We are back now... and I can comment on the time travel with Type 1 Diabetes.
As we were planning to go from the UK to the USA, this travel was worrying me. I was still calm as I must have been for my children, family and my sanity. But I was prepared to check him even more frequently than usual. This will be must do for all parents unless on CGM.
Just before we left, I checked with Diabetic Team and Medtronic once more on what was the guidance regarding insulin pump. Their advise was to change pump's time to the local time, as I did.
First day, day of the flights went ok. My diabetic son actually had high sugars (above 10mmol) most of the time. It made me feel comfortable. He didn't sleep during the travel but his sugars were acceptable. (Talking about acceptable sugars is a whole long another story. Whilst any non-diabetic sugars would be average 5.5mmol all the time, being around 10mmol for diabetic during time of change and volatility is perfect in our eyes.) However the following day was the roller coaster.
It was very lazy day, this was the day when Toby was recuperating after we squeezed 30 hours in the previous day (due to time change).
He went low during the day and we easily boosted his blood sugars back up. As the evening approached, I was on the guard. I was awaiting for the active (meal) insulin to work its way through, before I do the night time check.
Suddenly I woke up just after 9pm. I felt urge to go and check Toby... His sugars were 2.0, that is severe hypo, possibly one of the lowest readings that we ever had. I woke him up and he was responsive. Usually he is in a very deep sleep therefore by responsive I mean him responding & doing what I have told him to do. I asked him to eat the glucose.
He had 5 glucose tablets in total (20 carbohydrates).
I was on a standstill. Time was ticking.... 1 minute, 2 minutes... Surpassingly glucose tablets should work within 15 minutes.... 3 minutes, 4 minutes.... Then I can check him again.... 5minutes, 6 minutes...
9 minutes... I can hear Toby screaming out.... It feels like I am weightless... I am quicker than lightning to get in his room. Dad has woken up (next to him) and is trying to speak with Toby.... No response there... My hands are shaking... I put my hand on his body... COLD SWEAT... I know that this loud repetitive scream was not fear of the bad dream... This is a pre-stage of Diabetic Coma.
This is a delirious noise... involuntary... his brain is going into the black out due to lack of blood sugar.
Quickly I check him again.... 9 minutes.... My hands are shaking now... has his sugars dropped or risen since I checked him before? My husband asks me: "Do you know what you are doing?"
Yes, I know...I have checked his BG & his sugars now are 2.5. Now it is time for waiting... 10 minutes, 11 minutes... Time is dragging.... 12 minutes, 13 minutes...
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Type 1 Diabetes... One moment seems so perfect that people could question whether there is something wrong with your child... Split second later... you go through the biggest fears of life and death in your life!
As regards to the time travel:
As I am unable to establish / test my sons day time basals, next time when travelling across the time zones and changing time on the pump to the local time, I would make sure that the basal rate would be about the same throughout the day.
Our basal rate for the particular time of the day when the hypo happened was about 3 times of the hourly basal (at any other time of the day).
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