Diabetes?

[JMosswald]

Here is my situation, i will try and be as brief as possible. about 3 months ago i was feeling tired often sleeping more than i should, it was a struggle going to work and then i started feeling extreme thirst, going to the restroom every 15 to 30 minutes and then my eye sight started going blurry and i lost about 10 pounds in 2 weeks. i went to my regular doctor and he sent me for a random blood test and it came back with a BG level of 641 and made the decision i was diabetic, he immediately set me up with a endocrinologist. my doctor set me up with metformin and a few other drugs, i took the metformin for 3 days before i went to the endocrinologist.

I am at the endocrinologist and he decides that the metformin is not working and starts me off with Insulin shots and orders me a Animas insulin pump. after being diagnosed with Diabetes i go cold turkey on eating anything bad, i stopped eating fast food and sodas for example. and within a week i get the pump, i am keeping it under control with a BG level between 90 and 130 on a regular basis.

Time goes on and i am giving myself 1 unit of insulin for every 5 carbs just like i was told. this goes on for a month and i realize my BG keeps going low. the last week and a half i don't even give myself insulin when i eat and i am just going with the 1.2 units per hour that my pump is programmed to give me and not doing the 1 unit for every 5 carbs and i was still keeping it between 100 and 130. i been feeling good and started running the last four days for 30 minutes a day.

I am starting to wonder if i am really diabetic, i was told once
your diabetic its forever. today i decide to give myself a test, i disconnect the pump and i make sure i have no insulin on board, i wait about 30 minutes and i pig out on food, i eat a turkey sandwich with light mayonaise and cheese, i eat those with tortilla chips which are high in carbs, i eat quite a few, i then have about 2 bowls of sugar free ice cream for dessert which also has a decent amount of carbs. i check about half hour afterwards and my BG level is 165, i wait a hour and half and my BG level is down to 135, i wait another hour and its down to 119. this is without having any insulin on board or with using insulin.

The question i have to ask is if my wondering if i am diabetic is a legit concern? is their other factors besides BG level? am i correct in thinking that if i am diabetic that my BG level would not be dropping to normal levels without the aid of insulin? i was told by someone that if i keep giving my body insulin and my pancreas is producing insulin that it will get lazy and quit producing insulin, so i don't want to continue if i don't need to continue. i am new to this diabetes so any advice would be great.

[Erin]

I have never heard of a pancreas "getting lazy." In fact, I have heard of people who extended their "honeymoon period", that is, the time when your pancreas is still working somewhat, by having their diabetes diagnosed early and starting insulin, which took the strain off of the pancreas.

I think you definitely have diabetes, and probably have type 1 or 1.5 diabetes based on what you say, and that the endocrinologist started you on insulin right away. And yes, it is forever.

There are many reasons you might have "gotten away with" eating lots of carbs with no insulin. Your blood sugar could have been dropping because of your earlier exercise, or your pancreas might have risen to the ocassion after having been given a bit of a holiday with you using insulin. (this does not mean your pancreas is back in business... but rather that it is on life support (your injected insulin) and will die sooner rather than later if you pull the plug (stop taking it)).

I further think you should talk to your endocrinologist about your insulin regime. It seems to me that your basal rate (the amount of insulin you are given every hour) may be too high, which is making you not need the bolus (insulin for food). I also wonder whether your insulin to carb ratio is correct. 1 unit for 5 grams seems like a lot for a newbie like you. In any case he or she can make adjustments so you're not low all the time.

If you feel like you need concrete proof that you have diabetes you can also ask for tests for c-peptide and GAD antibodies. These tests will prove you have diabetes, even though I think your 641 at dx is proof enough.

[JediSkipdogg]

FIrstly, sounds like you need some more tests. You are definitely diabetic if you hit a 641 and your numbers increase what they do after meals. You should really ask your doctor the next time if you can have a...

A1C - this measures your BG average over the last 3 months with 50% of it being weighted to the last month.

GAD Antibody - This test shows if your body is attacking it's own insulin producing islet cells.

Peptide C - The C Peptide is produced along with insulin. It is impossible to measure insulin output of the pancreas (as insulin we inject would give off a false reading), however, it is possible to measure the C Peptide which is produced at a ratio of 1:1 with insulin. Therefore, the lower, the less your pancreas is producing.

The combination of the above tests will help to determine if you are diabetic and which type you are.

Taking extra insulin WILL NOT shut your pancreas down sooner, it does exactly the opposite. It will help your pancreas to produce insulin longer. Your pancreas won't have to work as hard producing insulin and therefore it can work on producing replacement islet cells faster.

I would really ask your doc about getting those tests completed as those will be the best help. Good luck and welcome to the fam.

[Alice]

Welome! I see this is your first posting. My first thought when reading your story is that your basal might be too high, thus diminishing your need for food bolus...that's a hard way to live...I've been there!

I am curious, what was the background of the person who told you that the pancreas would "burn out" if you continued taking insulin? I hope when you find the correct answer from a medical professional, you will set this person straight. We have to personally make sure that all diabetics are getting correct info, or help them find a resource for answers.

Good luck! I'm currently adjusting my own bolus...I'm doing the increase my doctor recommended but finding that the entire amount prescribed is too much. So, I find my new level by doing mini-fasts in the a.m. til about 1 p.m. Yes, I still take my basal...and would eat if I needed too.

[ant hill]

I am starting to wonder if i am really diabetic, i was told once
your diabetic its forever.
Yes that is a fact I'm sorry to say. :(
today i decide to give myself a test, i disconnect the pump and i make sure i have no insulin on board, i wait about 30 minutes and i pig out on food, i eat a turkey sandwich with light mayonaise and cheese, i eat those with tortilla chips which are high in carbs, i eat quite a few, i then have about 2 bowls of sugar free ice cream for dessert which also has a decent amount of carbs. i check about half hour afterwards and my BG level is 165, i wait a hour and half and my BG level is down to 135, i wait another hour and its down to 119. this is without having any insulin on board or with using insulin.
The insulin will last for quite a while in your body. It's the practice that we use that after we stop eating is to have a test after 2 hours and see 100 mg/dl is a good indication that you are in control and that do not say that you give up the insulin, Please don't do that!!!! :eek:

The question i have to ask is if my wondering if i am diabetic is a legit concern? is their other factors besides BG level? am i correct in thinking that if i am diabetic that my BG level would not be dropping to normal levels without the aid of insulin? i was told by someone that if i keep giving my body insulin and my pancreas is producing insulin that it will get lazy and quit producing insulin, so i don't want to continue if i don't need to continue. i am new to this diabetes so any advice would be great.
Please, Don't give up, It's bad enough having to be diagnosed a type 1.5 and that is you. It's now that you will learn how to eat well and keep the fat at bay too by exercise so get into something that you like doing physically. :)

[JMosswald]

I would like to thank all of you for your replies. i was surprised to get so many replies in such a short notice. i guess i was trying to be overly optimistic that i possibly corrected my problems by eating well for the last 3 months. i think this would be called high hopes, the numbers have been very good lately but being that i am new to diabetes i am still ignorant about how it works.

the person that told me about the lazy pancreas was a pharmacist.

thanks again for all the replies and the advice. any other advice would be appreciated.

P.S. i also thought about the hourly bolus being too high, i have it lowered by 70% the 9 hours i am at work, a few times i started shaking before lunch and would find my BG in the 70's, so i kept lowering it til i found the .4 units a hour as being good for work because it would rarely drop below 100. i might have to drop my bolus the other 15 hours and play around and see what looks like a good number.

[kgm0612]

HI & Welcome to the forum.

I agree with Jedi.........have your doctor do the necessary blood tests that he describes in his post. I also believe that your basal rate of 1.2 units per hour may be a little high for you, along with your carb ratio of 1:5. You may want to do some "tweaking". By this I mean, lower your basal rate and up your carb ratio to 1 unit for every 10g of carbs. See how this goes for 3 to 5 days before making any changes. Eventually you'll get it right.

Karen

[xMenace]

Here is my situation, i will try and be as brief as possible. about 3 months ago i was feeling tired often sleeping more than i should, it was a struggle going to work and then i started feeling extreme thirst, going to the restroom every 15 to 30 minutes and then my eye sight started going blurry and i lost about 10 pounds in 2 weeks. i went to my regular doctor and he sent me for a random blood test and it came back with a BG level of 641 and made the decision i was diabetic, he immediately set me up with a endocrinologist. my doctor set me up with metformin and a few other drugs, i took the metformin for 3 days before i went to the endocrinologist..

At 641 you are diabetic. The only questions are how far along are you and what damage has already been done. In sounds like a rapid onset which is good. You should get a referral to an opthamologist asap!


I am at the endocrinologist and he decides that the metformin is not working and starts me off with Insulin shots

He prolly concluded you were LADA and needed insulin. It was too soon to tell if the met was working. It can take weeks to kick in fully. Prolly the correct decision.

and orders me a Animas insulin pump. after being diagnosed with Diabetes i go cold turkey on eating anything bad, i stopped eating fast food and sodas for example. and within a week i get the pump, i am keeping it under control with a BG level between 90 and 130 on a regular basis..

I'm very surprised they got you a pump right off the bat. Usually they put you on shots untill you get under control, get educated, and get the honeymoon over with.

Time goes on and i am giving myself 1 unit of insulin for every 5 carbs just like i was told. this goes on for a month and i realize my BG keeps going low. the last week and a half i don't even give myself insulin when i eat and i am just going with the 1.2 units per hour that my pump is programmed to give me and not doing the 1 unit for every 5 carbs and i was still keeping it between 100 and 130. i been feeling good and started running the last four days for 30 minutes a day. .

Anyone one with good control is adjusting their own insulin dosages, or is very lucky that the doctors nailed it right. Seems you are honeymooning or not far enough gone for full mdi or pump. Why they don't give noobs pumps per prev par.!

I am starting to wonder if i am really diabetic, i was told once
your diabetic its forever. today i decide to give myself a test, i disconnect the pump and i make sure i have no insulin on board, i wait about 30 minutes and i pig out on food, i eat a turkey sandwich with light mayonaise and cheese, i eat those with tortilla chips which are high in carbs, i eat quite a few, i then have about 2 bowls of sugar free ice cream for dessert which also has a decent amount of carbs. i check about half hour afterwards and my BG level is 165, i wait a hour and half and my BG level is down to 135, i wait another hour and its down to 119. this is without having any insulin on board or with using insulin. .

Yes you are and always will be.

The question i have to ask is if my wondering if i am diabetic is a legit concern? is their other factors besides BG level? am i correct in thinking that if i am diabetic that my BG level would not be dropping to normal levels without the aid of insulin? i was told by someone that if i keep giving my body insulin and my pancreas is producing insulin that it will get lazy and quit producing insulin, so i don't want to continue if i don't need to continue. i am new to this diabetes so any advice would be great.

You should probably be back on metformin and a long term insulin like Lantus. I don't think you should be pumpng yet. And if you do go back to pumping, learn to set your rates properly! Get the book "Pumping Insulin (http://www.amazon.com/Pumping-Insulin-Everything-Need-Success/dp/1884804845)". Start with basal testing!

I'm curious, can your endo shave yet? He's making odd decisions.:eek:

[Alice]

I thought metformin was for Type II. If he's taking insulin for basal and bolus, wouldn't that eliminate the need for metformin?

[JediSkipdogg]

I thought metformin was for Type II. If he's taking insulin for basal and bolus, wouldn't that eliminate the need for metformin?

It's very rare to see type 1s use it but they can. It will decrease the glucose produced by the liver requiring one to take less insulin for basal rates. The problem with a type 1 though is a much greater risk of hypoglycemia.

[JMosswald]

I thought metformin was for Type II. If he's taking insulin for basal and bolus, wouldn't that eliminate the need for metformin?

he told me to stop taking the metformin when he put me on insulin. he said the metformin wasnt working.

[JMosswald]

"I'm very surprised they got you a pump right off the bat. Usually they put you on shots untill you get under control, get educated, and get the honeymoon over with."

i was on shots for about 2 weeks til my pump came in.

[SueM]

As you have only been diabetic for 3 months I would say you are going through the honeymoon period. After a while you will find you will need more insulin again. All you can do is keep testing and learn to use your pump properly to adjust to your needs as you go along.

Best wishes
Sue

[JediSkipdogg]

he told me to stop taking the metformin when he put me on insulin. he said the metformin wasnt working.

Desn't surprise me because if you eat like normal metformin won't help with your food intake. That's where insulin is needed.

"I'm very surprised they got you a pump right off the bat. Usually they put you on shots untill you get under control, get educated, and get the honeymoon over with."

i was on shots for about 2 weeks til my pump came in.

That's still pretty quick. I like the rule of thumb of shots for a year before pumping. The problem is, when/if your pump fails (and if will at least once) then you have to go back on shots. So having the basic of shots is something good to have and learn how your body reacts with those and gets you comfortable giving them.

[Scratch]

Eveyone has got this covered, I just can't stop shaking my head at the pharmacist's lazy pancreas theory.

[Alice]

Yeah, I had a pharmacist tell me "You don't look like a diabetic" years ago. You guys don't want to hear the answer when I asked him "What does a diabetic look like?"...

I was in my 20's at the time. Doubt I'd get the same stupid comment now...just like I didn't get "carded" at the beverage warehouse like all the other ladies walking in with my last week. That really ticked me off!

[shockme]

hi jm and welcome to df! i think everyone's got it covered.......that pharmacist is a moron! you will find,sadly,that there are quite a few people in the medical profession who are clueless when it come to diabetes! take care,trish