Diabetes Talking

Question:

Debbie, When I was diagnosed as a Type 1, I looked like I could have been in a concentration camp. My body was literally wasting away. Your daughter may be Type 2, or something else. Get her to another doctor now! Even a pediatric endocrinologist would be a good start. If it’s not diabetes, it may be some other endocrinological problem. Jennifer

Response:

OK..I am going to throw something out into the wind and see what floats back.  I have a 16 year old daughter who is overweight, not sure if it is water retention or fat.  She has been drinking *lots* of water since she was small.  She is truly addicted to it.  It seems as she drinks 6 gallons or more a day if she has access to it and is panicky if she doesnt have water, her mouth literally goes dry.  Her healing rate is odd, she has had constant problems with her ears (scar tissue in canal occluding her eardrums..constant surgeries, ent visits).  Her kidneys are enlarged a bit, but not *seriously*.  Her thyroid tests, diabetes insipidus tests, glucose tests, etc all came back normal a few years ago.  I seriously think there is something wrong with her, but none of the drs can find anything.  I think It is possible she may have some odd form of diabetes.  Has anyone experienced this sort of thing?  I guess what my thought is she may be a T1, but I have heard T2 is also manifesting itself in the younger generation.  Any steerage to a helpful source would be much appreciated. Debbie C

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – OK..I am going to throw something out into the wind and see what floats back.  I have a 16 year old daughter who is overweight, not sure if it is water retention or fat.  She has been drinking *lots* of water since she was small.  She is truly addicted to it.  It seems as she drinks 6 gallons or more a day if she has access to it and is panicky if she doesnt have water, her mouth literally goes dry.  Her healing rate is odd, she has had constant problems with her ears (scar tissue in canal occluding her eardrums..constant surgeries, ent visits).  Her kidneys are enlarged a bit, but not *seriously*.  Her thyroid tests, diabetes insipidus tests, glucose tests, etc all came back normal a few years ago.  I seriously think there is something wrong with her, but none of the drs can find anything.  I think It is possible she may have some odd form of diabetes.  Has anyone experienced this sort of thing?  I guess what my thought is she may be a T1, but I have heard T2 is also manifesting itself in the younger generation.  Any steerage to a helpful source would be much appreciated.

There have been a bunch of newspaper articles in the past few months (probably coming off of a JAMA or NEJM article) about an alarming increase in Type 2 diabetes in kids as young as 9 or 10. But that *would* show up in blood glucose tests, assuming you’re getting actual numbers back and not just a vague statement that they’re OK. — Alice F posting from a new account

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -OK..I am going to throw something out into the wind and see what floats back.  I have a 16 year old daughter who is overweight, not sure if it is water retention or fat.  She has been drinking *lots* of water since she was small.  She is truly addicted to it.  It seems as she drinks 6 gallons or more a day if she has access to it and is panicky if she doesnt have water, her mouth literally goes dry.  Her healing rate is odd, she has had constant problems with her ears (scar tissue in canal occluding her eardrums..constant surgeries, ent visits).  Her kidneys are enlarged a bit, but not *seriously*.  Her thyroid tests, diabetes insipidus tests, glucose tests, etc all came back normal a few years ago.  I seriously think there is something wrong with her, but none of the drs can find anything.  I think It is possible she may have some odd form of diabetes.  Has anyone experienced this sort of thing?  I guess what my thought is she may be a T1, but I have heard T2 is also manifesting itself in the younger generation.  Any steerage to a helpful source would be much appreciated. Debbie C

Debbie– you need to get all the tests run again!!  There is definitely SOMETHING wrong, but sorting it out may be difficult.  I would doubt that she has undiagnosed Type I if she is overweight.  Is she overweight in the area of her abdomen?  Is her waist/hip ratio greater than 80%.  That can indicate insulin resistance or Syndrome X.  How are her triglycerides and cholesterol? Does she have energy?  Does she crave carbohydrates?  She might do better on the Zone Diet or even one of the higher protein diets like Eades.  The only way to find this out would be for her to try it.  How is her digestion?  Does she have any signs of malabsorption– diarrhea or burping a lot?  How are her body temperatures?  Are her average body temperatures below 98 degrees?  Reason to suspect hypothyroidism, even if the blood tests are normal.  For more information on that see– http://members.tripod.com/~TDmagicmom/altFAQ.html Jacob Teitelbaum, MD says that constant thirst can be a sign of a lack of vasopressin. Constant infections, etc, can be a symptom of adrenal problems.  These can be hard to diagnose in the more subtle forms.  Here is a website concerning the subtle forms of adrenal problems– http://www.chronicfatigue.org/ Try to find a good endocrinologist that will take these problems seriously, who will REALLY try to get to the root of the problem.  Then, if that doctor can find nothing "wrong" then start thinking in terms of wholistic treatment, those who concentrate on diet modification, allergies, acupuncture, etc.  I have found that good acupuncturists can diagnose just by listening to pulses. Good luck. BL

Response:

good advice.  Sigh..now gotta armwrestle her dad (who has custody) to do it. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – year, my fbg was perfectly normal.  This year it was 272. You can’t base current health issues on tests done a few years ago, esp. in a growing child! OK..I am going to throw something out into the wind and see what floats back.  I have a 16 year old daughter who is overweight, not sure if it is water retention or fat.  She has been drinking *lots* of water since she was small.  She is truly addicted to it.  It seems as she drinks 6 gallons or more a day if she has access to it and is panicky if she doesnt have water, her mouth literally goes dry.  Her healing rate is odd, she has had constant problems with her ears (scar tissue in canal occluding her eardrums..constant surgeries, ent visits).  Her kidneys are enlarged a bit, but not *seriously*.  Her thyroid tests, diabetes insipidus tests, glucose tests, etc all came back normal a few years ago.  I seriously think there is something wrong with her, but none of the drs can find anything.  I think It is possible she may have some odd form of diabetes.  Has anyone experienced this sort of thing?  I guess what my thought is she may be a T1, but I have heard T2 is also manifesting itself in the younger generation.  Any steerage to a helpful source would be much appreciated. Debbie C

Response:

thanks Alice, I need to check that. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – OK..I am going to throw something out into the wind and see what floats back.  I have a 16 year old daughter who is overweight, not sure if it is water retention or fat.  She has been drinking *lots* of water since she was small.  She is truly addicted to it.  It seems as she drinks 6 gallons or more a day if she has access to it and is panicky if she doesnt have water, her mouth literally goes dry.  Her healing rate is odd, she has had constant problems with her ears (scar tissue in canal occluding her eardrums..constant surgeries, ent visits).  Her kidneys are enlarged a bit, but not *seriously*.  Her thyroid tests, diabetes insipidus tests, glucose tests, etc all came back normal a few years ago.  I seriously think there is something wrong with her, but none of the drs can find anything.  I think It is possible she may have some odd form of diabetes.  Has anyone experienced this sort of thing?  I guess what my thought is she may be a T1, but I have heard T2 is also manifesting itself in the younger generation.  Any steerage to a helpful source would be much appreciated. There have been a bunch of newspaper articles in the past few months (probably coming off of a JAMA or NEJM article) about an alarming increase in Type 2 diabetes in kids as young as 9 or 10. But that *would* show up in blood glucose tests, assuming you’re getting actual numbers back and not just a vague statement that they’re OK. — Alice F posting from a new account

Response:

my fbg was perfectly normal.  This year it was 272. You can’t base current health issues on tests done a few years ago, esp. in a growing child! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – OK..I am going to throw something out into the wind and see what floats back.  I have a 16 year old daughter who is overweight, not sure if it is water retention or fat.  She has been drinking *lots* of water since she was small.  She is truly addicted to it.  It seems as she drinks 6 gallons or more a day if she has access to it and is panicky if she doesnt have water, her mouth literally goes dry.  Her healing rate is odd, she has had constant problems with her ears (scar tissue in canal occluding her eardrums..constant surgeries, ent visits).  Her kidneys are enlarged a bit, but not *seriously*.  Her thyroid tests, diabetes insipidus tests, glucose tests, etc all came back normal a few years ago.  I seriously think there is something wrong with her, but none of the drs can find anything.  I think It is possible she may have some odd form of diabetes.  Has anyone experienced this sort of thing?  I guess what my thought is she may be a T1, but I have heard T2 is also manifesting itself in the younger generation.  Any steerage to a helpful source would be much appreciated. Debbie C

Response: