My boyfriend is in the diabetic coma need support

[Grant_Vicat]

Hello everyone,



I'm writing here, because I'm in the difficult moment and situation, shocked and devastated and I need support, my boyfriend is already in the diabetic coma and under the ventilation in the Iranian hospital .



I would like to tell the story and situation from start. My boyfriend 35 yo (Canadian Iranian) got diabeties type 1 around 10 years ago from taking medicines for schizophrenic disorder. He took all this years insuline to normalize his sugar level and was under care of Canadian doctors. This year visited me in Europe and everything was fine, after that decided to visit Iran to care for his mum. During travelling around of Iran he got infection similar to influenza. He was weak, felt dizzy, throat hurt, stopped to eat and drink, was viomiting. After few days went to Iranian hospital, but they refused to take him, because doctor said he is young and healthy (they checked his general blood test). He went back to hotel, and stayed in bed by next two days. Then his state went only worse. Last of his energy went to hospital where he stayed with his mum at night in the hospital (she was hospitalized because same influenza). This night he called me video call, that was last our contact, he layed on the hospital bed in the room with mum and barely talking, he was so weak. I thought is because a flu. Then from this time my contact cut, his phone got shut down. After days of worrying I contacted his brothers in Canada. They informed me that he fainted because of high blood sugar and he is unconsious under ventilator. He never had that before. Now is around 10 days, and he is still uncounsious . I'm loosing hope, I'm scared, I'm far away, I can't do anything. I'm reading a lot of articles, and is written that if someone is in diabetic coma more than several hours can get brain damage and even die. I'm also scared that his organs can be destroyed too. I was reading that is probably ketoacidosis diabecy. I think he got it because infection, he didn't took insuline, because he stopped to eat by few days. He told me even that his breath is stinky but i didn't had idea that can be sympthoms of DKA . Now he is also fighting flu symphtoms. I'm also scared that respiratos can gives him pneumonia and he will die of that . His brother one of the first message said that he is "sadated", can be a change that doctors decided to put him into pharmacological coma, is that common practice ? There are cases that people woke up from coma after weeks, or he is sentenced to death already ? Is his young age giving him more chance to recovery ? He should woke up from fainting after few hours right ? I also worry cause he doesn't has Iranian passport, he is Canadian citizen, worry that doctors will be scared to take responsibility for his treatment. I pray everyday to God to help him get back, I don't wanna lose my love . I'm crawling on the walls from fear and stress . If hospital would like to take him 3 days before he probably never won't go into coma. What I should expect now ? Every another day of coma I'm loosing hope, is killing me inside.

Hi @MiyaKimH and thanks to @Jaylee for tagging me.
I was born in 1958. In july 1959 I had gone blue and had very little fat left. I was diagnosed Type 1 diabetic and "dangerously ill". I was injected once each day with slow-acting insulin.
August 1966 I went into a coma for 5 days. Put on 2 types of insulin twice daily.
1973 showed signs of kidney disease.
1978 went to King's College, University of London which has a superb Diabetes Department.
1979-1983 had both eyes lazered because of retinopathy. I still see extremely well and drive a car.
2000 Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University put me on a low protein diet because my kidneys had been deteriorating (more slowly after excellent treatment at King's London} They thought I would be on dialysis by 2005. Because I followed their instructions, dialysis didn't need to happen.
August 2013 I had a kidney and pancreas transplant.
I understand your fear, but I hope my details, which must have been extremely grim and terrifying for my parents, bring you hope. I have been married for nearly 41 years and have a daughter and a nearly 12 year-old granddaughter. I pray for both of you and hope your lives turn out to be as happy as ours. Good luck!

 

[Grant_Vicat]

So is a chance that his kidneys can regenerate

They don't regenerate but as my last reply shows, the degeneration was slowed down considerably. As modern treatment is greatly superior to 50 years ago, your boyfriend stands a much better chance. I'm glad to hear that there are encouraging signs.

 

[MiyaKimH]

They don't regenerate but as my last reply shows, the degeneration was slowed down considerably. As modern treatment is greatly superior to 50 years ago, your boyfriend stands a much better chance. I'm glad to hear that there are encouraging signs.

Hi Grant,

Thank you for sharing your story. I have big respect towards you for staying strong and surviving so much, you are really brave person and real warrior. I even didn't know that pancreas can be transplantated. I'm wonder why people with deadly pancreas cancer can't have transplantation and survive : / But what I heard every transplantation effects strongly immune system, because for not having rejected organ leucocites must be reduced : / How it is in your case ? And about kidneys, so if they can't be regenerated they still can work again ? If my boyfriend wake up from coma he will be sentenced to dialyses or has chance to normal functioning ? P.S. Thank you for your prayers, we need them so much <3

 

[Jaylee]

@MiyaKimH , The reason I tagged @Grant_Vicat is because like his story, my wife came home from a hairdresser whose T1 husband also had transplants. Kidney & pancreas as part of the “deal” whilst it was happening…

I have also worked with a non-diabetic a similar age to your boyfriend who had a recent kidney transplant.

You read too much negative stuff..

I don’t believe in prayer. But I do in positive thought….

 

[Grant_Vicat]

I'm wonder why people with deadly pancreas cancer can't have transplantation and survive :

The pancreas is a very complicated and fragile organ. It plays an important part in the dygestion system because it helps to break down fats, proteins and carbohydrates. It is also vital for making insulin and glucagon. It has 2 major blood vessels. If a pancreas is cancerous, a replacement will not help.
Normally they leave the old pancreas in and place the new one just to the left of the hip bone. Consequently I have 2 pancreases and 3 kidneys! But if the existing pancreas is cancerous, it would have to be removed and there would be cancerous cells all around its system. These would attack the replacement.
Also chemotherapy weakens the system and I had to have many tests to prove that I was strong enough for a transplant.

every transplantation effects strongly immune system, because for not having rejected organ leucocites must be reduced : / How it is in your case ?

Exactly. I have just returned from having a Covid and Influenza vaccination. My immediate family is quite small. Out of the 5 of us, my wife and daughter have had Covid twice, my daughter's husband has had Covid once, and my granddaughter and I have not had Covid at all. Yet I was the last of us to be vaccinated because the doctors did not know whether a transplant patient would survive a vaccine. All 3 of them had contracted Covid before my vaccination!

And about kidneys, so if they can't be regenerated they still can work again ?

Kidney disease in diabetics is usually a gradual process caused by the kidneys being over stressed. Even after 54 years of diabetes mine were still functioning, but so inefficiently that dialysis was decided upon. It was due to start on 22nd August 2013 (40 years after kidney disease was first noted), but a donor pancreas and kidney was successfully transplanted on 13th/14th August. As others have said, it is very unlikely that so much damage will have occurred in your boyfriend's kidneys. As he has been in a coma, his body will be monitored and given exactly the correct amount of water, electrolytes, glucose and insulin that it needs So his kidneys will not be further damaged. If your kidneys stopped working, you would normally become extremely feverish and if nothing was done, you would die. He really is in the best place right now.

 

[Grant_Vicat]

I don’t believe in prayer. But I do in positive thought….

This has always fascinated me. Is prayer only directed at a god or gods? When children say something like "I hope my tortoise survives" in essence this is a prayer and is certainly positive thought. Ritual prayer is only organised thought. When I read stories like Miya's my immediate reaction is 'I hope everything turns out well.' It's not my business what people's beliefs are, but I reckon the word prayer suits all religions and none!

 

[Andy_Nash]

Hi @MiyaKimH. I'm very sorry to read about your situation. I don't know enough to comment on the medical side but it's good your boyfriend's in hospital and can be looked after well. I wish him all the best for a speedy recovery and hope you get reassuring and positive news soon.