2 Questions

http://glucowatch.com/

The above address is for the GlucoWatch website. This is a relatively new product in the last year or so, available by prescription. It is worn like a watch and has an alarm that signals low blood sugar and/or insulin reactions.

I've never used one, but before Lantus came out, I was tracking it's progress through the FDA approval process. Like your Dad, I had problems with insulin shock and oftentimes my first outwardly visible symptom was mental confusion. Hypoglycemic Unawareness is not uncommon in people with long-term Type 1 who have had a high number of insulin reactions. Sometimes the symptoms will come back (you want to feel symptoms on your own if possible so you can wake up, and/or treat yourself when you feel them coming on) after a period of "no lows". Mine did -- and Lantus helped me acheive that because it doesn't peak. But that's another issue.

The GlucoWatch might be the answer for your Dad -- and it might help you both get a better night's sleep. Hope so!

Hi Narianna,

What's happening with your Dad when he goes low (hypo), is his body is starving for energy. There's no energy/sugar to: move muscles, brain can't function, body is shutting down - fast! As a Type1, I can tell you that it's sometimes seconds before my brain goes..."Am, I? Am I...OK? Wait! Am I low? Oh-oh. Quick! Sugar! Must get..get what?...Brain vacant for few milleseconds)...Where? Oh, no...jello legs. Shakes. Sweating. Get the OJ! Gulp...I'll be ok. I'll be fine in a minute. Breathe."

The brain part is the worse. When I'm getting low (on the downward slide, as it were), I'll experience anything from staring off into space, reading the same paragraph over, biting my husband's head off for no reason (he loves that one), crying for no reason, and many more. Emotions are a big part of it and sometimes we just can't control them at the moment. Our brain functions become immediately impaired when sugars drop so odd behavior is usual (we're all different there, too).

The key is to try and avoid the lows. If your Dad goes low mostly at night, then is he eating a sufficient enough bedtime snack to sustain him? This is crutial for most Type1's. Is he testing every night before bed? He should be, to know what he may need to eat to carry him till morning. The snack must have protein/fat to sustain him.

Just a note on the Glucowatch - it's not proven itself to be reliable or easy to use and wow! The price is crazy!

Many hospitals/clinics have what they call, continuous blood glucose monitoring systems (CBGMS). You basically get hooked up to one like you would an insulin pump, and the device collects data over a 3-day period. You don't get to see it but the doctor's download the data and can see where patterns emerge. It's more like $75 for the inserted part but better than the $3,500 for the GlucoWatch.

Hope I've helped some. Best of luck.

Glad to be of some help, Narianna, even if I can only be supportive and let you know that you are not alone. Bless you for being such a compassionate and understanding daughter, your father and your mom are fortunate to have you. I also know the feeling of useless frustration; of standing by and watching someone you love go through such turmoil when there's not much you can do, (I have a mother who has been battling a rare cancer for some time now). I also know others feel that about me and being aware of it...I try to help put them at ease about things going on with me. open communication. Being supportive as you have been, counts for more than you can know.

Since I now know your Dad is on an insulin pump, I would assume he is educated on his condition. By that I mean, he would know how exercise, stress and food affect him, how to count carbs correctly, etc. I'm glad to hear that he has made some adjustments to his pump , along with his doctor's advice, since you say he is under a lot of stress lately and has changed his exercise regimen. All these things need to be adjusted on his pump and taken into account. For example, I know about myself, that if I exercise hard in the morning (even taking extra carbs to compensate), I will still drop about 5 mmol/L (35mg/dL), 6-8 hours later. Wierd, but we're all different and have to find our own patterns or anomalies, as I call them

Regarding the CBGMS...wouldn't we all love to have some new techno-gadget that lets us know when we're dropping (or spiking, for that matter), but alas....we're not quite there yet. The only one that comes close to acceptable is MiniMed's latest pump upgrade. I think it's called the Guardian? $1,700 something like that? And you already have to have the pump, as I understand it (maybe not?). Check out their website. There are a LOT of exciting new things around the corner and more and more every day.

To help answer some questions...low blood sugar symptoms can change, especially with changes to diet, exercise, stress, etc. Over time, one can even become unaware of lows until they're too low. Sometimes change in medication/insulin can alter that sensitivity and improve it (as in my case when I changed from NPH to Lantus). Behavior is not specific to HOW low one is. Low is low and the best thing to do is treat as quick as possible. The past few days (I've been on a new and changing insulin regimen the past 3 weeks), I've gone hypo (below 3.9 / 70), 3-4 times a day. Nothing for 2 weeks, then BAM! My body just went OK. GO! Why? Not sure, but I hope to figure it out with testing my sugars 10-15 times/day, keeping logs/dairies, and working with my diabetic team. I have to take control - what's not measured is not managed. Yes, it requires tremendous dedication and effort but it's worth the knowledge and control it brings. Even though your Dad is on a pump, it is still imperative that blood testing is done and much more frequently when issues are apparent. Hope is doing this? Can't stress it enough.

I don't think the stent would affect his "low" symptoms. It may affect his blood pressure, which indirectly plays a part in his Diabetes, but would not manifest itself in his hypoglycemic behaviour. Just my opinion.

As for the medical/scientific community...there are as many qualified and compassionate individuals as there are not. I've has the pleasure and displeasure of entertaining both and the one thing I've learned this past year and a half as a britlle diabetic is... 99% of the responsibility and level of control and understanding is in the hands of the diabetic. We're all so very different that it is up to us to understand ourselves as best we can in order for the doctors/specialist to better help us.

Diabetes is extremely difficult to deal with at times, for the diabetic and their friends and family. I think my husband has a harder time dealing with it than me. I know I'll be OK in a few minutes when I sugar-fix for a hypo but, my poor hubby is the one that's watching me babble, sweat, shake, shallow breathe, can't speak, and crumple to the floor 'cause my legs can't hold me, wondering the whole time if he's going to have to call 911. He's aware of my "starting to get low" signs and will ask if I need to test when he sees them. Often it's unwarrented but sometimes it is and I'm just grateful that he's doing his best to be supportive. That's the most I could ask for and the most he can give - or anyone can.

Take care, Narianna and keep on what you're doing.

Narianna,
Not trying to add fuel to the fire, but have you had your blood glucose checked lately? I'm as concerned for you as I am for your dad and mom.

And as for your dad... He's in my prayers, as are you and mom.