High blood sugar test ...32

Hi @Blodwen Sorry your mum is having problems. If she's been told not to make any changes to her doses, then she definitely shouldn't.

What you could do though is keep a record of what she eats, her insulin doses and times, and her blood tests, so you or she can show that to her doctor or nurse so they can see the problems she's having. Ideally, if she was able to,test first thing before breakfast, two hours after breakfast, first thing before lunch, two hours after lunch, etc, that would give good information to her doctor or nurse.

Blodwen said:

She does this regularly and her sugars are always up or at night she has hypo. Going down to 4 . She is becoming more forgetful and may be issue although lately it has been good . She has 15 units am and PM . I may attend DN session next time if they will let me . Is forgetfulness a symptom of diabeties . She has been diabetic since 76.

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If her sugars are up and down, then that might make her feel physically and mentally out of sorts. You could mention the forgetfulness to her doctor maybe?

If your mum is happy with you being at her diabetes session, it might be a good idea to go if you can. If nothing else, you'll be able to,ask about what's worrying you and provide 'back up' for your mum. Medical appointments can be stressful for anyone and things go out of your head, so having another person there can help.

If your mum continues to have problems, you or she could ask about a basal/bolus regime, but this would entail more injections (usually four or five a day).

I don't know if your mum carbs counts? If she doesn't, that's something that could help her control too and would be possible on her current insulin regime. Again, you or she could ask about that. It can really help.

Those numbers yo-yoing like that would worry me, they are seriously high. Unfortunately diabetes in the very elderly seems to be just accepted by the medical profession, and very little notice taken of fluctuations in levels. If she is getting readings like that, they HAVE to take notice as it could be causing damage, and as she is getting forgetful, that is another worry. If mum is agreeable, I wouldn't even wait for the DN (what on earth do they mean, don't adjust the insulin? Surely they can't be saying those levels are acceptable?) but I would contact the GP, and explain your concerns about her extremes of levels, and also her confusion/forgetfulness. Urinary infections are extremely common in the elderly, and can cause awful dementia-like symptoms, so it makes sense for her levels to be within a reasonable limit, not off the scale like this!
Please ask mum's permission to contact them, then give them hell. They are risking her health and wellbeing in acting in such a negligent way.

Good luck.

It was explained to me this way, take a string approximately 12 inches long make it a squiggly line remeasure how long the string is it is now seven or 8 inches long because it has to go up and down all the peaks and valleys this was explained to me by a doctor specializing in diabetes, life expectancy 12 inches high's and low blood sugars life expectancy 8 inches you have a perfect right to be very upset with her caregivers it sounds like she needs a better long acting insulin. Good luck and I hope things go better for your mom.

Blodwen said:

She does this regularly and her sugars are always up or at night she has hyp o. Going down to 4 . She is becoming more forgetful and may be issue although lately it has been good . She has 15 units am and PM . I may attend DN session next time if they will let me . Is forgetfulness a symptom of diabeties . She has been diabetic since 76.

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Your mother has a right to request an advocate to be present. This is not a legal person, but someone to look after her interests. it is usually a friend, but she has to make the request, not you. Other than that she can also request a chaperone, but that could be someone supplied by the practice. However, the practice should not object to a carer being present so the advice above is just declaring her legal rights.