Beta Cells Are Active During Type 1 Diabetes Honeymoon

0000

When you picture a Honeymoon this is not where your mind initially goes, right?  However, it is THE best and longest honeymoon ever – when you are speaking about the honeymoon period after diagnosis with Type 1 Diabetes. 

What is a Honeymoon exactly?

This is not a trip to the Caribbean but it sure may feel like it.  For small children it sort of seems like a cruel joke.  Just after you get them used to taking injections they hardly need any?  Type 1 diabetes honeymoon, what is this all about you may wonder.

According to Joslin Diabetes Center :

“In type 1 diabetes, patients sometimes experience what physicians have come to call a “honeymoon period” shortly after the disease is diagnosed. During the “honeymoon period” diabetes may appear to go away for a period of a few months to a year. The patient’s insulin needs are minimal and some patients may actually find they can maintain normal or near normal blood glucose taking little or no insulin.”

Does that mean the diabetes has gone away?

Type 1 diabetes does not go away.  Type 1 diabetes involves an autoimmune destruction of beta cells in the pancreas.  Beta cells cannot be revived at this time.  This is the tricky thing, diabetes remains behind the foggy glass.
“It would be a mistake to assume that the diabetes has gone away, however. Basically, type 1 diabetes occurs when about 90 percent of the body’s insulin-producing cells have been destroyed. At the time that type 1 diabetes is diagnosed, most patients still are producing some insulin. If obvious symptoms of type 1 diabetes emerge when the patient has an illness, virus or cold, for example, once the illness subsides the body’s insulin needs may decrease. At this point, the number of insulin-producing cells remaining may be enough — for the moment — to meet the person’s insulin needs again.”

What about the other 10% of my beta cells?

“…the process that has destroyed 90 percent of the insulin-producing cells will ultimately destroy the remaining insulin-producing cells. And as that destruction continues, the amount of injected insulin the patient needs will increase — and ultimately the patient will be totally dependent on insulin injections.”

Because there is 10% functioning of the beta cells, insulin needs wax and wane during this period making diabetes management difficult for some.  Many families will tell you they find it easier to manage type 1 diabetes once the honeymoon is over and there is no insulin production.

Why does my doctor want me to take insulin while I’m on my honeymoon?

“Scientists now think that it is important for people with newly diagnosed diabetes to continue taking some insulin by injection even during the honeymoon period. Why? Because they have some scientific evidence to suggest that doing so will help preserve the few remaining insulin-producing cells for a while longer.”

It is also difficult to have small children and teenagers go back to injecting after taking this vacation from intense type 1 diabetes management.  We always gave an injection even if it was half of a unit to keep the pattern with our five year old.  Enjoy every day of this long lasting honeymoon and welcome diabetes back when it decides to return.  Diabetes is always full of surprises, isn’t it?