My son, 16, was diagnosed on September 5, 2003, just after developing symptoms. At diagnosis, his blood sugar was 22 mmol/L [396 mg/dl] and his A1c was 9.6. In December, his A1c was 6.1 and it was just 5.6. Has been taking four injections per day, NovoRapid with meals and Novolin at bedtime. Since diagnosis, he has been taking 26-29 total units of insulin/day based on his carbohydrate consumption. He is 6’1″ and weighs 186 pounds.

It sounds rather strange. The most common explanation is surreptitious insulin administration or under-eating so that you “think” the insulin is being reduced but it is really being taken. Occasionally, alcohol intake will also do this, but this is happening too frequently for that to be missed. I would go back and work with your diabetes team, keep reducing the doses and watch all blood glucose measurements. You should stay in very close contact with the diabetes team. Sometimes, hospitalization is necessary for 24 hour observation of food, activity and insulin to ascertain the cause. Insulin producing tumors could do this but this would be extremely rare in a teen with type 1 diabetes. Growth hormone deficiency and adrenal deficiency also would cause unexplained hypoglycemia. Occasionally celiac disease and thyroid problems can cause hypoglycemia so all this should be reviewed with the diabetes team since laboratory testing would help to rule in or out these other possibilities. It would be highly unusual to have the “honeymoon” show up in this fashion and pattern, so I’d look for something else.

SB