Two Television Stars, Two Types of Diabetes… and numerous Real-life management Challenges

By Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer and Gary Scheiner, MS, CDE

The life of Hollywood stars to get his Type 1 diabetes under prevalent in Aida’s family--her may look glamorous to us on better control. mother and aunt had it and two the outside—the money, the of her grandparents died from parties, the fame—but beneath The following are some of the diabetes complications--Aida the surface of the celebrity struggles that Aida and Elliott remembers that it wasn’t really lifestyle are regular human have experienced in their talked about. “I knew diabetes beings, just like the rest of us, diabetes management, with was in the family, but I didn’t who often face the same kinds advice from author and CDE know what living with diabetes of challenges in their day-to- Gary Scheiner. Our hope is that meant,” she explains. day lives. In fact, for those of learning about their off-screen us who are among the United challenges can help you those “Keeping diabetes out of States’ 17 million and counting of you who face similar family conversations and people living with diabetes, “diabetes drama.” activities is very common, being a star holds no protection Aida: From Denial to especially soon after the from dealing with the chronic Advocacy diagnosis, explains Gary, a demands of this serious Type-1 diabetic since age 18. disease. Star of both stage and screen, “Often, people with diabetes Aida Turtorro has spent the last are either fearful about what Take the case of two popular six years playing the tough-as- having diabetes might hold in television stars—Aida Turtorro nails sister of mob boss Tony store (long-term and Elliott Yamin—each of Soprano—a character who does complications) and prefer to whom is confronting the not shy away from confronting not think or talk about it, or challenges of living with her domineering brother. But ashamed about having diabetes even as they find when she was diagnosed with diabetes, thinking it makes success in their entertainment Type 2 diabetes five years ago, them appear sick, weak or careers. For Aida, an Emmy- Aida was not prepared to get different in the eyes of others. nominated actress who plays tough with diabetes and instead For some people, it takes Tony Soprano’s sister Janice on used denial as a defense months or even years to get HBO’s hit series The Sopranos, mechanism from facing what over the fear or shame, which being diagnosed with Type 2 having this disease would mean is unfortunate, because diabetes several years ago filled in her life. “I just wasn’t paying problems are more likely her life with plenty of real-life attention to the diagnosis,” when diabetes is ignored. drama. And for Elliott Aida explains. “I wasn’t Usually, all it takes is some Yamin—one of the final three watching what I was eating, self-management education to contestants on Fox’s 2006 exercising or doing the things get over the fear, and some season of American Idol, and that I know now I have to do. I interaction with other people now a popular recording wasn’t checking my (blood who live with diabetes (in- artist—success has come to sugar) numbers regularly. I just person or via the internet or him only since he’s been able went on as I did before (the shows such as “dLife”) to get diagnosis).” Though diabetes is past the shame.” Published in Diabetes Self-Management, 2007 © Copyright 2007, Gary Scheiner MS, CDE – Integrated Diabetes Services LLC Page 1

Over the course of her first transition to insulin,” all. Carbohydrates are what year, Aida was exhausted from explains Gary. “It only needs make blood sugar levels rise her blood sugars spiraling up to be taken once a day. And in the short term, so learning and down. She was not in unlike the older insulins to manage carbohydrate control of her diabetes, and which had a significant intake (starches as well as despite feeling lousy physically “peak” of action, Lantus’ sugars) is essential for and emotionally (she action is steady and constant, improving blood sugar remembers having terrible so it is much less likely to control.” mood swings), she still wasn’t cause low blood sugar ready to face her new disease. (hypoglycemia). Having once been living in Fortunately, Aida was seeing a diabetes denial, Aida has now doctor who made her confront Even on this new road to better come full circle and proudly her denial. Looking over her control, Aida still counts herself as a diabetes A1C results with her, the acknowledges the daily advocate. She has traveled doctor asked, “Do you challenges of living with around the country, visiting understand what it means to not diabetes. One of her biggest hospitals and diabetes centers take care of diabetes? Do you challenges is eating healthy. to speak to other people living know what will happen to “It’s a daily struggle and I’m with diabetes about taking you?” not perfect,” Aida admits. But charge of their disease. “It she is working hard to try and helps me to speak out,” Aida “Something clicked when he eat a balanced diet. She makes says. “It gives me support, said that to me,” she recalls. “I dates to go produce shopping talking about diabetes and didn’t want to get and cooking with close friends connecting to other people complications…no one does.” and tries to focus on eating living with it.” Aida From that appointment on, vegetables that she really loves, acknowledges that she is not Aida took steps to take charge like zucchini and escarole perfect in her diabetes of her diabetes. She saw a cooked with garlic. With her management and that every day nutritionist who helped her busy life—especially when can still be a struggle. Yet, she learn about healthy eating and “The Sopranos” is taping or now sees diabetes as something she began to exercise regularly. when she’s working on a film that can be managed—and Aida began feeling better. Still, or play—Aida finds that she must be, in order to live a her blood sugars were not in really needs to schedule food healthy life. “Having diabetes the healthy range that she was shopping so that she’s not is not an easy road,” she says. striving for. With the help of a relying on just grabbing “But I am speaking out about it new endocrinologist, Aida something to eat when she’s to show other people that it can realized that the oral hungry. She still seeks the help be tackled. There is help out medication that she had been of a nutritionist from time to there.” taking was not helping her time to help her work with the Elliott Yamin: Idol & enough. She decided to go on nuances of carbohydrate Inspiration insulin and she started taking counting. “Carbs are Lantus. This began her path to challenging!” she admits When American Idol star more successful blood sugar Elliott Yamin turned 16, his management. Accoding to Gary, “Carb thoughts were focused on the counting is a valuable tool for same thing that all of his “Lantus is a great choice for everyone with diabetes, friends were thinking about, people on oral medications whether they take insulin, too: getting a driver’s license (I who need to make the oral medication, or nothing at thought most 16-year-old boys

Published in Diabetes Self-Management, 2007 © Copyright 2007, Gary Scheiner MS, CDE – Integrated Diabetes Services LLC Page 2 were thinking about getting crying. “It made me cry, to see to consider a pump. If your something else! But don’t put her cry,” Elliott says. For doctor does not support your that in the final edit). But anyone who watched Elliott on interest in a pump and can’t getting a Type 1 diabetes American Idol , they know that give you a valid reason, it may diagnosis shortly after his 16th his mother Claudette is a huge be time to find a doctor who is birthday forced Elliott into supporter of her son. “When I more comfortable with them.” thinking about insulin shots and saw that what I was doing to blood sugar checks instead. “I myself was upsetting her this For Elliott’s life in the last was 16 and rebellious at the way, I knew I couldn’t let year, pump therapy has proved time,” 27-year-old Elliott diabetes control my life this extremely important to recalls. “I was a normal teen way. I began checking my maintaining tight control and I wanted to stay that way— blood sugars more and taking despite a very varied schedule, I didn’t want to think about my shots regularly,” he heightened stress, and diabetes.” explains. unpredictable meal times. Elliott is thankful that he got Elliott had been going through Elliott’s diabetes management set up and comfortable with his a hard time even before the improved even more when he pump before the American Idol diagnosis; his parents had later learned about the benefits experience began. Despite all divorced two years earlier and of insulin pump therapy from a of the adrenaline pumping Elliott was struggling with co-worker who was on the through his body on Idol whether or not to stay in high pump. Taken by the flexibility performance or result show school (he eventually dropped and ease of taking insulin nights, Elliott never had a low out and then went for his through a pump, Elliott decided blood sugar on stage. “It was GED). Diabetes felt like one to see the endocrinologist that close a couple of times, but I burden too many, and so Elliott his co-worker was seeing, who always caught it,” he says. chose to ignore it. “There were encouraged Elliott to go on the times that I skipped taking my pump. “Going on the pump was insulin shots. I passed out a lot. a huge life change for me, Now that Elliott has officially I got to know the ER,” Elliott “Elliott says. “It’s so much entered the rock star lifestyle, remembers. better for my lifestyle to push a he is diligent about staying button to take insulin instead of healthy even when out on the Says Gary, “Ironically, the taking three or four syringes a road. “When we’re at a hotel best way to look different in day. Pump therapy makes it so (while touring), I’ll use the the eyes of your peers is to much easier for me to gage fitness center or pool or just do have a lot of low blood sugars how much insulin I need.” push-ups or jumping jacks in or spend half you time in the my room. I’ll get out a football bathroom. Most teens learn “Despite all the benefits that and throw it around with the soon enough that the best pump therapy offers, many guys when we have some way to fit in and not miss out physicians still are not downtime,” he says. is to take care of the diabetes comfortable with them,” first.” explains Gary. “If you’re Elliott was also fortunate to willing/able to check your have someone who could truly Fortunately, one of those trips blood sugar at least four times a understand his diabetes needs to the ER was the wake-up call day, put up with multiple daily during the that Elliott needed. He work injections, count carbs and American Idol show and tour: up, and saw his mother—who adjust your insulin doses contestant Kevin Couvais, 16, also has diabetes—sitting and properly, there is no reason not also has Type 1 diabetes.

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“Kevin and I shared diabetes thank me for speaking out and I battle stories,” Elliott says. “It get tons of letters and email was really helpful to have him from people with diabetes who around.” want to connect.”

Elliott also makes sure that As the American Idol tour everyone around him knows draws to a close and Elliott about his diabetes, and knows returns to Los Angeles to what to do in case of an record his debut solo album, he emergency—just in case. He is figuring out how he can has not visited an ER for a long speak out about diabetes in a time, but wants to play it safe, more formal way and has nonetheless. already begun working with the Juvenile Diabetes Research “That’s a really important Foundation. message. Most people who are not educated about His message to young people is diabetes will think you’re simple. He says, “Anyone can high or drunk if your blood have a normal life, even with sugar is high or low and you diabetes. Diabetes takes time start acting funny. Nobody and dedication: be positive. Be says you have to teach people aware of your body. See the big all the million nuances of picture.” your diabetes management, but sharing a few key points about symptoms/treatment Editor’s note: for highs & lows can be Gary Scheiner is a Certified Diabetes Educator with a private practice near worth its weight in gold. Philadelphia. Having had diabetes for more than 20 years, he helps Like Aida, Elliott is using his educate and manage people with celebrity status to speak out diabetes throughout the world phone about and reach other people and Internet. If you have questions about your diabetes, feel free to living with diabetes— contact Gary at 877-735-3648, or especially young people. visit his web site, During the “meet and greet” www.integrateddiabetes.com time before the American Idol tour performances would begin, Elliott was often approached by young people who wanted to show him their pumps and thank him for being open about having Type 1 diabetes. “The sheer number of people who would come to the tour so they could talk to me about their diabetes was amazing,” he says. “Kids and parents would

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