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Newly diagnosed 17yo

Ettenna

Newbie
Messages
3
Hello,

My daughter has just been diagnosed with having diabetes but not which type yet. She has had a massive weight loss over the last couple of months, been gradually getting thirstier, has developed acne and thrush (in the mouth and lady parts) in the last week. She had a fasting blood test about a month ago that came back within the normal range but in the last week she has developed the ketone smell so I took her to the doctor this morning. They did a urine test (positive for ketones and sugar). They also did a finger prick test (10.6).

She has been given tablets for the time being to try and lower her blood sugar. She has got to go for blood tests tomorrow. She has also been given medicine for both the thrushes. She has to go back on Thursday to see the doctor and then the diabetes nurse.

No-one in our family has had diabetes of any sort so this comes as a bit of a shock to us. She quit drinking alcohol and smoking at Christmas. We agreed to let her have a few friends over on Saturday and they were drinking. She got drunk (but on less than we would have expected), was sick and spent the whole of the next day in bed. I wonder if this episode tipped her over the edge.

She is at college doing a Sports Science course and learning to drive and working at the local cinema. The doctor gave her a sick note for this week.

Of course she is paranoid about having to inject herself but I have tried to tell her that she may not have to (although I think she probably will). What can I do to help her in the meantime? She is absolutely exhausted (been asleep for the best part of 2 days). And has not had the energy or inclination to eat much. The thrush in her mouth is not helping her eating. I think it has gone all the way through her system because she has complained of a sore bottom as well as a sore mouth and throat. She has also got acid reflux that may be related to the thrush as well.

Any advice will be welcome
 
I'm sorry to hear about your daughter, it sounds like she's having a tough time poor girl. She should drink plenty of sugar free fluids and avoid alcohol which can make dehydration worse. Do you know what level the ketones were at? If your daughter appears to get worse please get in touch with your doctor again or even A&E if you're worried. Ketones are not a good sign and should be monitored carefully. Hopefully the tablets she has been given will help to bring her blood glucose and ketone levels down.
 
Well, update. She was taken into A&E on Tuesday after seeing the doc phoned up at 8am on Tuesday saying that she had been thinking about her all night.

She was admitted to Paediatric HDU with DKA and was really quite poorly. Ketones were about 6 and glucose about 24.

Upshot is that she has Type I We are home now, laden with injectors, testers and so much info we could start a library
 
I'm sure your daughter will start to feel a whole lot better in the coming weeks. It is a very steep learning curve but you do end up in-tune with the situation. Just take one day at a time.
 
Sorry to hear that your daughter has T1, though slightly shocked a doctor would send a young girl with ketones home with tablets.
Now with the diagnosis she can move forward. Early days yet but as she is at a sports college you might want to bear this website in mind for the future.
http://www.runsweet.com/
Incidently, the getting drunk/sick on very little alcohol was quite possibly because of the diabetes. I developed T1 very late in life and hadn't been drunk in that way since I was a teenager but I have very vivid memories of that happening just before diagnosis. Looking back it was a symtom of the very derranged metabolism.
 
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