• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Honeymoon phase

J

JanJansen

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other
Hi there! How do i know if the honeymoon phase will ended soon? And how quickly do you really really need insuline again? For some months, i dont use insuline and blood glucose levels are totally fine. How will blood glucose levels change at the end of the honeymoon phase?
- It will be quickly: Today everything will be fine, tomorrow it is really really high?
- It will be slowly: It slowly increases day by day?
- ...
 
Hi @JanJansen

I found my after meal results started getting higher. This happened fairly quickly, over a period of weeks.

Keep testing regularly and watch for any rises like that. Even moderately high sugars over a length of time have the potential to,cause damage.

Welcome to the forum
 
I think everyone's experience is different.
I started on insulin on day one and needed it straight away but small doses.
These doses increased every 4 to 6 months for about the first 3 years. So, you could say, my honeymoon period lasted about 3 years. There again, it depends on your definition of honeymoon period - is it the time when you need no insulin or is it the time when your body is still producing some insulin?
As for speed of change - unless your insulin producing cells are removed through surgery (for example if someone has part of the pancreas removed), I believe they are killed off gradually. But the speed depends on your body's autoimmune system.
 
you should stay on the insulin, it will extend the honeymoon period
 
I'm just curious about this in the UK: do they measure your insulin levels whey you're newly diagnosed? I know they did mine soon after I was diagnosed and had a couple of serious hypos and ended up in the hospital. The insulin in your blood stream can be quantitated that's for sure. I just wonder if the do that anymore. It would seem to me a good way to answer the question: does this diabetic make any insulin now? If' there is zero you could probably assume no honeymoon for you. If there were quite a bit look out baby back off the Novorapid.
 
No, it's not typically done @TheBigNewt. C-peptide testing and GAD antibodies testing can be done on the NHS, but it's not a default approach in diagnoing T1D.

Usually the diagnosis is based on the common symptoms associated with T1 - combined with things like age, weight and general state of health leading up to DX.

What the doctor's do however, is start the newly diagnosed on small doses of insulin as to minimise the chance of experiencing bad hypos and to also bring BG levels down gradually. If insulin therapy is introduced gradually and systematically, then the likelihood of problems and issues are greatly reduced.
 
I see. And interpreting insulin levels and adjusting therapy based on them might require more training than the average GP has too. But I still think if the patient had zero insulin it might help get them controlled a bit quicker.
 
TheBigNewt said:
But I still think if the patient had zero insulin it might help get them controlled a bit quicker.
Click to expand...
Reigning in the numbers too quickly can have a detrimental impact on the health of the diabetic. This is partly why insulin doses start low and are gradually increased over time.

I also don't believe that there is any direct correlation between how much of your own insulin you produce and what doses you should take. So it's not a case of "you make this much insulin, so you need this much exogenous". It's still very much trial and error, erring on the side of caution by building up slowly.
 
Last edited:
TheBigNewt said:
I see. And interpreting insulin levels and adjusting therapy based on them might require more training than the average GP has too.
Click to expand...
I'm certain that every T1D in the UK is eligible for access to specialist care (diabetologist/endocrinologist) - I'm not aware of GP's doing dose adjustments for diabetics; I may be wrong though.
 
From what I gather the diabetes nurses (maybe they're Nurse Practicioners, who are primary care providers at VA facilities here too) are the first provider some people see when they get out of the hospital. Some say they do see endos too. As for insulin doses I've seen some say they only take like 3U of Lantus/day. They must make some of their own to get by on that much right?
 
Somehow I don't think we could get away with that lol. I feel fortunate I only need 25 Lantus and about 15 Novolog a day.
 
TheBigNewt said:
Somehow I don't think we could get away with that lol. I feel fortunate I only need 25 Lantus and about 15 Novolog a day.
Click to expand...
Well given when you were diagnosed, I'd find it somewhat surprising if you stopped your insulin and remained alive and well @TheBigNewt

Many T1's present to their doctor in the very early stages of the immune system attack; and moreover, the rate at which the beta cells are wiped out can be a lot slower in some. So I guess that's why some can see a couple of months with only bolus, only basal or sometimes even no insulin at all. But ultimately, that will no longer be an option and insulin therapy will have to start permanently.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…