Diabetics on TV and films!

Robo42 said:

Anytime on TV or in a film when a diabetic loses their insulin or gets lost and becomes ill, the first thing they seem to give them is a sweet drink or sugary foods. Surely this is bad and could give people a wrong idea about diabetics?

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There was a forum thread about this recently re ambiguous first aid advice from a charity.

Obviously, usually a person would be able to explain what they needed, so any confusion would be avoided.

But if a person with diabetes is found ill and/or confused, then yes, it's best to assume they're low and give them something sweet. That's the official First Aid advice.

Acting weird, confused, scared and crying, are symptoms I have got when very low. Now, putting the sound of music and an Everest expedition scenario out of the way for the moment The best rule of thumb is to treat with something sugary first to bring the patient around, to get BS up as fast as possible, then a long acting carb food, if patient doesn't appear to be responding, then dial 999.
@catapillar, I have found your responses very informative and spot on, thank you for your input

Robinredbreast said:

Acting weird, confused, scared and crying, are symptoms I have got when very low. Now, putting the sound of music and an Everest expedition scenario out of the way for the moment The best rule of thumb is to treat with something sugary first to bring the patient around, to get BS up as fast as possible, then a long acting carb food, if patient doesn't appear to be responding, then dial 999.
@catapillar, I have found your responses very informative and spot on, thank you for your input

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It would be a boring film in that case.

SunnyExpat said:

It would be a boring film in that case.

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What would SunnyExpat ?

Robinredbreast said:

What would SunnyExpat ?

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The ones without the sound of music, of the Everest expeditions that you put out of the way.

SunnyExpat said:

The ones without the sound of music, of the Everest expeditions that you put out of the way.

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Hmmm, that is all I will say.

So, now's the time to mention the disaster movie, the plane crash, the boat wreck, the panic room.....

How about the movie The Ambulance where a rogue doctor kidnaps diabetics for his evil experiments. or Big Nothing where criminals murder a diabetic FBI agent by force feeding him a lollipop there's loads of films you could choose from. Cliffhanger, Con air and The God Father part III to name but a few.

JohnEGreen said:

How about the movie The Ambulance where a rogue doctor kidnaps diabetics for his evil experiments. or Big Nothing where criminals murder a diabetic FBI agent by force feeding him a lollipop there's loads of films you could choose from. Cliffhanger, Con air and The God Father part III to name but a few.

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I had no idea about those last ones - I have to re-watch them all now! Thanks!

In regards to the 'treating with a sugary drink first' scenario - Its seems most logical. Imagine a case where you have taken your lantus, and your sugars are fantastic all day long lets say 5.4mmol/l and then at around 2pm you go on a crazy adventure and realize you forgot your insulin, shortly afterwards you fall ill and pass out.

It COULD be a high, but if this was me - it would certainly be a low from all the running around, and excitement from the adventure - I wouldn't be able to eat enough carbs to keep my sugars up and would likely go low.

Also from the people i know, and personal experience - the main difference i have found with super low and super high is nausea and vomit occur with super high, and not super low. Everyone i know who has suffered DKA has vomited many times before realizing what was going one.

azure said:

That's the official First Aid advice.

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That's the important bit, anybody who has been on an official First Aid course (mine was four days, might be three now) will be more than able to deal with most situations, certainly until further help arrived.