Glucagon Hypo Kit

[properpatches]

Got myself prescribed one of these after a couple of really bad hypos where I couldn't drink or eat any fast acting sugar due to feeling sick.
(I had to force myself to drink Coca Cola despite feeling like I was going to throw up )

I'm just wandering - as I've not managed to find anything online.
How much would a full glucagon injection raise your blood sugar by - roughly?

Obviously if you have too much insulin on board its going to affect the answer of my question and answers are going to be technical.

I'm just after a rough estimate of how many mmol's it raises your BG on average. 10mmol? 12mmol?

Thanks guys

 

[MeiChanski]

Hello I’m not too sure, the glucagon kit tells your liver to release all of it’s stored glucose. So you’d have to replenish by eating some carbs after.

 

[Juicyj]

Hello @properpatches

The glucagon kit is an emergency kit should only be used if you're unresponsive and not able to take glucose by yourself, so it needs to be administered by another person, trained to do so.

In regards to how much it would raise your levels by ? I cannot answer that question, except if you're unresponsive then it would take an incredible boost of glucose to bring you round, i've heard it reported from those who've had the injection that it takes a few days to recover and generally patients are admitted to hospital in the course of this treatment.

 

[porl69]

WOW youi are really brave if you are going to inject yourself with that! Have you seen the size of the needle lol.
I was always told to use it in when out cold, so obviously my other half had to be taught how to use the kit.....

 

[MeiChanski]

WOW youi are really brave if you are going to inject yourself with that! Have you seen the size of the needle lol.
I was always told to use it in when out cold, so obviously my other half had to be taught how to use the kit.....

Everytime I see the size of the needle I’m like oh hell no. But I guess if someone was unconscious, they wouldn’t care at that point. I know a few people that I’ve encountered are far too frightened to use it.

 

[Shannon27]

Little warning - the kit makes you feel absolutely awful. As a child if my readings were so low i became unresponsive the glucogel was always preferred to the kit! I still use it now and it's miles better

 

[Juicyj]

If unresponsive then get someone to rub glucogel into your gums first, then go for the injection if still no response, but of course making sure a 999 call has been made too.

 

[porl69]

Everytime I see the size of the needle I’m like oh hell no. But I guess if someone was unconscious, they wouldn’t care at that point. I know a few people that I’ve encountered are far too frightened to use it.

But you do not use it on yourself!

 

[properpatches]

I knew the kit was quite serious but didn't realise it was quite this extreme. Luckily I've not had an instance where I've been un-responsive.
It's only from where I've felt so sick and my levels just wouldn't come up no matter how much sugar I ate or drank. It's so horrible to have to force coke down when your stomach is bloated and you're feeling like your going to throw up.
Looks as though I will be saving it for absolute emergencies only.
Surely the whole needle doesn't need to be inserted though? You could just do 3mm worth like your standard insulin injection and get the same needed effect? It just needs to go into the sub-fat like normal injections?..

 

[porl69]

I knew the kit was quite serious but didn't realise it was quite this extreme. Luckily I've not had an instance where I've been un-responsive.
It's only from where I've felt so sick and my levels just wouldn't come up no matter how much sugar I ate or drank. It's so horrible to have to force coke down when your stomach is bloated and you're feeling like your going to throw up.
Looks as though I will be saving it for absolute emergencies only.
Surely the whole needle doesn't need to be inserted though? You could just do 3mm worth like your standard insulin injection and get the same needed effect? It just needs to go into the sub-fat like normal injections?..

As has been said before......it is for use when you are unresponsive....you wont know anything about it. A partner OR paramedic would be the ones using it on you

 

[MeiChanski]

I knew the kit was quite serious but didn't realise it was quite this extreme. Luckily I've not had an instance where I've been un-responsive.
It's only from where I've felt so sick and my levels just wouldn't come up no matter how much sugar I ate or drank. It's so horrible to have to force coke down when your stomach is bloated and you're feeling like your going to throw up.
Looks as though I will be saving it for absolute emergencies only.
Surely the whole needle doesn't need to be inserted though? You could just do 3mm worth like your standard insulin injection and get the same needed effect? It just needs to go into the sub-fat like normal injections?..

I was told the needle is long because it has to be injected into a muscle or reach the muscle for it to be quicker. If injected into fat, it’ll slow it down. Yes it’s only for when you are unresponsive in the dangerous stage of a hypo.

 

[Antje77]

It's so horrible to have to force coke down when your stomach is bloated and you're feeling like your going to throw up.

I like to use undiluted lemonade syrup. Coke has 11 grams of carbs per 100 grams, syrup for lemonade over 60, depending on brand. It doesn't taste very nice, but a couple of sips have the same effect as a glass of coke. Maybe that works better when feeling bloated and sick.

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @properpatches yes keep this safe also keep an eye on the expiry date too and replace when past it - I’ve got one in the fridge but never used it, hopefully never either !

Try glucogel or gluco juice instead of coke, sometimes our hypo treatments can make us feel pretty ill, I use glucotabs raspberry flavour and buy in bulk keeping them everywhere they taste fine so never been a bother also no one else ever touches them