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Operation and type 1 diabetes

Mark_Goldenfield_

Mark_Goldenfield_

Well-Known Member
Messages
77
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi , I have recently had a general anaesthetic for a knee operation , I'm on the insulin pump . I couldn't eat six hours before my operation . It was a challenge to keep my blood sugars stable , so I had to keep tweeting my Basel rates . I was the first one to go in for the operation because having type 1 they didn't want me to be without food for long . I was wondering if anybody else was challenged with diabetes on having a general ??? It's very challenging
 
Heya @Mark_Goldenfield_ How are you now ?

I haven't had the joy of an operation yet, sounds like they had a good plan getting you in first though.
 
I had an op on Wednesday. The hospital put me on a glucose drip and insulin feed called "stepped rate" or something. Seemed to be a manual version of an insulin pump where they tested my BG every hour (including throughout the previous night and the day of the op). It kept my BG very stable around 6 whilst I was nil by mouth.

My BG was higher than normal yesterday (10-11) which I presume was the impact of surgery. Not too bad and it's back in range today even though I still have pain/taking pain killers.

Get well soon Mark.
 
Thanks for your replies. I had stable blood sugars until the operation . I had taken off my insulin pump while having the op . When I woke up my sugar levels were fine.
 
Although (thankfully) my son hasn't had surgery since he was diagnosed. The day before he was rushed into hospital in severe DKA, he was operated on under general at a different hospital which caused him to be severely ill (ketoacidosis with no bicarb detected in his system) and his kidneys failed. He's lucky to be alive.
From what I understand, if e ever needed surgery again they admit you and put you in a sliding scale to prevent issues with your diabetes. It's a small price to pay considering what could happen if they didn't!!
Hope you're well now and recovering? Take care xx


Greg&Rachel (parents to Carter T1 aged 8)
 
Doctors can be a bit different too, I think.

I had knee surgery in October and had a test the morning of - I was at 7.2mmol. Doctor was concerned it was a bit high, but said it would be fine to proceed.

Earlier this year, I had endoscopy where I was sedated. Again, they tested the morning of and o was at 5.6. I was elated. But the doctor insisted on giving me a small shot of glucose because he wanted his diabetic patients at least at 7 before proceeding.

It was weird to hear that, but I just had to shrug.

I should mention I was not on insulin at either times.

Just as a side note, there's been so many times I was hooked up to an iv to be given meds and I noticed I was also hooked up to a glucose saline drip. I quickly had to put a stop to that. Hospitals are hectic, I know, but how about simply reading my chart and seeing that I'm diabetic?
 
Hi, I hope you continue to make a full recovery. @Mark_Goldenfield_ Goldenfield I have a few hospital procedures over the past couple of years and with me, my BS rockets out of control, very high and It is so hard trying to get it back into single figures. My body seems to get hit very hard and when it eventually returns to normal figures, I am so relieved.
 
If it's not enough having type 1 diabetes but having a general on top and then trying to control your sugar levels afterwards . It is a daunting task .
 
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