Suggestions for documenting blood levels and insulin

[juleebee]

My son has been a Type 1 diabetic for 8 years.  He is now 14 years old.  It is an on-going battle between the two of us to get him to write down his sugar level and insulin when he checks.  He is on a regimen of Lantus and Humalog and basically uses his own discretion when counting carbs and giving insulin.   Does anyone have any suggestions on how we can better track his numbers, besides me following him around with a log book?  He uses the Accu-Check Instant meter.

[JDRF-Team-sgg]

I confess that the manual logging into a book is something I always hated to do also, and I have been a type 1 for 34 years. I have found some easier ways to keep track of the glucose patterns. Read on.

Most boys are more into computers than hand-written notes. You might check to see if Accu-check has a computer application that you can use to download his numbers onto the computer. It may be easier to go with a system whereby the numbers in his meter download into the computer without having to type them in every time a glucose check is done.

Also, there is another web site where, for a small fee, you can purchase software that can be used to log this daily information:
http://www.adg-consulting.com/index.html
This software does not automatically download info from the meter, and the diabetic has to actually do the logging himself, but it does offer an ongoing glucose average that tells the user what his average glucose is so he needn't panic at an occasional "bad" number as long as the average number remains normal.

[JDRF-Team-LRS]

juleebee,
Many of us can understand this situation -- either as the parent of a teen with DM or as adult who *used to be* a teen with DM ;-)  It's a tough situation.  Here's my take as an adult who has lived thru my teen years with DM and who has also witnessed my niece's teenage years.  She also has had DM since she was very young.

While it may feel futile, I'd encourage you to find a quiet time with your son to have a short (short!) heart to heart with him.  Share 2 things and aks for one thing.  Share (1) your pride in his shouldering the rsponsibility for maanging his disease (dwell there as long as possible) and (2) your continuing interest/concern in his health.  He'll tell you he's "just fine" ;-) and he may be.  His target a1c and his actual a1c can be your guide here.  Ask him (1) what are his issues with diabetes?

He's likely to say nothing but may want to say lots.  You know him, probe when the times are right & give him space (after all, he IS a male ;-)  ), too.

At 14, he's likely wondering "why bother" writing down stuff? and is testing the boundaries there.  Why bother writing down stuff ... if, for example, he gets yelled at for taking too much/too little insulin, for too high/too low blood sugars.  "Getting yelled at" is a euphemism here; our kids "hear" yelling with just a disappointed look from us!  

Putting your heads together once your common interest is established might lead to rather creative solutions.  I don't know if his meter is one that allows for storing bg tests & times, but if not, talk to his doc about changing meters. Many allow for downloading to a computer.  With that technology, there is no need to write down the results; simply to make time (once a week?) to download them for troubleshooting.

Encoruage him.  Teens years give rise to wildly fluctuating hormone levels and it's often difficult for a teen to remain in as tight conrol as pre-puberty.  That's frightening for everyone and yet if the family understand the phenomenon, it is a bit less so.

At 14, most teens need guidance and interpretation even tho' they increasingly don't want to accept it.  Don't stop providing it, but accept that -- for a while -- he'll try to tune you out (at least in your presence).

If your son's endocrinologist is somewhat experienced with young people your son's age, that can only help things!

Hope some of this resonates with you & your son.  I'm sure others'll post good ideas, too.