DBI

Gail,
Since you were 5 and I was 11.5 at DX, what was the reason they put you on
DBI since it was a BG-lowering chemical for Type 2’s? Mine was because being
pg in ‘60-’62 they thought the increased insulin requirements would harm the
babies so added DBI. I stayed with that combo of DBI, NPH and Regular for 16
years.
Jan (60 y/o, T-1 11/5/50, pmpg 8/23/83)

5 Responses to “DBI”

  1. rodney_800 Says:

    Jan,
    The reason they put me on it, during teens and 20’s, the Dr though it would
    make my body use the insulin I injected better. Wrong, huh.
    That was just his personal idea.
    Gail

  2. damian150 Says:

    Gail,
    I dunno if it WAS his personal idea. Sounds to me like it was kind of
    standard at the time it they did it where you are and did it where I am,
    too. I remember a pharmacist questioning me as to why I was taking it since
    it was for T-2’s. But in my 16th year of taking it I began to have really
    low BGs. 17 hypos in one week. Our kids went to a private school and I once
    had to sit on the parking lot (in the car) waiting to feel aware enough to
    drive them the 10 mi. home.

    One day I had eaten cupcakes, honey, and ice cream and was still low. Called
    the dr. and he asked what I wanted him to do. I said, "You’re the dr." He
    said to go to the E.R. I got there and they took a BG (those took 20 min.
    for results then - no home BG testing). He let me lie there and went to a
    meeting. I was furious. I wanted my purse to get more candy out of it. They
    wouldn’t let me have it. He came in and said my BG was 120 so I wasn’t too

    bad off. I told him again what all I had eaten and that was probably my high
    for the day. I left him (in the ’70s and he was into psychedelic clothing
    and had personal problems) and went to a GP. I was taken off the DBI. I was
    with the GP for 5 yrs until an endo came to town and took over the other
    guy’s office. I have had that office’s phone # since dx in 1950 - except for
    those 5 yrs. Three drs. have been in that office.

    (I oughta write a book)
    Jan

  3. lawanda20 Says:

    The reason they put you on insulin is that the pancreas islet cells are
    generally destroyed by the body’s own immune system. If insulin is
    injected, the islet cells do not have to create insulin, and therefore, the
    immune system does not attack and destroy the islet cells. Therefore, it
    will be possible to retain complete use of your own body’s ability to
    produce insulin when it is required by the body! Of course, the amount of
    insulin injected would need to be very close to what your body actually
    needed to give the islet cells the needed rest.
    This is also part of the present study being done with relatives of
    diabetics that have a high chance of developing diabetes. If they are
    placed on insulin injections early enough, it is possible to eliminate
    damage to the islet cells that are not producing insulin. And a person
    could theoretically never become diabetic!

  4. damian150 Says:

    Keith,
    NO, the reason they put us on DBI was to decrease the extra insulin
    requirements due to pregnancies. Gail was 5 and I was 11.5 @ dx - NO insulin
    is produced in our bodies. DBI was a source of concern for us as young as we
    were and it being Rx’d for us. Also, DBI was later removed from the market
    because it was bad stuff.
    Jan

  5. roy_1600 Says:

    keith:
    can you tell me about this study and where it’s being done? would like to
    read the research….thanks, Joan :)

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