My daughter was diagnosed almost two years ago when she turned three years old. How is it possible that she is still in her honeymoon phase? The doctor said it usually lasts up to a year; it’s been twice that! She only occasionally needs NovoLog, maybe once every two months or so. We stopped giving her the Lantus because of lows. Also, sometimes she has ketones in her urine, but her blood glucose is in normal range. Why is that?

All the tests we have are not 100%. Islet cell antibody and GAD65 antibody, if positive, would suggest that this is just an unusually long honeymoon. If negative, they will not help figure this out since at least 20% of kids can have negative antibodies. It is true, although rare, that honeymoons can last this long, but usually in older teens and young adults not very young children. I would go back and ask these questions specifically to your pediatric diabetologist who knows the details.

SB
Additional comments from Dr. David Schwartz:

I think the “typical” honeymoon lasts about a year. But some depends on dedication and vigilence at home with meal planning, dosing, exercise, etc., and some probably hinges on a degree of dumb luck.

The shortest honeymoon I’ve seen is two weeks. The longest, now on two occassions, almost four years.

DS