I don't know what to think

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1

I was diagnosed back in May of 2009 as a Type 1. My BG at that time was in the 270s, I had lost something like 40 pounds in a matter of a month or two. You probably all know the symptoms. MD said that I was a couple days away from the hospital for DKA if we didn’t get going on the insulin - so I started the whole MDI process. Went to diabetes education classes. I do Lantus in the evening (15 u), and Humalog through the day as a correction dose. I changed my original sliding scale after a fairly dramatic (at least to me) low, and the MD approved the change. My last A1C was 5.5.

Now - here’s the weird part.

I’m eating normally. Not avoiding carbs, but not wolfing them down. The only exercise I get (and yes, I know, I should exercise more) is chasing a two year old around the house, and walking around my office (and I don’t do a lot of that). I have a sit down job - tied to a telephone doing technical support.

The last time I took Lantus was Saturday, January 2, 2010. Since that is my basal dose, you’d think I’d start seeing the numbers climb out - but they haven’t. I just tested, and I was at 116 - below the minimum threshold for a correction dose. Yes, I had breakfast - two pieces of toast, and some left over beef tenderloin (weird, I know). I’ve been watching the numbers throughout the past couple days, just to see where they go without the basal or the corrections, and they’ll climb up after eating (like they should), and then they drop down again to below the correction threshold without any prompting.

I realize Lantus is in the system for up to 26 hours - but I’m at 50 hours plus at this time, so I don’t have any active insulin on board. When I was diagnosed, the doctor explained that my pancreas was shot - I was producing less than 1 percent of the insulin a healthy pancreas produces - I don’t remember the name of the chemical in the bloodstream that flags that, but he showed me the numbers. I realize that there is sometimes a honeymoon period - but I’m going on 8 months now, and as noted - zero injected insulin in the past 50 or so hours. WTF?

2

Lantus doesn’t last 24 hours for most.

As you suspect, there are times when your pancreas kicks out insulin. Being on insulin right away preserves beta cells. They’ve had a nice rest. Good you’re keeping a close on your numbers because it can quickly change.

How high is your BG after eating?

Before this latest development, were you taking Humalog only to correct highs? Were you counting carbs & taking it according to what you were eating?

3

I’d guess that you’re still honeymooning. LADA’s tend to have a longer honeymoon period than children.

Oh, and the chemical you couldn’t remember is called c-peptide.

4

The Lantus insulin has helped the beta cells to recover. They just had to jump in when the BG went higher. But they only have recovered in strength not in number. So now by not applying insulin they have to do all the work again. This additional stress is not good. You should start to apply your Lantus again. The less stress the longer your beta cells will live and the longer your honeymoon period will be. From your numbers at manifestation (270mg/dL) I say that your are an early detected T1. By preserving your Beta cells with additional insulin you will have a longer honeymoon than usual I would assume. I would give much to be in the honeymoon again!