Just out of hospital, DKA

[Angeldust]

And i feel absolutely rotten. I actually got out yrsterday but don't even have the energy to get up.

Now, I had no idea I was going DKA because I have gastroparesis and it started like a flare up, which I usually ride out praying it will stop and not need hospitilization. I usually do.

Anyway it gets to the stage that I am so so sick that I can not even crawl out of bed. I vomit non stop and am in excruciating pain so I could not even crawl around for my meter.. never mind give myself am injection if I needed to.

In the space of about 10 hours I went downnil so rapidly. I started vomitting blood non stop, was collapsed in pain. The moment my breathing got difficult it only then occured what was happening. I got right to A&E. All the usual: hardly breathing, vomiting blood, high heart rate, low bp, excruciating pain. Goodness knows how many ketones.

Now they did not do an arterial stab for blood gasses, bicarbonate? They should have done this, right? (honestly they were all pretty stupid bar one guy that kept shouting at everyone to get me on IVs and into a bed in high dependancy right away.

My arms are destroyed from potassium checks. My levels were through the floor.


What I don't understand is how it happened because I still had levemir in my system and my sugars were not hgh the day before. It makes no sense to me whatsoever how this occured. I thought I'd have to be running high levels and depleted of insulin for days for this to happen. But apparantly not?

I screamed and vomitted blood for 2 days. Settled slightly for 2. Now am out and still feel like death.
Also, DKA with gastroparesis was a million times worse than without. And I've been in bad coma's twice .. no kidding this was worse. I wanted to die.
I still feel a bit that way.

Sorry for the rant.

Linda

 

[Debloubed]

you poor love. Sounds like quite an ordeal you've been through! Glad to hear you are at home and are on the mend. DKA can pounce on you even though you haven't had ketones for days and days, so I can understand your confusion. In fact, my DN's tell me that when I get my pump, as I will be having no levemir in the background anymore, DKA can set in within 2 hours, hence the need for extra testing with the pump. Glad you had the sense to get yourself to A&E, that's what they are there for after all

 

[SophiaW]

I am so sorry to read your post, it sounds like you've been through hell. But I am happy to hear that you survived it and are home now. Rest whilst you get your strength back up and take care of yourself. ((hugs))

 

[lilibet]

Me too, Big hugs for you

What a horrible few days you have had

DKA is only caused by lack of insulin for your body's needs at that time as far as I was aware (ie as opposed to scary high bg with under estimating insulin or over estimating carbs). Could you maybe have had an infection that you werent aware of, but thought it was the gastroparesis

I believe in a very small amount of cases it has NO cause (scary biscuits) . I think you should get yourself your clinic/call the DNS or whatever and try to get to speak to someone about it. Maybe you need additional testing to ascertain if something else is floating about

For future probs(which I hope you dont have again) maybe have a sick day plan (do you have someone who can inject your or whatever) including contact nos, spare filled pen next to bed or whatever. Im sure you've thought of these things since but if you werent expecting such serious illness then you wouldnt necessarily think of it

Get well soon x

 

[LittleSue]

I agree with Lilibet - there's a lot of norovirus/winter vomiting bug around at present which strikes suddenly. If you had that and dehydrated from prolonged vomiting it could push you into DKA.

Anyhow, I hope you feel better soon.

Sue