Running low

I have a friend with T1 since age 12 who swears that from time to time her body must be making insulin b/c she'll run very low, then go back to normal levels. I always was like, "yeah okay..." But, the last week, randomly, I've been running so low w/ my normal activity levels. It's the time of the month / cycle where I'd usually be taking 12 units basal per day, but I'm down to taking 8 u now and running in a good range. (Sorry, I know some people will be offended by my use of "good" -- shall I saw "on target!) My Lantus is old at this point, so if anything I'd think it would be less effective...

My endo tested me a few years ago and my blood didn't have any of the antibodies from making insulin, but I can dream right... For the moment, what ever it is, I'm enjoying it. (:

:) seems pretty enjoyable lol i hate having days where you run high for no reason.

sarah, the same thing happened to me. for a couple years, i've been using about 100u of insulin a day. then, when i finished my internship in july, my needs suddenly were halved. for quite a few weeks, i insisted i was suddenly not diabetic, but since i still have the occasional 200 or 300 bg, i figure i just must be more insulin sensitive now (for whatever reason) than i previously was.

A paper about the Joslin 50-Year Medalist study was published in Diabetes about 6 weeks ago. They have found that many 50-Year Medalists are still making a little bit of their own insulin. Apparently the body keeps trying to replace the beta cells that keep getting killed off by the immune system. It's not the same for everyone, but certainly if it's detectible after 50 or more years, it must also be happening in some of those who haven't had it for so long. I don't think they know a lot about this process yet, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if your friend is correct. She probably is making some insulin, and so are you!

I'm sorry, but I don't have an on line reference to this paper, but I do have a printed copy, and I'm proud to say that I participated in the study that led to the paper.

Tom Beatson

Hi Tom, I was actually thinking of that Joslin study!

[quote user="Sarah"]

I have a friend with T1 since age 12 who swears that from time to time her body must be making insulin b/c she'll run very low, then go back to normal levels. I always was like, "yeah okay..." But, the last week, randomly, I've been running so low w/ my normal activity levels. It's the time of the month / cycle where I'd usually be taking 12 units basal per day, but I'm down to taking 8 u now and running in a good range. (Sorry, I know some people will be offended by my use of "good" -- shall I saw "on target!) My Lantus is old at this point, so if anything I'd think it would be less effective...

My endo tested me a few years ago and my blood didn't have any of the antibodies from making insulin, but I can dream right... For the moment, what ever it is, I'm enjoying it. (:

[/quote]

Still happens for me. I start going low for no reason. Last time I went 3 days with no insulin of any kind and then the bs started to climb.

I just found the recent Joslin article on the Internet. After pasting the link here, I see it's only the abstract. 

http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2010/08/09/db10-0676.abstract

Tom

I have had days like that from time to time. Not often, but I my CGM sometimes just won't climb over 60, even after snacking and I know it's not from insulin that I have used recently.

Tom's correct - Dr. Aaron Kowalski of JDRF (he runs the Artificial Pancreas Project) also mentioned this in his last webcast.  It's pretty neat to know our bodies are still trying to "correct" themselves.

well in that case, my immune system is an overachiever. i think it needs a time out. naughty immune system!

That's really the key to the T1 cure. Our hero will be the scientist who figures out how to fix the immune system. Nothing else is likely to qualify as a cure.

Agreed, Tom. I find it frustrating that it took the scientists so long to look at the problem in that way. But, hopefully we're on the right track now. I wouldn't mind spending my retirement years w/o any D equipment -- you have about 35 years people!!! (;

[quote user="Sarah"]you have about 35 years people!!! (;[/quote]

35 years won't work for me! I'm already retired. I'm faced with the reality that I may not live to see the cure, but it sure would be nice to actually see it, after all these years I've been waiting for it.

I know Tom, I'm sorry. But, I hope it brings you peace that you've lived such a long healthy life. Even when I was dx'ed in '82, there were doomsday predictions about lifespan, so I'm sure you've beat all the doctors' predictions from when you were dx'ed!