just need some advice if you have some

[Julie74601]

Hi,  I need some advice to any of those willing to give it.  I will try to make this as short as possible.  I have a 21/2 year old son that has been having blood sugar problems.  At first I noticed he would camp out by our fridge because of the water dispenser.  I just thought he liked the buttons so I turned on the child lock and went on.  But then he started drinking everyone's drink.  If you left it on the table it was gone and since I have 5 children besides him they all feel the need to have their own cup with water and he would literally drink it down.  My husband even lost his black coffee (not hot) to my son and he downed every bit of it.  I noticed also his diapers were more soaked than usual.  He has a great appetite for his age but is in the failure the thrive category.  On top of the meals he eats he drinks 2 pediasures a day per doctor's order in order to gain weight which seems to never be easy to do and he starts losing if he doesn't have them despite a good appetite.  He wears glasses since 9 months and has started taking them off a lot more.  I had gestational diabetes so I checked his sugar and saw it was 180 after a meal.  His fastings would range from 90-117.  Mostly normal but would get a few in the 100's.  I watched for a couple of weeks told my doctor and she did a fingerstick and urine test and both were normal.  Fast forward about a month.  I went to get him out of bed and he was very lethargic.  I checked his BS and it was 40 (retest was 41).  I gave him some juice and he perked up right away.  I started checking his BS again and now I was getting a lot more in mid 200 range.  I made an appointment with my ped but a week before his appointment he had a seizure.  I think it could have been a low because since school started for my other children we have been getting up early to eat breakfast.  He didn't eat well at breakfast.  My neighbor and I were taking him and going to a late lunch when he started having a seizure.  We took him to the ER.  They never did a blood sugar even though I told him his blood sugars were kind of crazy.  He had an EEG and CT and both were normal.  Waiting for the MRI.  Since the seizure we started getting high 300's and even one over 400.  He had some lab work done during another ER visit where his A1c came back normal (5.2) but higher than the last one(4.4). All lab draws were normal which did not surprise me since he hadn't eaten in a long time by the time they did the lab test.  The only things that did not come back normal was a Islet Cell antibody test which was <1:4 (they told me it meant it they were present but low) and the Anti-Gad 65 which was High at 66.6 suppose to be 0.  I finally have an appointment with a pediatric endo on the 5th.  Does anyone know about these test that came back abnormal?  Is there anything I should take to the endo?  I know you can't diagnose diabetes but does this sound like it?

[Zoelula]

No, none of us here are doctors but other diabetics so we can't diagnose your son. However, unfortunately, yes, it does sound like he has diabetes. The A1C is only an average and would balance out both lows and highs. His fasting might be normal but it sounds like food raises his blood sugar much higher than would be normal for someone without diabetes. It sounds as well as if he is experiencing significant lows. I'm sorry you went through him having a seizure; I know that must have been frightening.

I'm glad you are going to a pediatric endo soon. Let us know how it turns out. Also PM me if you want a couple other websites where you can talk to many more people with diabetes.
Zoe

[venustiana]

It sure sounds like diabetes and considering the roller coaster he's been with the results and the glasses situation I wouldn't be surprise if he was  already diabetic from the very beginning. Make sure you get a good pediatric endo.. Good luck!

[Totie]

Have they looked into diabetes insipidus?

[Julie74601]

They haven't looked into diabetes insipidus because they said since he has the antibodies for the type 1.  I've been told that he may be in early stages but not by a doctor.  

[Totie]

Look into diabetes insipdious, that is a strong possibility with his constant thirst.

[Julie74601]

I don't think it is diabetes insipidus.  I looked it up and it talked about the abnormal urine sample results.  He had a complete UA.  All of it was good.  It also said that the person's blood sugar is unaffected.  His blood sugars are high on a consistent basis ( we get at least 1 high one a day but usually more than that).  I read someplace if you catch Type 1 early that the pancreas works sporadically giving you the blood sugars like my son has.  I also read that the postprandial readings spike first before you get the fasting blood sugar changes.  That is what is going on with him.  Plus he still has the antibodies test for two antibodies that are positive.   Does this sound like a possibility?  Especially with the lab results for the anitbodies.

[Jessyvegas]

Hey! I think you might want to see another doctor, and get a second opinion. It sounds like your kid's got diabetes.

[aman22k]

hi,

      based on the information you have given it is not possible to diagnose wether he has diabetes or not. it has to be diagnosed very systematically.

reasearches have shown that it can take upto 9 years for type 1 diabetes to present after the triggering exposure. presence of anti islet cell antibodies and GAD antibodies does suggest that he has predisposition to develop type 1 or maybe it is in early stages.

the best way to go about is to do a GTT which again is not confirmatory and make sure you control the diet.
this might or might not be diabetes but for sure he is high risk to develop one so the first thing would be to control diet.
see a ped endo and discuss your case