Misdiagnosis of Juvenile Diabetes Type 1

Lisa H.

#1. January 14th, 2008 at 3:22 pm




Vaccines are not mandatory in many states and we need to seriously question the increasing number of vaccines for our children (a total of 48 by age 6).

People do have vaccine reactions and maybe there could be something related to that? Was the child vaccinated close to the time he was diagnosed with diabetes?

Roger

#2. January 26th, 2008 at 2:18 pm




There are far fewer misdiganosis than you think. “Misdiagnosis” are created becuase they are extremely profitable; they create business where there was none. There was a surgeon on 20/20 who was putting stents in people who had no illnes at all. Referring to one of the stories above, I don’t believe for a second that in the 21st century medical labs can’t tell the difference between mono cells and cancer cells, but cancer treatment is very profitable and the more misdiagnosis of cancer the more profit. How many people have been told they beat cancer after having medical therapy of some sort when in actuality they never had cancer to begin with? I bet it’s much higher than anyone would believe.

Greedy doctors and hospitals are not isolated incidences, they are rampant.

Roger

Spence

#3. January 28th, 2008 at 6:35 pm




It’s true that misdiagnoses are incredibly profitable, not only to the health care industry but to the patients when found out. I just don’t see doctors not saying anything to increase money to a harvest they won’t reap. Physicians’ reputations are on the line.

That being said, I agree 100 percent that many physicians jump to conclusions or to diagnoses all too quickly. Patients demand quick answers and turn-around-times, but physicians should not.

Alana Smithee

#4. February 23rd, 2008 at 8:42 pm




Mono is very very difficult to diagnose, as it’s in the same family as herpes viruses, and is very difficult to distinguish from epstein-barr virus, for example. I have a recurring problem with oral herpes that has grown from a very infrequent problem on my lip to be something that involves the glands in my neck, which hurt terribly, and often send my white count into the area of “uh-oh, could be cancer, we better make sure”. No one is misdiagnosing me, they are making sure that the old diagnosis is still the right diagnosis. I can’t complain about that.

I have also been recently diagnosed as having diabetes incipidus… it’s water diabetes, not sugar diabetes, although it shows many similar symptoms to the sugar kind. I’m sure glad they took their time testing me to find out which one it was.

I would just suggest that GPs send their patients to well known specialists for as much testing and confirmation as possible.

Jay

#5. May 9th, 2008 at 4:55 pm




I am a medical student and I hope I might be able to give you some idea of what might be going on, bearing in mind that nothing I say should be taken as definitive medical advice– please do consult a physician before making any sort of decision based on what loons on the internet (myself included) have to say.

First off, I take offense to the other commenters’ cynical suggestions that doctors routinely trump up nonexistent illnesses to treat invasively for money. There are always bad seeds, and medicine is a profession where you have tremendous power to harm people– but by and large, I can assure you that doctors are just regular people like you, trying to do a good job. Like you, they occasionally make mistakes. And also like you, I presume, they want to make money to support themselves and their families– but not by harming you with painful, invasive, unnecessary treatment.

To the original author: I am very sorry to hear that your son developed diabetes, and I wish all of you the best. I can say, straightaway, however, that Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease. It occurs when your immune cells (for a variety of reasons) “recognize” the insulin-secreting cells of the pancreas as foreign and attack them. There is no known mechanism that could associate surgery (other than, say, organ transplant) with autoimmunity of any kind.

The doctor you spoke to was most likely just trying to take a thorough and accurate history, but he may have been wondering whether your son had abdominal surgery that might have injured his pancreas. It is very unlikely that such an injury would present with diabetes alone, or with diabetes at all, because of the way the insulin-secreting cells are dotted across the pancreas– but it is a theoretical possibility.

In thinking about a patient’s problem doctors try to consider as many possibilities as they can, even if they ultimately go on to treat the most likely one (or to order further tests.) Abdominal surgery, could, in theory, cause diabetes (this would not actually be type I diabetes, since it is not autoimmune.) Surgery in the Eustachian tubes (which I had myself when I was very young because of recurrent ear infections) could NOT disrupt the pancreas, since the pancreas is in the abdomen and the eustachian tubes are in the skull.

The pensive expression you saw was most likely the doctor thinking about the detail you told him about the surgery and double-checking in his mind to make sure that it did not fit– and also that it would not complicate the treatment of your son’s diabetes. Doctors do this kind of double-checking all the time, since medicine is an enormous field, and if you do not stop and reconsider, it would be easy to miss something. He would be stupid to hide anything from you in this situation, as there is nothing to hide.

Regarding your misdiagnoses, the commenter above me rightly pointed out that mononucleosis is very difficult to differentiate from lymphoma, and that it is very important to get good samples reviewed by a skilled pathologist. No doctor wants to miss a case of lymphoma, for reasons that I hope are obvious. Your instinct was absolutely right– seeking a second opinion from a specialist was appropriate; I would have hoped, however, that your first doctor would have tried to confirm the diagnoses more definitively (or referred you to another physician) before, say, starting you on chemotherapy.

As for your wife’s thyroid incident, this was not a misdiagnosis per se. Thyroid disorders are quite tricky, and can arise and disappear mysteriously. I am not a physician, but I do believe that caution is important. In general, unless the doctor suspects cancer (and I presume he did the necessary tests to rule it out), hyperthyroidism is rarely an immediate emergency and can be watched.

Sometimes it does go away; more commonly, it does not. Recommending immediate radioiodine treatment may have been on the hastier side, but it does not make it the wrong decision; ultimately, as I’m sure you know, the decision is yours. The doctor’s recommendation is just that, a recommendation.

To the commenter on vaccines: it is true that there are some tenuous but possible links between vaccinations and autoimmune diseases (note that Type I diabetes is *not* one of the autoimmune disease on this list– studies have consistently failed to establish any kind of link.)[1]

Your comment comes appallingly close to suggesting that parents should not vaccinate their children, or that vaccines are some sort of money-making scam. Vaccines are, in fact, largely unprofitable for doctors and drug companies and developed with a great deal of government funding because the evil medical conspiracy wants to control your life by preventing you from dying of measles, mumps, whooping cough, diphtheria, hepatitis B, or polio– those vicious money-grubbing pigs.

References:
1.Schattner, A. “Consequence or coincidence? The occurrence, pathogenesis and significance of autoimmune manifestations after viral vaccines.” _Vaccine_, Jun 10;23(30):3876-86. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.galter.northwestern.edu/pubmed/15917108?ordinalpos=6&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

more than one incident of misdiagnostics

#6. June 14th, 2008 at 10:10 pm




I had strep throat so my regular doctor who didn’t recognize it sent me to a throat specialist in Glendale. He looked at it for a moment and told me it was polyps and gave me a number medicine instead of what I needed. I went on thinking it was going to go away. One day I could barely stand up and was very weak. My throat already had broken out with with like tissue a number of times. After reading though a bit and I’m not a medical student I managed to get to the doc demanding an antiobiotic. He gave it to me but even my regular doctor couldn’t understand what the sickness was. Strep throat should be easy to recognize especially by a throat specialist. You see white spots on someone’s throat. Now my sickness developed into full fledged reuhmatic fever which happens when strep throat isn’t treated. I suffered with Rhuematic fever for five years to say the least which isn’t a happy condition to be in. By the time I found out I also was passed the statue of limitations which didn’t allow me to sue the throat specialist at least. I fought day in and out constantly being put back on anti biotics because with Rheumatic fever strep throat breaks out whenever it feels like. When I went to hospital one day there was a rash on my chest which looked sort of like Scarlett fever rash. The doctor’s couldn’t understand what it was. It was idiotic though cause now I realize all they had to do was a skin test. It took my regular docs years to give me an anti allergy shot though after giving me creams for years and years with no let up. The anti allergy sort of shot worked some. Why do docs not perform tests when they can and don’t know?

Then I had uterine fibroids. Fibroids are a condition of growth(s) on a female’s uturs which is non cancerous. Many many women have fibroids today and don’t know it. Some have pain, heavy menstruation. back aches, and headaches all caused by fibroids which are also fibroid tumors. Fibroids thrive by a blood supply that makes them grow. They are in no way connected to cancer or have an ability to turn into cancer. I got sent to a Cancer Hospital, a ritzy wealthy looking building in downtown Los Angeles area. There I met a specialist and surgeon who took my envelope with 3 thousand dollars of MRI’s done. In ten minutes he told me that I had cancer and he would do a hysterectomy. I brushed him off not really taking him seriously at all. To me he seemed either to be old styled or real old schooled from another country although looked like he was in his late 30’s and should have had enough experience to tell the difference between fibroids and anything else. He seemed gung ho about cutting my child making equipment out of me as well. It was all said too fast as well. I left leaving my MRI’s there with him. I don’t believe I saw him look at the MRI’s either. He was just gung ho to do a surgery. I went to UCLA and had to wait quite awhile before seeing other doctors who checked everything allover again. In fact there was a team of doctors checking the area and looking into what was going on with me. They confirmed that I had fibroid tumors and not cancer. This way I knew for sure and had the proper information to take the proper actions instead of jumping into some dangerous and unneccessary surgery. The fibroids were very painfull and caused some heavy bleeding though in the meantime but I researched and looked up my options. I also saw one more doctor a Cedar’s Saini Hospital – a doctor OB/GYM who studied abroad. He wanted to do regular surgery but not the usual style bikini cut they do today. He was also old school and unlearned. He wanted to cut me open from my belly button to uterine area which is larger, more invasive, and more dangerous. Hemmorraging can happen with this type of surgery. I was against that as well and didn’t trust his advise either. I found out UCLA was doing a surgery called Uturine Artery Embolization which was a very new procedure at that time. No other hospital that I knew of in the vicinity was doing the procedure but it looked promising and I had a good feeling about it! I was the 75th patient to do the procedure at UCLA and they also accepted my insurance. They also promised me that the surgery only may shrink the fibroid tumors mabe up to 80%. But I was ready. The day I went through the surgery I was kept awake on the table. They had fine excellent equipment it seemed which I hadn’t seen at other hospitals. The surgery involved a tiny little cut on the inside of my inside thigh in which they inserted an instrument to insert some type of particles into the main artery of the uturus. It didn’t hurt although I was under some form of anasthesia. It didn’t take long and they had plenty of doctors at my side, a nice nurse, and students. I was also on a catheter. I lay in hospital bed overnight and suffered from pain but I think it was more the pain from catheter than anything else. I think the next day I went home. Over some time the fibroids shrunk and the pain went away. I stopped having heavy heavy menstruation which was sometimes embarrassing. It was so painful prior to surgery at times that any relief was great relief. After a time I decided I may need another one to shrink the last 20% and had a specialist look into it. After testing me he called me and told me I was not a candidate for this surgery because the doctor’s at UCLA did such a tremendous job that there was no way that he could improve upon it. I was sort of glad to hear a doc was honest though and sought him out of another hospital so I could tell he wasn’t out to back the hospital in unnessary profit making. (**) Some docs and related may be blindsighted by a secret threat to earn income and profits for the moguls who run and work behind the scenes and get pressured into wrong diagnosis and stuff like that.

Now I’m going through it it seems again on a different diagnosis. It has put me through some very hard times now. Yes there should be more than one pathologist on any condition to review slides. I was told by the doctor’s at Glendale Adventist that no pathologist would overwrite another pathologist (what sort of criminal thinking is this and thing to say to me?). So the best thing to do is mabe go to a place and pretend I don’t have a patholigst’s report and get another opinion. This way they won’t want to gang up and form a wrong diagnosis committee in secret. It works sort of like the secret service or white house staff at times or police. They all seem to cover for eachother and whereas police are known to commit crimes, write false testimony and tickets to people, come up with stories they cohorts and departments, judges, and the system is usually quick to cover up and let them get off the hook or with just a slap on the wrist. It’s wrong, unethical and immoral but it is quite apparent allover America through my own research and experiences.

If pathologists and doctor’s work this way for some unseen boss who earns a fortune from body parts, surgery, or the like than it is just another mass crime.

I’m still wondering a bit how many unneccessary uterus’ were removed because a doctor just said so.

Right now I have a breast issue. While I was diagnosed with a fibroadenoma which is NOT Cancer the pathologist said otherwise. I got to the point as to I brought my own microscope and demanded the slides to see for myself. They only had one pathologist who didn’t even give me a definite diagnosis. After calling the Pathology dept demanding another answer and antoher pathologist no one “called me back”, just ignoring me as if I’m some dummy idiot off the street or “mentally disabled” and they can take and do what they want. After intense studies I find the mass to be a lobular fibroadenoma. I’m not a doctor but that is what I see under the microscope. The pathologist reported “infiltrative carcinoma with lobular features”. What sort of diagnostic is that? What she saw under the micrscope were the staining which brought to focus my breast lobules which look very much the same much of the time under a microscope as breast lobule tissues. The grape like appearance can be called anything from Lobular Carcinoma In Situ. She also called it this. I’m not ousting her opinion completely but from my studies of all the breast cancers known of today the tissue samples look like a fibroadenoma within a lobular center. All medical journals and studies online say that fibroadenoma is a benign uncancerous condition.

(I’m also wondering here how many women since the breast cancer stats are so very high are being misdiagnosed with cancer when they only have a fibroadenoma or fibroglandualar condition). Under the microscope fibroadenoma fibroblasts have the same sort of appearance and depending on where it is cells that are in fact ducts or lobules within the breast can be called carcinoma when they are not in fact carcinoma at all. A fibroadenoma which pushed on the breast lobules can push the lobule cells some to make them appear atypical which would resemble atypical cells of carcinoma. I see as to where they may have a hard time looking for the right and definite diagnosis and that it is why it is urgent and most necessary beyond any rebutted reason to make sure that second, third, and fourth opinions are sought after by very experienced pathologists. One tired pathologist with a ton of work to do may just not be doing the job right. In fact someone new to the feild could conclude that every fibroadenoma is a cancer and then cause terrible emotional problems in families and victims. Besides this is the after effect of what a diagnosis of cancer could cause including terrible depression which incites loss of appetite, loss of sex drive, loss of will to work and enjoy life and a just a terrible gloom which could make a patient look to family members as if they are sick, or tired because of the cancer when in fact they are not!

This same hospital originally diagnosed the same location with a benign cyst instead four years prior.. Cysts do not become cancer 99.9% of the time. Cysts are non cancerous as well. So how do I have cancer all of a sudden in the same general location? It just doesn’t make much sense.

Any doctor if sees a patient is diagnosed with cancer from a pathologist should make sure there are various opinions before concluding a diagnosis. One diagnosis is just not proof enough.

By the way the uturine fibroid surgery was done in 2001. It is now 2008 and I’m doing great. The misdiagnosis of cancer came in 1991. I waited a long time for a surgery.

But now not knowing if I have just fiboradenoma or cancer has made me suffer tremendously. I also had to spend plenty of money on alternative healing methods in the meantime while I was waiting for an MRI approval and seeking out doctors that would accept my sort of low grade insurance. It was hard. My family also suffered over me. If I find out it was not cancer and I endured all that what then? Now I have to almost fight to get other opinions whereas the hospital should have originally sent the slides out to other pathological units for further study and investigation to confirm a diagnosis. It is all too easy for them to just say someone has cancer if they don’t as well.

I know I have a very good lawsuite possibly if it is in fact cancer because they misdiagnosed it four years prior and I could have had the treatment four years ago. It is emotionally upsetting and tiring at times to deal with all these people as well and the drama involved.

Hospitals need to definitely incorporporate a definite system of multible pathological studies on serious illnesses. UCLA had a whole crew of doctors review my conditions before making decisions with me, whey not other hospitals. Whereas the rich and wealthy-ritzy cancer center I went to with the fancy offices and expensive look had barely a patient and one little doctor who didn’t even review my MRI’s just could blurt out the terrible 3 words, “you have cancer” and get away with it. When I called to obtain my MRI’s as well they dissappeared and that doctor’s office stated, they didn’t know or didn’t have the MRI”s so it was quite obvious the doctor tried to cover up for his lies and criminal intent by hiding or discarding of my MRI’s. I didn’t make him sign anything to hold and obtain my MRI’s either. I see how a criminal doctor could work his evil….

laura

#7. July 17th, 2008 at 11:16 am




My little brother,now 25 years old, was diagnosed with T1 diabetes at the age of 10. He displayed all of the typical symptoms before entering the hospital, where he stayed two weeks. 20 months prior to his diagnosis, he had tubes put in his ears. So many stories i hear are identical…..you would think there is enough information to find the cause. I HATE to sound paranoid…..but does ANYONE else think there is just too much money to be made in treatment to develop a cure.

Holly

#8. July 27th, 2008 at 9:58 pm




I was really excited to read this. I am constantly looking for “reasons” for my Type I diabetes. When I was young, I had multiple ear infections and tubes three times. At the age of 12, I was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. I am sorry to say, but this definitely seems to be more than a coincidence. I have however, now had diabetes for almost 18 years (on an insulin pump – definitely look into it, it is a life saver!!) and have had 2 healthy pregnancies with 2 amazingly healthy daughters. So Type I diabetes has made amazing strides in the 21st centuries.

Also, shortly after my diagnosis, it was discussed that there may be an environmental reason for my diabetes. I grew up in suburban Detroit and lived near the new Mazda plant, my doctors believed this may have been a cause of my diabetes, but that has never been determined. I have however, read that there are more diabetics in MI than any other state in the U.S. and this could definitely be associated with all of the car manufacturers in the area (at least in suburban Detroit).

As to what the med student said, there certainly are more reasons for Type I diabetes, but the fact that it is an autoimmune disorder AND we have all had reoccurring ear infections AND tubes, there has to be a connection.

Maybe we can contact the American Diabetes Association and suggest a research project into this? I work for a large technical school and would love to suggest a research project like this to our research professors. Thanks for posting – I think there certainly is more to this than what people realize. Good luck on your search for the truth!!

Jeff

#9. August 7th, 2008 at 4:48 am




Hello,

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetis at age 6. I had a few ear infections as a child, but otherwise, no sicknesses outside of that. I did have eye-surgery as an infant for congenital Cateracts.

Odd tho I find it. I have only mild allergies at certain parts of the year, but beyond that, I do not get sick, I have no other food allergies.. but I am hooked to an insulin pump for the rest of time, monitoring glucose levels.

So the theory on tubes is a good one, I’d like to see some results on that. But instead of limiting it to tubes, why not encompass it to include all surgeries on kids prior to their 13th birthday, that developed Type 1.

Regarding vaccinations. They arethe bargin basement creations of the 21st century useing such outlandish materials like Green African monkey kidneys, and such to filter the diseases we aretrying to erradicate. It’s more like alchemy or Mad Doctor’s lab type chemistry. and conidering Most Vaccines use Mercurey as a suspension fluid. There is alot of debate in certain parts of the web on Vaccines, and their ligitimate use. Dr. Mercola (google him) has some rather insightful information on such things..

My thoughts are.. Read everything, trust little, check and re-check. After all, if you don’t watch your own health, what you eat, what your meds do, no one else is going to for you. Dr, Mercola, check him out.

Scholar

#10. October 29th, 2008 at 6:58 am




Just a note…I too have Type I diabetes….I was diagnosed at the age of 21—-3 months after gallbladder surgery—-I had no symptoms of high blood sugars previously–I was in the hospital for 2 weeks because I initially presented with pancreatitis as well as gallstones–I’m wondering if the surgery/pancreatitis might have played a role in it all.

michelle a.

#11. November 9th, 2008 at 11:21 am




i totally agree with this misdiagnosis of type one. my daughter was diagnosed seven years ago at the age of five. she had been sick. but she is not text book type one as she is still producing insulin. small amounts. the longer you are on insulin the less your body will do its job. i sometimes suspect she could have been type 2 as she was heavier for her age and had a high cholestral at age 7. she is now 12. i still suspect her diagnosis as she has had some severe lows and never had ketones with any illness or otherwise. there were mod. ketones present at diagnosis so i am told and her blood sugar was 545.

i was told that she was hours away from going in a coma. type two diabetics do get those same highs at diagnosis. i would have liked to have had a dr. treat her with pills and diet and exercise before we went on insulin. i don’t know if there are any out there who have successfully done this on occasion with children. i do know that nothing about her is typical and i say she has type one and a half. anyone with info on this please feel free to contact me.

thank you

Tiffany

#12. November 15th, 2008 at 6:04 am




I have a close friend and my boyfriend who both got T1 at an early age both between the ages of 16 and 19. both of them led healthy normal lives and then bam, had t1. They showed the typical symptoms before being diagnosed. I just think it is so odd that most people I meet or know with t1 were diagnosed at a young age.

Amie

#13. December 13th, 2008 at 12:43 pm




My friends son was diagnosed with diabetes a few months ago. He is 10 years old. He had surgery a couple months before that, and I believe his doctor also asked about surgery prior to this happening, but that may have just been a routine question. But her brother is also a diabetic diagnosed at age 11. I do think it was hereditary but the common surgery factor does make you curious. I do not know if her brother had had any kind of surgery.

Amie

#14. December 13th, 2008 at 12:44 pm




His surgery was not ear related it was testicular. Sorry I did not include that prior.

marianne thode

#15. December 21st, 2008 at 11:33 pm




Have thyroid checked this and/or celiac are the causes of almost all mental and physical problems. There is a thyroid/diabetes fact sheet on the web. Type in” thyroid disease and diabetes patient education sheet” . A good reference book on thyroid is Diseaes of the Thyroid by Leslie DeGroot 5th edition. In my research, celiac disease is another possible cause as it and thyroid go hand in hand. Have not been able to determine which comes first. Antibiotics kill the natural bactria in the intestines causing malabsorption of vitamins and minerals and everything starts to go haywire. Research the thyroid and its test. There are several but the most common is the TSH. For an accurate diagnoses a thyroid panel is necessary. Good luck. Insurance will only pay for the TSH. Go to “thyroid top docs ” site. Also have vit D and B12, and folic acid checked. Be alert for adrenal problems also. A good starter book is Living Well with Hypothyroidism by Mary Shoman. Once you start with autoimmune disease everything is interrelated. More than one condition is quite common, however, the thyroid controls all the other glands. Doctors are not taught about the thyroid. For celiac disease VSL #3, strong probiotics purchased through a pharmacy may be necessary. These and/or vit D deficiency cause gastritis. May be needed for a long time. Thyroid destroys the immune system and leaves one open for all kinds of infections, and other illnesses. Feel free to contact me at my web address if I can be of further help.

marianne thode

#16. December 21st, 2008 at 11:35 pm




Have thyroid checked. Also Vit D, folic acid and B12. I have much info on this as I have been researching it for almost 5 yrs. Feel free to contact me at my email address.

Rich

#17. February 7th, 2009 at 3:38 pm




Thank you to all posters, especially Holly and Scholar. I am a doctor. I don’t have diabetes, but both type I (most commonly juvenile onset) and type II (most commonly adult onset) run in my family. I have two sisters who were diagnosed with diabetes between ages 10 and 12. I also have a second cousin who has type I (juvenile onset) diabetes.

Naturally, during medical school this topic peaked my interests and still does. I have one daughter, age 10. I want to be as educated and prepared as possible for her sake, and to a lesser extent, for mine as well.

Is there a genetic predisposition? Yes, definitely, in both type I and type II diabetes, although the pattern of transmission (on a pedigree chart) is quite different for the two types. The gene is related to (or may be directly attributable to) the HLA DR-3 and HLA DR-4 genes which your immune system normally uses to determine what is normal healthy tissue and what is infection.

Are ear tubes a contributing factor? Almost certainly not. This is arguably the most common pediatric surgery performed. Millions of children get ear tubes (also called PE tubes) each year. There would be a huge epidemic if there was an association here. There may be a round-about association though.

Children with allergies and frequent ear infections go to the doctors office more often. They are kids. They like to play with other kids. They are curious and like to touch everything and each other. They have runny noses and are constantly rubbing their noses and faces. It’s natural, it itches and it’s irritable. Anybody who has ever had an allergy can relate. What may be worse is that we teach children to cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze. Many studies have shown that this is the vector by which viruses are transmitted from one person to another. Face-hand-other person’s hand-face. Or butt-hand-hand-face. The second is more likely the culprit here. The likely virus being Cocksackie B. The prevelance of baby wipe use (which contain no antibacterials and certainly no antivirals, but smell nice) may encourage its spread although this is purely theoretical.

Cocksackie B is seasonal, usually occurring in June through October. It doesn’t always have the same symptoms and they are often mild enough to be ignored. Fever and intestinal upset are the main symptoms. There is no vaccine. Here, I wish there was though. In some cases it can be a real killer in addition to being a likely cause of juvenile diabetes. The treatment is the same as for any other type of intestinal upset. Mainly the treatment is tincture of time, for as with any other virus, symptoms usually abate in two weeks. Yet for the unlucky ones who are DR-3 or DR-4 positive, a whole other process has silently begun.

In these people, not only is the virus is attacked by the immune system, but also the precious insulin-making (and glucagon-making) islet cells of the pancreas. When this process reaches completion and no more insulin is being produced (which may take weeks, months, or years who knows) excessive urination, thirst, and weight loss show up bringing the child back to the doctor’s office for the fateful diagnosis.

Before the discovery of insulin, these children usually died. With insulin they live relatively normal lives…to an extent, but what of the other precious islet-cell-produced products? What of glucagon? AND LOOK INTO THIS ONE. What of C-peptide? Ideally there should be a pump programmed to secrete all of these. Some day soon I’m sure there will be, but not without some significant public outcry. Until then, kidneys, limbs, and eyes will be lost. Strokes and heart attacks will be common. And people will just accept that this is part of the disease process.

So why hasn’t this been proven conclusively? Expense and compliance. Testing for HLA DR-3 and DR-4 is expensive. It is similar to tissue typing for a transplant. All family members related to a type I diabetic would need to be tested for any study to be meaningful. Then a panel of antibody studies to viruses would need to periodically be performed and repeated if any illness occurs. Technically the study is doable, but funding and human nature would be formidable obstacles.

Until then, what is a parent to do? I avoid taking my daughter to the doctor’s office for minor illnesses. I manage allergy symptoms as best I can at home. Keeping her hands washed, especially after any ill contacts, or after changing diapers is key. Hand sanitizer, while in my opinion second best, is another alternative, and a must when doctors’ visits are unavoidable.

My heartfelt sympathies for any parents and their children affected by this terrible disease. I know the impact it had on our family. My hope is that this information will provide hope and possibly some coping strategies until a vaccine or cure can be developed.

Rich, M.D.

Barb F.

#18. February 22nd, 2009 at 5:25 pm




If you were to review the statistics of type 1 in schools that have soda pop machines, you will find much higher numbers that schools without. Ask the parents if they allowed their children to drink soda before they discovered type 1!

lb

#19. February 28th, 2009 at 9:59 pm




My son has type 1 diabetes. We have no family history of diabetes 1 or 2, but there is strong family history of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Another unusual bit of information: my son came down with the mumps at 6 months of age. No one had any idea how he got it, but the mumps can get into your pancreas. I believe type 1 diabetes is a auto-immune disease but what triggers the body to attack itself??
Possible heredity, or a virus or maybe just a weakness in the pancreas.

PS: The insulin pump is amazing! -do check into it.

Janel

#20. April 19th, 2009 at 10:12 pm




My son has been diagnosed with type 1 at 11 one month ago. He had only a re-circumcision at 8 months. He had a severe ear infection that caused temporary hearing loss and was on antibiotics for that. He has only had a few ear infections. He had a reaction to the DPT immunization and slept for over a day – lethargic, difficult to wake. We took him back to the doctor after 15 hours and they said to just watch him. My brother died the day after he had the dpt booster. He was, like my son, sleeping after the first dpt and then when it came to the second he died the following day – it was said to be ‘crib death’. My son never took the booster of pertussis. He has had two dog bites by the same dog. The dog has been diagnosed with ‘hypothyroidism’.

Shelly

#21. May 3rd, 2009 at 8:53 pm




My daughter was diagnosed Aug, 27, 2007 with type 1. She went through the summer sick off and on. Had been exposed to the flu and had been losing weight. She was becoming a young lady and we did not think much of it.

At the beginning of Aug she went in for a school physical and we decided to get her the gaurdisil shot. She kept getting a little sicker I called and the dr said the shot had flu like symptoms as a reaction. Within the week she was in the hospital with diabetic ketone acidosis and we very nearly lost her.

As a young child she had many ear infections and tubes twice. Allergies so bad that her eardrums burst twice. She went through testing and shots for about 1year with very little improvements. With her dpt shot it was crying for two days straight and I was told this was a reaction. No other major illnesses although when she was sick she did have a funny fruity smell about her.

After she was diagnosed I mentioned this to the Doctors and they said this was not possible. Now she is sick vomiting about every two to three weeks and extremely tired. The doctors keep telling me that her immune system is different from ours and she will get anything going around at school and so on.

I recently lost insurance on her and have been doing research on different things and have just found about ciliac disease. I am going to check into this and the other things mentioned from other posts on this site.

I just wanted to say thank you to people who do the posting I am kind of at a loss and hate to see her so sick all the time. Her one doctor is a specialist in this field and I am not sure why he is not putting some of what I am saying to thought. any way thanks to you posters for the ideas.

Melissa

#22. May 8th, 2009 at 1:51 am




OK so after reading I figured I might as well add my 2 cents worth. When I was 9 I got a really bad case of pneumonia was put on antibiotics and the such and then almost a week later was diagnosed with T1D. The doctors said that the pneumonia had caused my pancreas to shut down and therefore caused the diabetes. Also said it had a lot to do with the way my Mother was taking care of me. and then of course there was the genetics almost every female on my dads side has it. SO there can be a lot of reasons why a person gets it and why others don’t. It’s just the way the cards were played I guess. But I have a 2 healthy boys who are now 12 and 14 and don’t have diabetes. Thank God.

molly

#23. May 16th, 2009 at 10:22 pm




i was diagnosed with T1D when i was 12. my doctors told me that white blood cells in your body attack your pancreas and kill the islet cells, which produce insulin. this commonly occurs after trauma, like surgery, or a big life change, or anything that can cause a lot of stress. also, it can happen after you are really sick. just thought i would through what i’ve learned in here.

Donna Fincher

#24. May 22nd, 2009 at 11:34 am




I have a Granddaughter that was diagnosed with Type 1 approx. 8 weeks after her well baby check up and of course vaccinations.She was 26 months old at the time.. No family history.Given our choices I wish she would have got the measles, mumps or chicken pox. I know another child that was diagnosed after going to the ER with an allergic reaction and receiving a type of steroid injection.

I think it is a win … win situation for the pharmaceuticals. Why should they mind if they do not receive anything initially or much for their vaccines .. when they will eventually be treating them for life for something much worse than measles,mumps or chicken pox.

I really need to look at the studies they have done to disprove that vaccines have contributed to this and also who actually did these studies. I would almost bet the CDC has not had any cutbacks or layoffs recently.. especially now as they need to be busy researching this new SWINE FLU.Yes I am biased and I want to know why Juvenile Diabetes is sky rocketing in this country and no one is finding out why and stopping it..It seems we are more focused on how to treat it than it’s cause and eradication. Same with cancer.. Yet the news media is all about the handful cases of swine flu…I have my own opinion of that… perhaps last years wonderful vaccine has mutated and gone wild.. I see money .. money and more money but not for the public only a few private sectors will enjoy the proceeds.. the rest will deal with the crippling effects and the heart breaks.

Lisa

#25. August 9th, 2009 at 12:07 am




My son was diagnosed 4 days before his 17th birthday I thought he had food poisning he was throwing up, drinking alot of fluids and urinating alot we when took him to the ER almost 3 days later his sugar was 827 and was rushed to the back and then transported to Childrens Hospital. It was scary crazy and doctors was in our room at 9 the next morning asking us do you want basil/bolis or pens or syringes it was just mind riveting.

I can’t believe that much research really has not been done on this disease it drives me crazy there has to be a link some where and we must find it.

My son did have his tonsils removed in the 5th grade maybe this is a link similar to the tubes could it be related to the ears, nose & throat possibly? My cousin also has this disease.

S.Correia

#26. September 13th, 2009 at 11:03 am




Interesting comments about Ti diabetes. My 13 year old daughter was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 8 and I do remember that about 9 months before she was diagnosed she had her tonsils removed. She was constantly on anti-biotics and had recurring throat infections. She constantly struggles with diabetes and would like to use the pump, but her doctor dissagrees with the idea. His theory is that by using the pump it facilitates her life too much and she will forget that she is diabetic, overindulging on thing that she should not eat. Go figure! Does anyone agree with this Doctor?

Kandace

#27. September 21st, 2009 at 11:21 am




I have two children with diabetes metillus aka type 1, but I found out they got it from a genetic disorder 2 years back. They were perfectly healthy babies. My oldest is 13, he did have a lot of ear infections but that was it. My next to oldest who is 10 now had no problems at all until the school told me she had really poor vision. My son had just started to complain about not seeing the board also. So, point is they had a genetic condition that causes diabetes and optic atrophy (poor vision that can not be corrected with glasses). I was lucky to have had internet and found out about it on a website. I believe that you can get diabetes from different ways since no one knows for sure exactly what the environmental trigger(s) is (are).

Also, about the pump, I think you, as a mother would know better than your daughter’s doctor if she was ready for the pump or not. There are websites where you can way the pros and cons like jdrf and children with diabetes research foundation.

Kandace

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