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GlucaGen HypoKit

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badmedisin

Well-Known Member
Messages
247
Hi!
I've recently changed GPs and I'm still sorting out my repeat prescriptions with the new doctor. I asked for a GlucoGen HypoKit, as mine has been in my bag for 18 months & needs replacing. They prescribed glucose gel instead. I was not pleased, that stuff makes me gag... Anyway, I asked again today and they said GlucaGen isn't being issued any more & has been replaced by gel. That sounds unlikely and kind of stupid to me. Just wondering if anyone else has been told this or if you're all still able to get hold of GlucaGen kits?
Thanks!
 
just to check, do you mean the orange kit with the injection in...? ie for others to inject you with when you are hypo?
 
Yep, that's the one. I've never actually passed out, but I find my family & colleagues are reassured by my carrying the kit just in case it ever happens :-)
 
ooh I wrote a long rant about dippy GPs but phoenix has said it all, much more diplomatically.

If your GP is prescribing glucose gel as a substitute for injections for hypo coma, he or she is dangerously wrong. But maybe they just misheard what you wanted... let's hope. :shock:
 
Hi all.
Interesting thread, am wondering what would I be best asking my GP for ? :?
Am doing disneyworld and will be very active after doing my insulin shots plus the rides?
Dont want to ruin the holiday by being carted off to the hospital etc and my family lose time enjoying themselves.
Have been told some rides are unsuitable for diabetics ! :shock: Is this true?
Any advice welcome...
Thanks Anna.x
 
Thank you both!
I've always been told you should never put anything in the mouth of an unconscious person, but it's very useful to have it in writing from the NHS to prove it to the doctor.
I think they're deliberately misunderstanding me - the receptionist photocopied the label from my kit to show the doctor, so they know what I'm asking for. Maybe it's expensive to prescribe...
I'll keep hassling them, and see if I can scrounge one off my hospital DSN in the meantime - she always likes to give me things :-)
 
Hi Anna,
I've never been to Disney world, but I assume it's like a bigger Alton Towers - adrenaline rushes plus lots of standing around and long walks between rides... I've never heard that any rides are unsuitable for diabetics, and I can't see why any particular rides would be more of a problem than others. When I go to Alton Towers I just bring plenty of spare snacks and lucozade and I test my BG more frequently than usual, just in case. I've never found the rides to affect my blood sugar, but from various accidents I know that adrenaline can send you hypo, so you need to keep an eye on your BG & bring plenty of your usual hypo remedy. If you usually use lucozade, be aware that it's not necessarily available in America. A HypoKit is a useful thing to carry just in case you pass out from a hypo, but you'll need to show the people with you how to use it. It's worth getting your family to inject your insulin for you at least once, just so that they know how to do an injection without freaking out. And don't forget to get a letter from your GP with a list of all your meds, just so the customs guys don't try to arrest you for carrying drugs! :-)
 
Just wanted to chime in about the injection hypokit. I was under the impression that it must be kept refrigerated, so if you keep it in your bag it would not be effective? It does make it rather hard to use the kit though, if you have to keep it in the fridge. Perhaps it's OK to take it with you in a frio wallet or something? I have to say we've got one but it stays in the fridge so it would only be good if William had a hypo at home. What do other people do? We also had one at his school for a while but they sent it back, saying that they're not allowed to administer the jab and would need to call an ambulance if he became unconscious.
 
Hi thanks for all your replies and advice.
Am still unsure 'what' to ask for treating a hypo if needed? :?
Plus what would be ideal to use to carry all my bits n bobs round disney world ?
I had thought of trying to find a light weight rucksack type of thing? My hubby could carry this?
Have bought a frio wallet ready for the trip .
What paperwork do I need to ask for ? Do I get this from my GP?
Any smaller than the normal sharps boxes available? Anyone know?
Sorry if my questions seem bit dim , but its the 1st big trip abroad for me and I do need to get organised!
Anna.x :D
 
Anna, my DN suggested i get those small cans of pop you can use as a mixer to treat hypos. Im sure they'd sell them in the big 'ol US of A! To carry my kit about i use a large pencil case that i then put in my handbag, would something like that work?
 
Hi, Am ideally hoping to be handbag free! ???
Was thinking of a bumbag [wear round the belly!] for me with tissues, lipgloss,money,sunglasses,haircomb and bobble! A girl got to look right!!! :lol: :D
Have my hubby with a light weight rucksack with my BG meter case , smaller sharps box , pencil case with neeedles etc in , frio wallet with insulin pens in , plus hypo kit , plus lucozade ? oh and map of disney world too! paperwork also....
Blimey theres a lot to think about eh? :P
Anna.x :D
 
35mm film container is a great idea for used sharps. William carries an empty wide-necked plastic bottle for his temporary sharps bin, but it's quite bulky I suppose. He has a small rucksack for everything. Pens go in the Frio if it's hot, meter & needles & test strips in a little wallet. Jelly babies, muesli bars, bottle of water and so on just float about in the bag but it seems to work OK.
Have a smashing time!
 
badmedisin said:
Hi!
I've recently changed GPs and I'm still sorting out my repeat prescriptions with the new doctor. I asked for a GlucoGen HypoKit, as mine has been in my bag for 18 months & needs replacing. They prescribed glucose gel instead. I was not pleased, that stuff makes me gag... Anyway, I asked again today and they said GlucaGen isn't being issued any more & has been replaced by gel. That sounds unlikely and kind of stupid to me. Just wondering if anyone else has been told this or if you're all still able to get hold of GlucaGen kits?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi badmedisin
I have just read you message on the GlucaGen Hypokit, I have these on my repeat prescription and I can still get them from my GP, ask you GP the question that if you go into a serious hypo someone has to inject you with the GluceGen injection, but if they were to put hypo stop in your mouth you could choke. It makes me so angry beceause I am sure these GP,s dont look into these things deep enough.
I went into a seriouse hypo in the bath and the only person that saved my life was my cat jade, the story goes a bit like this.
I had done my insulin as my sugar was reading 12.0 I injected my insulin and went upstairs for my bath, because I am a licence Radio Ham, I decided to go into my radio room, in my radio room I got chatting to other Radio Hams around the world after a while I decided to have my bath, I got into the bath and remembered no more.
My wife was downstairs and Jade my 9 year old cat came upstairs to find me, she detected something was,nt right and went down stairs and meowed at my wife continiously, my wife followed Jade up stairs to find I was in a coma in the bath, my wife called 999 and I had 5 paramedics in my bathroom that night and they inject Glucagen into me.
After I came around I found myself on a glucose drip as well, once I was OK my wife helped me downstairs (Dressed) and to be greated by the Paramedics, they went through the normal proceedure
of trying to get me to go to the hospital but I refused.
At this point my wife asked what they had injected into me and they told her it was the Glucagen and you can it on repeat prescription, I have it in my fridge and replace it when I need too.
I know this is a long story but it is true and my cat Jade knows when something is not right, I give her all the love and attention and she gives it back.
You should show this comment to your GP.
I hope you get it sorted :)

Kev :)
 
Kev, your cat is amazing! I hope you give her the posh catfood now :-) Thanks for the advice too, I'm going to have fun proving the GP wrong... I knew about not putting gel in the mouth if the person is unconscious - I saw it on Casualty about 10 years ago. It worries me that my GP doesn't know a purely common-sense fact that a few million people learnt from TV. Oops!

Wsmum - you don't have to keep the HypoKit in the fridge. In the leaflet it says you can keep it out for 18 months as long as it's not reached its expiry date. Don't think it'd be much use if it had to live in the fridge.

Anna - anything with a shed load of sugar is good for a hypo. Liquids work quicker than food, so any kind of pop will work (as long as nobody tries to give you diet "because diabetics can't have sugar"...). Lucozade & D&G ginger beer have got almost twice the sugar of most other pop so you can use less - always handy when you want to avoid having to pee every 10 minutes! Tiny cans usually contain 15g of sugar, which is pretty much the perfect amount. Then follow up with a slower acting snack so your BG doesn't drop straight back down again. Also - combat trousers! I don't have a designated bag carrier who doesn't go on rides, so I just bring the smallest versions of everything and cram it all into multiple pockets. Helps if the pockets have buttons or zips.

Thanks everyone for being so helpful! :-)
 
badmedisin said:
Kev, your cat is amazing! I hope you give her the posh catfood now :-) Thanks for the advice too, I'm going to have fun proving the GP wrong... I knew about not putting gel in the mouth if the person is unconscious - I saw it on Casualty about 10 years ago. It worries me that my GP doesn't know a purely common-sense fact that a few million people learnt from TV. Oops!

Wsmum - you don't have to keep the HypoKit in the fridge. In the leaflet it says you can keep it out for 18 months as long as it's not reached its expiry date. Don't think it'd be much use if it had to live in the fridge.

Anna - anything with a shed load of sugar is good for a hypo. Liquids work quicker than food, so any kind of pop will work (as long as nobody tries to give you diet "because diabetics can't have sugar"...). Lucozade & D&G ginger beer have got almost twice the sugar of most other pop so you can use less - always handy when you want to avoid having to pee every 10 minutes! Tiny cans usually contain 15g of sugar, which is pretty much the perfect amount. Then follow up with a slower acting snack so your BG doesn't drop straight back down again. Also - combat trousers! I don't have a designated bag carrier who doesn't go on rides, so I just bring the smallest versions of everything and cram it all into multiple pockets. Helps if the pockets have buttons or zips.

Thanks everyone for being so helpful! :-)
Click to expand...

Hi bedmedisin

Yes Jade is one in a million, the night I had the hypo and was laying in the bath, my wife pulled the plug out to drain the water, whilst the water was draining she dialed 999 and Jade decided to jump into the bath a lay across my chest until the paramedics arrived. my wife said that Jade only moved from my chest whilst the paramedics attended to me, she sat on the landing crying whilst they were attending to me. Both my wife and I adore her and she is spoilt rottern, she has on many ocassion tapped on the bedroom door when I am asleep (starting to go low)and wakes me, this makes me get up and check my level, it can be as low as 2.9, my wife and I think I must give off some sort of cent, which Jade deects. If you look for me on facebook under kevin baum in west sussex and become my friend you can see pictures of Jade. I know I go on about her but I say to this day she has saved my life more than once. If you are interested I will tell you a story about myself in March this year where again I nearly died.
Nice to make contact with you
Kev
 
Please tell us the story kev anyway, I am amazed about your wonderful cat jade.
Hope you gave her a huge tin of best salmon as a reward!
I enjoyed reading the story, and look forward to hearing the next... :D
Anna. x
 
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