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Help! Hubby ill update

daisyduck

Well-Known Member
Messages
988
Location
Great Yarmouth
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I posted this on Monday.
My hubby is an insulin dependent diabetic. and had been for a while before we met.
I have always assumed he is type 1 but since reading these forums I realise some type 2's inject too ?
Anyway he just has 2 doses of Humulin M3 at breakfast and dinner. and Metformin.
He's been feeling rough for a while and I finally managed to get him to go to the doctors on Monday. GP says he has blood, sugar and white cells in his urine and has given him antibiotics for a water infection and has sent a sample off to the lab.
He doesn't want to eat much and has been in bed sleeping most of the while. He's just managed half a cup of tea and half an egg custard today.
Yesterday his BG's were 14-16's Slightly better today at 10-12's. He gets annoyed when I keep pricking him though !
My question is, If he's not eating much does he still inject as normal ?

The new problem is.. we got to Wednesday on the antibiotics and he started having bad stomach pains and vomiting. I phoned GP straight away and he said it's probably a reaction to the really strong antibiotic and to stop taking them.
He still has a very swollen, sore stomach and feels ill but at least hasn't been sick today.. but can only eat tiny amounts .. which means his BG has dropped a lot ! He's been in the 4's all day and even after half a tin of peaches is still only 6.2.
He took a lower than normal injection of Humulin M3 this morning but I'm worried about his overnight readings if he does an injection now. Is it OK to just miss one ?
 
I really don´t know, but would think it is better to be too high a few days than to be dangerously low...
 
Hello daisyduck can your husband keep fluids down if he keeps being sick and can't he may soon get dehydrated which is really bad for diabetics if I were you I would see how he goes overnight and symptoms are no better tomorrow especially as hes got diabetes I'd phone 111 and ask their advice just to put your mind at rest when I get an infection that won't clear up wife always calls this number for advice please keep us informed and big cuddle to you.
 

Thank you. I have been giving him the little activia type drinks as I suspect that the antibiotic has killed off his good gut bacteria too.
He's kept those down and some juice and tea today, He fancied a tin of peaches and has had those in 2 small bowls , but that's about it.
I'll prick him again later and decide whether he should have his insulin injection then.
 
Please keep hubby hydrated with fluid..... he must regularly drink something..

I would ensure you set an alarm at 3am to test.


Before bed check he's no less than 6.0. He does not have to go OTT if he's under.. just a 1/2 glass tumbler of milk with sn inch of cheddar cheese would be ok ;ish(.. obviously we cannot guarantee, I am only stating it from an opinion of what I would do....

I personally would not miss an injection.. lower it yes, but not go without.. however as I do not know your doses or readings etc it is unsafe for anybody to give you any definitive action to take...

6.2 is normal...
 

Thank you, He usually injects between 38 and 44 units. Last night he was 8.7, took 38 units and woke up this morning on a 4.2.
I'll see if I can get him to eat or drink some more.
 
So that was a drop of 4.2 mml overnight.... there is no way that I would be stopping an insulin injection of that qty...perhaps reducing it to 30 but definitely one thing that should have been emphasised to hubby was that you never completely stop an insulin injection...

The importance of a night time check and extra care should also be emphasised to him.

If he was in hospital he could be checked every 2 hours during the night.. so get him to appreciate just 1 3am check could just help..

At 3am if he lower than 6.0 he may just need someting of about 10-15g carb if he dropped by 4 units last night..but its pure guess work without having his full daily routines, patterns, levels etc.....

It may even be if he at 6.0 or under for the night that just 1/2 teadpok of sugar in a 1/2 cup of milk would be ok...or indeed he could still be ok at 6.0 til the morning but you seem to be more worried at level dropping than anything else...

Just make sure that you always have a hypo stopping treatment available and to hand..
 
Thanks @donnellysdogs He has no hypo awareness at all, so yes, that is my worry. I'll be having a sleepless night, and his fingers will be sore.
Getting him to eat or drink is a pain as he says he feels sick and he'll only bring it up.
 
I am worried about his feeling sick etc... I would be asking his GP for a referral to a good gastroenterologist to be honest.

Some of the "symptoms" you are giving are worrying to me.

I do not want to be an alarmist though.. I know my stomach problems are rare so I dont obviously want to cause you worry. Just that nausea, sick, pain etc is our bodies telling us directly:
1) we are eating something that our bodies dont like constantly;
2) there is something wrong.

The 3rd option of food poisoning etc is not possible for longer term feeling like this...

Dont worry about fingers... tell him to man up!! I only have 4 fingers and up to 12 tests a day!!! I was told to test my ears!!! Ggggrrrrr!!

Bringing food up or nausea for longer than 48 hours is not normal. He needs to take this seriously.

Hypo unawareness.... is this because he has never had lower levels and you dont know what to expect? Or that he doesnt think "I need to check my blood, I need to eat, I feel odd"?
He may never think "I am hypo"..... I never have..... 30+ years T1...BUT i do think.. "I need to test, eat".... but the word "hypo" never enters my head...

I hope you can get some sleep.. dont wear yourself out.... hubby must take some responsibility for his own health too..
Its not down to you...
 
The nausea only came on after 3 days on MacroBID antibiotic,
He was prescribed it for a urine infection, but the infection hadn't make him vomit, he just felt tired and uncomfortable.

I'm sure you're right when you say he doesn't think "hypo" .He's been in the 3's before and said I just feel a bit hungry
 
Right.. I see the full picture now, sorry.

Please dont leave too long though, even after a
Mb antibiotic, nausea, sickness should not persevere.. by way.. hope the urine infection did clear!!

Yes, it is worthwhile to point out that "I'm hypo" doesnt always leap into everyones brains.

My docs know I dont think "I'm hypo" but "i'm hungry, or I need to test"...so long as I act upon those thoughts... they know I do..

It good that "I feela bit hungry" is a warning.. as it means it is a natural instinct to act upon it!!
Just means that others like you can also just relax a tiny bit and think that he does recognise..
When he says it though, just try to get a blood test..

Used to irritate me though!! When hubby said "test"... I'd say "I'm eating, be happy!!".... he just cared but it hard to be that carer when someone like me is being argumentative!!
 
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