HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

New to the forum looking for hard, real answers

Support Forums
>
Diabetes
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 11/16/2005 11:51 AM (GMT 0)

Hello,

I'm new here and don't normally post on forums, so my post may seem lengthy or confusing.

My wife of 5 years is 38 and has Type 1 since she was 3.  She has no nueropothy, her vision is perfect, her A1c is 7.1.

She exercises regularly, but could loose about 5-8 pounds though.  She takes 4 injections/day and tests 4 times.

She is on Lantis and Humalog.  I have saved her many times from low blood sugars with juice and Glucogon.

Recently she cannot feel her BS get low and is surprised when she tests to find it so low.  She works second shift part time as an RN.  The other night she came home at 12:30 to find her BS at 32.  I have seen her shock out at 59 and be fine in the 40's.

We have no children.

My question is, are theses readings a sign of bad things to come?  I'm afraid she will go into diabetic coma if I am not there all the time. 

How long can she expect her life to be after having this for 35 years?  Please be open with me, I know what I got into when I married her.

Thank you in advance for replies.

BLPDan

Posted 11/16/2005 12:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

I don't think this is a sign of bad things to come, it's a sign that maybe your wife needs to rethink her insulin doses and diet.  Is she doing more activity than usual?  Or more stressed?  That affects blood sugar levels, too.  I've been told (amongst a huge amount of other things at the hospital!) that sometimes diabetics lose their sensitivity to hypos.  They therefore need to let their blood sugars be a bit elevated for a little while and then lower them to normal.  This then will increase the warning signs that people get when their levels start to drop.  I'm not saying to do this as you need to get medical advice first, but it's something to bear in mind.  Please don't be worried about it too much, it's not the end of her!!!!  It's just the way with diabetes.  So please put your mind at rest.  I'm sure your wife must realise a lot of this as she's been diabetic for so long! 

Claire x

Posted 11/17/2005 3:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

Claire is right on the money!  And with testing 4 times a day, your wife has TONS of data to take to a good Endocronologist.  On the surface I think she probably has to rethink the ratio's she is using for her Humolog as the Lantus gives you a good steady baseline release of insulin for 24 hours; what causes the lows is the fast acting insulin combined with all the other environmental factors (diet, exercise, stress, etc).  HOWEVER, this is a puzzle best deciphered by a really good endo guy and your wife! 

And this is NOT something she should put off for several weeks!! nono

scool Warren
Posted 11/18/2005 12:19 PM (GMT 0)

Dear Claire and Warren,

She sees an excellent endo guy, has been with him since the begining.  She does everything you mentioned and more, she is very educated.  She was a molecular biologist for 12 years at Childrens Hosp./Phila.  When in nursing school her instructor said she would make an excellent diabetes educator.

This post is for me. :-)

As to my other question.  Are there figures on the life expectancy for someone who has had brittle Type 1 for 35 years?

Dan


Post Edited (BLPDan) : 11/18/2005 5:24:20 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/18/2005 12:30 PM (GMT 0)

That's a scary question and one none of us want to face, whether diabetic or not.  sad

As far as I know there is no hard evidence to say what life expectency your wife will have!  As long as she looks after herself and she gets the lows sorted out (i.e. so that she starts noticing them) then she'll live for as long as she's meant to.  It sounds like you are really scared about this - why don't you discuss it with your wife and her doctors?  This isn't a death sentence, as much as the media etc like to give us scare stories.

I hope this helps you a little!

Posted 12/7/2005 9:03 PM (GMT 0)
hi. im sure on what is to come, but i would recomend your wife checking her bs more often. is she allowed to check at work? if so, anytime she can get away she should try to go check her bs. it would keep her more aware of what time of day she becomes low, and give her time to eat something to get it back up. hope this helps.

          Love in Christ,

                rachel

Posted 12/10/2005 4:22 AM (GMT 0)
It sounds like you would benefit by reading Richard K Bernstein, MD. He has been type 1 for over 60 years. He had many complications and developed an approach that he teaches today - as well as in his medical practice. Google him and you will learn a lot.
Posted 12/12/2005 4:47 AM (GMT 0)
Has she thought about an insulin pump?

My brother in law has one and he is very happy with it. I am still taking meds for diabetes but if I have to ever go on insulin, I would consider a pump.

If she is getting lows very often, she is likely spiking after meals as well. Testing before, right after and two hours after meals is the best way to monitor it. Of course she needs to test fasting BG in the morning as well.

If she is testing regularly, perhaps a change of insulin is in order.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply