Hi Folks,
I was diagnosed 1 year ago while pregnant and still in a honeymoon period.
I am on 4 units of lantus a day. If I have a ‘high’ reading ( anything above 11 ) the novorapid i take will drop my blood down to low 4 within an hour. I also have hypothyriodism which yo-yo’s.
Just wondering if this length of period is normal.
Any chat would be great
kx
Hi KK, I think that the length of the honeymoon period depends on many factors. One thing that it depends on is how “early” you were diagnosed. I was diganosed very late in the stage (in diabetic ketoacidosis) and my honeymoon only lasted about 3 months. But I have heard of people in honeymoon period for years.
I knew quite suddenly when my honeymoon ended. I also had not seen a blood sugar above 11 mmol/L (200 mg/dl) since diagnosis. Then one day, I woke up at 22 mmol/L (400 mg/dl) and over time my insulin needs doubled.
Mine lasted ~4 months. Had I known about this effect I might have done more to make it last longer - gone on ultra-low carb diet, taken insulin for every meal, etc.
Hi John Smith,
Can i ask what you mean by taken insulin for every meal ? if i take insulin then my blood drops too quickly low. I would need to eat lots of carbs?
thanks
k
6-18 months is standard, from what I’ve been told. I’m currently participating in clinical trials for a drug that’s supposed to extend the honeymoon period.
But I don’t think there’s anything you can do (or could have done) to extend it through diet, exercise or insulin therapy. None of those things abate the autoimmune attack on your insulin-producing pancreas cells.
When I was in my honeymoon period I frequently neglected taking humalog to cover my meals if my pre-meal BG was <80, which it was most of the time. If, instead, I had taken some humalog, even 1 or 2 units for the >50 g carb meals I used to eat before I became aware of Dr. Bernstein’s book, I could have protected my beta cells by reducing stress on their insulin production. Also, Lantus was not available then and I really didn’t like taking NPH insulin because of nasty “tail” peaks which led to sudden hypos. Lantus would have been an excellent saver of beta cells and prolonging honeymoon phase.
NB: This is all my idle speculation based totally on my own understanding of stuff I have read over the years.
Since the length of honeymoon varies broadly with each individual, work on developing your own algorithm with the insulin you’re using - how much insulin sensitivity you have, how much to give when. Looks from here like you know how much will drop you from 11 to 4.
How much novorapid did you use? What had you eaten to be at 11? Or was this a fasting level? Start developing a chart. Keep track of where you’re starting each day. Sometimes you’re prescribed too much Lantus to ride through the day evenly. Keep track of it and see where it’s putting you at at different times of the day. (Lantus given at 7 am used to give me a low between 1 and 2:30pm.)
Next time you’re at 11, only give 3/4 of the novorapid that you gave that time, and you will land at 7.5. Give a twinge over that and you could land at 6. Write down the numbers and the times.
Get everything in line to do carb counting in grams. Now how much do you go up with 5 grams of slow acting carb, like a veggie? Develop an algorithm, and if it doesn’t work due to the bumps with your thyroid, ask for CGMS or a pump. Are you nursing a baby? Best wishes as you get these pieces lined up!
When I was first diagnosed, I went to see the wonderful Dr. Anne Peters (author of Conquering Diabetes). She said that MAYBE niacinamide (a certain type of vitamin b) could extend the honeymoon period. It’s not proven, but it is CHEAP, easy to get a drugstores, and worth taking on the off chance it works! I got diabetes while pregnant too and my honeymoon period lasted about 6 months.
Hi KK,
I have only been diagnosed a few months ago but of course I am also very interested to know how long my honeymoon period (3 units of Lantus a day plus 500mg Metformin per meal) will last. Just now, I came across an article in a journal that says (link to the article below):
“Prospective studies of β-cell function show that LADA patients with multiple islet antibodies develop β-cell failure within 5 years, whereas those with only GAD antibodies (GADAs) or only islet cell antibodies (ICAs) mostly develop β-cell failure after 5 years. Even though it may take up to 12 years until β-cell failure occurs in some patients, impairments in the β-cell response to intravenous glucose and glucagon can be detected at diagnosis of diabetes.”
http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/54/suppl_2/S68.full
That sounds hopeful (although my doctor only tested GADs so I don’t know if I’m the <5 or >5 years type) - but I agree with Kristin that it all depends on how far into your LADA you got diagnosed.
Enjoy it while it lasts! 
Uta
thanks- will check out the link- i am being very bad and not dealing with the old diabetes properly- lucky a new year soon and it can be one of my resolutions to be more pro-active.
Merry Christmas
kk
Not so, there have been studies that show T1.5s benefit from insulin treatment early on to prevent beta cell destruction.
Hello again, I have managed to get things under control with just exercise (walking and yoga) and a pretty low-carb diet (mostly fruit and veg) - my doc has taken me off insulin last Wednesday!
Let’s keep in touch and let’s hope we’ll both have a long and happy honeymoon 
Wishing you strength with your resolutions, and a very Happy Christmas!
Uta
My wife’s honeymoon period lasted about 1.5 - 2 years through rigorous exercise. She was in the best shape of her life those days and did not need to be on insulin.
I think the best general advice is to maintain, as much as possible, “normal” BG values. The more HYPERglycemia you experience, the greater the stress on your ß-cells to keep up. This control can be achieved through diet, exercise, aggressive (but cautious) insulin titration or a combination of these, and you’ll certainly hear any number of variations on these themes.
Also, I don’t know how frequently you are checking your BG, but I would try and develop a system (in conjunction with your endo, if possible) to use the novorapid and lantus adjustment to PREVENT those spikes instead of correcting them. I think you will likely feel better and experience fewer hypos.
Just my two cents… Good luck, and may your honeymoon be as long as possible!