# Would love to know my son's HbA1c



## Tina63 (Mar 28, 2012)

My son isn't due another HbA1c until mid May but I would love him to have one done just to give me some encouragement things are going the right way.

His last one a month or so ago was 11.2, down from 12, but he had been through a period of rebellion/denial and had been 'forgetting' to inject and testing was a real no-no.  He did reluctantly start testing a couple of times a day for a couple of months, but is again refusing to test.  His regime has been tweaked by his team, and as I have said before, he/we have NEVER been told about corrections or adjusting doses ourselves, so though I would confidently do it, he won't, and won't let me get involved.  However, having said all this, he does seem to be pretty much doing as they have asked.

He now has 24u Humilin M3 at breakfast, 7u Novorapid after school to cover snacks, Novorapid carb counted at dinnertime and 28u (I think) of Lantus at bedtime, and does seem to be following this regime, so I do feel much more positive about things.

The thing that makes me pretty confident he is following this is that he has started having the odd hypo again.  He hadn't had one since July last year, with any BG readings he did ever do being in the teens.  A month ago though, within 48 hours of the tweaking of his doses, he had one, and now has on average about one a week.  He did have one at half past midnight a couple of days ago.  I heard him go downstairs, but that is not unusual for him as he sits on his computer until some unearthly hour and does go downstairs for a drink/snack from time to time.  A few minutes later he went down again, crashing and banging around so this time I was out of bed like a shot.  Of course I was met by an aggressive 'What do you want?  I'm only getting a drink!'  At that point I actually didn't suspect a thing and just thought he was being inconsiderate and noisy, as he was getting a sugar free drink.

The next morning though he admitted he had been having a hypo, his worst ever he said.  By that, he meant worst ever symptoms, not reading, as he didn't test until after he felt ok at which point it was back up to 4.0.  He said he nearly fell going downstairs and felt very disorientated.  I of course said he should have come and got me, I had heard him go anyway, but as I said hadn't thought anything of it first time.  Of course as soon as I said he should have got me he turned all 'teenager-ish' on me and said 'I knew I shouldn't have told you!'  I tried to say that he could have fallen downstairs and seriously injured himself being so disorientated and that I could have done the runnning down for Coke, but he just told me to leave it, and wouldn't talk anymore.  He apparently had 2 Cokes, and I found open packets of dextrose tablets all over his bedroom floor the next morning, so I am not sure just how much he had!  I used to keep a Coke next to my bed in the early days, but he got angry about that so I took it out, and have suggested many a time he keeps one or two in his room, but he says they are too tempting so he won't.

He still won't ever let me discuss anything D related with him, I just wish we could have a proper chat sometime, but I have backed right off and go days without mentioning it or asking anything.  He has gone back to not testing at all, the other night was the first time in a month, he has just treated hypos before without having a clue how low he actually is.  I know the key is to actually treat the hypo, so that's all good, but I would love to know what his morning readings are once in a while.  Maybe when he wakes this morning I could have a little word........!


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## novorapidboi26 (Mar 28, 2012)

Good luck with that................

You should mention online communities, there are many that could cater for his needs, he may find it easier to talk to people who are going through the same things.

Are there any carb counting courses at his clinic?

In general it seems as if he is going in the right direction in terms of his attitude to injecting, so hopefully its just a matter of time before he really gets stuck in..........


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## Northerner (Mar 28, 2012)

He's a stubborn so-and-so, isn't he? One thing's for sure, if you hadn't been as persistent as you have been he would be in a much worse position now than he is, although it must be terribly frustrating and worrying for you. Good to hear that he seems to be sticking with the injections, but it sounds to me like he is worried about what he will see if he tests, that it will 'prove' he has diabetes, and he is still very much in denial.

Good luck!


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## Pumper_Sue (Mar 28, 2012)

Hi Tina, 
perhaps suggest he has some quick acting carbs by his bed, or will he eat them regardless of being hypo or not?


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## Phil65 (Mar 28, 2012)

...Tough time! NRB's suggestion of a carb counting course is a good one! It was the first time I had met other Type 1s and it was fascinating how wildly different everyone's routine/management and control was...it certainly gave me a lot of confidence in my own diabetes, I thought it was just me that had a hypo here and there and high levels here and there. There was one young lady that was in complete denial on the course, even though she had been type 1 for 20 odd years....the course worked for her and motivated her to get a grip. Might be worth a try?


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## Tina63 (Mar 28, 2012)

Thanks everyone for your replies.  He does have dextrose tablets in his room and school bag at all times, but he won't keep any Coke in there as he used to love that (and that's what he consumed gallons of in his last few weeks before diagnosis) and says it will be just too tempting, so it's locked away in our garage - it does adjoin the house so he isn't having to trawl across to a garage block in the dead of night - but still obviously difficult in the state he was in the other night with having to find the key then get the key in the lock before being able to access the Cokes!  Maybe I should suggest leaving one in the bathroom or something hidden behind some bubble bath or something!!

We did carb counting right from day one in hospital so he/we do know all about that, and to be honest, anything other than absolute essential hospital appointments he would refuse to take part in, I can guarantee that.  He also now knows about this forum, though didn't know I actively took part in it (and would probably never speak to me again if he read what I had written about him!) until recently, but other than having I think had a quick look one day when he borrowed my laptop, I don't think he would ever take part.  I did just quickly mention to him after this bad hypo that I am sure I had read on here about someone falling down the stairs or something similar whilst hypo and breaking an arm.  

Still, as I said, the odd hypo must mean his levels are somewhere near normal at least some of the time, rather than constantly 12-18 which is where they were a couple of months ago.  He has started going out and kicking a ball about a bit more too now the weather is so good, and even out on his bike occasionally, so the exercise will be contributing too to lower levels.  He does seem happy enough, so I am just keeping an eye in the background at the moment, and expect great things from his next HbA1c!


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## novorapidboi26 (Mar 28, 2012)

Its good to be positive, and I am sure his next test will be lower, which has significant advantages............

I am sure he will come round eventually, it took me many years after I was diagnosed to see the light......

If he ever wants to achieve near the recommended levels he will have to test and record, test and record, and even then its tough........

I am sure there are forums that cater for the younger kids and even teenagers, depending on his age, you could encourage him with the thought of lots of pretty diabetic girls..........


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## imtrying (Mar 28, 2012)

Hi Tina,

Is he on Facebook?

Reason I ask is that I know he is just being rebellious and not manipulating his insulin, but if he were to read what others with diabulima go through (because of complications from high sugar levels), I imagine it would scare him into taking notice. 

The things those girls deal with day in day out with their complications is unbelievable. It was enough to make me realise that wasn't where I wanted to be.

He could just have a nosey around...then he's not signing up to anything, but he can hear 'real' people's problems, not read things in leaflets and text books.


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## MeanMom (Mar 28, 2012)

Tina 

Sounds like things are getting slowly better there- well done. 

If he can't resist Coke in his room is there another hypo treatment that he can resist? I'm afraid (being a MeanMom) one of the first rules we made post Dx was testing and hypo treatments to be kept in bedroom at night - OH has to be up 4am so being woken at 3am by a baby elephant crashing about not really an option in this house - I would just put something in his room where he can see it without commenting. Resisting temptation is a good 'life skill' to learn

If he goes on FB there is the Type 1 Teens Group he could join - he doesn't have to post can just read what others are posting. My daughter has just joined but I don't think she has posted yet. Its teens only so he wouldn't be concerned about 'bumping into' you. 

You can ask for an HbA1c at any time round here, but I'm not sure you would get him to agree ? Sure it will be in the 'right' direction whenever it's done. And he seems happy you said? Id trade a lower blood test for 'happy' St the moment, 'happy' is a big step forward too.

MM Xx


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## Tina63 (Mar 29, 2012)

MeanMom said:


> If he goes on FB there is the Type 1 Teens Group he could join - he doesn't have to post can just read what others are posting. My daughter has just joined but I don't think she has posted yet. Its teens only so he wouldn't be concerned about 'bumping into' you.
> 
> You can ask for an HbA1c at any time round here, but I'm not sure you would get him to agree ? Sure it will be in the 'right' direction whenever it's done. And he seems happy you said? Id trade a lower blood test for 'happy' St the moment, 'happy' is a big step forward too.
> 
> MM Xx



Thanks MM.

He won't go on any websites, I guess that would mean admitting he has the Big D!  He is ok with it all though I think, so not to worried that he won't.  He just isn't into social networking or forums, he loves gaming!

I am sure our GP would be happy to order an HbA1c as he himself would obviously like to see that things are going in the right direction, but I am more than happy to contain my excitement a few more weeks and get it done at clinic!  Who knows, with a few more weeks until we do go again, we could see a significant improvement - here's hoping anyway!

Tina


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