Hi All! This is my first post on TuDiabetes -- thank you all for the warm welcome!
On March 22nd, Diabetes Alert Day, I posted a blog to reach out [mostly to young people and teens] about the importance of diabetic testing. Last year, my son, who is developmentally delayed, was diagnosed with Diabetes... he has been in the "Honeymoon Phase" and it has been a long road... however, since it was the day for testing, I made an appointment for my son, and the results were quite surprising, please ready my post of March 22nd “Diabetes doesn’t have to slow you down” – Alert Day – Get Tested! and my follow-up Diabetes has a wing, which tells a great story, you can read that post below...
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This is just a short follow-up post to “show” the importance of Diabetes testing.
Remember when I told you about my son getting diagnosed last year; and that as a young adult he is in the “honeymoon phase” between Type 1 and Type 2? See my post this week; “Diabetes doesn’t have to slow you down” – Alert Day – Get Tested! I thought about it strongly and decided I should have my son go back to the doctor this month for a follow-up (even though he wasn’t due until June); for the past few months he has just been on Januvia, we stopped the Metformin because he was losing so much weight. Since he was so depressed, the doctor let him cheat some and STILL his sugar levels have NEVER gone over 110 (should not go over 140)… so, I made an appointment and we got the lab work done and went to see the doctor this morning.
If you recall, I explained the importance of testing early, and that newly diagnosed young adults may be in the Honeymoon Phase and have enough beta cells still producing. My son has been on oral meds so far, with the Lantus Solo-Star Lancet insulin pen sitting in the meds cabinet, waiting for the doctor to tell me that his HbA1c (aka a1c) and the C-peptide test means he needs to start insulin shots. When he was first diagnosed, the doctor wanted to start insulin, but I asked her to hold off a few months, since we didn’t know if he was Type 1 or Type 2; she knows that I am a nurse and trusted me to watch him closely, so she agreed. I am forever grateful to her for that trust… these were the results from the recent lab tests:
- Basic chem tests – results = normal (The doctor tested everything to check if there were other health problems to be concerned with since he was losing weight rapidly (he was 159lbs. in March 2010, but last month he was 124lbs.). However, since last month we added another Glucerna to his routine and forcing him to finish lunch and dinner. Likewise, he has to “go for walks” to work up his appetite. Glucerna has lots of ingredients to help with blood sugar spikes and reduce the HbA1c, including Chromium, which is a trace mineral that helps the body’s own insulin work more efficiently to allow blood sugar to move from the blood into the cells.z
* He was weighed at the doctor’s office and he was 128.4 – he gained almost 5 lbs.!
* A1c and C-Peptide – His AIC was 5.4 – The AIC test indicates your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. It works by measuring the percentage of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. The higher your blood sugar levels, the more hemoglobin you’ll have with sugar attached. An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates you have diabetes. A result between 5.7 and 6.4 percent is considered pre-diabetes, which indicates a high risk of developing diabetes. And the C-Peptide was 3.2 - normal could be anything between 0.5 Nano grams (ng) per milliliter (ml) and 3ng/ml.
What does all of this mean?
- He doesn’t need to start insulin, he is apparently producing enough of his own and his blood sugars are good. So she didn’t add another med (she was talking about adding Cycloset).
- He is probably a Type 2 instead of a Type 1 which means oral meds may continue to work for him, but it is too soon to tell.
- The doctor was shocked and said “by now, I would have sworn he would be on insulin”.
What it really means…
There is no cure for Diabetes, but testing early and regularly can make a difference and always remember that God has a bigger plan.My heart is full of hope and joy today; I thank God and my Angel above (my husband, Elliott) for this miracle. I don’t know how long my son will be doing this well, or why it happened but as the doctor said “we’ll take it”!
Be well, be safe and please get tested.Loretta
Reference Sources:
Diabetes Health: http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2000/09/01/2020/interpreting-your-c-peptide-values/
Januvia: http://www.januvia.com/sitagliptin/januvia/consumer/type-2-diabetes-treatments/lowering-blood-sugar.jsp?WT.svl=5
The Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-1-diabetes/DS00329/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis