What happens when the diabetes strategies that worked for years suddenly stop working the same way?

For women with type 1 diabetes entering perimenopause and menopause, changing estrogen and progesterone can affect insulin sensitivity, blood sugar patterns, sleep, weight, mood, and the amount of insulin we need. Yet for years, many women have walked into diabetes appointments with these concerns only to discover that no one was connecting the dots.

In this episode, I welcome back Dawn Adams, midwife, diabetes advocate, researcher, and woman living with type 1 diabetes since 1993.

Dawn has helped bring the lived experiences of women with diabetes into international research on menopause and women's health. We talk about why those lived experiences matter, what researchers are finally beginning to document, and why the next step has to be translating research into better conversations and better care.

We also talk about:

• Why women with type 1 diabetes have often felt unseen during perimenopause and menopause
• What women are reporting about changing blood sugars, insulin needs, weight, sleep, brain fog, and other symptoms
• Why CGM, insulin pump, and insulin-dose data could help researchers better understand hormonal changes
• The growing research around menopause and diabetes
• Hormone therapy and why the conversation has changed significantly since the original WHI headlines
• Why symptoms and lived experience matter—not just age or lab values
• The need for diabetes technology to better support women through hormonal transitions
• How women can use credible research to advocate for better conversations with their healthcare providers

One of my favorite reminders from this conversation is that if we have the information, we can ask better questions.

That is also why I wrote Highs, Lows & Hormones: A Survival Guide for Women Managing Diabetes—from Monthly Cycles to Menopause. Dawn was one of my advanced readers, and during our conversation she shares why having reliable, evidence-based information can give women the courage to advocate for themselves.

This conversation is about more than menopause. It's about making sure the women coming behind us have better information, better support, and hopefully a much easier path than many of us had.

About Dawn Adams

Dawn Adams was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes during her final year of teacher training in 1993. After more than a decade working in education, she retrained as a midwife.

Dawn advocates for diabetes research through #dedoc, the International Diabetes Federation Blue Circle Voices Network, and Menopause Together. She is a member of the TREND Diabetes Committee and is frequently invited to speak at international conferences on diabetes and women's health.

She has collaborated with researchers from Ulster University, Diabetes UK, and University College London on the experiences of women with diabetes during menopause and has worked with Abbott Laboratories to highlight stigma surrounding diabetes and menopause.

Dawn also facilitates peer-support networks for people living with diabetes locally, nationally, and globally.

Listen to Dawn Adams in EP 25

Research Referenced in This Episode

Dawn referenced several research papers exploring the experiences of women living with diabetes through menopause, women's health, and the need for more sex-specific diabetes research.

Women Living With Diabetes: Overlooked and Under-Recognized, the Psychosocial Impact

Published: July 2026 Explores the often-overlooked psychosocial experiences and challenges faced by women living with diabetes.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/dme.70389

One Size Does Not Fit All: The Need for Sex-Specific Precision Medicine in Diabetes Technology

Published: May 2025 Highlights the need to consider sex-specific differences when developing and using diabetes technology and calls for a more individualized approach to diabetes care.

https://doi.org/10.1177/19322968251340673

Supporting Women in Menopause

Published: March 2025 Addresses the need for greater awareness and support for women navigating menopause alongside diabetes.

https://doi.org/10.1111/dme.70039

Women's Experiences of Living Through Menopause With Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: A Scoping Review

Published: May 2024 Examines the available research surrounding the experiences of women with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes as they navigate menopause.

https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/241398893/Review_Protocol_.pdf

A Pilot on the Endocrine Effects of Hormonal Replacement Therapy on Menopausal T1 Diabetics Using Wearable Sensors

Published: November 2022 Explores the use of wearable diabetes technology to examine the endocrine effects of hormone replacement therapy in menopausal women living with Type 1 Diabetes.

https://doi.org/10.3390/ecsa-9-13215

Connect with Dawn Adams:

IG @t1dawnie

Connect with Melissa Slemp:

Follow on:

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Linkedin

Check out Melissa's website

Purchase Melissa's book, Highs, Lows, & Hormones

Connect with other like-minded women in a supportive group coaching community:

Highs, Lows, & Hormones Circle

Visit diabetessisters.org to join. It's free, easy to use, and a great place to find community and support.

Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.

What if the things that worked for your type 1 diabetes at 30 simply don't work the same anymore?

Your insulin needs change. Hormones change. Sleep, recovery, energy and body composition can change too. Yet everywhere we turn, we're being told there is another diet, supplement, workout, peptide or strategy we should be doing to fix it.

After 44 years of living with type 1 diabetes, I'm learning something important: I don't need my old body back. I need to understand the body I'm living in right now.

In this episode, I'm sharing five ways I'm rethinking what it means to age well with type 1 diabetes:

1. Stop expecting your body to respond like it did 20 years ago. Different doesn't mean worse. Hormones, insulin sensitivity, muscle mass, sleep, stress and recovery change—and our strategies may need to change with them.

2. More discipline isn't always the answer. Before eating less, exercising more, adding another supplement or assuming you need to try harder, ask: What has changed?

3. Become curious instead of critical. Blood sugar changes, hunger, poor sleep, slower recovery and changes in energy are not a grade on how well you're managing diabetes.

4. Change your definition of success. A1C, time in range, weight and insulin needs matter, but they aren't the whole story. Strength, muscle, bone health, energy, sleep, relationships and confidence in your diabetes decisions matter too.

5. Make advocacy part of your diabetes management. Don't automatically accept "that's just aging" or "that's just menopause." Ask questions about hormones, thyroid health, sleep, bone and muscle health, sexual and pelvic health, and changes in your insulin needs.

We're also talking about the pressure women feel to have the perfect CGM graph, perfect body, perfect diet and perfect routine—and why someone else's carefully selected moment shouldn't become the measuring stick for your health.

Aging with type 1 diabetes isn't about getting your 30-year-old body back. It's about learning how to care for the woman you are today.

I also share why I wrote Highs, Lows & Hormones and how we're continuing these deeper conversations inside the Highs, Lows & Hormones Circle, where women with diabetes can ask questions, learn from one another and feel supported as their bodies and diabetes needs change.

Connect with Melissa Slemp:

Follow on:

Instagram

Tik Tok

YouTube

Linkedin

Check out Melissa's website

Purchase Melissa's book, Highs, Lows, & Hormones

Connect with other like-minded women in a supportive group coaching community:

Highs, Lows, & Hormones Circle

Visit diabetessisters.org to join. It's free, easy to use, and a great place to find community and support.

Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.

What happens when a women's health nurse practitioner also lives with type 1 diabetes herself?

In this episode of the Type 1 in Midlife Podcast, Melissa sits down with Dena Kranzberg, DNP, WHNP-BC, women's health nurse practitioner, certified personal trainer, and woman living with type 1 diabetes for 35 years.

Melissa and Dena talk openly about the intersection of type 1 diabetes, perimenopause, menopause, hormone replacement therapy (HRT/MHT), insulin sensitivity, strength training, nutrition, and metabolic health—and why these pieces of women's health shouldn't be treated in isolation.

Dena shares how her own experience with type 1 diabetes influences the way she cares for women, including one of her guiding principles: just as there is no single diabetes regimen that works for everyone, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to hormone therapy.

They also discuss why symptoms such as joint pain, brain fog, fatigue, sleep changes, body composition changes, mood shifts, tinnitus, and changing blood sugars may deserve a closer look during perimenopause—even when hot flashes aren't part of the picture.

You'll also hear Dena's personal experience beginning hormone therapy in her 30s, becoming a competitive bodybuilder while managing type 1 diabetes, and why she believes strength training is one of the most important habits women can build for glucose management, muscle, bone health, and healthy aging.

Most importantly, this conversation is a reminder that your experience is real, your symptoms matter, and you don't have to wait until things get worse to start asking questions.

In this episode:

• Type 1 diabetes and changing insulin needs during perimenopause
• Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone
• Individualizing hormone replacement therapy
• Symptoms of perimenopause beyond hot flashes
• Muscle as a tool for glucose management and healthy aging
• Strength training, protein and body composition
• HRT, joint pain, sleep, energy and metabolic health
• Advocating for yourself when something has changed
• Why women's health needs a more holistic approach

If you're a woman with type 1 diabetes navigating perimenopause or menopause or simply wondering why your body and blood sugars suddenly seem to be playing by different rules, this is a conversation you'll want to hear.

Whether you're experiencing symptoms or simply want to better understand your body, this conversation is filled with practical education and encouragement.

Connect with Dena Kranzberg:

IG

@denabetic

@denathednp

Linkedin

Connect with Melissa Slemp:

Follow on:

Instagram

Tik Tok

YouTube

Linkedin

Check out Melissa's website

Purchase Melissa's book, Highs, Lows, & Hormones

Connect with other like-minded women in a supportive group coaching community:

Highs, Lows, & Hormones Circle

Visit diabetessisters.org to join. It's free, easy to use, and a great place to find community and support.

Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.

Most women have heard the words pelvic floor, but few of us truly understand what it does—or how much it influences our everyday lives.

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Casey Mosos, pelvic floor physical therapist, dry needling certified clinician, and perinatal exercise specialist. Casey specializes in helping women overcome pelvic pain, endometriosis, bladder concerns, painful intimacy, pregnancy and postpartum recovery, and so much more.

What makes this conversation especially meaningful is that Casey also lives with endometriosis herself, bringing both professional expertise and personal understanding to the women she serves.

Together, we discuss why pelvic floor health deserves far more attention, especially as women move through midlife and menopause. We also explore how hormones, vaginal estrogen, and chronic conditions like type 1 diabetes can impact pelvic tissues and why so many women are silently living with symptoms they assume are simply "part of getting older."

In this episode, we discuss:

• What the pelvic floor actually is and why it matters
• Common symptoms women should never ignore
• Pelvic pain and why it is never something you should simply "live with"
• Endometriosis and its long-term impact on women's health
• Painful intercourse and what can be done about it
• The important role of vaginal estrogen for tissue health
• Bladder leakage, urgency, and pelvic floor dysfunction
• Constipation and bowel health
• Pregnancy and postpartum recovery
• Why pelvic floor therapy is about so much more than Kegel exercises
• The connection between chronic disease, hormones, and pelvic health
• When it's time to seek help from a pelvic floor physical therapist

Whether you're experiencing symptoms or simply want to better understand your body, this conversation is filled with practical education and encouragement.

About Dr. Casey Mosos

Dr. Casey Mosos is a pelvic floor physical therapist, dry needling certified clinician, and perinatal exercise specialist passionate about helping women feel empowered in their bodies. She specializes in treating pelvic pain and endometriosis, a condition she personally lives with, giving her both clinical expertise and firsthand understanding of the challenges many women face.

Originally from Pennsylvania and raised in the Florida Keys, Casey earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. Through education rooted in evidence and real-life experience, she helps women better understand their bodies and find hope for healing.

Connect with Dr. Casey Mosos

Instagram: @dr.caseymosos

Business Instagram: @insideoutpelvicpt

Website: Inside Out Pelvic Health and Wellness

Email: [email protected]

Connect with Melissa Slemp:

Follow on:

Instagram

Tik Tok

YouTube

Linkedin

Check out Melissa's website

Purchase Melissa's book, Highs, Lows, & Hormones

Connect with other like-minded women in a supportive group coaching community:

Highs, Lows, & Hormones Circle

Visit diabetessisters.org to join. It's free, easy to use, and a great place to find community and support.

Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.

In this final episode of my three-part hormone series, we're talking about the hormone many women overlook: testosterone.

Most women associate testosterone with men, but it plays a critical role in women's health too. From muscle maintenance and metabolism to energy, motivation, confidence, recovery, and insulin sensitivity, testosterone influences far more than most of us realize.

If you've been feeling weaker in the gym, struggling with brain fog, noticing changes in body composition, or simply feeling less motivated than you used to, low testosterone may be part of the conversation worth having with your healthcare provider.

In this episode, you'll learn:

✔ Common physical symptoms of low testosterone ✔ Why muscle is one of the most powerful tools for metabolic health ✔ The connection between testosterone and insulin sensitivity ✔ Mental and emotional signs that may be overlooked ✔ Possible signs your testosterone levels may be too high ✔ Questions to ask your healthcare provider ✔ Why symptoms—not just lab numbers—matter when evaluating hormone health

Throughout this series, we've explored how estrogen helps us feel balanced, progesterone helps us feel calm, and testosterone helps us feel strong.

Most importantly, I want you to remember this:

Your symptoms are not random. They are information.

When you learn how to recognize patterns and connect the dots, you become a stronger advocate for your health and your future.

Resources Mentioned

📘 Highs, Lows & Hormones: A Survival Guide for Women Managing Diabetes from Monthly Cycles to Menopause

Inside the book you'll find:

• The Symptom Hormone Matching Guide (Chapter 4)
• Symptom tracking worksheets
• Hormone education designed specifically for women managing diabetes
• Practical tools to help you communicate more effectively with your healthcare team
• Access to 12 companion resources and guides

Get your copy of the book through the link below.

If this episode encouraged you, please share it with another woman who needs this conversation today.

Connect with Melissa Slemp:

Follow on:

Instagram

Tik Tok

YouTube

Linkedin

Check out Melissa's website

Purchase Melissa's book, Highs, Lows, & Hormones

Connect with other like-minded women in a supportive group coaching community:

Type 1 In Midlife Coaching Circle

Visit diabetessisters.org to join. It's free, easy to use, and a great place to find community and support.

Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.

If you've ever been told, "Your thyroid labs are normal," yet you still struggle with fatigue, brain fog, stubborn weight gain, or unpredictable blood sugars, this episode is for you.

I'm joined by Dr. Amie Hornaman, known as "The Thyroid Fixer," to unpack one of the most overlooked pieces of women's health—your thyroid.

We explore why thyroid dysfunction is so common in women living with type 1 diabetes, the powerful connection between Hashimoto's and autoimmune disease, and why standard thyroid testing often misses the full picture.

Dr. Amie also explains how thyroid hormones influence insulin sensitivity, metabolism, energy, and even menopause symptoms. Most importantly, she shares practical ways to advocate for yourself so you can stop settling for "normal" when you know something still isn't right.

Whether you've been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, Hashimoto's, or you're simply searching for answers, this conversation will help you better understand your body and feel more confident asking the right questions.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why the thyroid is often called the body's "master gland" • The connection between Hashimoto's and type 1 diabetes • How thyroid function affects insulin needs and blood sugar • Why TSH alone doesn't tell the whole story • Which thyroid labs provide a more complete picture • How menopause and thyroid health influence one another • Why many women continue to struggle even after starting thyroid medication • Practical ways to advocate for the care you deserve

If this episode encouraged you, please share it with another woman living with diabetes. The more we understand our hormones, the better equipped we are to advocate for our health.

Resources mentioned: • Dr. Amie Hornaman's book, The Thyroid Fix • The Thyroid Fixer Podcast • Connect with Dr. Amie at dramie.com

Connect on IG @dramiehornaman

Connect with Melissa Slemp:

Follow on:

Instagram

Tik Tok

YouTube

Linkedin

Check out Melissa's website

Purchase Melissa's book, Highs, Lows, & Hormones

Connect with other like-minded women in a supportive group coaching community:

Type 1 In Midlife Coaching Circle

Visit diabetessisters.org to join. It's free, easy to use, and a great place to find community and support.

Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.

What happens when a person living with Type 1 diabetes spends more than four decades navigating the condition—and then helps shape the future of healthcare?

In this episode, I'm joined by Hanna Boëthius, patient advocate, international speaker, consultant, and person living with Type 1 diabetes for more than 41 years.

Together, we explore why lived experience matters, why people with diabetes deserve a seat at the table when decisions are being made, and how healthcare can move from simply treating patients to truly partnering with them.

We discuss:

• What life with Type 1 diabetes looked like in the 1980s compared to today • Why patient voices belong in healthcare conversations • The difference between patient-centered care and true collaboration • How women continue to be underrepresented in research • Why diabetes management must be individualized • The challenges and opportunities of diabetes technology and data • The role of peer support and community • How to advocate for yourself during medical appointments • Why "Nothing About Us Without Us" is more important than ever

Whether you've lived with diabetes for decades or are newly diagnosed, this conversation is a powerful reminder that your experience matters, your voice matters, and you deserve to be an active partner in your care.

Connect with Hanna Boethius:

IG @hannadiabetesexpert

Connect with Melissa Slemp:

Follow on:

Instagram

Tik Tok

YouTube

Linkedin

Check out Melissa's website

Purchase Melissa's book, Highs, Lows, & Hormones

Connect with other like-minded women in a supportive group coaching community:

Type 1 In Midlife Coaching Circle

Visit diabetessisters.org to join. It's free, easy to use, and a great place to find community and support.

Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.

Welcome back to Part 2 of this special 3-part series inspired by one of the most valuable resources inside my book, Highs, Lows & Hormones: The Symptom-Hormone Matching Guide.

Do you crawl into bed exhausted but can't seem to shut your brain off?

Are you feeling more anxious, overwhelmed, reactive, or stressed than you used to be?

You may be experiencing one of the most common signs of low progesterone.

Often called the "calming hormone," progesterone plays an important role in helping your body relax, manage stress, and prepare for sleep. While estrogen is often associated with staying asleep, progesterone helps you fall asleep. When levels begin to decline, many women notice they feel tired all day but wired at night.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What progesterone does and why it's so important during perimenopause and menopause • Why difficulty falling asleep can be a key sign of low progesterone • How progesterone influences stress resilience and nervous system regulation • The connection between sleep, cortisol, insulin resistance, and blood sugar management • Why some women thrive on progesterone while others may experience intolerance • The different progesterone delivery methods available • Questions to ask your healthcare provider when exploring hormone therapy • Why tracking symptoms may be the most powerful tool you bring to your next appointment

One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is that symptoms matter.

When you begin tracking changes in your sleep, mood, stress levels, energy, and blood sugar patterns, you start to uncover clues about what may actually be driving how you feel.

Too often, women are told their symptoms are simply part of aging. But understanding your symptoms is the first step toward finding answers and advocating for the support you deserve.

Resources Mentioned:

• Highs, Lows & Hormones: A Survival Guide for Women Managing Diabetes from Monthly Cycles to Menopause. Chapter 4: Connecting Symptoms to Hormonal Changes • The Symptom-Hormone Matching Guide • Hormone and Symptom Tracking Tools included with the book

Next week, we'll wrap up this series by discussing testosterone, one of the most misunderstood hormones in women's health and one that can significantly impact energy, motivation, muscle health, confidence, and quality of life.

If this episode encouraged you, please share it with another woman who needs this conversation today.

Connect with Melissa Slemp:

Follow on:

Instagram

Tik Tok

YouTube

Linkedin

Check out Melissa's website

Purchase Melissa's book, Highs, Lows, & Hormones

Connect with other like-minded women in a supportive group coaching community:

Type 1 In Midlife Coaching Circle

Visit diabetessisters.org to join. It's free, easy to use, and a great place to find community and support.

Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.

Are your blood sugars harder to manage than they used to be?

You may be blaming your diabetes, your food choices, or your insulin settings.

But what if estrogen is part of the story?

In this first episode of a three-part hormone series inspired by Chapter 4 of my book Highs, Lows & Hormones, we're taking a deep dive into estrogen and the many ways it impacts women in midlife.

You'll learn:

✔ Why estrogen is far more than a reproductive hormone

✔ Common signs of low estrogen

✔ How estrogen influences insulin sensitivity and blood sugar management

✔ Why rising fasting glucose can be an early clue that hormones are shifting

✔ What improved estrogen levels may feel like

✔ Can you have too much estrogen?

✔ Why symptom tracking matters more than chasing a perfect lab number

✔ Questions to discuss with your healthcare provider

Most importantly, you'll learn how to start connecting your symptoms to possible hormone changes so you can become a more confident advocate for your health.

This episode is based on the Symptom & Hormone Matching Guide found in Chapter 4 of Highs, Lows & Hormones, along with the companion symptom-tracking resources available with the book

If this episode encouraged you, please share it with another woman who needs this conversation today.

Connect with Melissa Slemp:

Follow on:

Instagram

Tik Tok

YouTube

Linkedin

Check out Melissa's website

Purchase Melissa's book, Highs, Lows, & Hormones

Connect with other like-minded women in a supportive group coaching community:

Type 1 In Midlife Coaching Circle

Visit diabetessisters.org to join. It's free, easy to use, and a great place to find community and support.

Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.

Returning guest Mary Ann Chamberlain is back for an honest conversation about what life with type 1 diabetes looks like after more than 36 years.

If you haven't already, be sure to go back and listen to Episode 143, where Mary Ann shares her diagnosis story, life transitions, and the journey that has shaped who she is today.

In this episode, we're simply catching up as two women living with type 1 diabetes. We talk about everything from new diabetes technology and hormone health to navigating complications, advocacy, burnout, and why community matters more than ever.

Mary Ann opens up about living with diabetic retinopathy and low vision, moving to a new city, beginning a new career, and finding purpose through advocacy. We also discuss the latest diabetes innovations, the excitement surrounding cure research, and how to hold space for the many emotions those headlines can bring.

Most importantly, this conversation is a reminder that while diabetes may be part of our story, it doesn't define the whole story.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Mary Ann's new chapter after relocating to Denver
• Living with type 1 diabetes and low vision
• Why hormone health deserves more attention for women with T1D
• The latest advances in diabetes technology
• Thoughts on cure research and the emotions surrounding it
• Diabetes burnout and the mental load of daily management
• Long-term complications and why these conversations matter
• Learning to advocate for yourself within today's healthcare system
• Finding hope, purpose, and community after decades with type 1 diabetes

Connect with Mary Ann Chamberlain: Instagram: @owningt1dwithma

🎧 Be sure to listen to Episode 143 to hear Mary Ann's original story and then come back to this conversation to see just how much life has continued to evolve.

Connect with Melissa Slemp:

Follow on:

Instagram

Tik Tok

YouTube

Linkedin

Check out Melissa's website

Purchase Melissa's book, Highs, Lows, & Hormones

Connect with other like-minded women in a supportive group coaching community:

Type 1 In Midlife Coaching Circle

Visit diabetessisters.org to join. It's free, easy to use, and a great place to find community and support.

Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.