To the FML:
 
>I have had good success with long-term, non-insulin management of
>insulinoma with the use of dietary management and prednisolone.  Anyone
>interested in details feel free to contact me.
 
There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding the diseases of diabetes and
insulinoma, having seen several posts like this over the last couple of
days.  Let's try to clear this one up.
 
Diabetes and insulinoma are two completely different diseases at totally
opposite ends of the spectrum.  The one thing that both of these diseases
have in common is the hormone insulin, which is required for getting glucose
into cells.  Without insulin, the glucose remains in the blood, and
gradually builds up over time.
 
Islet cell tumors, or insulinomas secrete TOO MUCH insulin, resulting in all
of the glucose being cleared from the bloodstream.  So these animals have a
low blood sugar level (or are HYPOglycemic), and have neurologic signs due
to the inability of the brain to get glucose (which it uses for energy).
 
Diabetes, is the lack of insulin.  While there are several forms, the common
problem is the iability of the body to manufacture insulin, or utilize it.
So the organs are starved for glucose, and the levels in the body continue
to build over time.
 
Prednisone incrases the breakdown of the body's fat stores for conversion to
glucose by the liver.  While this drug is effective in treating insulinoma,
it only serves to worsen the problems associated with diabetes.  The only
correct drug fr use in diabetes is insulin, to decrease the levels of
glucose in the blood and get it into the cells of the body for use as fuel.
 
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 1426]