[Maggie]

Hello everyone,
I'm hoping somebody can tell me how my mother will be affected by a sudden withdrawal of munching on mini Mars Bars. She has had insulin dependent diabetes for about 10 years, is 86 years old and sadly beginning to decline. She has always carried mini Mars Bars with her "just in case" but has secretly been munching on many of these a day for years! Whenever she has a checkup at the GP, she denies ever eating chocolate. But my sister has told me that she's suddenly stopped eating them over the last couple of days. She administers her own insulin.
She has an assessment in about 10 days time, should she see somebody before that? My sister is her carer and tells me that she's behaving normally (for her) with no obvious changes. Does anyone have any advice I can pass on?

 

[Terrie]

Hi Maggie:

If your Mom is taking her own Insulin, then she must have been taking extra Insulin to compensate for the chocolate bars. If she wasn't then her A1c would have risen because her blood sugar would've been higher. Unless she stopped eating the bars a couple weeks before her Dr's visit.

If she was wise enough to compensate for the bars then she is probably equally wise to start taking less Insulin when she stopped eating the bars. Your Sis said she noticed No difference in her behavour. If it was my Mom, I would be checking to see what my Mom's blood glucose tests revealed(if she was a Diabetic).

Those bars are about 28 grams of carbs. each. For example of me, that would be about 2 units for each bar. My I:C=1 unit: 10 gr./carbs, 'til about 5:00 p.m. and 1u:15 gr. after that time. Not much. Perhaps your Mom takes similar amounts.

I'd just keep a close eye on her and watch her sugars and moods.
Bars do stay longer in the body than normal foods but not normally longer than 6 hours and rgey are small so probably less. I think your Mom will be Fine. Parents! Good Luck.

 

[Maggie]

Thanks Terrie!