Tuesday, August 26, 2008

They need to change the name "honeymoon" phase

When your child is first diagnosed with diabetes it sounds like a good thing. I thought it meant that her blood sugars would stay stable and everything will be easily managed during that time. Not so. When everyone was talking about it (doctors) they kept saying all the time that it would happen any time now and could go on for weeks even years. I was hoping years (obviously not hoping for that now). I was reading up on everything Type 1 diabetes, but somehow missed this in the literature. Probably figured honeymoon=good so no need to read.
This is what it is:
"What is the "honeymoon phase"?
In a person who has type 1 diabetes, the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas are destroyed by immune cells. However, right after the time of diagnosis, some patients go through a "honeymoon phase" in which their existing beta cells still function."
So basically we can change her road map (insulin levels) all the time trying to get her levels right (in the 80-180 range), but until her pancreas decides to shut down we are going to continue to have extreme highs and lows. So, sometimes her pancreas creates insulin and sometimes it does not.
Her levels were 65-316 today. I would rather them be high because I know she won't pass out or seize. The 65 was only once today, but other days we have gone hours with the lows.
Have not found out what they call the phase after the honeymoon?
I plan to send in suggestions for a new name for this phase other than honeymoon. Its quite an oxymoron in my opinion.LOL

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