The best way to be supportive is to stay informed and don't step on his shoes about the education. Here is a site with the basic info to know as a loved one, http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/

Check it out and know that it is great to be concerned and supportive when it comes to this disease. As for lows, if he is incoherent, agitated, looks like he is going to pass out, or falls asleep call for help. If he is able to speak and move around get him a tablet or any snack or juice that has 15 carbs.

On the opposite note if his blood sugar is higher than 180, make sure that he stays hydrated with plenty of water. As a pump user he should not be having that many lows so he should follow up with his endocrin to see what is going on during the day. Possibly his carb counting is off.

You are already being a really good girlfriend by getting involved. My bf does not get involved with my diabetes at all really, unless I specifically mention something to him. He is lucky to have a gf like you.

OK, diabetes 101. There is no such thing as being severely diabetic. There are two main types of diabetes - type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is where the pancreas does not make any insulin. Therefore we need to replace our own insulin with injected/pumped insulin. We have to do this from when we are diagnosed, for the rest of our lives, unless a cure is found. We need to check our sugar level using a simple fingerprick test in order to determine how much insulin to use. Many of us also count carbs and we have some kind of ratio of units of insulin to units of carbs. If we are high we will need extra insulin. If we are low we need sugar.

Type 2 is where the pancreas makes less insulin than the body needs, or the body does not recognise/use the insulin properly. Therefore, type 2 diabetics need to supplement the insulin their body makes with various drugs, or alter their diet to reduce the strain on their pancreas, or inject some insulin. Which of these choices they make depends on their own circumstances and their doctor's advice. If they inject insulin it does not mean they have worse diabetes than someone who manages their condition with diet, Type 2 itself is not a less severe version of type 1 either. There is no way a type 2 diabetic can become a type 1, if they inject or pump insulin they are still a type 2 who uses insulin.

Diabetes UK has a useful guide here: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Introduction-to-diabetes/What_is_diabetes/

If your boyfriend has type 1, the main thing is to live a healthy lifestyle as much as possible, just like anyone else - exercise, healthy varied diet, the usual stuff. He will need to carry a bunch of meds about and go to hospital appointments. He may need your help with low blood sugars and support on trying to be as healthy as possible. I think one important thing is not to get too involved. Other people may differ, but I am quite defensive. If someone tells me I am not managing my diabetes properly I will get prickly about it. I know people love me and are trying to help. But diabetes can be tricky and real life can get in the way of managing it. Also uncontrolled blood sugars affect mood, so if your bf's sugar level is not right it could cause him to act differently or get annoyed with you.

It is hard to say if your bf's low blood sugars are OK or not. I think many of us go through periods of lower or higher sugar levels, which then even out again. However if these happen too often, our body gets accustomed to the lower levels and sees them as normal, so we lose our warning signs and this can be dangerous as we will not notice being lower and can just pass out. I don't want to worry you though, this may well not be the case for your bf. But I would ask him what the best thing to do is if he does have a low blood sugar, it is good to be prepared. He should also wear ID jewelry of some kind in case he has a low sugar level when out on his own.

If you have any other questions just ask.

Being supportive is really the best thing you can do. You certianly can't step in and take over for him-it's his body. Really just being aware of what's going on. If his BG is dropping all the time, it could be that he's getting more exercise than he's used to and needs to adjust his insulin. Or it could be that he's just taking to much. It happens we're all human. All I ever ask from my husband is to be supportive. Help me make right food choices without making me feel guilty about making a bad choice, and keep my illenss in mind when he plans things that are physically strenuious (simply because snacks will have to be packed-more exercise typically means lower BG)

You're doing great.

Thank you guys so much for the information. I really want to be there for him as best I can. I amstill concerned about his blood being so low all the time. He promises he is fine tho. I am proud of him for how strong he is.

I am trying to do reading on it but I end up getting really worried because it talks about all the complications and how high the death rates are. It helps to know that I am doing the right thing. Thank you guys soooooo much.

You know Ive been a diabetic for 3 decades now and if I had a dime for every time I went low LOL I still wouldnt be a millionaire heck even if I average a low every three days Id still only be $265 richer. I guess my point is lows happen. Even when on a pump and especially during the teenage and early 20s when the hormones fluctuate a lot. My worst rash of lows was when I was between 12 and 16. Just way too busy with a hectic non-consistent schedule and way too many hormonal changes to keep up with me. It can get a lot, lot better as time goes on though.

LOL And not that you are there yet, but if you are or when you do, I will also mention heavy petting, kissing, and sex drops me faster than any other exercise can and I know for a few of my other diabetic friends that nothing gets them to drop the same way as a loved one can. You guys are so worth it though. ;-)

I always have juice boxes and glucose tabs around just for those occasions. LOL And my hubby lets me know hes interested by setting out a juice box on my pillow! This disease can either tear you apart or bring you much closer than your normal relationships would - you just have to be open and communicate to find out what each other needs and wants as some of us want may want to be reminded to test, told what carbs to eat and when, what to take for insulin but others dont and through time we may change what we want. So ask and occasionally re-ask. And dont forget you can also tell him, hey this scares me, or freaks me out, and I feel helpless so what can you let me do so I dont feel so helpless.

On the flip side, just this year I witnessed, instead of experiencing myself, a really low diabetic episode of a friend of mine when we met up at a restaurant. Oh my word! What a freak show that was.

It was horrendously scary and I know all too well what the guy was feeling and how to recover from it and all yet it was so damn scary it was unbelievable.

I asked my husband if I am ever that bad and he said no but I think he may have been sparing my feelings. Man you guys go through a lot on the other side of it.

You are so right they are scary, but we almost always keep on a ticking especially when we have loved ones like you watching our backs. Hey, keep hanging in there and thanks for caring for one of us!

P.S. Did I read somewhere you are celebrating two months together? Got any special plans for it yet?

My fiancee is what is called "Brittle Diabetic".Her pancreas produces no insulin, so I have seen her sugar drop as low as 20 and soar to 700 in one hour and the reverse, soar to 700 and drop to 20 in one hour. What I do is remain ever vigilant. I have gotten to the point where I know (just be looking at her), that something is amiss. When she feels hot to the touch (without sweating) that tells me her sugar is on its' way up. When she acts "drunk" or really out of it and starts to perspire, that tells me her sugar is too low. I always get up first so I can make her breakfast because the Humalog drops her sugar. (Besides its wonderful for me to spend time first thing in the morning with her and being able to have coffee and a bite to eat together. ) So what we have done is take this illness by the horns and turn its' consequences into a positive by being more nurturing, caring and loving every day and the whole day is even more special. I wish you luck...maybe try some of the ideas Maria and I use. You are already doing what you can to help him. Stay informed, read, ask and educate yourself.

First of all you take care of yourself and keep well - so if he needs you you are there for him. Please do not stress over his condition as you can make yourself ill.

My partner is Type 1 and has suffered some very serious Hypos in the past - but seems well controlled now. Once he had such a bad Hypo and went into a coma I called the paramedics then he was fine in no time. The could not deal with this hypo as the Glucogon in the fridge was out of date. An hour after that I was very unwell and had to go to the ER, I was having a panic attack - so take care of yourself.

Honey or jam are goods quick fixes. Good luck.