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19 yo son with blood sugar 228

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Posted 11/19/2007 3:46 AM (GMT 0)
Hi--

My son is very tall and thin and has ADHD, epilepsy, and a heart condition.  I have metabolic syndrome x, Non Alcoholic Steato Hepatitis (fatty liver with inflammation) and it runs in my family not skipping a single person on one side of the family.  Usually we start with fatty liver that develops into diabetes, though we have prediabetic tendencies even as children, intense sugar cravings and hypoglycemia and stuff  and very severe insulin sensitivity issues.  Anyway, I tested my son tonight and after eating a few cheezits, his sugar was at 228.  I know that our levels can go up and down but with our family history and the fact he was born jaundiced, I wonder if the doc should n't check it out.  He's young,only 19, to develop prediabetes, but with his meds and other problems maybe it isn't out of the question?  I'd appreciate so much any help you can give me.  I usually post at the lupus side, but this is something that I don't know much about.  This diabetes/fatty liver stuff has killed members of my family relatively young (60s) but with each generation seems to get worse.  I'm much sicker than my father and son, from what it looks like, might be developing the evil crap even earlier and is pretty sick with other problems.  Should I be worried?  I thought that in healthy people the sugar is maintained between 80 and 120 regardless?  Is this true?

Posted 11/19/2007 4:04 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Marji, sorry you have these health problems and now are worried about your son.  I think he should be tested for diabetes.  228 after just a few Cheezits is too high.  You're about right with the parameters for "normal" people but of course those numbers can vary.  Perhaps a change of diet can help with him.  Maybe some medication he's taking is contributing to the high blood sugar.  There may be several unknown factors here, but to start out, I think his doctor would have to order some blood tests.  Good luck with that and let us know what happens.

Posted 11/19/2007 5:12 PM (GMT 0)
Lanie--
Do you know what kind of diabetes a young person like him could have? It would be adult onset or drug induced--right? I mean, if he had type one, we'd know it. I'm asking because of seizures, which he's had since he was four. I don't know anything about type1, but wouldn't it show up as a baby?
Posted 11/19/2007 5:21 PM (GMT 0)
cure for real: lanie's advise is good. If he has a blood sugar of 228, that is too high. It would be advisable to do a fasting blood sugar check early in the morning before eating or drinking.

It is possible you son could control his problem with proper diet.

I take all herbal remedies for my blood sugar, but you really need to get your son checked by a doctor to see what is going on..

Good luck to you
Posted 11/19/2007 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
Marji, it's possible to be diagnosed as a type 1 even at his age of 19.  I also thought type 1 was diagnosed in childhood, yet even young adults can be type 1, so that's why a doctor would need to schedule some lab tests to determine that.  And as you say it could also be drug-induced especially if he's on steroids.  Regardless of how, though, if he could moderate his diet to cut down on the carbs, it would help lower the blood sugar.  I would schedule a doctor's app't as soon as you can so you can ease your mind and find out what's going on.  I know it's hard trying to balance a few health issues at the same time and now the questions of high blood sugar - it must be frustrating.  But the sooner you have the answers, the better.  Does he have any dietary restrictions at this point?


Posted 11/19/2007 6:22 PM (GMT 0)
He is very low sodium and his sugar goes from low to high, like me. We have very bad diabetes/metabolic syndrome/fatty liver that kills everyone on one side of my family so he may have inherited that from me also. He sees the doc in a week and I can put him on my diet till then, since I go low and high as well. He must eat a ton of salt because of his epilepsy medicine and orthostatic low bp. He's not on steroids at all. He's never been tested for autoimmune disease, they refuse to do it. His health care is being cut the end of the month.
Posted 11/19/2007 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
Good idea to have him eat as you do.  You might try the cheese puffs.  It's processed American cheese microwaved for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes (you have to fiddle with the time).  We talked about it a month or so ago with its own topic "cheese puffs".  Processed cheese has a lot of sodium.  He can snack on them and use 2 of them as sandwich bread.  Hardly a carb for 2 slices.  Would he qualify for social security disability?

Posted 11/19/2007 8:17 PM (GMT 0)
He's been waiting for ssi but the lawyer told him it would be nearly impossible even with multiple problems to qualify. They almost never accept people with epilepsy, even tiny babies with constant grand mal seizures. It's awful. He does have some pretty severe depression and self esteem issues, well with your sugar and sodium out of whack, ADHD, and the rest, who wouldn't. He's like me, with tendencies to medication allergies and medicines don't work the way they should. He has trouble with some anaesthesia, he gets very belligerant. Something more is wrong, and this might just be the problem. The sad thing is that my diabetes caused by fatty liver disease has led to me to be really disabled and sick. I want to write an article about how bad carbs can really be aimed at the rising fatty liver epidemic called "The Fat You Can't See". I was 103 lbs when I developed fatty liver and probably had diabetes prior. I think this issue is especially important for diabetics, many who have been told that their fatty liver or elevated liver function tests were normal and there is nothing that can be done, or that fatty liver doesn't cause any problems at all. It's shaping up to be leading cause of liver transplants. All because of that food pyramid, carbs and feast and famine eating. Lots of people don't know that eating canned foods or frozen and nuked aren't good for you either, you just end up eating nutrient deficient starch. I don't have any kind of medical degree, but have an MA in English. Does it sound like a good idea?
Posted 11/19/2007 8:56 PM (GMT 0)

I think writing that article is a good idea.  Try to submit it for publication but don't be frustrated at possible negative responses initially.  There are more news articles today about carbs, the food pyramid, fats, protein, etc. and the real effects on our health, but still the mainstream medical establishment pushes a "heart healthy" diet of low fat and high carbs.  This kind of diet will not work for many people, me among them.  A year ago I knew so little about any of this as I started measuring my blood sugar for the first time, and I spent hours and hours searching online, reading through the past topics on this forum, books, magazine, etc.  We as individuals owe it to ourselves (and our families!) to learn as much about our health problems as we can, so I believe it would be a good idea to write up an article and find a publication that might be interested.  (I don't have any medical background either, which is very obvious, but I also have an MA in English.  Small world?)

eyes


Posted 11/19/2007 9:11 PM (GMT 0)
I just read a huge very scholoarly article about vitamin E preventing and helping fatty liver drastically even when fibrosis had occured. I will probably start on that. I've been a little afraid of vitamins, esp fat soluable, but this was so overwhelming that its definitely worth a try. Also helped with some weight loss, which is always good!
Posted 11/26/2007 9:02 PM (GMT 0)
margi--attention deficit disorder points in the direction of omega 3-6-9 imbalances. Solving that could solve the ad problem Look up on computer the benefits of Lorenzo oil.Also have a hormone profile run on your son. Balancing out of whack hormones will be big help.

Siberian
Posted 11/27/2007 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Siberian, will definitely look into that. Certainly the omegas will be good for heart and liver prevention. If you know anyone with fatty liver, they should check out the vitamin E/SAMe studies which are really phenomenal and being accepted by regular physicans as well as alternative ones. Thanks, my son says too.
Posted 11/27/2007 6:31 AM (GMT 0)
HI margi-
i noticed a few thigns that caught my eye
son 19 - me 2
Sjorgrens- me 2
spinal stenosis / my birht mom ahd lupus
and I ahve some wrong with metabolism... never found out what
but kwow i do
I cant take Plaquenil- i got hostile, dangerously so
and was told Prednisoewill be avoided until tehre is no other options

love to chat sometime
-Mary Anne
Posted 11/27/2007 7:27 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Mary Ann, I'm trying to find others in my same boat too! Did they check your liver because of diabetes and esophageal spasms? I have liver trouble as a big feature of my diabetes and ai disease.
Posted 11/27/2007 11:26 AM (GMT 0)
;marji,

In addition to additional omega 3  in the diet from flax seed oil  and fish oil, it is absolutely necessary to make sure that you and your son stay away from all hydrogenated oils---this is the worst of all,--known  as trans fatty acids---TERRIBLE.  I have found that I could control my pre-diabetic condition with staying away from bread, rice, potatoes, and pasta,---as well as fruit juices, and limiting the amount of fruit to very moderate amounts.I lost 30 lbs quickly when I discovered this, and have not had to take medicines yet--although  I  probably will have to take gucophage to help lower blood sugar a little more. Did yu look up Lorenzo Oil on computer? The American Diabetic Assoc. promoting  carbs so much is what is causing the increase in diabetic problems in the American populace. Many here have already discovered that,--with their own research. The Southbeach diet is a place to start. Also  Dr Bersteins  book  was very enlightening,and he is very critical of the ADA.

Siberian

Posted 11/28/2007 4:33 AM (GMT 0)
I totally agree Siberian. Even with metabolic syndrome rnnning in my family leading to NASH in half my family and autoimmune and endocrine complications and early death, I had to argue with my dad to get him on a low carb diet. Even though I sent him several articles and stuff and the advice of his doctors, his new wife, who benefits from his death first though I'm not sure its the motivation, repeatedly goes out to the web site of amer. diabetes assoc. and gives him that diet and then cooks him tons of carbs and sweets and very little protein and all trans fats and no real butter or any types of fats at all and his diabetes went so nuts that insulin wouldn't even control it. It's hard to know the right thing to do with someone that does that to your loved one. You don't want to think that they are intentionally trying to kill off your loved one, but that is exactly what they are doing. I sent some articles to my dad which he read, but all she has to do is make him a pennsylvania dutch pies and slaws and everything with sugar in it to get him back on the insulin train. And she uses the heart smart diet to justify the carbs and trans fats and low fat diet that is deadly for fatty liver. More fats are better, even almost to the point of a ketogenic diet. I wish the diabetes foundation would quit promoting diabetes with that heart smart diet. Its not even really good for your heart either. Trans fats are bad all the way around.

I haven't had a chance to checkon lorenzos oil yet. my son just had a loop recorder removed and a ep study with heart cath and we were running around like crazy and just got home. Good news, no apparent wolff-parkinson-white according to the thorough 4 hour ep study of his heart. Guess his long pr interval is due to something else. Anyway, really big weight lifted off of all of us and son hurting bad from procedures and a little bed ridden for a day or so, but otherwise good. His sugar has been low, normal and only slightly high lately. Tomorrow we see his doc and can talk about it. I will see about the oil tomorrow I'm so bushed. Thanks for everything.
Posted 11/30/2007 9:08 AM (GMT 0)

marji'

you m,ight also look into magnesium defficiency as a cause of epilipsy. Studies at the Hereford Clinic and the Deaf-Smith Research Foundation in Herford Texas ,---by a Dr. Lewis Barnett MD point to magnesium defficiency  in spinal fluid   and nerves  as the cause of epilipsy

Siberian

Posted 11/30/2007 9:27 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, I hear that is easy to correct with either epsom salts, magnesium pills, etc. I hear it is a common deficiency. Somehow I feel it may be a vascular problem. He has very low blood pressure, like orthostatic low blood pressure at times. They did a cat scan of his brain with contrast but didn't see anything. I wish they would have given him an MRI, especially since his epilepsy is focal in a very specific region.
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