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Medication induced insulin dependant diabtes

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binkey29

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Hallo forum! I am a new member on behalf of a friend. He has been on a cocktail of meds for a bipolar type mental illness. Now has insulin dependant diabetes which the blood test shows to be borderline type 1. He is rarely in the right place mentally to ask his own questions! Anyone with ideas re: 1. Getting the two hospital departments to talk to each other 2. Evidence re reducing the med suspected of causing this helping at all 3. Coping with diabetes as well as having an illness which can make one either too depressed even to breathe or so overconfident that you can rearrange the world to suit you?
By the way he is late 50s, lives alone.
 
Hi,
I cannot answer all your questions but am wondering if he is actually borderline Type 2? It seems odd that he has been put on insulin if he is borderline or maybe he has Type 1.5?

There are risks with bipolar meds that bring on Type 2 diabetes but it is sometimes the lesser of two evils and the diabetes has to take a back seat.

As to the two Hospitals getting their act together, it would seem a priority in his case. Is there any chance that you could write to both Depts. and explain your concerns about the lack of communication?

Does he have visits from a CPN? If he does then, with your friend's permission, you could be there for the next visit and put forward your concerns on behalf of your friend.

Hopefully others will be along with more suggestions.

Take care,

CC.
 
CC. thank you for replying so quickly! I did go with him to see the doctor and community worker. It was hard work, but they are going to write to the diabetic nurse with their plan to taper off the offending med and replace it with a different type. Have also looked at the NICE standards re bipolar as a result of the very helpful email from diabetes UK. Apparently the friends and family need almost as much care as the patient!
Am not sure how worried we should be that our friend is doing his own thing with his diabetes meds. They are still seeking a diagnosis but it seems if the meds are reduced and the management if sugar gets easier this will be useful. Blood test now is borderline type 1
 
CC. thank you for replying so quickly! I did go with him to see the doctor and community worker. It was hard work, but they are going to write to the diabetic nurse with their plan to taper off the offending med and replace it with a different type. Have also looked at the NICE standards re bipolar as a result of the very helpful email from diabetes UK. Apparently the friends and family need almost as much care as the patient!
Am not sure how worried we should be that our friend is doing his own thing with his diabetes meds. They are still seeking a diagnosis but it seems if the meds are reduced and the management if sugar gets easier this will be useful. Blood test now is borderline type 1
 
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