Question from South Africa:

My daughter, age 12, grade 6, diagnosed three and a half years ago and pumping Humalog, has had the following symptoms, to a greater or lesser degree, since diagnosis: headaches, nausea, (frequently, i.e., four to six times a week), stomachaches, and dizziness (less frequently, often once or twice a week).

Numerous investigations have ruled out celiac, brain tumors or neurological problems, and ENT problems. Painkillers are mostly ineffective, so we don’t use them much. She misses enormous amounts of school and it makes her very miserable. She is in psychotherapy once a week. Otherwise, she’s in good health, growing normally. She has a sister, 15, in excellent health.

Since we already know that she gets headaches from aspartame (a familial sensitivity), recently, a new doctor put her on a special diet free from all preservatives, colorants, flavorings, MSG and sweeteners, as well as wheat, maize, peanuts, chocolate, coffee and honey. After seven weeks of only moderate improvement, the doctor has raised the possibility of her being sensitive/intolerant to one of the additives in her insulin; she suspects the preservative, metacresol.

Has this ever been reported before? What should we do? She is not allergic as such (no itching, hives, breathing problems, etc.) and we cannot stop giving her insulin. Her regular doctor (a physician with a special interest in diabetes whom we see four times year) has no answers for us. Where could I search for information about this? (I researched the excipients of other insulins to see if a simple switch would be a solution, but metacresol seems to be used in most.)

I’d be most grateful if you can help me with any information about what to do, as I’m rather desperate.