Hi I am new here

[Guest guest]

I have joined a few other diabetes groups also, so I am going to just copy

and paste my intro so if you are on one of the other lists it will be a repeat

;-)

My name is Keri. I am a single Mom with 4 kids. My 7 yr (almost 8~ 7/31)

was just diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes on June 24th. He spent a week in the

hospital. I initially took him to the ER after diabetes symptoms persisted

even after medication changes.

See, he also has the challange of Bipolar Disorder. He was placed on a

antipsychotic drug called Zyprexa to stabilize a severe manic episode the end of

May. Within a few days he was experiencing thirst and frequent urination. This

escalated and I called his pdoc (pyschiatrist). She decided that since a

rare (or so she claimed) side effect of Zyprexa is diabetes, she decided to

remove him from it immediately and start a new drug called Abilify this was June

11. She assured me the symptoms of the diabetes would subside.

They continued to get worse with each day instead of subsiding. He began

wetting the bed at night as well as trips to the potty and huge glasses of water

about every 20 minutes. I called the pdoc again and they blew me off. Never

called back. So on Thursday the 24th when I could barely keep him awake I

called Kaiser and tried to get him in with his regular pedi. They had no

openings. I was so frustrated and angry and scared. I am on and off the Atkins

diet

from time to time and keep ketosticks on hand. So I had him pee in a cup and

he was spilling massive ketones. I know about diabetes from other family

members and also because I had gestational diabetes with each child...so I knew

we were in deep doo doo at this point.

I called Kaiser back and told them in no uncertain terms I was going to the

ER and the closest one...not Kaiser. As soon as we got to triage they did his

vitals and took a history then did a finger poke and she grabbed him and

ran...telling me to follow. The next 20 minutes was a rush of docs, techs,

nurses

and controlled chaos. They told me that he was in critical condition and

that he was in ketoacidosis and definitely type one diabetes. They said he was

just hours from coma status. He had zero traces of insulin in his body and

huge #'s of antibodies to his islet cells.

Later that evening we were transferred to Kaiser Peds unit and stayed there

for a week. He came home July 1st. He is currently getting Lantus at night

and Novalog and Novalin R at meals and also has been needing middle of the

night dose of Novalog too.

I found this group through an invite...I assuming from someone on another

diabetes group. I am hoping to find informaton and support and to offer support

to others as I learn more.

Hugs

Keri