The Honeymoon Period

Please note, this page is printable by selecting the normal print options on your computer.

At the beginning, after the diagnosis of diabetes, we often need to give large doses of insulin. This is because our bodies have become resistant to the effects of insulin, as there hasn’t been enough around for a while. This usually settles quite quickly and the insulin doses may be reduced.

Once the blood glucose levels have settled down, the pancreas often begins to produce small amounts of insulin again. This means that the insulin dose can be reduced further. We call this the “honeymoon” period and the blood sugar levels may be easier to control during this time.

During this time the insulin doses can often be reduced by a lot and you might only need a few units a day. It might seem as if the diabetes is getting better and you may hope that it will go away completely. But unfortunately this NEVER happens. At the moment we cannot cure diabetes and you will always need insulin injections.

The honeymoon period usually lasts for 3-6 months. Although it may occasionally last up to a year or longer, and sometimes it doesn’t happen at all. Younger children often have a shorter honeymoon period. This period is only temporary and doesn’t last, so insulin injections will still be needed. Gradually the pancreas stops producing insulin, and after a few years of insulin treatment most children will not be producing any insulin themselves at all. Insulin injection doses will then need to be increased again to compensate.