How high is High

[sharron 64]

Maybe some of you have read my previous posts, and the problems i have with high suger levels and that i was given new meteres from the hospital, as they thought my meter might be broken, so i was sent home with new meter told to eat 3 meals a day for 7 days and if the new meter was giving similar results i was going on to insulin, however, the day before i was to go in for insuling they phoned and cancelled, and make the appointment for 5 weeks time.. I of course was not happy eith this and eventually got to speak to the specialist, she got me in next day and fitted a libre for continuous readings, the reading are still high and went to 25.1 but mainly they are in the high teens to the lower 20 s, i called the hospital and they were not concerned. My question is, is it the length of time from the peak for the sugers to come down, or should it be how high the sugers are?.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Using your words it will be the length of time. High readings are not good in any case but if they persist then it is worse. It's the area under the graph.

 

[catapillar]

Do you have a means of testing for ketones?

 

[Bluetit1802]

My question is, is it the length of time from the peak for the sugers to come down, or should it be how high the sugers are?.

It is both. The peaks matter, and so does the time you spend up there. Anything in double figures matters whether you are on your way up or on your way down or flat. The hospital is unlikely to be concerned unless you have ketones or get to dangerous levels, normally thought to be over 30. If that happens, it is time to go to Emergency walk-in care or A&E.

 

[sharron 64]

Do you have a means of testing for ketones?

I do, got them last year, but i was told they will now be out of date.

 

[catapillar]

I do, got them last year, but i was told they will now be out of date.

So that's a no then? Presumably the pot your ketone test strips are in has a best before date on it so you can check for yourself whether or not the strips are in date. I'm suprised that the hospital are content to hear you have blood sugar in the 20s without checking that you don't have ketones.

 

[Freema]

I do, got them last year, but i was told they will now be out of date.

ketones is something one can measure on a daily basis, when blood glucose is very high the body can not use the energy in the blood glucose and it builds up more and more , then the only option the body has is to use protein and fats and this unfortunately means that the body will start eating from your muscles and other tissue which it is not meant to do when having very high levels of blood glucose... then this kind of break down in the body releases a lot of ketones and the combination of very high blood glucose combinen with very high level of also ketones can be a real burdon on ones body and actually become life-threatening.

you should avoid having blood glucose levels over 9 at least when eating and between meals the levels should be at least under 7.5 but preferably under 6.5 and ideally around 4.5-4.6 (which only a few of us manage to be in )
when blood glucose raises close 15 and even to 20 mmol , it can be dangerous and it is important to measure ketones and also to take contact to emergency line for diabetes advice... the kidney can have a very hard time coping with such high levels...

I dont know where the level of ketones should be.. , you could read more in these links
....http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/testing-for-ketones.html
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-complications/diabetic-ketoacidosis.html

https://ketodietapp.com/Blog/post/2013/11/30/Ketosis-Measuring-Ketones

 

[azure]

@sharron 64 Those readings are too high as I'm sure you know. I don't understand why you've not been started on insulin. If it was me, I'd be pushing hard. A number of LADAs seem to be mad to,wait to be given the tools to control their blood sugar. I don't think that's acceptable.

Tagging @DaftThoughts for you as she has good advice and is LADA.

But honestly, I'd be making a fuss personally.

 

[DaftThoughts]

Thanks azure

I fought for 6 months to be put on insulin. I wish I had fought much harder much earlier. I assume you have the official diagnosis LADA, and with those values you have the human right by international law for adequate healthcare treatment. Considering your values are in the 20's and you're LADA, you are at a high risk for DKA and insulin is an absolute requirement. To not prescribe you insulin is negligence and has potential to cause damage to your long term health. It's in violation of your human rights. Feel free to remind them of this.

Go back to your doctor as soon as possible and don't let them give you the runaround. Be firm, be harsh, make demands - we're a variation on type 1 diabetics, ask the doctor if they'd send a type 1 back home without insulin when their values are so high and if they say no, demand to know why the hell they'd send you home then! Threaten to report their negligence if you must, and don't feel bad about going a little bit apeshit. I regret not standing my ground as I should have.

You have every possible right to be on insulin.

 

[sharron 64]

So that's a no then? Presumably the pot your ketone test strips are in has a best before date on it so you can check for yourself whether or not the strips are in date. I'm suprised that the hospital are content to hear you have blood sugar in the 20s without checking that you don't have ketones.

Yeah i feel the consultant at the hospital are basically taken the ****, when i phoned to tell them about the highs 25.1 and hovering in the 24 s for hours, her reply was yeah thats fine dont stress about it as you have probably been high like that for months.

 

[sharron 64]

Thanks azure

I fought for 6 months to be put on insulin. I wish I had fought much harder much earlier. I assume you have the official diagnosis LADA, and with those values you have the human right by international law for adequate healthcare treatment. Considering your values are in the 20's and you're LADA, you are at a high risk for DKA and insulin is an absolute requirement. To not prescribe you insulin is negligence and has potential to cause damage to your long term health. It's in violation of your human rights. Feel free to remind them of this.

Go back to your doctor as soon as possible and don't let them give you the runaround. Be firm, be harsh, make demands - we're a variation on type 1 diabetics, ask the doctor if they'd send a type 1 back home without insulin when their values are so high and if they say no, demand to know why the hell they'd send you home then! Threaten to report their negligence if you must, and don't feel bad about going a little bit apeshit. I regret not standing my ground as I should have.

You have every possible right to be on insulin.

I have been back and forth, to the doctors and

Thanks azure

I fought for 6 months to be put on insulin. I wish I had fought much harder much earlier. I assume you have the official diagnosis LADA, and with those values you have the human right by international law for adequate healthcare treatment. Considering your values are in the 20's and you're LADA, you are at a high risk for DKA and insulin is an absolute requirement. To not prescribe you insulin is negligence and has potential to cause damage to your long term health. It's in violation of your human rights. Feel free to remind them of this.

Go back to your doctor as soon as possible and don't let them give you the runaround. Be firm, be harsh, make demands - we're a variation on type 1 diabetics, ask the doctor if they'd send a type 1 back home without insulin when their values are so high and if they say no, demand to know why the hell they'd send you home then! Threaten to report their negligence if you must, and don't feel bad about going a little bit apeshit. I regret not standing my ground as I should have.

You have every possible right to be on insulin.

I have been back and forth to the doctors, they shrug their shoulders, and say my case is complicated. However my hospital appointment on the 10th July, i was given new meter as they believed mine was broken, and she said if the reading are the same, she was putting me on insulin, the next week, i was instructed to eat 3 meals a day and test 8 times a day for a full week, on the the last day the hospital phoned and cancelled, i went metal and demanded why, so they got me in and fitted the freestyle Libra and told to back in 2 weeks. Believe me when i go back on the 31 July with the libre results and they still do nothing i will complain to the NHS, if still not happy then i will involve my MP. I already have complications and my kidneys are bleeding because of constant high sugar levels, but the hospital said it is nothing to do with your diabetes.

 

[azure]

@sharron 64 Could you take anyone with you for support? It can help at stressful appointments.

I agree that making a complaint might be a good idea.