
March 5, 2003
Daily Care
Question from Downingtown, Pennsylvania, USA:
My 25 year old son was just diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and his level fluctuates a lot (168-500+ mg/dl [9.3-27.8+ mmol/L]). How and will he ever get it regulated? Right now he takes two to three shots of insulin per day. Will that ever decrease to maybe one per day?
Answer:
The treatment of elevated blood sugars in type 1 diabetes is not just about how many shots or how much insulin. It is also about checking sugars regularly, making good lifestyle choices regarding food, exercise, and insulin dosing. Unfortunately, one insulin injection per day is not likely to provide good coverage of your son’s blood sugars. The best regimens are basal/bolus programs which use three to four injections per day.
JTL