I’ve had type 1 going on two years. I was diagnosed at 34 out of the blue. One of my biggest fears is my daughter developing Type 1. She has recently been complaining of persistent stomach aches and fatigue. Out of an abundance of caution, I started testing her fasting BG every week. Last week it was 107 mg/dL and this week it was 115. Should I be freaking out? That seems slightly higher than normal, but not high enough to cause DKA, so I’m not sure what to think of her symptoms, if they are even related. Any thoughts/advice is appreciated.
Hi @chrismosser welcome to Type One Nation. In my opinion? You should never freak out.
Fasting blood sugar should be below 100mg/dl on a clinical blood test, your finger stick meter is not a clinical blood test. If you go +/- 15% on those results she is in normal range. If you suspect something you should talk to her pediatrician.
I get it, I (for example) don’t want my son to get diabetes but there isn’t anything you can do to prevent it. Hang in there.
Welcome to the forum @chrismosser . While there are some members of the forum who have diabetes along with their child, as I understand it there is not a strong genetic correlation for Type1. Your daughter’s fingerstick numbers are way too low to worry about DKA, and glucose levels in people without Tyoe1 respond to medications, infections and for other factors so I suggest you take her to the doctor: her symptoms could be related to stress, food allergies, or something minor that can be treated easily.
I know I feel better knowing what I’m dealing with - the unknown is more stressful than the truth, even if that truth is not something I want to hear. Knowledge is power.
Speaking of which, I like to recommend Think Like a Pancreas by Gary Scheiner - he has Type1 and works as a diabetes educator so he writes both professionally and from first hand experience.
@chrismosser Chris, Welcome to the JDRF TypeOneNation Forum!
Based on the numbers you posted, no need to freak out, finger-stick fasting range, especially if you daughter has been ou of bed for a while are considered in-range at 96 - 145 mg/dl. And a fasting BG is not the check you should be doing; a more meaningful time to check is between 60 and 9 minutes following her breakfast that has plenty of carbohydrate. This is an “at-home” glucose tolerance test, one of the advised diagnostic tools.
i suggest that next time you see your diabetologist, you discuss your daughter’s condition.
Thanks for all of your advice. I feel better!
The American Diabetes Association defines a fasting “serum” blood glucose (lab tested) of 100-125 as an abnormal fasting blood glucose. Fingerstick “whole blood” glucoses are not as accurate, but I would suggest following up with your daughter’s pediatrician or physician, asking for a fasting serum blood glucose test…mainly because Type 1 diabetes is associated with a genetic predisposition, putting your daughter at increased risk of someday developing it. Since Type 1 diabetes is associated with gradual destruction of pancreatic beta cells over about 5 years (when about 90% of the beta cells are destroyed), getting a once a year laboratory determined fasting blood glucose test may help diagnosing this disease earlier if and when it develops, resulting in easier blood glucose control if and when it develops. Of course, if your daughter never develops Type 1 diabetes, that would be the best outcome.
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