Being Aggresive with serious Hypo's

[DiabeticVeteran]

Hi All,

It is my first viisit to this forum & was I wondering if you can help me on this problem i have, as I am in dire straights!

I have been a Type 1 Diabetic for just over 22 years. I have been well controlled & lead an active life.
I met the lady of my dreams 9 years ago, we hit it off straight away, got engaged & married & have 3 lovely sons.

When I first met my wife, I explained to her that sometimes i have very bad hypos and can have a tendancy to be a bit aggressive & sometimes lash out! I gave her some guidelines on what to do.
She was brilliant with this, always recognised when i was having a hypo, etc & treated it quickly. No one, except my brother had done this before.

A few years passes & unfortunately i started having the bad hypos again.Much to my digust i caught her on the face when i was in the middle of it, When i would come around, I would get very emotional & always breakdown, as I knew i was not in control of myself.
I would adjust my insulin (especially my night time insulin) to get better control. My blood sugars have been pretty good over the duration of my time with Diabetes.

I used to get bad hypos, 2 - 3 times a year but after some alternative treatment in December 2008,(which was EFT), the next bad hypo was November 2009. This was the turning point. My wife called the paramedics & the police, after an hour or so, i came around. Before this, I went for a lie down on my bed, due to a bad cold, I checked my Blood Sugars @ they were 8.0mmol/l. The next thing i remember is that i was on the living room floor.

I was rushed to hospital & the doctors confirmed that the reason for the hypo was due to a chest infection. More or less at the same time, i recieved a text message from my wife saying she had left to go down & stay with her Mum & Dad.
The following day, I asked my wife what happened & she said that i pinched her face. From this I broke down as I had no clue!

2 weeks after this had happened, her Dad more or less accused me of being a "Wife Beater", & said that the hypos were a complete excuss & a load of B*ll**ks! Of course this has upset me no end as I am not by any means a horrible, violent person. I can see his point of view up to a degree, because its his daughter.
Then to top it all off, my whole family know & certain friends as well, & now will not acknowledge me at all!
It must be horrendous for this to happen to a loved one & the last thing i ever wanted was this. It is cutting me to pieces because i know, like my friends/ work colleauges/ a few family members, It is not me. My friends do know, if i was violent normally, i would undoubtly cause serious damage!

It is something that i have realised over the last 6 weeks or so, is that I have taken blood tests whilst talking to people & they have been as low at 2.3mmol/l BUT with NO warning signs! I have looked this up & it is a condition called "Hypo Unaware" For all i know, this could of been going on with me for years!

I will be seeing my Diabetic healthcare person within the next week or so, to discuss this.
I know there is not much on the internet regarding being aggressive whilst having hypos & i dont know the statistics from this but I would be interested, just to explain to my wife.

The Insulin I am on is NovoRapid Penfill, 18 units, 3 times a day & Lantus Glargine, 30 units, taken at 22:00 each night.

Please, is there advice that could be given on this? Has anyone had experiences like this before?

Many thanks for your time with this!

There is one thing i forgot to mention in this post, is that I went onto to Lantus Insulin in 2002 & all this started happening gradually afterwards. Before, I was on Novo Actrapid & Insulatard. From what i have been reading about Lantus, justa quick question, was Insulatard & Actrapid a "Human" Insulin or Animal Insulin? This is just for clarification. Many thanks.

 

[cugila]

Hypo Unawareness is something that happens and the last person to know is the person who suffers from it !

Not something to put up with and it can be reversed by following some simple rules. Take a read of this link.
http://www.diabetes1.org/news/Reversing ... nawareness

An extract:
Hypoglycemia Unawareness
1. Raise blood sugar targets for two to three weeks in order to avoid low blood sugar.
2. Test blood sugar more often, providing more data to make more rapid adjustments.
3. Increase protein intake and reduce carbohydrate intake, reducing insulin requirements.
4. Use the data from additional blood sugar tests to note the different symptoms experienced at specific blood sugar levels.

Once you get your awareness back you then need to keep those levels slightly higher than before to avoid dropping into the hypo zone, anything below 4 mmol/l. Hope you can get this sorted out for both of your sakes.

 

[diabetic_tigs]

Hi,

Ive been diabetic for about 13 years, and I too get really aggressive once my sugars drop low..

It used to scare my mum and brother so bad because i would randomly start shouting and lashing out at them. This carried on for several years, and severely affected my relationship with them, because as much as they tried to understand, at the end of the day I was hurting them, both physically and emotionally.

Anyway, eventually I realised that I get other warning symptoms prior to going hypo, and learnt to "tune in more carefully" with these symptoms in order to catch hypos before i got nasty. This also meant doing more blood tests and being especially careful after exercising etc.

Hope this help, and good luck, remember you're not alone in this situation x

 

[diabetic_tigs]

sorry, just realised that you said you dont get hypo warning signs (other than the agression) - so some of my post is kind of pointless, sorry about that, shouldnt skim posts :roll:

I think part of my problem when i was younger was that i didnt get any symptoms, but as far as im aware i just eventually grew out of it x

 

[DiabeticVeteran]

Hi Diabetic_tigs,

Many thanks for your reply to this.

This has really scared me no end!
I know of an other individual i used to work with, used to have very bad hypo's around 6 a year & he had the same symptoms.

It is hard because sometimes, I get the warning signs & sort out the hypos straight away & then there are other occasions that i get no symptoms & then at the flick of a switch, i change my behaviour.!

Frustrating is not the word!

Speak soon.

 

[kegstore]

What a nightmare experience. Unfortunately not entirely uncommon, but I would hope my nearest and dearest were slightly more understanding. What am I saying - they ARE more understanding! Your relatives need educating. As upsetting as it is for them, it is equally so for you.

Try very hard to get the warning signs back, because they're not always recoverable once lost. Even if you do get them back, they won't always be at the same level. Hypo unawareness is life changing.

 

[janabelle]

HI Diabetic veteran,
I have a link you might be interested in http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 036558.ece
I have been type-1 for nearly 21 years, and was put on Lantus in '04. The next 4 1/2 years were easily the worst of my life. I wasn't particularly aggressive, but I've heard of others who have been on it. I suffered severe,abnormal tiredness,pain, felt like I was being poisoned-I accused my husband, but luckily our marriage survived that. I was so ill, he thought I was dying, and so did I. I've posted loads on this forum about my dreadful experience.
Many people have reactions to synthetic insulins, especially the newer analogue insulins. Loss of hypo awareness, although asscociated with long-term diabetes, is also particularly a problem for syntheteic insulin users. The IDDT (insulin dependent diabetes trust) are a good source of advice,& info on this matter; as it was the initial reason the charity was founded. http://www.iddtinternational.org/
I had been on synthetic insulins since diagnosis, but since changing to pork insulin in 2008, my control is the best it's ever been, less frequent hypos, and I feel normal again.
I hope very much you get your problem sorted &the people around you get wise to the fact that none of this is your fault.
Jus

 

[DiabeticVeteran]

Hi Janabelle,

Many thanks for your comments on this & the useful links & information.

I will look forward to reading it.

Thankyou,

Regards,

Steve

 

[DiabeticVeteran]

Hi All,

Firstly, Many thanks to you & Especially CarbsRok that have replied to my first post. Your advise has been paramount! It means alot, Thanks!

There is one thing i forgot to mention in my First post, is that I went onto to Lantus Insulin in 2002 & all this started happening gradually afterwards. Before, I was on Novo Actrapid & Insulatard. From what i have been reading about Lantus, justa quick question, was Insulatard & Actrapid a "Human" Insulin or "Animal" Insulin? This is just for clarification because i have read Insulatard is a "Human" Insulin.

Also, alot of these behaviourable changes happened roughly 9 months after going onto Lantus.
I did not think for one minute it could be the Insulin & I have been quite horrified to hear of the stories relating to this insulin & the side effects of Human insulin in general. Yes, I had bad hypos on my previous insulins (listed above) but before coming of Mixtard in 1991 ( I think), I never experienced any thing remotely near what i am having now!

I could be wrong with the above (I doubt it due to what has been said), i have made an appointment to see my Diabetic Health care person on 19th January to have my insulin changed to Animal Insulin. From this I have enough reasons to justify this, the main one being, My marriage is wrecked! , the second one being the gradual deteriation of Hypo awareness, the third one being aggressive & Violent at the flick of a switch! I still do get some warning signs but it is now the minority. I have checked back on my blood sugar readings & realised this may have been going on for a long time prior!

Again, I can not express my thanks enough, to everyone involved here

Cheers. :wink:

 

[janabelle]

Hi Steve
Actrapid and Insulatard are synthetic insulins,made in a different way to analogues- god only knows how they got away with calling them 'human' insulin though!
Interesting what you said about probs starting bout 9 months after starting lantus, this can vary from person to person. I was told that onset of side-effects can take up to 18 months. Mine started with anxiety symptoms within a few months, then pains;, by 18 months I knew there was something really wrong. For others it can take longer for side-effects to become really obvious and debilitating.
Best of luck with the animal insulin,let us know how you go- and keep in touch with the IDDT for support.
Jus

 

[DiabeticVeteran]

Hi Janabelle,

Thanks for your reply,

Well, i guess that confirms it for me why i had some unexpected, aggressive Hypos with those insulins back in the 1990's as well!
Mind you, these were nothing compared to what I have gone through over the last 7 years with Lantus, plus with the added support & confirmation of other members experiences on this forum.

I now know what i have to do.......

Many Thanks for this :wink:

 

[JasonHayes]

I have very little warning signs and also get very Aggresive. I also get worried and start going over and over things in my head, getting more and more upset. I have had 3 friends and 2 paramedics holding me down while heading a really bad hypo. As previous posts have sad, best to try to get some of the warning signs and treat quickly. Also let people know what may happen. I can only say, I hope things get better for you.

 

[Debloubed]

blimey, what an ordeal you have been through, I really feel for you.......I was on Actrapid and Ultratard and Insulatard from diagnosis in 1985ish until 4 years ago when they stopped making the Ultratard! When I hypo'd I would get stroppy and irritable and would reject help from family and friends and make them feel, well, just awful and helpless! My standard response of 'I'm FINE!!!' still rings in their ears I'm sure.......they still remind me of that now, with comments like 'you used to say you were fine and then you would eat the entire contents of the fridge!' I am lucky. they are supportive and I was never violent.

Unawareness SUCKS. and as confusion is a symptom of a severe hypo, how are you supposed to know what the heck is going on?! Someone on here said Awareness is key (Cuglia I think without scolling back?) and that is oh so true. Get that back and you are half way there

all the best

 

[DiabeticVeteran]

Hi Debloubed,

Many thanks for your reply.

With respect to your experiences with Actrapid, Ultratard & Insulatard, I had more or less exactly the same experiences as you when i was on it during the 90's.
This just confirms everything for me.
Looking back now, since changing from Mixtard to the above you are on, I did notice some small behaviour changes, Since being on Lantus from 2002, I always remember what my mum in law said to me in 2003/04, that "I was Not the same person!" By me being stubborn, i thought it was due to getting older!! lol!
I have looked back over the last 7 years or so & had realised that i GRADUALLY changed for the worst. The Hypos were horrible, In fact i was scared because my body was giving me the signs of high blood sugars & instantly, i would take some insulin to lower & then realise 20 minutes later, I would be in a state! ( This, no doubt has been experienced & done by many diabetics on here!)
Not to mention the other issues that I have mentioned & read from this thread & the forum.

The only things that are going to happen now are listed below:
a) I will wait & attend the appointment for the insulin change next week
b) See what the changes will be from not using Lantus. These will be posted here on the forum after.
c) Try & earn my trust back to certain people regarding what has happened to me over the last 7 years especially! (I think i stand more of a chance raising the Titantic with this one! )

Certain people think Diabetes is just a condition that is easily controlled with the " New" modern insulins with no side effects compared to 20 years ago. Come on you super Veterans, is this the case??
NO ORDINARY PERSON WILL EVER KNOW THE DAILY ORDEALS WE ALL HAVE TO GO THROUGH WITH DIABETES.

Thanks & speak soon. :wink:

 

[lilibet]

Hi Steve

I hope things work out for you, losing awareness is the greatest fear of us diabetics (along with DKA, blindness, kidneys, dementia... ad infinitum :lol: )

In all seriousness though, change of insulin and the (dreaded) running your bg a bit higher is the best starting point for this. I have changed from Mixtard 12 weeks ago to Levemir/Novorapid and my hypo signs have completely changed. I rarely had hypos (or carbs, or food!) onthe mix and had little hypos so would get symptoms anywhere approaching the 4, sometimes down to 3.5 ish

This last while (esp whilst trying to titrate doses on what is the daily fun of 'what will your body do today' roulette) I have been getting 'something' but nothing like the old signs. So now im having to reinterpret them. So whereby previously it was light headed/woozy/jittery its being boiling hot, headachy, hunger pangs now. However, these are easy to ignore as lets be honest they are not unusual to feel during a day.

When I was having a very unsettled period with the changeover and may have well as injected water than novorpapid I had a very horrible drop from 12ish to 1.5 EEK!. I felt that.....


One other thing you mentioned, and I feel I have to comment on
You felt hyper and injected insulin but Im sure you have rectified this now- I personally would never put insulin anywhere near me UNLESS i had tested first

Another option, if all else goes awry. An insulin pump with a continous glucose monitor built in that alerts you to hypos? Not sure if im picking up info from our American 'cousins' re this but worth bearing in mind

Good luck

 

[Sarah_1_2_3]

Hi Steve,

I just wanted to reply to your post as I am the wife of a T1 with similar problems to yourself. My husband has been diabetic for 18yrs and has, according to his mother, always had problems with agression when hes is close to a hypo. From my experience of him, the last 10yrs have been inproving, more so the last 5yrs. I find with experience of his temperament in relation to his blood sugar i can tell in advance that his levels are dropping. He changes quickly and in its extreme, when I have only seen it once, he lashes out. Although thankfully not at me!

I just wanted to give you my oppinion from the other side as you could call it. I now see it as my 'job' to watch for these things. I married him, so as a result its my duty to take care of him, as he does me. You wouldnt marry a musician and expect not to hear music. So when you marry a diabetic you take on their life too. I think, your wife should be able to see these symptoms and realise its not your fault. She can notice these things before you do. But, with the risk of contradicting myself, she must find it incredibly hard and a huge responsibility. I can see, from the other side of the fence, why she has left. But also why she shouldnt. As a by-stander you feel incredibly helpless. The realisation that it has gone too far and you cant help anymore is almost unbearable. Seeing the man you love in a hypo is terrifying, frustrating, upsetting and more on top. Sometimes the emotions run too high and you do things you wouldnt do normally. I would try to talk to your wife. Maybe with both your sides of the story things can be sorted out

I hope things go well for you, and I wish you good luck with your appointment.

Sarah x

 

[DiabeticVeteran]

Hi Lilibet,

Thanks for your message.

Regarding having high blood sugars in the morning, yes I have done this on a few occasions BUT have got wise to the fact & ALWAYS do a blood test if in doubt. As I have mentioned before, my body has given me symptoms of high sugar & recently after tests, it has proved it is not the case!!

We all grow wise to this.

Cheers :wink:

 

[DiabeticVeteran]

Hello Sarah,

Many thanks for your message.

It is nice to hear the experience of someone who has been on the recieving end of a loved one with Diabetes.

Everything you have said, my wife was fully aware of the side effects when we met & i thought, " Someone who understands & is re assuring.

Unfortunatley, due to the Hypos & the behaviourable patterns that i have experienced, she more or less gave up 3 years ago. She said that she did not trust me with my sons but NEVER offered to work on this to resolve it.

I can understand her views regarding this in a way. I guess I will now have to convince people & more importantly, myself.


Take care

Steve x

 

[DiabeticVeteran]

Hi All,

I would give you an update to this post.

From what has happened, my wife unfortunatley, is filing for a divorce on the grounds of Domestic Violence.
The whole legal system has been involved now & personally, as advised by my solicitor, although i have a good medical case, I will not be able to defend myself enough to win against the allergations me wife has stated.
So, at this moment I am totally heartbroken by this, as there will now be a slim chance I will see my 3 children very often in the future.

I have tried explaining to them about Hypo Unawareness, which is now on my medical records, but they say "I was abusive when I wasn't having the Hypo's" (9 incidents over the last 6 years)

Is there any advice you could please give me to this? I don't think you can but it is worth a try.

Many thanks,

Steve :cry:

 

[noblehead]

Steve,

I am really sorry to hear that news! I don't know what to say I'm afraid, I just hope that your wife will make a compromise and you can see your 3 children as often as possible.

Nigel