September 1, 2006
Honeymoon
Question from Lafayette, Colorado, USA:
I was diagnosed with type 1 just about a year ago, at the age of 43. DKA and GAD testing were the basis of the type 1 diagnosis. At the time of diagnosis, my endocrinologist said that after my body got back to a more normal blood glucose level, it was possible my pancreas would start producing enough insulin for a period of time and I wouldn’t need much, if any, insulin — the honeymoon period. Well, it hasn’t happened to me.
It’s been easy for me to control my blood glucose for the last year. I calculate my carbohydrates carefully, test my blood glucose level and inject based on those two things. I don’t have wild swings in blood glucose levels and I’m grateful for that. I use NovoLog as my fast acting insulin and Lantus as my basal insulin. My A1c readings are well within the limits for a type 1 person.
Reading through previous questions asked and answered, it almost sounds as though this absence of a “honeymoon” period is abnormal especially given that my onset of type 1 has occurred “later” in life. Previous responses regarding “the honeymoon” period also seem to indicate that after “the honeymoon” is over, controlling blood glucose levels will be harder.
Should I expect some change during this next 12 month period in the relative ease I’ve experienced of controlling my blood glucose? Is it my “honeymoon” that has been making it be relatively easy to control my blood glucose levels with the normal prescribed method of carbohydrate counting, fast acting and basal insulins?
Answer:
I think you have the correct assumption. The honeymoon period does not necessarily indicate that patients come off insulin completely, rather, that there is relative ease in controlling glucose with a minimum of insulin. There are several ways to measure insulin secretion in humans that are done for research purposes. If you were to have had those tests, I feel the tests would show that you do make insulin. However, the amount of insulin you make is not enough to allow you to get off insulin completely. The fact that you have this ease of control with smooth changes in your glucose levels is evidence for insulin secretion. The best way to maintain that ease of control is to keep your blood sugars under good control.
JTL
