BLOOD SUGAR PROBLEMS--long

[Guest guest]

I forgot to mention, , it is very nice to do the blood testing on your forearm, not your finger. It is virtually pain free, my 11 year old son even wants to do it now and then. I have an ultra one touch made by lifescan but I think there are others out there. The lancing device comes with a special cap that has a hole in the center that is like a vacuum and gets the blood out. You also need a lot less blood.

I got mine from the old endocronologist--the salespeople leave them there to give to the patients. But, I saw last year in a local department store that they were giving them away for $20. Also, my sister in law got one for her mother by using a $20 trade in rebate and then another $20 instant rebate so the meter was free.

Anyway, it really helps on not being so painful on the fingers and also they are healed.

By the way, I also take a 24 hour insulin at night called Lantus. Sometimes it helps and my morning blood sugars are like 180, sometimes it doesn't and my blood sugars are still in the 250 range.

My blood sugar is regulated I think more by if I am sick, tired, stress, exercising, etc more so than by what I eat because sometimes I can go 4 or 5 hours and not eat and my blood sugar will go up.

So, just some suggestions. If your son does have to go on insulin I use the insulin pen during the day. He could do it himself. It is a kind of cool gadget that with its cover on looks like a magic marker. It can be kept unrefrigerated for two weeks. You screw on a pen needle, and then dial the amount of insulin, and when done screw off the needle and put the cover back on. I have a case that has a long shoulder strap that I have it, some needles, my blood meter and also a pouch for money and stuff. You also take the insulin in the fat pouches on the side of your stomach--the needles I have are extra thin and short so most of the time unless I hit a blood vein it is painless.

I found that using the insulin pen instead of a pill once or twice a day helps me to regulate the big swings from high to low.

Well, just wanted to give you a little more info. Sounds like your son is not reacting like a "normal" diabetic either. I hope he can manage with diet or pills, but if he needs to go to the insulin I would definitely go with the insulin pen. The lantus for at night does not come in the pen form yet, you need to use a syringe but the humalog does. With the syringe you can also get very fine, short needles. From some people I've talked to some doctors do not trust the insulin pens but I have only had one bad one in the 3 years I have been using them. I use it 5-6 times per day. The bad one when I did my test shot into the air nothing came out even after I did it again.

Janet Sample