feeling a little sad ☹

lcarter

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504
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This is probably a bizarre place to put this but hopefully you guys will understand... someone on a type 1 diabetic forum I am on has died in his sleep from low blood sugar ... this guy was in his late twenties earthly thirties and was fit and active. He had a dexcom and had great sugar control. I'm just feeling a) extremely mortal b) incredibly sad and c) absolutely terrified. I can't explain why I feel so anxious. I feel like I'm doomed?! I am not the best with my diabetes as I find it so confusing and frustrating. It has just made me feel all kinds of negative emotions. Sorry if upsetting x
 

phdiabetic

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Sending lots of hugs! You're probably feeling anxious and upset because if someone with such supposedly great control could die like that, then what chance do you (or anyone else) have? It's totally normal to feel like that. Soon after I was diagnosed, I heard two horrifying stories. One was about a girl my age who had diabetes, went to bed with a blood sugar of 12, and died of a hypo in her sleep. The other was about a man who didn't carry hypo treatments. He went low while he was out driving, went to a relative's house to get help, except that they weren't home and so he died on their porch. Aside from being really scary, these two stories left me with a healthy respect for the dangers of low blood sugar. Your story is much more personal and you probably feel a lot of empathy for the guy since you knew him. Clearly you should take some time to yourself to grieve, and to work through your own emotions (possibly with a professional). But also use it as an opportunity to reflect on your own control, both good and bad. You can appreciate the effort you put into your management, and also consider whether there's anything you'd like to change. Perhaps you feel as though this is pointless, since a guy with good control died. But you are giving yourself the best chance at a long and healthy life by paying attention to your diabetes. Sure, anyone can suddenly die for some unexpected reason, but by having good control you are greatly decreasing the possibility of this happening.
 

Diakat

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It's natural to be sad and reflective when something like this happens. Especially if you were close.
We all know that in theory stuff like this happens, but actually having it happen is upsetting and unsettling.
Feeling sad is ok.
 
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Hi, that is very sad, but it is a rare occurrence. It's natural to feel worried and anxious about what happened ( as you are young yourself) you have shown empathy towards the young man and the situation, but your life lives on, so try to make the best of it and my heartfelt condolences goes out to his family, RIP X
 
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lcarter

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504
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I only read his posts on a forum but saw how good his control was and how he really did the best he could. Thankyou all so much, your words have really helped me xxx
 

nessals946

Well-Known Member
Messages
123
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Sending lots of hugs! You're probably feeling anxious and upset because if someone with such supposedly great control could die like that, then what chance do you (or anyone else) have? It's totally normal to feel like that. Soon after I was diagnosed, I heard two horrifying stories. One was about a girl my age who had diabetes, went to bed with a blood sugar of 12, and died of a hypo in her sleep. The other was about a man who didn't carry hypo treatments. He went low while he was out driving, went to a relative's house to get help, except that they weren't home and so he died on their porch. Aside from being really scary, these two stories left me with a healthy respect for the dangers of low blood sugar. Your story is much more personal and you probably feel a lot of empathy for the guy since you knew him. Clearly you should take some time to yourself to grieve, and to work through your own emotions (possibly with a professional). But also use it as an opportunity to reflect on your own control, both good and bad. You can appreciate the effort you put into your management, and also consider whether there's anything you'd like to change. Perhaps you feel as though this is pointless, since a guy with good control died. But you are giving yourself the best chance at a long and healthy life by paying attention to your diabetes. Sure, anyone can suddenly die for some unexpected reason, but by having good control you are greatly decreasing the possibility of this happening.
Dying on somebodys front door,thats truly awful
 

himtoo

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why can't everyone get on........
that is very upsetting for all of us to read and more so for you as it is somebody you have an online connection with.
just sending hugs to you @lcarter
[[[hugs]]]
 

TheBigNewt

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I'm very sorry t hear this, we all are. It is rare but it happens. I happened to a girl at the local high school and to a college softball player where I went to college. The Dexcom is supposed to alarm you when you go below about 4.0, but perhaps he was too far under to wake up. Sleep is the most dangerous time for a Type 1. I have my own method of avoiding hypos when asleep, but I thought the Dexcom was pretty safe against it.
 
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JMK1954

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520
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My sister died in an overnight hypo. I suspect such deaths are more common than generally acknowledged by consultants and DSNs, as I noticed two more deaths reported in different parts of the UK during the following 3 weeks (approx.) Nobody wants to discuss this - ever - because it's rocking the boat. We can't live without insulin, but it is a potentially lethal drug. I have always had some night time hypos and now sleep wth a tube of Glucotabs under my pillow. My sister was considered to be well-cotrolled, better controlled than me, but had never suffered a serious hypo (at any time to my knowledge) and did not even have glucose in her bedroom. I believe it is dishonest and plain dangerous to keep this sort of incident quiet. We are always told this sort of thing is rare. I have wondered for a few years just how rare it is.You have my sympathy, Icarter. It's a nightmare to think about it.
 

nessals946

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123
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I know of 2 deaths personally but over the space of 30 years.Ive been diabetic for 42 years and have had some horrendous hypos,its a worry for us all.
 

TheBigNewt

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My sister died in an overnight hypo. I suspect such deaths are more common than generally acknowledged by consultants and DSNs, as I noticed two more deaths reported in different parts of the UK during the following 3 weeks (approx.) Nobody wants to discuss this - ever - because it's rocking the boat. We can't live without insulin, but it is a potentially lethal drug. I have always had some night time hypos and now sleep wth a tube of Glucotabs under my pillow. My sister was considered to be well-cotrolled, better controlled than me, but had never suffered a serious hypo (at any time to my knowledge) and did not even have glucose in her bedroom. I believe it is dishonest and plain dangerous to keep this sort of incident quiet. We are always told this sort of thing is rare. I have wondered for a few years just how rare it is.You have my sympathy, Icarter. It's a nightmare to think about it.
Check your PM.
 

Leeannea

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Messages
131
Type of diabetes
LADA
I'm very sorry t hear this, we all are. It is rare but it happens. I happened to a girl at the local high school and to a college softball player where I went to college. The Dexcom is supposed to alarm you when you go below about 4.0, but perhaps he was too far under to wake up. Sleep is the most dangerous time for a Type 1. I have my own method of avoiding hypos when asleep, but I thought the Dexcom was pretty safe against it.

Hi TheBigNewt. Could I ask what method you have to avoid night time hypos?
Cheers Leeanne
 

Diamattic

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Messages
678
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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This is very sad to hear! *hugs!*

Occasionally I think of stuff like this too, especially when I wake up at 3am to find my sugars are at 2.5 and I need to binge eat lol

My only words of encouragement are this - you CAN do it. You may think its hard and confusing, but it is certainly something you can learn. If you finished high school, if you learned to drive a car and follow road rules, if you have a job of any kind then I am sure you are capable to learning to handle diabetes. Write down a cheat sheet if you have too, but I believe in you!
 

Juicyj

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Sorry to hear your news, that's so sad. Personally I also feel sad too when I read stories about type 1 folk who pass away, but it does also drive me to make the most of my life and try and live it to the full. Sending you a big hug x
 
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phdiabetic

Well-Known Member
Messages
880
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
My sister died in an overnight hypo. I suspect such deaths are more common than generally acknowledged by consultants and DSNs, as I noticed two more deaths reported in different parts of the UK during the following 3 weeks (approx.) Nobody wants to discuss this - ever - because it's rocking the boat. We can't live without insulin, but it is a potentially lethal drug. I have always had some night time hypos and now sleep wth a tube of Glucotabs under my pillow. My sister was considered to be well-cotrolled, better controlled than me, but had never suffered a serious hypo (at any time to my knowledge) and did not even have glucose in her bedroom. I believe it is dishonest and plain dangerous to keep this sort of incident quiet. We are always told this sort of thing is rare. I have wondered for a few years just how rare it is.You have my sympathy, Icarter. It's a nightmare to think about it.

I might be the exception here, but my medical team, ESPECIALLY my endocrinologist, always emphasised the importance of avoiding hypos, particularly night time hypos. Even a mild hypo (3.9) in the night was a big deal to them (more so when I was on MDI/finger pricks, but still a big deal now I am on pump/CGM). As a result I had hardly any night time hypos, and if I suspected it might happen I would set alarms to wake myself up and check (and hopefully treat before I got too low), and/or ask my parents to check on me say half an hour after I went to bed. I'm glad that my endo panicked over 3.9's, because it taught me to panic too. I have always slept with some sort of sugary food or drink in my room, again something that was taught to me very early in my diabetes education. Not trying to brag about my good control or anything, I just wanted to let you know there are medical professionals out there who are very concerned about hypos at night, and are passing this info onto their patients like me.

I hope you are doing ok now. It must have been a horrifying experience.
 

JMK1954

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Messages
520
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
My current doctor at the hospital always insists that I do not need to eat more than 20g of carbohydrate in the form of 2 digestive biscuits when I have my basal injection at night. (I have been going hypo occasionally at night since the basal/bolus treatment was introduced for me in the 1980s.) Most of the DSNs just repeat this like parrots. The one in charge of the rest has a working brain and basically says do what works for you. That is what I do, but I have to remember not to mention this to the doctor.
My sister's death made me realise how casual the attitude to overnight hypos can be. DSNs tell new patients (and me) 'but a hypo should wake you'. We hope it will wake us, but if we have no glucose handy we may still end up dead. I once had to explain to a doctor that the reason I kept a bottle of Lucozade in the wardrobe was because if I was hypo, I couldn't be sure I could get down 2 flights of stairs, put off the burgular alarm, get into the kitchen, find the bottle (only used when I was hypo so possibly at the back) etc etc, without falling as I would be shaky/unsteady on my feet. A diabetic who can't get their glucose is a dead diabetic to put it bluntly. I can look after myself and have a helpful husband who is a valuable ally. I just don't think all the HCPs really understand how disabling a hypo can be.
 
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becca59

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2,856
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Type 1
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Night time hypos are always a topic of conversation at my hospital appointments. When I was having a few, I was adamantly told to run my levels higher by reducing my basal. I have to constantly change my basal up and down due to my spluttering pancreas (4 years and counting). Always have my Kit at the side of the bed, monitor/jelly babies and small cans of coke. Even have straws as I hate drinking it from the can. Then insulin for the sharp rise from 4am which invariably needs a couple of units before I get out of bed.