Fluctuating sugar levels, advice needed.

[La.Bette]

Heya,
I’m posting in hope that I can get some advice.
My father has been diagnosed with diabetes for many years now. He is of 72 years of age and is insulin dependant. He has always been able to manage his diabetes fairly well by himself, he would have the odd hypo now and again but they were fairly easy to control and we never really had much cause for concern.
However, for a little while now his sugar levels have been fluctuating from one extreme to another, he has just gone in to hospital for the 4th time in less than 2 months today because he had ketones in his urine and very high sugar levels. He has been seen by the diabetic team on each visit and they have adjusted his medication and insulin accordingly and we have also set up care plans and district nurses to assist him with his routines and medications when out of hospital. But as soon as he is discharged, less than 24 hours later he is readmitted. We have spoken to health care professionals who just tell us they will get them under control and then send him back home again but we are yet to see them fully under control and they don’t seem to want to look into why this is happening continuously.
Like I say they go from one extreme to another, so from veeeeeery very low, to veeeery very high, and even had them dangerously high at one point, they were at 40.

Could there be any underlying issues to what may be causing his blood sugars to cause so much havoc? Does anyone have any suggestions as to what we could do? Im just worried that this is going to be a continuous cycle and it’s really starting to make my dad upset, understandably, as he doesn’t know why it keeps happening and we are doing everything we are being told to do.

 

[HSSS]

Can you give us a bit more information. What type of diabetes? Which medications? administered how often? in what amounts? By whom? Is he in otherwise good health? Is here any reason to suspect his management of the condition has changed? Eg not taking injections or making mistakes?

 

[Alternative Diabetic]

Heya,
I’m posting in hope that I can get some advice.
My father has been diagnosed with diabetes for many years now. He is of 72 years of age and is insulin dependant. He has always been able to manage his diabetes fairly well by himself, he would have the odd hypo now and again but they were fairly easy to control and we never really had much cause for concern.
However, for a little while now his sugar levels have been fluctuating from one extreme to another, he has just gone in to hospital for the 4th time in less than 2 months today because he had ketones in his urine and very high sugar levels. He has been seen by the diabetic team on each visit and they have adjusted his medication and insulin accordingly and we have also set up care plans and district nurses to assist him with his routines and medications when out of hospital. But as soon as he is discharged, less than 24 hours later he is readmitted. We have spoken to health care professionals who just tell us they will get them under control and then send him back home again but we are yet to see them fully under control and they don’t seem to want to look into why this is happening continuously.
Like I say they go from one extreme to another, so from veeeeeery very low, to veeeery very high, and even had them dangerously high at one point, they were at 40.

Could there be any underlying issues to what may be causing his blood sugars to cause so much havoc? Does anyone have any suggestions as to what we could do? Im just worried that this is going to be a continuous cycle and it’s really starting to make my dad upset, understandably, as he doesn’t know why it keeps happening and we are doing everything we are being told to do.

Whats your dads diet like and is he active ? ....Is your dad Type 1 or 2 ?

 

[Juicyj]

Hello and welcome @La.Bette

Triggers for causing high blood glucose levels can include illness or infection, so is he is good health otherwise, any possible dental infections ? Stress can trigger high levels, change in diet, incorrect carb/insulin ratio, change in body weight, bad insulin, poor injection sites so lumps, has he been checked for lumps and changed insulin to a fresh batch ?

Are you in contact with his diabetic nurse too ?

 

[kitedoc]

HI @La.Bette,
I wonder whether your father's team have actually observed your father's ability to draw up and inject his own insulin and mange his meals in a home setting, or at least as much as possible in the hospital setting?

And checked his memory, dexterity, eyesight, hearing and such things and done any relevant tests which could help with ruling out memory and other problems ??

Is there a nurse that could visit him at home (or the GP) to see how he is coping and what may be going wrong and causing him
to be re-admitted so often and in such a bad state ?

Sometimes health teams need to think outside the square of their training!!!

Best Wishes.