Anyone experienced with allergy to insulin?

[isaiah268m]

Not for us....I'm posting looking for information for a parent of a newly diagnosed T1. It's been determined that this child is severly allergic (100%) to all types of insulin. I know I've heard of this before, but can't remember where I saw information regarding this.

Is anyone familiar with this? Or with an appropriate treatment plan? Or of a clinic that might treat this? This child's endo has not been very helpful, and has given the parents little hope....

Any help you can give is greatly appreciated.

[BrendaK]

Wow, that's awful. I have known someone who was allergic to all insulin except the animal derived kind. I think she took pork insulin. I know you said allergic to all types -- but have they tried animal insulins? I'm not even sure they make them in the US anymore.

[isaiah268m]

Wow, that's awful. I have known someone who was allergic to all insulin except the animal derived kind. I think she took pork insulin. I know you said allergic to all types -- but have they tried animal insulins? I'm not even sure they make them in the US anymore.

Isn't humalog pork insulin?

I think they've tried everything available in the US.

[EmmasMom]

[quote=isaiah268m]Isn't humalog pork insulin?
quote]

No, humalog is human insulin.

There must be something available somewhere:confused:, that is horrifying!

[BrendaK]

No, Humalog isn't pork insulin. It's a synthetic insulin manufactured in a lab to resemble human insulin. I just read online that beef insulin is no longer available in the US and just beginning this past January, pork isn't available in the US, either.

If the child is severely allergic to the synthetic insulins, I bet there would be a way somehow to get ahold of the pork or beef insulins to try. I wish I could be more help!!

[isaiah268m]

ARgh....posted to wrong thread. Ignore this post.

[isaiah268m]

No, Humalog isn't pork insulin. It's a synthetic insulin manufactured in a lab to resemble human insulin. I just read online that beef insulin is no longer available in the US and just beginning this past January, pork isn't available in the US, either.

If the child is severely allergic to the synthetic insulins, I bet there would be a way somehow to get ahold of the pork or beef insulins to try. I wish I could be more help!!

Thanks for the education! There's so much I don't know.....it's endless.

One article I read was that most "insulin allergies" are actually allergic reactions to the preservitives in the insulin. They're checking on the posibility of isolating the preservatives for allergy testing...not sure if they'd be able to get the insulin without the preservatives here in the states though.

Is anyone out there who has a good ped. endo. or facility recommendation in the San Antonio area? This is where they live.

[selketine]

I remember finding some articles on this a couple of years ago when William was dx'd with a peanut allergy right after being dx'd with diabetes. I think looking up "allergy" and "diabetes" in the same search came up with info on insulin allergies.

I found this on line:

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/26/10/2961
http://content.karger.com/produktedb/produkte.asp?typ=fulltext&file=HRE2006065005253
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/28/4/983
http://diabetes.healthcentersonline.com/insulin/insulinallergy.cfm


Some of these are from medical journals - and are just abstracts. But if all else fails it would be possible to contact the authors (if they are in the USA) and ask advice on where to go for treatment if they parents can't find any locally.

[twicker1]

If they are in San Antonio, why not try Texas Children's Hospital, in Houston? We are supposed to have the best medical center in the country. We use Texas Children's, although I am having trouble with them at the moment. 832-822-3939

[Jen Jen]

http://www.diabetictypeone.org/

[Tamara Gamble]

A little off topic but applicable. When my brother was born he couldn't have any form of breast milk, or formulas that were on the shelf at that time. They didn't know what to do with him. How do you feed a new born like this. Upon doing extensive research my grandmother found that there used to be a banana based milk formula for infants in the US anyway and contacted the company who used to make it. They shipped what they had left. She also went to the local news paper with my brothers story and my family was able to get their hands on some more. It came in from all across the country. It was a big deal at that time. The hospital was actually elated to have the extra help and of coarse this formula was approved by them. My brother was in the hospital most of the time and spent the first full three months of his life there. Now he's a healthy approaching middle aged adult.

I wonder that if any on these insulins that are not available in the US anymore, if approved by his doctors etc. could be gotten for this little one. If he can tolorate them?

With the media and internet the way that they are nowadays this task may be much easier to accomplish. I don't know anything about the insulin allergy topic. But if you find that there is an insulin he can tolerate and need help locating or whatever, I'm in. I will do what I can to assist you. There are many others here who know so much more and seem to have located some information for you but just say the word and I'm willing to do what I can.

Don't give up hope. Nothing's impossible. Good Luck! God Bless! Keep us posted. Tami