7 years Post heart Transplant - Insulin Dependent Diabetic

MumEve

Member
Messages
10
Hi my daughter is 7 years Post heart transplant and has been diagnosed as insulin dependent diabetic due to the anti rejection medication she takes.
This has come as a big shock.
-Does anyone know if this can be reversed?
-Has anyone experienced this?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
 

Diakat

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,591
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
The smell of cigars
Is this due to steroid medication?
 
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NicoleC1971

BANNED
Messages
3,451
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi my daughter is 7 years Post heart transplant and has been diagnosed as insulin dependent diabetic due to the anti rejection medication she takes.
This has come as a big shock.
-Does anyone know if this can be reversed?
-Has anyone experienced this?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
I am sorry to hear you've had this extra thing to come with.
I have a friend who developed type 2 (not insulin dependant) after a kidney transplant and anti rejection drugs.
How is your daughter and your family coping with the new regime? If she does have type 1 diabetes this means that her immune system has attacked her pancreatic beta cells and she is not producing insulin to control her blood sugars. This condition is not reverseable however there are some doctors (see Type 1 Grit Facebook and Dr Richard Bernstein ) who think beta cell function could be preserved by eating a high fat and low carb diet.
Obviously you will need lots of support and advice given that your daughter has had major heart surgery.
 
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Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,284
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
First, big hug to you and your daughter! Must have been some road you have walked already.
Second, I think it makes sense to try to learn to manage her diabetes as good as possible first. Reversible or not, she needs blood sugars as healthy as she can get them.

May I ask, is she a young child needing you to manage her diabetes or an independent grown up? Or anything in between?
 
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Struma

Well-Known Member
Messages
536
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Other
I think the most helpful think I can advise, is to talk it over with the transplant team. You will have telephone access to them, which works well, and transplant outpatients for face to face.
Please remember, sometimes, insulin is the safest drug to use. A lot of oral anti diabetic pills can possibly affect the kidneys.
Wishing you good luck.

Edit: P.S. Just wondering if your daughter has had any pulsed methylpred this year?
 
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VashtiB

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
2,283
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Welcome- you and your daughter sound like you have faced a number of challenges. I think that you really need to talk to a transplant specialist in the first instance. After you have a bit more information people here may be able to give you some help.

Specifically you and your daughter need to know whether her b body is still producing insulin or not. My understanding is that if her body is not producing insulin then she will need to take some.

I know this just just be one more thin g on top of other health issues but even if she needs to take insulin there are people on this site who can give you some support and advice.

Best wishes to b other you and your daughter.
 
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MumEve

Member
Messages
10
I am sorry to hear you've had this extra thing to come with.
I have a friend who developed type 2 (not insulin dependant) after a kidney transplant and anti rejection drugs.
How is your daughter and your family coping with the new regime? If she does have type 1 diabetes this means that her immune system has attacked her pancreatic beta cells and she is not producing insulin to control her blood sugars. This condition is not reverseable however there are some doctors (see Type 1 Grit Facebook and Dr Richard Bernstein ) who think beta cell function could be preserved by eating a high fat and low carb diet.
Obviously you will need lots of support and advice given that your daughter has had major heart surgery.

Still trying to get our head around it all. She’s already has a weekly infusion of immunoglobulin to take through subcut and now this. Thank you
 

MumEve

Member
Messages
10
First, big hug to you and your daughter! Must have been some road you have walked already.
Second, I think it makes sense to try to learn to manage her diabetes as good as possible first. Reversible or not, she needs blood sugars as healthy as she can get them.

May I ask, is she a young child needing you to manage her diabetes or an independent grown up? Or anything in between?

Thank you.
Due to her muscular dystrophy she’s unable to mange it independently. She’s also autistic. We try to manage it together
 
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MumEve

Member
Messages
10
I think the most helpful think I can advise, is to talk it over with the transplant team. You will have telephone access to them, which works well, and transplant outpatients for face to face.
Please remember, sometimes, insulin is the safest drug to use. A lot of oral anti diabetic pills can possibly affect the kidneys.
Wishing you good luck.

Edit: P.S. Just wondering if your daughter has had any pulsed methylpred this year?

Hi. We’ve a transplant appointment next week so have put together a few questions. Thank you
 

MumEve

Member
Messages
10
Welcome- you and your daughter sound like you have faced a number of challenges. I think that you really need to talk to a transplant specialist in the first instance. After you have a bit more information people here may be able to give you some help.

Specifically you and your daughter need to know whether her b body is still producing insulin or not. My understanding is that if her body is not producing insulin then she will need to take some.

I know this just just be one more thin g on top of other health issues but even if she needs to take insulin there are people on this site who can give you some support and advice.

Best wishes to b other you and your daughter.

Thank you.
She takes a slow release insulin at night and insulin after every meal she has. She also takes a table in the morning and evening.