A Guardian Angel for Stella · 1,393 like this
11 hours ago · 

Now after all of that very unscientific polling, I knew I had to follow it up. And here is where everyone truly started to open up about night times. If you know anyone that has been recently diagnosed, please point them in this direction. Let them know that EVERYONE'S life in the house has been affected, and that this is the new normal:


A Guardian Angel for Stella
9 hours ago
Thank you everyone for your responses to my earlier question. Over the course of the previous month, Laurie and I have met several (as in more than 1) newly diagnosed families that have mentioned their endo's have told them they could eliminate the overnight check. We are a family that has been fighting this disease for 3 years, and we have the benefit of a pump, experience, and a dog that alerts.We still check when we go to bed, 12, and 3 on a good night, and more often on a night when we are battling lows or chasing highs. This is our life. There is no skipping. If you accidentally sleep through an alarm, you wake up with a start and rush to check. I fear for these newly diagnosed families, and them having perhaps a false sense of security. This is a disease that saves it scariest moments for when the child is sleeping. I can only hope that these families find the DOC, and learn, ask, and question. And if your a newly dx'd family and you happen to read this, go check your child. Join the exclusive club of families that have kids that can get injections and finger pokes, eat crackers and drink juice boxes all without waking up.
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  • 40 people like this.
  • Hellen Root No skipping here..no way risk too high!
    9 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 3
  • Pamela Lackey 5 1/2 yrs for my son and I still check 3 or more a night depending on his day!
    8 hours ago via mobile · Like
  • Jennifer Huber-Colosi I stay up until 3 am because i am too scared I will sleep through my alarm!!!
  • Marijane Gray I do the 1 am check, my husband does the 5 am check. Every single night, and we're 3 years in. The idea of not doing a night check is terrifying, and I can't believe any endo would tell a parent not to check at night.
    8 hours ago · Unlike · 1
  • David Watkins Sorry to say, not all endo's know what they are talking about.
    7 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 3
  • Johanna DeGidio Reynolds I'm constantly amazed at how much diabetes management has changed (for the better) since I was diagnosed 31 years ago. When I was a child and battling this disease, NONE of my doctors ever suggested to my mom that she might want to check on me through the night!!! Now keep in mind, we didn't have home blood testing way back when, and glucose levels were measured by urine testing...sooooo NOT accurate! The tools we have today, and these amazing DADs, are such immeasurable blessings! I thank my lucky stars that I still, to this day, am able to wake up when my BGs are low, and that I lived through every one of those nights as a kid, and have grown up able to witness the HUGE advances we're making in fighting this disease. Sad to say, I've yet to have an endo suggest I test periodically through the night. The only time one of my doctors has recommended it, is when I first went on the pump (11 years ago) and we were trying to figure out my basal rates. It just goes to show, no amount of education will guarantee common sense!! Keep up the good work all you parents of T1s!!!!
    7 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 5
  • Kara Barton Yep non sleepers here too. On nights like tonight where she's been 300-400 all day and now hi. We will check her every hour or more as we are dumping large amounts of insulin. 
    We had a foster son newly diagnosed and they scolded me for checking him and "wasting" a strip??!!?? When I trained his parents I explained the importance of night checks and the hospital told them its not needed. I said would you go 8-10 hours during the day without checking and they looked shocked like who could do that. My point!!! We've caught random crazy highs and unexpected scary lows way to much not to check.
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  • Valerie Squire I agree with everything Johanna, says. I'm amazed at how much easier it is now. Even though it's still a battle every minute of every day I'm glad for all the advances. My parents we're never told to check me at night either. But the only times I've ever had to take an ambulance ride were at night or early morning. It just makes sense that most of a crisis will happen when we are sleeping because we don't feel the lows, if we are lucky enough to feel them. I will still wake up, if the drop isn't too fast and if it's low enough, usually only after it hits 40. And than I have the nasty low side effects. It will be such a relief to have an extra nose by my bed to help me know if my sugar drops, or goes too high which is usually the case. I might keep myself higher at night because I am so scared of those nasty lows.
    7 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 1
  • Anna Booth I'm tired on top of tired. Stressed from lack of consistent sleep and have gained weight from it- but no chance of a trade out as at least 3x this past year I would have regretted it. And never been the same.
    7 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 2
  • Kara Barton Anna I have the same problem no matter how good I eat or how hard I work out the stress and lack of sleep kills my body... But wouldn't change what I do for the safety of my baby girl!!!
    7 hours ago via mobile · Like · 2
  • Valerie Squire Hold tight mama! You're doing great. Bow-wow!
    7 hours ago via mobile · Like · 1
  • Dorrie Nuttall We check too and will continue to. The recent JDRF event in LA had several panel dr's answering questions to the crowd of T1 parents and they both answered no to the question "should we always be checking at night" I was upset by this.. They said checks were required only if.. Pump settings, illness etc.. But did not say they were require regular overnight checks. I have caught way to many scary highs and lows for this to be an acceptable answer for me. My doctor and case manager at CHLA (who's daughter has T1 as well) tell me to check at night - I trust them and will. off course i want someone to tell me i can sleep all night and Luke will be fine - but i know the risks and its too high for me.
    6 hours ago via mobile · Like
  • Dorrie Nuttall Btw Luke's first overnight check at midnight was 298 up from 92 at bed, way too high he needed insulin to correct can't imagine letting him Sit that high all night.
    6 hours ago via mobile · Like
  • Foy Forehand II My response when someone tells me their endo said they don't need to check at night - find a new endo.
    6 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 2
  • Jessica Luman We were told not to do night checks after she got off nph and a fixed carb plan to mdi and eating what and when she wants. We didnt for a few months then I read about what can happen if you dont and started again. I couldnt believe they told us we could stop but then again they only wanted us to have 200 test strips a month being newly dxed that didnt work for me either.
    2 hours ago · Unlike · 1
  • Cynthia Osborn Matullo My blood sugar does the craziest things at night. Can't imagine not checking it...and I use a Dexcom sensor as well. More info is better. It's shocking that they tell parents not to check at night.
  • Dru-Ann Sgarlato 7 years of no sleep! We were told by our endo to put to bed above 150 and check in am. Thankfully I immediately began seeking info and knew that our endo is one more tool and that as our sons parents it's our job to advocate, educate, and manage. Then...See More
    53 minutes ago via mobile · Unlike · 2

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