Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1738 Smooth Operator – Part 1
Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Claire
Date: January 15, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode welcomes Claire, who has managed Type 1 diabetes for a decade since being diagnosed at age 29. The conversation centers on Claire’s diagnosis journey, the impact of community support, strategies for adopting diabetes technology, pregnancy management with Type 1, and how patient-led resources like this podcast supported her journey. Scott and Claire’s discussion is candid and supportive, blending practical insights with humor and personal anecdotes.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Claire’s Diagnosis Journey

• Diagnosis Circumstances

  • Claire was diagnosed at 29 after running a marathon and then coming down with the flu, which she never quite recovered from ([15:52]).
  • Her symptoms included significant weight loss, increased thirst, and frequent urination.
  • She was diagnosed during a lunchtime doctor visit and immediately given insulin pens ([15:33-15:48]).

  “I got diagnosed on my lunch break at work. Went to the doctor on my lunch break, and they handed me insulin pens. I'm like, okay, here you go. Inject. What are you talking about?” — Claire ([15:33])

• Initial Reactions and Misconceptions

  • Claire was surprised, thinking she was “too old for type one and too healthy for type two” due to misconceptions ([17:01]).
  • She didn’t initially go to the ER, following doctor guidance instead.

  "In my head, I was like, oh, I'm too old for type one because that's for kids. And then I don’t think I have type 2 because I just ran a marathon, you know?" — Claire ([17:29])

• Immediate Post-Diagnosis

  • Despite the diagnosis, she took an international trip to Australia shortly after, filling her insulin prescription on the way to the airport ([22:27]).
  • She stayed with family friends, one of whom was a nurse.

  "I was diagnosed on a Wednesday of my lunch break, and Sunday, I had already bought and paid for my ticket to go to Sydney, Australia. So I got on an international flight on Sunday." — Claire ([21:28])

The Role of Community and Peer Support

• Finding a Support Group

  • Claire joined an in-person Type 1 support group about a year after diagnosis, initially due to “peer pressure” ([04:29]).
  • She found hearing from peers more valuable than brief doctor appointments.

  “It was different hearing it from somebody living with it than a doctor. When your doctor's like, oh, these things are out there, I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, cool. What do I have to do now?” — Claire ([05:01])

• Value of Real-Life Experience

  • The support group exposed her to new technologies (CGM, insulin pump), with members sharing real-life benefits ([05:01-07:31]).
  • Meetings allowed for “drinking from the fire hose,” i.e., overwhelming but valuable information in a supportive environment.

  "It was just interesting to be in that environment because I'd never been surrounded by type ones before." — Claire ([06:25])

Embracing Diabetes Technology

• Switching to CGM

  • Initially, Claire thought she was managing well with finger sticks, but the CGM revealed significant blood sugar swings ([08:03]).
  • The revelation was initially depressing but ultimately motivating.

  “I thought I was doing a great job. Oh, no, I'm doing terribly. But then it was, like, motivation to do better, to learn more, to try and fix those spikes.” — Claire ([08:13])

• Ongoing Learning

  • Claire searched out educational resources, including the Juicebox Podcast and peer tips.
  • She describes her learning as incremental: “one phase at a time” ([10:57]).

Doctor/Patient Disconnect and Reproductive Health

• Physician Interactions

  • Claire appreciated her endo but found brief, checklist-focused visits less helpful than peer conversations ([06:46]).
  • She notes early focus on pregnancy-related risks (“from day one, every time I walked in that office, they're like, okay, pregnancy” — [10:57-11:48]).

• Navigating Pregnancy with Type 1

  • The medical emphasis on pregnancy was jarring given her life stage, but highlighted for her the tight blood sugar control required before/during pregnancy.
  • She jokes about “pre-bolusing your baby” ([11:48]).

Emotional Impact & Family Reactions

• Processing with Family

  • Claire delayed telling her parents at first, later calling them for emotional support ([18:10-19:56]).
  • Parents felt guilt, distance, relief, and helplessness.

  “They probably felt like a whole spectrum of emotions... part of them felt like guilty. Like it was their genes that did it right. But it really doesn't run in our family.” — Claire ([19:56])

The Evolving Role of the Podcast

• When and Why She Listened

  • Claire began listening around 2016–2017, focusing on community stories and later on technology and pro tip episodes ([26:08]).
  • She brought her husband into listening, especially for “support person” and “Type 1 pregnancy” episodes ([27:00-27:34]).
  • Jenny Smith’s pregnancy book became a bedside staple ([27:46-27:51]).

• How Scott’s Podcast Fit Into Her Life

  • Claire describes Scott as a “coach” or “godfather” — always available if needed, not invasive ([28:36]).
  • She appreciates the podcast’s informal, “no agenda” tone compared to other content.

  “The first word that comes to mind is coach. Right. Like, somebody who's kind of always, always there for you if you need them... kind of like coach, a guide, maybe. Like, maybe not like a grandfather, but like a godfather, you know?” — Claire ([28:36])

Managing Type 1 in Pregnancy

• Preparation and Goal Setting

  • Claire began to target tighter blood sugar ranges and time-in-range prior to conception, as recommended for Type 1 pregnancy ([34:42-35:51]).
  • Coordinated care with an endocrinologist, OB, and maternal fetal medicine (MFM).

  “Their goal for me is to be under six and a half at conception and then preferably under six during the pregnancy. And I think I was, I definitely met both those goals.” — Claire ([35:57])

• Experience During Pregnancy

  • Claire describes the intensity of diabetes management while pregnant: counting macros, pre-bolusing, meal prep, and frequent adjustments ([38:07]).
  • She felt unusually energetic, attributing it to excellent blood sugar control, and appreciated the “extra vital sign” her CGM provided.

  “When I was pregnant, it's so funny because people would talk about how tired you are, and I was tired, but at the same time, I felt like I had great energy. And I think it was because my blood sugar was so tightly controlled.” — Claire ([38:07])

  “The coolest part about being pregnant with Type one was having that CGM information was like an extra vital sign.” — Claire ([39:19])

• Postpartum Adjustment

  • After giving birth, she had to adapt to less time and energy for such tight management and shifted to a more sustainable approach ([38:07]).

Humor and Memorable Moments

• Podcast Fame

  • Playful banter about Scott’s place as a “famous” figure—famous in the diabetes world, but not comparable to celebrities ([31:08]).

  “You're definitely famous in the diabetes community… but you're not on, like, Taylor Swift, Travis [level]…” — Claire ([31:08])

• Naming Babies

  • A running inside joke about naming babies after Scott and a real-life fan tattoo (“Bold with insulin”), used to illustrate impact and community ([39:49-40:23]).

  “Thank you. Did it stay for more than a day or. No. On the list?” — Scott ([39:42]), as Claire admits "Scott" didn't make the final baby name shortlist.

Timestamps of Major Segments

• Diagnosis and Early Experiences: [02:36] – [17:47]
• Joining and Learning from Support Groups: [04:29] – [07:31]
• CGM Discovery and Emotional Impact: [08:03] – [09:00]
• Podcast Journey & Real-Life Resources: [24:54] – [31:08]
• Pregnancy Preparation and Management: [34:39] – [39:19]
• Postpartum Experience, Baby Names, and Fan Community: [38:07] – [43:49]

Notable Quotes

• “You don't have that family tie. No, not to age you. Sorry, that was not my intent with that. But more just like, you know, people have godparents, right. That are not their bloodline. They're always going to be there for them.” — Claire ([29:03])
• “It was cool to hear other people's experience with [technology]…instead of a 15 minute doctor's appointment, it was like an hour or two meeting. And then, you know, during the meeting, everything's beeping, everyone's beeping, and, you know, nobody flinches because it's so normal.” — Claire ([06:00])
• “What I thought was happening isn’t happening. You get that moment…it probably makes you feel like, oh, I've been putting all this effort…and it's not even working. But instead of feeling that way, you say, well, at least I know now.” — Scott ([09:00])
• “When I was pregnant…it was just very interesting to look back on...” — Claire ([38:07])

Tone and Style

• Warm, Informal, Direct: Both Scott and Claire blend medical self-empowerment with warmth and humor. They offer practical, relatable guidance without glossing over the emotional or logistical challenges.
• Supportive Community Focus: The conversation is accessible to listeners at any stage of their Type 1 journey and encourages using peer resources alongside medical advice.

Summary

This episode provides an authentic look at how one woman — with the help of community, technology, and patient-driven resources — navigated late-onset Type 1 diagnosis, daily management, and the complexity of pregnancy. Claire’s story, complimented by Scott’s empathetic facilitation and humorous tangents, offers both practical diabetes wisdom and a reassuring message: support and information are out there, and the journey doesn’t have to be linear or lonely.

Note: For the continuation of Claire’s pregnancy experience and management strategies, listen to Part 2.