Pancreatitis Induced Diabetes

July 7, 2005

,

You wrote, re: BS, " What happens if you don't recognize it? How do you know

what to do? "

When the doctor calls it hypoglycemia unawareness, they are referring to

timely unawareness. I do not feel anything until my BS hit 40. that is what

happened this morning. And, you are right, it just wipes me out. Though I can

drink pure grape juice with approximately 56 carbohydrates and my blood sugar

rises to 100, I still feel wiped out for several hours. I feel fortunate that I

know, more or less, how many carbs I need to bring my BS back up without it

going too high. That took a while to figure out. It is really difficult when

you go to low, too high, then too low, etc.

When I was in to see my Endocrinologist recently, she was very worried about

the hypoglycemia unawareness. The fact that my AIC was 5.5 was not

celebrated. The problem the awareness does not return is that soon I will not

feel

anything at 40, either. Then, what happens when my blood sugar falls is that I

would simply pass out, and if it wasn't witness, I would have either a seizure

or cardiac/respiratory arrest. I have passes out several times, but they

have always been witnessed and the person called 911.

My Endo said that severe hypoglycemia unawareness is the primary requirement

for a cadaver pancreas transplant. This diagnosis bumps a person up on the

list above unstable diabetes. I am not sure how I feel about a cadaver

transplant. She said that I could just have the cadaver islet cell transplant,

but

it usually requires two to three cadavers to generate enough islet cells for a

transplant, and that is a technically difficult event to coordinate, unless

three people died and donated their pancreases at the same time? We are in

contact with Dr. Sullivan about this. The fact that I do not want to take

antirejection drugs isn't up for discussion apparently. IU hospital is now doing

full pancreas cadaver transplants, but they are not established to isolate the

islet cells at this time.

I encourage anyone with pancreatitis to contact their local hospital

Diabetes Education Department. Because anyone with pancreatitis is at risk for

developing diabetes, you could qualify as " prediabetic " and receive free

diabetic

education. If that isn't the case at your facility, Medicare pays for 16

hours of diabetic education every year. It is fantastic. Even when you think

you

know what is going on you would be surprised what you learn.

Karyn E. , RN

Executive Director, PAI

July 9, 2005

I also have diabetes caused from my pancreatitis. The hypoglycemic episodes

are horrible. I don't always recognize it. For example, last week I was in

Wal-Mart with my daughter. She said mom, stand right there for a minute. She got

my monitor out, grabbed a box of granola bars off of the shelf and said eat. I

said what is wrong with you, what are you doing? She is 9 years old!!!!

She said you are low and you are acting funny. Sure enough she got the

monitor out and we took it and my sugar was 47. I had no idea I was that low. I

don't think straight when my sugar goes that low. She said she knew it because I

was talking funny and running into the buggy. I taught me kids what to do if I

ever have an episode and thank goodness for her! She is an amazing kid and if

she had not been with me I may have passed out.

After she started me eating she grabbed a bottle of juice and said drink

this. It wasn't until my sugar came back up that I realized what had happened

and

what she had done. I could not hug and kiss her enough. Instead of panicking

she handled it with a strength and common sense that belies her little years!!

The she called my husband and said if she is not better in a few minutes I

am calling an ambulance. What a kid! The lows are the worst feeling and they

scare me. I have to check my sugar before I get behind the wheel and now I do it

before I go into a store also. That was a lesson well learned!

I hope your episodes get better! It is a horrible feeling, not knowing when

it is going to hit.

Take care,

Angie in SC

" The happiest of people don't necessarily have the

best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along

their way. "

July 9, 2005

Karyn,

Have they given you a glucagon pen to keep with you? My doc gave me a script

for one and I keep it with me at all times. If I pass out anyone can give me

this shot and I will come back around before the ambulance gets there. I have

taught my hubby and kids, coworkers etc. how to give me the shot.

I also keep cake icing in tubes and glucose tablets with me in a bag with my

monitor. That way I am ready for emergencies. My kids have had to give me

icing before to get it back up but thank goodness I have not passed out yet.

Take care,

Angie in SC

" The happiest of people don't necessarily have the

best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along

their way. "

July 9, 2005

Amen Kathleen!!!

" The happiest of people don't necessarily have the

best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along

their way. "

July 9, 2005

Kids are amazing. My daughter did something like that for me once too. Luckily,

My older sis was a diabetic before I was, so my daughter grew up learning the

signs, etc. Thank God for people who look after us when we are not able to look

out for yourselves.

NOTOFARMS2@... wrote:I also have diabetes caused from my pancreatitis.

The hypoglycemic episodes