0.00 basal for 12 hours!!!!-Result-

kel4han · #1 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 08:54 AM

I decided that I am a weird extended honeymoon type. I only pump 2.40u basal in 24 hours. So last night I did a temp basal for 12 hours, starting at 8pm. No active bolus. At midnight I was 118 (went to bed at 160) Then what happened next was crazy! A MIRACLE!

I slept past my 3am alarm to check my daughter......I didnt wake up until 7:45 and I was....101!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is almost 12hours with no basal. That is lower than the 120 I usually wake up at with insulin!!!No ketones this AM.....I get to work, I am 130. An hour later, 118 still no basal. Thats 14 hours, no basal. So, now I am tempted to see what happens when I drink this 6c Double shot Expresso Light with no insulin. I will see how my pancreas works its remaining magic. Is this just totally bizarre?

JediSkipdogg · #2 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 09:00 AM

If you are still honeymooning not at all. The extra added insulin from the pump can make the pancreas work less therefore having it spend extra time of producing more islet cells.

kel4han · #3 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 09:44 AM

Scratch that, at midnight I was 223! So that is even more miraculous! I wonder if I should just take the pump off and eat low, low carb? But then that would stress the pancreas and not really benefit me anyway I guess???

JediSkipdogg · #4 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 10:19 AM

Do you bolus with the pump as well? If you bolus with it, then I truely think you would still need it. For all we know, with your "test" it could have taken 8 hours to bring that 223 down to 101, and if it did, that's WAY to long.

kel4han · #5 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 10:26 AM

Yes, I do bolus with the pump too....and I know, that would be way to long to bring it down. I just find it fasinating that after 22 months I still have the ability to create this much insulin. If my daughter misses an hour of basal (.10) we are screwed. If she has 6 uncounted carbs we are screwed. I wish she still had the beta cells that I apparently have.

I have wondered for a long time if I still had alot of production left, I really think that catching my Dx so soon, and being on a huge amount of basal and no bolus in the beginning really helped prolong my honeymoon. I didnt know at the time of course that I could have actually just taken insulin for meals, and not the basal........not that that would have benefitted me at all......just using myself as a ginuea pig today I guess. One day I won't be able to do this so, I thought what the heck.

kel4han · #6 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 10:41 AM

Now 168 after 1 hour of 13c low sugar yogurt, 5c pecans, and 6c coffee......still no basal for 15 hours. I'm healed!! LOL

So, why wouldn't I have a better A1c (6.7) if I cover all carbs normally, and pump basal? I eat healthy....I excersize? Wouldnt you think normal pumping days I would average alot better numbers because the insulin coverage? So, my pancreas is only working today because it has too?

Too much thought into this today, I know!

cheryl · #7 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 12:04 PM

Maybe for the time being you just need to bolus for food, instead of having basal insulin....Or whatever the case may be....the numbers you have stated without a basal shows me that but when you eat and your 168 and it's already been an hour shows you probably need the bolus and not the basal......cause if everything was working the"right" way, then you should of been within almost or normal range by an hour from what little you ate....if that makes any sense, but it is fun to experiment isn't it.....I still have very small insulin production, and if I go without basal insulin, it takes about 6-7 hours before I get over 220.....my pancreas has never went fully kaput....I wonder what that ever means for me, but good for you for experimenting and sharing your experience....

Cheryl

kel4han · #8 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 12:23 PM

I am just amazed...I am now 109 after 2 hours....so why are my numbers better today than some days with basal and bolus???

When my daughter was diagnosed last December, I learned so much from her pediatric endo, because we all know as an adult diagnosis they don't tell you anything.....so, I am just completely floored that I can still eat low carb and not need insulin (not that those numbers were perfect) I started out with this "experiment" becuase I wanted to test basal rates.....but then I realized DUH, I havent had basal for hours.....there isn't anything to test, except the fact that I don't even need the basal!

So, your body only uses injected insulin if it "needs" it? Otherwise I would be low alot with normal basal and bolus right?

cheryl · #9 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 12:31 PM

Ok I am not good with all the scientific terms nor can I write it, and make it sound all like I am highly intelligent but here it goes...

It sounds to me that your body is still trying to reach it's homestatic balance, well I guess your liver still works quite well so while your using insulin, your liver kind of overworks itself to keep your numbers level, and keep that homeostatic balance that our bodys are supposed to do, if we are not diabetics, so and also....someone who is not diabetic, can inject a couple of units and not even go low.....so with that being said, maybe your onto something, maybe you can achieve a lower a1c and more level number with barely no insulin.....since you are honey mooning and the body and all your hormones, pancreas and liver are trying to still keep you level and well the body is just so confused.....

Ok hope that made some kind of sense....LOL

Cheryl

kel4han · #10 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 12:47 PM

It does! And I am glad you see my point here! I am wondering if I should go low carb again, but then I loose too much weight.....Hmmmm. I wonder......

cheryl · #11 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kel4han

It does! And I am glad you see my point here! I am wondering if I should go low carb again, but then I loose too much weight.....Hmmmm. I wonder......

Trust me I do.....I was never the typical diabetic, as you describe your daughter as being but not really like you either...LOL>....I don't know what you'd call me, I can eat things without a bolus also....and have really weird reactions to things, and foods well I'll keep quiet, but I completely understand what you are trying to do, and trying to figure out......

About low carbs, if you do that but up the good fat and protien, since you do still make your own insulin, you should be ok....and not see rises hours and hours later, that is something you should experiement with to see if you pancreas deals well with high fat high protien rises hours later.....hmmmmmmmm

Cheryl

JasonJayhawk · #12 (**permalink**) 01-05-2008, 12:25 PM

Wow, Kelly. Your experience with needing no basal for extended periods of time was exciting to read. I've had dreams of waking up one day, and not needing exogenous insulin. I think we've all had these dreams.

With your case, it's quite interesting. Do you think your endocrinologist would be willing to check much pro-insulin (c-peptide) you make? That would indicate the level of your beta cells' functionality.

Perhaps, if you're making sufficient amounts of your own insulin, taking an insulin-sensitizer such as metformin would prevent you from having those glucose "spikes." Wouldn't it be cool if that was all you needed?!

Have you and your daughter ever participated in TrialNet? I believe they are always looking for family members that both have and do not have diabetes in order to do some gene comparisons and antibody studies. You can find more about TrialNet on the CWD website.