March 11, 2004
Celiac
Question from New Zealand:
My daughter has had type 1 diabetes for four years. She has also been diagnosed with celiac disease for nearly one year. The diagnosis was made because of severe hypoglycemic reactions. You answered a question last year about being lower after meals, having a normal blood sugar until the body is able to absorb food. This helped. The hypoglycemic reactions continue on the odd occasion leading to a hyperglycemic reaction. Her sugars are very unstable. The team is concerned that we are over-injecting. Does celiac disease have any effect on diabetes? Her diet is clean. One week she had been sneaking food and we had a day of lows, nothing over 3.2 mmol/L [57, 6 mg/dl] for 24 hours. Please tell me what I should be looking for.
Answer:
As far as I am aware, all of the effects of celiac disease upon diabetes are mediated via the gut, i.e. poor absorption, rapid transit etc., which can result in an increased likelihood of hypoglycemia. This can be rapid and unexpected.
KJR
