Brian Prehna: Type 1 Diabetes Success Story

Brian was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 33. Although he lived a healthy lifestyle and competed in CrossFit, he quickly learned that type 1 diabetes is not preventable.

After nearly five years of A1c results above 9%, Brian watched the PBS documentary Blood Sugar Rising: America’s Hidden Diabetes Epidemic. Seeing people with diabetes complications and hearing their regrets became a turning point. “It finally clicked that I needed to take control of my diabetes before it’s too late,” he said.

Since then, Brian has dramatically improved his diabetes management, lowering his A1c to 6.5%. His diabetes care team, including nurse practitioner Nancy Sidhom, is extremely proud of his efforts and success. “He did what he had to do, and his blood sugars are outstanding,” said Sidhom.

Brian came to realize that using an insulin pump did not mean he could eat whatever he wanted without consequences. The numbers showed that tighter control required more attention to daily habits.

He now uses an OmniPod insulin pump and Dexcom continuous glucose monitor and has added a Fitbit to help him stay active and aware of his routines. By paying closer attention to the food he eats, he also lost 15 pounds. His progress was significant enough that his care team lowered his nighttime insulin and discontinued his daily pill medications.

Before the pandemic, Brian was dealing with work stress, poor eating habits and out-of-control blood sugars. At that time, his A1c was 8.7%. He began meeting with a behavioral health psychologist at UMass Memorial, who helped him identify the factors affecting his diabetes management and develop practical action steps.

Through that work, Brian learned how to redirect his anxiety into productive habits instead of focusing on what he could not control. Those appointments also reinforced the progress he was already making and helped him build confidence in his approach.

Brian now lives on Cape Cod but continues to receive his diabetes care at UMass Memorial Medical Center. He combines annual in-person visits with regular telehealth appointments and says the support system has reinforced the center’s team-based approach to care.