Diabetes help..please.

[LittleGoose000]

Hello ladies

My cousin is 22 years old and a type 1 diabetic. For the last 2 years she has been admitted to hospital every month ( usually around her monthly cycle) during this time she is continuously sick and her levels are all over the place, her hair is thinning, she is totally drained and wasting away.

We have been in and out of hospital and they dont seem to have any idea what is causing this every month. Has anyone had anything similar or know someone that has been through this? Or maybe have some suggestions of what might be the cause that I could take to the consultant??

Any suggestions will be very much appreciated.

What tests have they run?

It's more common for people with type one diabetes to have PCOS (as well as PCOS being a risk factor for type two). Hair thinning is a symptom of PCOS and of thyroid issues which are also more common in T1D. Another possibility to consider with the weight loss is coeliac. However if she is having repeated DKAs this could be causing the hair loss.

Hormonal fluctuations around the menstrual cycle cause massively different insulin needs in a lot of people but it's strange that it's a new thing.

Is she getting good advice on insulin adjustment? Would her clinic lend her a continuous glucose monitor or prescribe a libre?

Finally, have they screened her for eating disorders? Is there any possibility that she could be omitting insulin in order to lose weight? Diabetes related eating disorders are again really common, particularly in her demographic.

Has anything changed in the last two years for her which could have effected how her body deals with blood sugars, example being having a child or becoming more active?

I know someone who is type 1 who found after having her child her blood sugars were all over the place and certain hormones (not sure which) do effect blood sugar control. She's still struggling to find a new normal for her with her cycle. For her it's got much worse and now effects her mid cycle as well.

I know with my diabetes so much effects my blood sugar, even changes in weather.

Definitely as about the things the pp recommended, but also how is her mental health? I find mine affects blood sugars a lot as well and if struggling mentally may struggle with her condition. Depression is extremely common for people with diabetes.

My health board no longer provide automated delivery for insulin for anyone as its too expensive and I know that's caused some people a lot of problems as they've suddenly just stopped supplying them.

Thank you for your comments. I know she has had her Thyroid checked and a camera to check her stomach. I'm not sure about Pcos I will ask her if they have checked.