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Honeymoon period - type 1

@Maggieshauna Hi

We're all different, but most people notice a gradual deterioration as their honeymoon period ends. That is, you aren't fine one day and exceptionally high the next. For me, I noticed higher after meal blood sugars. They didn't suddenly leap - I saw it more looking back. Over a period of quite a few months my insulin needs increased.
 
Maggieshauna said:
I was on 21 units of insulin but after 2 months I started having hypos and so the insulin was reduces and reduced until I was only on 3 units of Lantus and still having hypos and that's when I was advised to stop the
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I think @Maggieshauna all we can do is keep our fingers crossed that this honeymoon phase lasts as long as possible, but make sure we check bg levels regularly to watch for the rise which from what I've read seems inevitable. Hopefully it'll be gradual rather than sudden....
 
Thank you for that, that's good advice. I am still doing my BG 4x daily and so will keep that going. That has reassured me!
 
Thank you for your reply, others have said its gradual so that's reassuring.
 

Thank you azure I'm more reassured now...ketoacidosis was a bit scary...just didn't want to go there again!
 
Thanks JuneC you are right...so I'll keep the by testing up.
 
Hello All, my experience has been really similar - 8 months off insuline after really bad hypos for the first 3 post-diagnosis months. As my sugar levels were really good and for a year I was taking just 2 units a day, my doctor told me to stop injecting completely. This wonderful time lasted for 8 months and, to be honest I got a bit cocky and let myself go, wasn't really that careful anymore with what I've eaten. So if you are really good about things, you may last for a very long time - fingers crossed! I now inject 5 units twice daily and am determined not to go much higher. In my quest for health I've recently discovered epigenetics research - Bruce Lipton who has written 'Biology of Belief' book, has been doing research on stem cells since the 1970s. He's proven that human cells change their chemical makeup because of environmental factors and this includes our emotions as the brain produces harmfull chemicals when we are stressed and worried. I am pretty sure that my diabetes is due to stress (no family history) so am now determined to do anything I can to lead a chilled life. Wish you all the same!
 
Thank you Agarosa I will have a look at that book as I too had been through a good deal of stress for the year before diagnosis, I'm making changes that have reduced stress so that book might be helpful!
 
Kristin251 said:
I also bolus for 1/2 protein. I am always VLC but protein can be just as bad as carbs. How much fat do yiu eat and do you think it makes a difference ? If I just eat protein I will jump. I need fat to slow the protein.
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Kristin251 said:
I also bolus for 1/2 protein. I am always VLC but protein can be just as bad as carbs. How much fat do yiu eat and do you think it makes a difference ? If I just eat protein I will jump. I need fat to slow the protein.
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Thank you Kristin251 for your reply. To be honest I eat a very low fat diet as I had been going to Slimming World where you can eat a high carb low fat diet. So switching to a low carb diet seems difficult as I still have it in my head to keep off fats...I have bought myself a few low carb cook books so will be working on changing my mind set! It's got to be done...so I'll get it under control! I really find this forum so informative as there is so experience out there...thank you all!
 
Thank you himtoo I was told by my diabetic nurse that I am using up the beta cells I have left then I will have to go back on insulin. I was on 21units a day for just over 2 months and it was working well! Then the hypos started so they reduced and reduced my insulin till I was only on three units a day and still having hypos so they said to stop until the honeymoon period is over. She did say it's unusual but does happen to a few people. I still have to test my bg but at the moment it's ok so I hope it lasts for a long time but my nurse said that it lasts longer if you continue with insulin but for me that was not possible unfortunately.
 
I understand your fear of fats as that's what we've been told for years. You don't need to gob fat but SOME is very healthy.
YouDon't need to be frying up bacon and cooking your veggies in it but some olive oil on veggies, avocado, a few nuts or swipes of nut butters. Fat will help keep the spike slow and low. Avocado has been my miracle food for this. It has a good amount of fiber that helps as well. Olive oil acts like water to me for tbe spike but nuts or nut butters do help as well. With LCHF the idea is not to add more protein but to replace the carb calories with fat calories.
 
Thank you for the advice Kirsten251 I will definitely have avocado and nut butter as I love both...I will also go back to using a little olive oil and nuts too. I can see I'm going to try things and see how they work for me!
 
Hello Again, Maggieshauna you may want to read this http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/07/the-sugar-conspiracy-robert-lustig-john-yudkin I was quite re-assured about high fat diet (although it made me sad how we've been duped for so many years!). I'll definitely second Kristin251 advice on avocado, it does wonders to my BG; and would add marinated artichokes (I get them from a farmers' market nearby, all fresh and organic etc) and roasted chickory with some olive oil - even if I have a rye toastie with cheese quite late (last night at 21:30) and combine it with chickory my BG is great in the morning (5.5 today) Nuts butters are fab too but if you are not making them yourself be careful about any added sugar - I love those from Meridian - great selection! am addicted to hazelnut at the moment
 
Thank you AgaRosa I am going to read the link you posted now. I've bought some avacado today's do will try the artichokes...what do you use as the marinade?
 
Back to the original question....
I very slowly came out of the honeymoon, and as I still take a very low dose of basal (5u/24hrs) I'm probably still honeymooning a bit myself, a year or so into diagnosis. When I was first diagnosed I was almost always in the teens for a couple weeks, then came right down. I had quite a few mild hypos, sometimes multiple a day at my worst, but never completely came off insulin. Over the space of around 8 months my meal time ratio gradually changed from 1:20g to 1:10g, I wouldn't say I was suddenly drastically high, I'd just notice that rather than being 4-6 before meals I was more in the 7-9 range. Everyone is different, but that's my experience of it. The best thing you can do is just keep good records and adjust with the help of your nurse if you start seeing trends
 
I have just started experiencing high B G I think my honeymoon period is over. So now it is regroup, monitor carbs,adjust dosages and get back to normal B G.
 
@June_C
Apologies for taking the non-insulin T1 topic on further (am happy to swap to a fresh thread if someone suggests it). I'm posting for the first time and am in a grey area as June_C and others seem to be. I was diagnosed T1 in november 2015 and am on no medication. My consultant hasn't even asked to see me again yet. I was suspected T2 for a year before the T1 diagnosis came in and I am described as "an unusual form of slow onset T1". I wanted to say that low carb (under 25g per day) is the reason that i am off meds. I am a healthy weight, with usually decent BS levels (not high enough to take insulin the consultant says for risk of hypos). i'd be interested to know how long you have been T1 with no insulin and how you manage this unusual honeymoon that we are 'enjoying'?
 
I too will be interested to see how many others are in the same boat as us.
 
Thank you for your reply Azure that is reassuring for me! A mad dash to hospital with ketoacidosis did shake me to be honest and I just want to avoid that again! But if it's gradual I should be able to monitor it and get advice from my diabetic nurse.
 
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