Help With Diabetes?

Question

My bf was diagnosed with diabetes in May, type one, and he's just turned 14 and is finding it hard to cope.
I want to help and support him, but I know nothing about diabetes, except it affects the blood sugar levels.

So, can someone tell me some basic things, like what he should be eating, how often he should be injecting, checking sugar levels and at what times. what should his levels be at different times of the day?
How low is dangerous, and how high is dangerous?
Anything else that is important?

Thank-You. =]

Answer 1

Wow, your bf is lucky to have such a caring gf!

My son is now 15 and has had type 1 for about a year and a half. It is very difficult and turns your world upside down for awhile...until you get used to it. Diabetes is overwhelming and scary at first--but it does get easier with time and experience.

The key is striking a balance between insulin, diet and exercise. It is not easy and sometimes my son gets frustrated--he just wants to be a normal guy! Try not to nag--I know it's hard for me not to nag my son about testing, insulin injections, etc. I have had to learn to strike a balance too--in letting him handle it himself and being responsible for him as a parent.

The really good thing about diabetes is that as long as you take care of it first, you can do anything you want. But if you ignore the condition, it can be devastating.

Your bf should test his blood sugar when he wakes up in the morning, before meals and exercise and before he goes to sleep at night. He'll want to strive to be in a target range, usually between 110 and 150 (his dr. will know for sure). Also, he should have a small snack before bed to ensure his blood sugar does not drop too low during the night.

The lows are more dangerous than the highs and require immediate attention. Anything below 70 is too low and he'll need a fast-acting source of sugar on hand: orange juice or regular soda is best. He'll need to test again after 15 minutes to make sure his blood sugar has risen and then he'll need to eat a good meal.

Depression is common in newly-diagnosed diabetics. My son doesn't know anyone else with the disease...your boyfriend might want to look into joining an on-line supprt group--I think it would make a tremendous difference for him.

Good luck to him! And both of you can take your time and read as much as you can about the disease.

Answer 2

The usual way to manage Type 1 is with two different insulins. One is long-acting which is taken at the same time every day, sometimes one shot a day, sometimes two. The other insulin is rapid-acting and is given to cover the amount of carbohydrates eaten. The rapid-acting is also used to correct if blood sugar is too high.

Testing should be done first thing in the morning, before meals, and at bedtime. Fasting and before meal targets are about 80-120. At bedtime it should be a little higher. However a newly diagnosed Type 1 teenager is probably not going to hit these targets very regularly at first.

How low is too low is a difficult question. It depends on the situation. If he's below 80 and about to do some sports, he needs to eat first. Below about 50 is pretty dangerous, though some people can still function. He should always carry some emergency sugar for this - something like gummy bears, sweet-tarts or glucose tablets. Something without fat (fat slows it down) so chocolate is not a good choice.

There should be a plan in place for the possibility that his blood drops so low that he cannot function, or follow directions to swallow. If you have not been trained, you should just call 911 if this happens.

As far as his diet, he can eat anything as long as he gives insulin to cover the carbohydrates. His doctor should tell him how much insulin per so many carbohydrates.

One or two consecutive high blood sugars is not dangerous. Persistantly above 240, and he will become ill. Highs need to be treated with insulin and sugar-free fluid, because high blood sugar causes dehydration.

It's a lot to cope with - it's great that your taking an interest and trying to help. He may not want you too much in his business, though, and you're going to have to respect that.

Good luck!

Answer 3

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Answer 4

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Answer 5

He should try and reduce his carbohydrate intake as well as sugar as both these turn to blood sugar glucose
Efforts to bring down the blood sugar or to keep blood sugar within a safe range include all or some of the following:
Diet and exercise Most important
Oral medications (pills)
Insulin (by injection)
Combination of diet, exercise, and medications
High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) is when the test shows:
At or over 240 mg/dl
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is when the test shows:
Less than 70 mg/dl
The insulin injections are usually taken just before the 3 main meals but this must be checked with his doctor as some people need extra so be careful

Signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
shaking headache
sweating confusion
rapid heart beat seizure
irritability severe hunger
A blood sugar below 70 can become an emergency.
If the person is awake and can eat or drink something with sugar, that will raise the blood sugar.
If they are unable to safely swallow (that is, not choke), call 911 for help.
Low blood sugar can cause coma and death
The problem is that if he worries or panics then he can cause himself problems as stress can cause blood sugar to rise

Answer 6

I'm a type 2, so I can't offer you any specifics on insulin usage other than, the more carbohydrates and sugar he takes in, the more insulin he'll need.

Blood sugar readings should be kept within 80 to 120 as Ashley suggests. 50 to 60, or less, would be considered too low. Depending on when he eats and takes his insulin, over 160 to 200 could be considered somewhat high. More than that would certainly be too high. Over 400 to 500 is pretty dangerous.

As far as diet is concerned, I have a wealth of resources available. I strongly suggest learning as much as you can about foods and their carb and sugar amounts. There are 4 calories per gram of either one. If he focuses on eating to live and not living to eat, he'll have a much easier time regulating his sugar. Here are just a few resources I've put together... most are for us type 2s, but many apply to type 1s:
http://www.geocities.com/seabulls69/Type_II_Diabetes.html

Remember my motto: "You can never know too much when it comes to your health".

Answer 7

It really depends on the person. Honestly, I've been where70 makes me shake, and I've been where I didn't even notice I was low until I got to 47. And I've been high enough that my meter didn't read it, which means over 600. Normal is 80-120. Normal for a type 1 is about 140-190.
He should test as often as he's told to. He shouldn't act all tough and say he doesn't need to *I've been there and you screw stuff up like that.*
I'm not really sure how to answer your question but I am totally willing to help you... if you can think of anything more specific feel free to drop a line and I'll do my best to help you out.

Answer 8

ok .there are 3 ways u can do to be supportive :

- u need to know that diabetes is a chronic long standing disorder , in which there is lack in the production of insulin ( insulin is the substance that lower the sugar n the blood ) .

- the best treatment for the condition is life style modifiction that he needs to avoid sweet foods that contain gloucose in high percentage , doing sport and so on

- for the injections and the level of sugar the best thing to do is to follow the physician instruction . the best level for sugar must be 70 to 120 mg/dl

I hope that i answered you

Answer 9

Managing Diabetes
Insulin is a natural substance that your body makes. It helps the sugar from the food you eat to go from your blood to your body's cells. That way, the sugar you get from food can be used for energy. When you have Type 2 diabetes, your body doesn't make enough insulin. Or, it can't use the insulin it does make. If you have Type 1 diabetes, your body doesn't make any insulin at all. So, the sugar from the food you eat can't get from your blood to your cells.
That's why everyone with diabetes tries to have good blood sugar control. But how do you get control?
For most people, a great diabetes management plan includes what we call "the 4 M's." The M's stand for Monitoring, Meals, Moves (exercise), and Medicine.
Monitoring — keep track of your treatment plan with regular Monitoring of your blood sugar Meals — plan healthy and enjoyable Meals to help keep your blood sugar near goal Moves (exercise) — move your body to help lower your blood sugar by burning it for energy, and reduce your risk of complications from diabetes Medicine — learn about Medicines that are helpful for controlling diabetes when healthy Meals and Moves (exercise) are not enough

Do some Exercise:
Exercise important in diabetes.

Exercise is good for everyone and is an important tool in managing your diabetes. It can be just as useful as diabetes medicine or planning your diet. Most people with diabetes who exercise regularly require less medication.
Regular exercises:
Improves blood sugar control and regulation

May help reduce the amount of oral insulin medication needed

Improves physical fitness

Increases your strength and ease of movements

Improves blood circulation

Reduces risk of heart disease

Decreases blood pressure

Helps you lose and maintain weight

Gives a feeling of well being

Relieves stress


Exercise and Type I diabetes (Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus)

You need to plan your exercise schedule to balance both the food intake and insulin dose. Before beginning to exercise, test your blood sugar, if possible. The results of the test will tell you if there is a need to adjust your insulin dose or to eat a snack. This will prevent hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels).

If your blood sugar levels are very high and at the same time urine test shows the presence of ketone bodies, it may indicate that there is very less amount of insulin available for activity. Exercise at this time may be harmful as it may result in increased levels of both blood sugar and ketone levels.

In case of type I diabetes, there are also higher chances of hypoglycaemia at night. A preventive measure for this is to exercise in the morning after breakfast and not to exercise before bed.

Exercise and Type II diabetes (Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus)

Type II diabetes can be treated with diet and exercise alone, or these with medicines (oral hypoglycaemic agents) and/or insulin. People with type II diabetes may also be overweight. Weight loss and regular exercise may reduce the blood sugar, need for medication and enable your body to use insulin better.

For type II clients with high morning blood sugars, exercising in the evening (after four p.m.) may help; it is thought that the evening activity may stop your liver from producing excess sugar during the night.

Before you begin

Since any increase in physical activity can lower your blood sugar, you may need to change your meal plan or medication. Talk to your doctor about making these changes

Consult your doctor and have a medical check up done, especially if you are over 35 years of age.

Reduce stress, increase your energy level, and just make yourself feel good.


Getting started

Whatever kind of exercise you choose, start slowly and gradually. Begin by doing only 5 to 10 minutes a day. Increase the duration and intensity of exercise slowly.

Exercise everyday, if you can

Wear cotton socks and proper shoes.

Check your blood sugar before and after exercise, if you use insulin or diabetes medicines. If your blood sugar is low before or during exercise, have a snack to raise it.


Choosing the right exercise

There are many things you can do to increase your activity level. It is important for you to choose an activity that is right for you and the one you can enjoy.

You can walk almost anytime. You can make it a part of your exercise routine, along with using stairs rather than elevators.

Aerobic exercises are the best choice because they make your heart and lungs stronger.

Other exercises include walking, jogging, aerobic dance or bicycling

If you have problems with the nerves in your feet or legs, your doctor may want you to do a type of exercise that will not put stress on your feet. These exercises include swimming, bicycling, rowing or chair exercises.

No matter what kind of exercise you do, you should warm up before you start and cool down when you're done. To warm up, spend 5 to 10 minutes doing a low-intensity exercise such as walking. Then gently stretch for another 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat these steps after exercising.


Exercise intensity, frequency and duration

Intensity should be low to moderate

Frequency: For insulin dependent diabetics-five to seven days a week and for non-insulin dependent diabetics-four to five days a week

Duration: For insulin dependent diabetics: 20 to 30 minutes per session and for non-insulin dependent diabetics: 40 to 60 minutes per session


Exercise guidelines
Do not inject insulin into the muscle groups that will be used during the exercise session because the insulin will be absorbed too quickly, and may result in hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar.

Check your blood glucose levels frequently.

Always carry a quick and rapid source of carbohydrate in case you develop hypoglycaemia.

Exercise one to two hours after a meal.

Consume a carbohydrate snack before and during prolonged exercise.

Pay close attention to your feet for signs of blisters and cuts. Wear well-fitting, good quality exercise shoes.

Take extra care when exercising in extreme weather conditions. Hot weather can speed up insulin absorption, while cold weather can slow down insulin absorption.


Some exercise tips:

Wear correct footwear

Avoid dehydration - drink water before/during/after exercise

Test blood glucose before and after exercise, if possible

Know symptoms of low blood sugar: shaky, clammy, cold, sweat, weak, irritable and other symptoms

Answer 10

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