Any advice for the 17 year old boy who is done with diabetes?

It does make me feel better to read all of the other parents who go through the same thing - the no checking, the lying about checking, etc.  The thing that gets me is the no bolusing.  REALLY?  On a pump?  It doesn't hurt and keeps you feeling better.  I have some health issues and get a whole lot of the other stuff but this one I don't get.  Even just a guess at how much insulin you need - even just a few units each time you eat even if you don't count carbs.  Anything would be good.  Endo has threatened to take my son off the pump at the next appointment if he doesn't check 4 times each day.  It isn't going well so far.  This is a great, smart, lovely kid who just can't get his arms around this.  He is meeting with the social worker in a few weeks - I am hoping that might help.  Any suggestions?

Hi. I wish I could provide some advise but am actually hoping to learn Something myself.

My son 16 1/2 and diagnoses in August 2012, we were just getting the hang of it, as best we could, then came honeymoon PLUS stomach flu. We were really low and so for the past 2 months, no covering-correcting except for his nightly lantus. And now it is changing and I am getting resistance. I don’t want him starving himself just so he won’t have to start correcting. Makes me very nervous for him.

I'm 17, and have done everything you all have said. I grow up with diabetes ( was dx at the age of 3 1/2)  When i was younger i lied and everything to my parents. The main thing I did was lie about what I really was. Cause my family would blame me for bring high saying I eat something, so for them to stop doing that I started to lie about how high i was and everything. I still dont carb count like they say I should, I guess at how many carbs. There has been time I will over guess and go low. I still even now will lie about what i am just so I dont have to hear my family say isnt that high or did you get something. But I gets better over time i think when I was younger I did nothing really. But now I do everything and I even keep a log even though i dont check like i should. Hope this helps!!

It's just teenage rebellion.  I rarely tested, skipped shots, and lied about it all during my teens.  My parents had me meet with counselors but it didn't help. I survived and am now almost 40 with no complications.  

So keep trying to help him, but don't expect transformation until he grows up a bit. Riva Greenberg's "50 Diabetes Myths That Can Ruin Your Life; And the 50 Diabetes Truths That Can Save It" recommends discipining kids like with any other behavioral issue.  Like your son loses car keys or phone or something valuable for a day each day he doesn't bolus.  

Know that what he is doing is really common and there's a good chance he'll be okay even though he'll drive you crazy until he matures a little and realizes what he's doing is silly.

My son is 16 and is going through the same thing. Not checking blood sugar, only injecting for what he eats ( sometimes). I am so worried for him but just dont know what to do or where to turn. he is adamatly against using a pump

I am learning to be patient and love the kid - not the disease.  It is not easy.  I am having faith that it will be a growth opportunity for him.  I try to tell him I love him and then I still ask him to show me his meter and make sure he bolused.  He did tell me that he knows I do this because I love him.  He just is tired of having diabetes.  I'll keep checking - and keep bugging him.  Removing the emotion from the disease and thinking about loving my great kid has helped me.  Best of luck- I know how hard this is.

I love hearing from those who have lived thru these teen years.

I try hard to not sound like it is something he is doing that causes his numbers to be what they are ( unless I know he over indulged ) because I believe that so much of our ups and downs right now are just how his body is coming out of honeymoon. I want my son to know he can control diabetes, it doesn't have to control him. I hope he comes to terms with this fact sooner rather than later.

Happy New Year!