Teenage Son with type 1

[Francie]

My son has just had his first stay in hospital after having D for 4 years he has the flu but also was admitted for ketones and High bllod sugars. he takes Lantus at night and novo Rapid during the day he was told that he takes a high dose of insulin for his age how much does anyone else's teenagers take.

[Abby-Dabby-Doo]

Sorry Francie I don't have a teenager, so I'm really no help. My daughter was only on Lantus for 4 months and we never took over 3 units.

I guess I'd be curious to know who told you that his dose was a high amount for his age?! I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that they probably don't know what they were talking about. I don't think insulin is in any way shape or form "age" appropriate. No child's fingerprints are alike and neither is a child's diabetes.

I'm glad to hear that your son hasn't been hospitalized for 4 years because of D. I hope he gets over this flu- and out of the hospital soon! Keep us updated! :)

[badshoe]

The rule of thumb we were told is that at full on set you can expect to use about one unit per kilo of weight or 1 unit per 2.2 pounds.

So how much isn't a function of age it is a function weight and the honeymoon ending.

Your Diabetes May Vary.

[Amy C.]

Each child should take the amount of insulin needed to bring the sugar down. Some teenagers can take up to 100 units a day due to the insulin resistance cause by the growth horomones.

If you child was in the hospital, he probably took more than any other child they have seen at that age. Since they are not an endo practice, they don't see all kids.

When my son was on Lantus last, he was 12. He took 28 units of Lantus a day and used about a 10:1 ratio for food to insulin with Humalog.

If your son's sugars are in range, he is taking the correct amount.

[MamaC]

In the YDMV vein....

Tom, almost 15 months in, takes (today) 7 units of NPH daily, in the AM. Nothing else. He's almost 15. We may drop it to 6 units when he goes to soccer camp next week.

Becky

[Ellen]

Sorry to hear he has the flu - that makes it worse too. Hope he'll be feeling well soon. Teens are notoriously insulin resistant and often need much more insulin per kg of body weight than at other times in life. Was it a pediatric or adult endocrinologist that said he's taking too much? Or was it a general practice doctor who is treating diabetes and may not understand?

Is your son checking blood sugar in order to see if he's dropping low and then rebounding with high blood sugar? I know it's hard to get teens to check sometimes.

GREAT to see you on the boards Francie. :)

The following article is a bit old, from 2001. Medscape is free but you must register: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/412390

[OSUMom]

First off, welcome Francie. My son is 19 - diagnosed just last year. I was frustrated by what seemed was little knowledge by regular hospital personnel while my son was in regular hospital room after diganosis. Hopefully you're able to have the care of an endocrinologist. I know in the ER this is not usually the case.

My son is not on the same insulin routine being on a pump.

Please let us know how he is doing with an update if you can. :cwds:

[kiwikid]

Its nice to see you here ;)

I always find it interesting to play with these tools from http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_tools/index.php They can give you an idea BUT each kid is different and going by these tools, Rachel takes more than she should too :rolleyes:

[Heather(CA)]

Each child should take the amount of insulin needed to bring the sugar down. Some teenagers can take up to 100 units a day due to the insulin resistance cause by the growth horomones.

If you child was in the hospital, he probably took more than any other child they have seen at that age. Since they are not an endo practice, they don't see all kids.

When my son was on Lantus last, he was 12. He took 28 units of Lantus a day and used about a 10:1 ratio for food to insulin with Humalog.

If your son's sugars are in range, he is taking the correct amount.

Seth takes about the same,except his Lantus is 22 units. and I totally agree, they need to take whatever is needed to control their blood sugars. Those docs are not endos.

[WestinsMom]

I tend to believe that most medical personel have no idea about type 1. I tend to believe that even adults with type 1 don't know what it is like to have a child with type1. We had a teacher at school shocked that we had never had a no delivery. Westin was 5 and didn't take large enough doses to get a no delivery. (pump) I had to point out that Westin's total daily dose was less than what he would take for one meal! Just take that comment with a grain of salt unless it was an actually qualified endo.

[deafmack]

I tend to believe that most medical personel have no idea about type 1. I tend to believe that even adults with type 1 don't know what it is like to have a child with type1. We had a teacher at school shocked that we had never had a no delivery. Westin was 5 and didn't take large enough doses to get a no delivery. (pump) I had to point out that Westin's total daily dose was less than what he would take for one meal! Just take that comment with a grain of salt unless it was an actually qualified endo.

I agree with your statement and believe it or not even though they may see a lot of people with type 2 they have no idea about treating type 2. For example they tell us to test only before a meal but it is the post meal sugars that are the most important for people with type 2 that are not on insulin. Sometimes it is good to get a fasting number as well, but the post meal numbers tell the person with type 2 how the carbs affected their blood sugars. I have found that they just say the same thing and really have no idea. Sure they may see people with type 2 a lot more but believe me they do not know that much either.

[Francie]

Sorry to hear he has the flu - that makes it worse too. Hope he'll be feeling well soon. Teens are notoriously insulin resistant and often need much more insulin per kg of body weight than at other times in life. Was it a pediatric or adult endocrinologist that said he's taking too much? Or was it a general practice doctor who is treating diabetes and may not understand?

Is your son checking blood sugar in order to see if he's dropping low and then rebounding with high blood sugar? I know it's hard to get teens to check sometimes.

GREAT to see you on the boards Francie. :)

The following article is a bit old, from 2001. Medscape is free but you must register: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/412390


He is feeling a lot better Ellen yes he is taking maybe a little over his body weight in units of insulin and it was the renal Doctor and the medical registra that thought he was on a very high amount of insulin he using including the lantus approx 90 units of insulin a day he weighs 88.2kgs.

[Francie]

Thanks for your help everyone I guess then buy the way we are doing things we have it right and all those so called medical people are not always right his levels have improved so myabe he had become insulin resistant and because he had been injecting into the same sites every day he was not getting the absorbtion he should of. He has been using different sites to inject and it is making a difference. thanks.;)