[johnsmom]

I have a son with a vp shunt since birth,went through all the operations and the worries..he is labled special needs..he is now 33yrs old married to another special needs lady and very happy..no children ,their choice..last operation was in 1997..while in the hospital his blood work came back with a glucose level almost 500..ok now he is a diabetic. insulin shots twice aday..now after 10yrs the doctors still can't get glucose to a normal number..he is taking 9 different pills..some make him have the runs..weight gain..you name it hes had it..
I have looked into diabetes and shut related..found that the cranial fluid that drains has glucose which is sugar and it goes into his blood..that might explain why they can't get him at a normal range..he now runs between 95 and 200 never went to a 500 range since 1997...
Just curious if anyone else is a diabetic and having these problems.This is a great site and going to have.John,read all your questions.sometimes he thinks he is the only one with this condition.
THANK YOU ALL.
JOHNSMOM

[LIZARD]

I can certainly understand John's thinking that he's the only one with hydro. Been there, done that, for 23 years.

Do you know if his sugar was ever low? I have hypoglycemia and always have. I am now working on losing half of myself (and succeeding!! ), due to severe, chronic hunger and picky eating for 40 years. I understand that low sugar can pose a higher risk for diabetes later on. (I think I was technically considered pre-diabetic before I started losing. I was at 107.) I also know that conditions like hydro (or anything neuro, really) can result in blood sugar imbalances.

Also...Is he a big guy? I'm sure you have heard it all before, but weight control will probably help some, too. PM me if you want some info on what I'm doing.


((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))) to you and John,

LIZARD

[johnsmom]

john,was 2weeks old when first shunt put in..never had his shunt changed from neck up..his doctor one of the best,,,,,Dr.Bernard Stone,pracitice in Worcester county.massachusetts, in the late 1950s..was the first doctor to perform microscopic surgery in the area,,implanted the first shunt to successfully treat hydrocephalus.,he was a distinguished lecture in neurosurgery, sadly passed in 1998...in 1997 was the worse opertion,,yep the worse word for hydo people.......STAPH...instead of changing the hole line..Dr.Stone and the infections disease Dr. found a boy in puerto rico,,that they took the line out and under very sterile conditions injected antibiotics to the line neck up..staph free after four days.. line then put in.neck to stomach thats the last shunt opertion.
Now diabetes..John,worked for Mcdonalds for 10yrs..thats 10yrs of pespi ,hamburgers french fries..not until his shunt problem in 1997 did we find out he was a diabetic..yes he put on weight about 30pounds..after his operation he lost alot of that weight..not until 2005 when his diabetic doctor put him on...ACTOS..did he start putting on alot of weight..190 to 230..and with hypertension now added..starting next week we go to a different diabetic doctor and starting all over again slat clean..expect insulin..and see if we can get better treatment..as all diabetics know it takes time to find the right pills thats right for them...Liz,,john,was never low..hits 95 now and than and feels dizzy when he does..(i know alot of words until i ansured your question..lol)..but with everyone diet and exercise is the only answer and how tired are we of hearing that...we are looking into swimming classes at a gym..his wife also diabetic..(so they help each other)likes that idea..we live in princeton,massachusetts..so its cold.and 7months out of the year not much excercising going on..As a family over weight is now a problem only,John,seens to have it,i have 4 other sons..i am a 63 year old and is 145lbs not bad.....i'll let you know how the new doctor works out.
Thank you for reply,LIZ,take care.
Johnsmom

[LIZARD]

I know what you mean re activity and cold weather. I'm not far from you--RI--and this winter has been particularly difficult because, not only has it been severely cold, but I am cold all the time from the weight I have already lost. I think my system has been shocked! That has led to me barely leaving the house for five months.

I hope I don't come off as insulting, but I know that you know reducing food and increasing activity are the only things that will help. Believe me when I tell you that, at over 300 lbs, I thought I would never be able to get the weight off and live a good life without feeling constant deprivation. That has not been the case because I have been shown how to eat, what a realistic portion is, and how to spread my food intake out so I can still lose without fear of a sugar crash. 90 lbs lost later, I can tell you I have my life back! I am an exceptionally "selective" eater, too, so I thought it would be impossible, but I don't feel it's been difficult, and I can actually eat what everyone else does. If you want to know more, let me know. I won't shove it down your throat. That's been done to me, and I know how it feels.

(((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))),

LIZARD

[johnsmom]

wtg go,Liz,on the weight loss.I ment to say as a family, over weight is not a problem.. only,John,seems to have it.he does know excercising and diet will help him ,as with anyone else who is over weight.But everyone is different on how they lose weight,,,,,He and his wife went too a diet specialist for learning how and what to eat as a diabetic,that helped alot...But he went and put back 30lbs while on, Actos..I went and read up on this med and found a site like this one .and i found people who are on this med gained alot of weight.Why in gods name would a doctor put someone who is diabetic on a med that puts weight on....Anywho...lol...no insult taken here,Liz...let me know what information you have,i would like to read up on it.
Thank you again for reply,
johnsmom

[LIZARD]

Originally Posted by johnsmom

wtg go,Liz,on the weight loss.I ment to say as a family, over weight is not a problem.. only,John,seems to have it.he does know excercising and diet will help him ,as with anyone else who is over weight.

It sounds like he may have started out like me. I am a "selective" eater, and I have openly refused to eat things I don't want, but couple that with appetite and psychotic blood sugar, and poof! Instant obesity (or so it seemed) because the things I wanted were often way too fattening, and because I was so hungry all the time, the lbs piled on quickly.

I am also the only one in my family to have had this problem. It could very well be the way hydro affects various chemicals in the brain that stimulate appetite. I know a LOT of folks with hydro, and we don't all have this problem, but I think enough of us do that it oughta be more closely investigated.


LIZARD

[Nat Hyland]

I have been overweight since I was about 6 years old, and have never been able to lose weight without nearly starving myself. I lost 10 Kg in my late teens/early 20s but I ate almost nothing and excercised like mad and was constantly hungry. That is not to say that a balanced diet and exercise are not important - eating McDonalds every day would certainly not be recommended ! But the way I look at it is that if I eat a relatively balanced diet and exercise regularly (by the way, has John ever tried skipping - with a rope, I mean? I find it is something I can do with very little hassle - I skip inside, on carpet (so I don't hurt my knees) have the music on, and can do it even when it is raining or cold outside. I also go swimming, which is good too.) and am still overweight, there is not much I can do about it. My dad's sister actually has the opposite problem. She is constantly eating, but doesn't put on a Kg, and is thin as a rake! It is all in the metabolism.

However, hydro can affect people in many ways, and who knows, they hypothalamus and pituitary gland could well be included in the parts affected, which will then impact on BSL levels.

Nat.