Brittle Diabetes

Brittle Diabetes is also known as Labile Diabetes or Unpredictable Diabetes. The adjectives “brittle and “labile” both are used to describe chemistry that is unstable, unpredictable or out of control. “Brittle Diabetes” has been used to classify Type 1 diabetes characterized by people who experience swings in blood sugar levels from severe hypoglycemia (low) to hyperglycemia (high) even after strict adherence to food, exercise, glucose monitoring and insulin use.

Less than one-half of one percent of insulin dependent people develop brittle diabetes. People under 40 are at higher risk with higher occurrence for females and overweight females. Stress, Anxiety, Depression and hormones may all play a part in Brittle Diabetes. Psychological and physiological health should both be treated. Young females with Type 1 Diabetes are also at particular risk for a new type of eating disorder sometimes referred to as “Diabulimia”. Diabulimia occurs when type 1 diabetics limit or skip their necessary insulin doses in order to lose weight.

All diabetics experience unpredictable symptoms including fluctuations in blood sugar levels. The difference for people with brittle diabetes is that even in a controlled environment where treatment is closely monitored they still experience unpredictable swings in blood sugar levels. There are reasons other than Brittle diabetes including the Dawn Phenomenon and the Somogyi Effect which may cause your blood sugar level to be unexpectedly high in the morning.

Diabetes Response Service can help diabetics with brittle diabetes who are alone manage insulin shock and complications of severe hypoglycemia, and help friends and family feel secure with their loved one's condition and lifestyle. If the diabetic is in a coma or insulin shock, they cannot answer the phone. We contact the diabetic's neighbors or friends. If the contacts are not available, you have the option to dispatch a local ambulance.

The diabetic's account can be controlled online by the diabetic, a family or friend, or a doctor. Diabetes Response Service can help seniors manage diabetes, and help their children and loved ones feel more secure about their parent's safety every day. With daily scheduled phone calls, children can esnure their parent's safety when they are not around. Appointment Reminders can also be set up on a daily basis, so the diabetic senior does not forget to take their medicine or check their glucose. Children can program the scheduled alarms and messages themselves through a control panel. Let Diabetes Response Service help in diabetes care.