My partner is type diabetic and this is controlled by insulin. On a regular basis he wakes me in the middle of the night because he is cold and sweating and generally shuffling around. I have on many occasions tried to wake him to check his sugar levels and to respond if necessary however 9 times out of 10 he will just shout at me hit out and go back to sleep. Most of the time I then remain awake monitoring as I am worried about him. I have to admit on same occasions I do go to the spare room as I just need sleep. Is there anything I can do to assist him on these occasions this has been going on for about 7 years now and I try to talk to my partner about it and in paricular tell him how scared he makes me feel but I am afraid he just tells me he can not always help it. Any advice please?
Type 2 Partners Low blood sugar levels at night
- Thread starter Eddie212
- Start Date
ButtterflyLady
Well-Known Member
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- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Acceptance of health treatment claims that are not adequately supported by evidence. I dislike it when people sell ineffective and even harmful alternative health products to exploit the desperation of people with chronic illness.
I'm not sure from what you say if he is being tested and is actually having hypos or not? If so, then he needs to test his BG before going to bed and have an appropriate snack if it is not high enough. That's the first thing to try and if it doesn't help, there are other things that could be looked at. What are his BG levels like at different times? What type(s) of insulin is he on and what dosages/when?
A related example is that often when people have undiagnosed sleep apnoea, they cause similar disturbance to their partner and deny it because they are not awake enough to realise what they are doing. If they refuse treatment, about the only solution for the partner is to sleep apart, or somehow record what happens and play it back to them. Another method is for them to have an overnight sleep study, which proves what is happening. It's hard and I really empathise with you.
A related example is that often when people have undiagnosed sleep apnoea, they cause similar disturbance to their partner and deny it because they are not awake enough to realise what they are doing. If they refuse treatment, about the only solution for the partner is to sleep apart, or somehow record what happens and play it back to them. Another method is for them to have an overnight sleep study, which proves what is happening. It's hard and I really empathise with you.
Generally I can not wake him to test I guess I could do it myself but he does not want me to do that I have asked him to talk to his diabetic nurse about it. He says he has and she keeps (apparently) telling him he is doing well. I know that he has admitted that his fasting BG levels are high and the nurse has told him to try and get them down which is why I think he likes to run them as low as he can. I do, he calls it nag, get him to check them regularly and generally if I do we have a good night. I just do not want anything to happen to him and probably over concerned but also it effects us both. I think I will keep trying to get him interested in the forums and see if he can change a bit for himself. Many thaks
