you know, we've we've talked about it. And I again, I feel like he'd be comfortable with this helping another person.
But, like, he stood there wasting his heart muscle, and I think it's for the reason you just said. Like, ego. Like, I can beat this. You cannot beat a heart attack. You can't beat metabolic issues that are adding, you know, adipose fat to your body constantly or giving you fatty liver or the Right.
Or the, I don't know, the, you know, the the addiction you might have to process foods. Like, you're not beating that. That's not how this works. You you you know? So some things are stronger than you.
But what if you had a little friend called Gilp and you just like, would it be better if they gave it another name? Why don't we give it another name? See if that helps people. Right. I shot mine last night.
I was sitting here working, and I I my pen was on my desk, and it was my intention to make a little a episode around it and I just didn't have the time. And I thought, well, I could wait till tomorrow and shoot this and then do the recording. And I thought, no. I'm not doing that to myself. I need it today.
And Yeah. Like, today's my day and I and I stuck it in. I do think I would love for people with type one who are finding value in it to also figure out how to how to microdose it in ways that, like, help them with their blood sugar or help them with any of the metabolic issues they might be having, but don't cause them to lose a weight if they don't need to. And Right. You know, there is another side of it.
Like, it's hard to be hungry on it, and and that is it can be hard to eat for some people. So, you know, Arden's a good example She doesn't need the whole 2.5. Right. But she's got an issue where she's not comfortable, and so she has to use the auto injector. So then she spends time not eating as much or it's harder for her to eat, and I don't want that for her either.
Like, you know, I less of it would be better for her.
Right. Yeah. I remember you had said in previous episodes that she's not a huge fan of the needles.
She got she's got a real issue with needles, and, you know, it's it's a real thing.
I mean, that's that's legit. I totally understand that. But, yeah, I mean, even like you said, just if you do end up doing that kind of off brand because it's off brand now, but shooting that auto injector into a vial and then measuring out a certain percentage of it into regular syringes and injecting it to microdose it. I mean,
you know Not a doctor, not advice. Ask somebody about it, though. That's right. Do some looking.
But but but I could see that I could hope or at least when I say I could see that, I I would hope to be able to see that into the future that it's not like a a two and a half or five, you know, instead of just these offices, what we saw that worked in the trials, like, opening up. We're gonna give GLP and similar to how we do settings, we're gonna experiment where your sweet spot is. Okay. You're you're not having good outcomes. We're gonna increase it.
Okay. We did too much. Back it down. Yep.
You know what I mean? Should it should be just like insulin. It should be individualized. It should be for your need. And Right.
This is my assumption. Keeping in mind the guy who barely got through high school didn't go to one day of college. This is my assumptions and what I think. But I I I don't know that every seven days is necessary for everybody. I don't know that the full dose is necessary for everybody, but there is a sweet spot in there that would help people.
Mhmm.
And Right. And when and once we get and it is all by the way, it's all money and insurance. That's why those doses are done that way. Always. But once we get past that and they stick it into a vial and your doctor can be thoughtful about it, boom.
Like, you're gonna see like, this what you're seeing now ain't gonna be nothing. Like, it's Right. Really gonna help people. Like, imagine, listen, you know, what do they say? Like, when you're putting belly fat on, especially that's probably insulin resistance.
Right? That's how that belly fat comes. Imagine imagine that it's creeping on you slowly and it's gonna take fifteen years, and then you're gonna be a prediabetic at some point. Like, what if someone just hit you with a needle every ten days with the tiniest little bit of liquid in it, even such that that you might not even, like, feel it. Like, you it might not really change things for you except for slightly about how your digestion works and how much insulin that produces for you.
And that keeps that from happening for you. My god. Right. Like, sign me up.
But but that's also a lot of preventative. Right? So, like, I know that not to say it's necessarily political because I know it's a big no no. But, like, we talk about health care being preventative, like reactive versus proactive, and I think that that approach is a very good proactive approach. We're preventing long term complications.
We're preventing people from being full blown type two diabetic or having full blown insulin resistance later in life.
Yeah. Yeah.
You know what I mean? Like, it it's
a Listen. If you're waiting for a doctor to do that for you, you you'd probably be dead first. So you're you're gonna need to look into it for yourself. And I that's no shade for doctors. That's just not how this works.
And it's not how people think.
And I and I I agree with that too, you know, but but I I definitely would love to see those things happen instead of waiting for something to happen to to start being more proactive and
and to treat I've hearing people say that for twenty years. That's not coming anytime. It's not coming anytime soon. Like, you're you're you're it's too much. Like, you're asking too much of people.
They're in jobs. They have rules. They've been trained. Right. They're gonna do the thing they're gonna do.
So it's up to people like you having conversations with other people and and hopefully someone listens. And I would say that, you know, most people aren't going to.
No. They don't.
But some will. And those are the people you'll help and it's best you can do.
Right. I that's a great point too. I you know, talking about coming on and being able to do anything with with type one, I had had a you know, I'd I'd taken care of a a patient once, which I I can't say too much, but this patient had type one and it it was a child. And I was talking with mom and and he had been home because he you know, his sugars were so high and she's like, why just keep him home from school? I'm like, your son's 13.
I'm like, how are you keeping him home from school? Well, he has diabetes. I'm like, well, guess what? So do I. She stopped and she's like, you have diabetes?
And I'm like, like, yeah. I do. She's like, and and you do this job? And I'm like, yes. I do.
Yeah. And I'm like, this is this is proof that we should be able to help your son out tonight and proof that we can get him back into school and, like, he he can live a normal life. Like Yeah. And I and it was really nice because I think it obviously resonated with her. I don't know where they were in their journey, but and, you know, to be able to see him obviously see that, but, like, that's an example of of helping.
Mhmm. You know? But, like, you either have those those epiphany moments where you're like, holy cow. Somebody did this and we're gonna make things better or for you're just, nope. Don't do it.
Not gonna listen. And that's completely dependent on the person and the ego, again, of course.
Yeah. Human side's tough. Like Mhmm. All of it is. I mean, in every level of life, I could I've been I could stop this podcast right now and and do 1,800 episodes on just the confusing decisions we all make all the time.
Yeah. You know? So but yeah. I mean, over the the the assumptions we jump to and then you start basing an entire reality around something that's not true. And then before you know it, you've alienated yourself and someone else.
I've always said if you if you tell yourself a lie enough times, it becomes your own personal truth.
Yeah. No. It's really it it's a
You know?
Being alive is interesting. But, anyway, like, to oversimplify it, like, if you had to cheat to stay alive, then, I mean, I I don't this seems like a good idea to me. Right. Right.
Sign me up.
Yeah. Yeah. Sign me up to stay alive is is the way I would like for you to think about it. Gonna be a a really important thing for you not to die. And so and once you do, by the way, then I don't know what are you worried about after that.
Like, it's all gone. Right. So For sure. You know? And if you think and by the way, I I guess, in fairness to people who believe otherwise, you know, that's how I feel.
I don't think I don't think I'm coming back and getting another whirl at this. So Right. If you that's a hell of a risk to take, by the way, because, you know, you shut your eyes and don't open them back up again. You're gonna be like, oh, shit. Took that JLP.
Gotcha. You know, if you get if you get I that's my biggest fear that there's nothing after this except for thirty seconds where I get to know there's nothing after it. And I go, oh, jeez. Oh, I should've done a couple of other things. I didn't know it was gonna end like this.
Right.
But, anyway, you terrific, actually, Nick. I I do really appreciate you doing this with me. And please thank your girlfriend for foisting you on me like this. It's fantastic.
I will. Yeah. I mean, she definitely didn't force me, but I I was like, you know what? I should do it. So I I have to give a lot of credit to her too.
She's a she's a real saint.
So Oh, man. Tell her if she has any other people she thinks should come on the podcast to let me know because she's good at this. Okay. That's really awesome. Alright, man.
I do appreciate it. Thank you so much. Hold on one second for me. Okay?
Okay.
To learn more and see if you might be able to get Twist from the pharmacy and try it for free, head to visit.twist.com/juicebox. That's visit.twist.com/juicebox. Or give them a call at 18774. That's +1 (877) 489-4478 and tell them Scott sent you. TWIST requires a prescription and is indicated for people with type one diabetes six and older.
Arden has been getting her diabetes supplies from US Med for years. You can as well. Usmed.com/juicebox or call (888) 721-1514. Many thanks to US Med for sponsoring this episode and for being and for being longtime sponsors of the juice box podcast. There are links in the show notes and links at juiceboxpodcast.com to US Med, Twist, and today's other awesome sponsor, the Eversense CGM.
They make, of course, the Eversense three sixty five, and that thing lasts an entire year. One insertion every year. Come on. You probably feel like I'm messing with you, but I'm not. Ever since cgm.com/juicebox.
Check it out. Let's face it. Diabetes is tough, but it's easier when you have a community around you. So if you're looking for a great community around type one diabetes, check out the juice box podcast private Facebook group. Juice box podcast type one diabetes, but everyone's welcome.
Type one, type two, gestational, loved ones, it doesn't matter to me. If you're impacted by diabetes and you're looking for support, comfort, or community, check out the Juice Box podcast private Facebook group. Juice Box podcast, type one diabetes on Facebook. I promise you it is the most unfacebook like experience that you'll ever, ever find. What a great group of people.
I don't like saying this usually because it dates the ad, but right now, there are 86,000 active members. 86,000 people in there who might have your experience, know what to say, or just be a great shoulder to lean on. Don't be too proud to find a community. It really does help, and it's completely free. Juicebox podcast, type one diabetes on Facebook.
I just wanna say thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of the juice box podcast. If you're not subscribed, please subscribe in a podcast app. It really helps Apple podcast, Spotify, or whatever your favorite audio app is. Like and subscribe.
You know what the kids say on the YouTube? Like and subscribe. It really does help. And if you're already subscribed, please tell a friend or your endo or somebody you think might enjoy the podcast as well. Word-of-mouth is the only way that it grows.
Once again, I've been Scott. You've been fantastic, and we'll be right back with another episode of the juice box podcast.
Read the full disclaimer
© 2007–2026 Juicebox Podcast. All rights reserved.
