please help me, i don't know how to react :(

[concernedgirlf]

Hey, i'm not a diabetic myself, however my boyfriend of nearly a year is and i would like to get a better understanding of type one diabetes as his family is protective and concerned with regards to his diabetes and i would like to know what to do in the event of a hypo or a hyper?
I know he takes insulin 4 times a day, yet he doesn't regularly check his blood sugar levels before every injection.
Recently he took a bad hypo which he couldn't be woke manually from yet had to have a high sugar content juice placed in his mouth. This, as you can assume, scared the life out of me! so i would like to be prepared in case something like this would ever happen again, i have already talked to him and told him that i never want him to allow himself to get like that again, as it was caused by not eating regular meals that day and alcohol, so i'm hoping he is aware of how dangerous his actions can be. I know make sure that he tests himself more and i have energy tablets and lucozade in my house just in case, as well as a testing kit, needles and injections.
But i just want whats best for him because i don't want him to loose limbs, become blind and defiantly not die young!
please help, i want to know what i should do in different occasions so that i don't have to ask him all of the time, as he is liable to tell me everything is alright whenever it isn't, as this has happened before.
Thank you for any replies and suggestions! :thumbup: it is greatly appreciated!

 

[Patch]

Good girl!!! You've come to the right place. The T1's will be along any time now to help you out. Good on you.

 

[concernedgirlf]

Thank you, i'm just hoping that i get some replies :$ because the sooner i find more out the better, iv already picked up some facts along the way but i feel i need a better understanding and was hoping that this website would help me do that

 

[Tricki]

You seem to have got a good idea already - you know the most likely reason he hypo's before, so will be on watch for it, and you are making sure you have testing kit and sweet items around. Making sure he doesn't miss meals, and/or test regularly is key, especially if things seem out of the norm.

One thing - if he passes out don't give him anything by mouth yourself no matter how concerned you are - the risk of choking is too great. I'd be very wary if he seems too confused as well.

You can get glucose gel which can be rubbed into the gums and cheek if he seems too out of it to eat himself. There is also something called a glucagons kits which can be injected if he is unconscious. But both, especially the latter require some training, and unless you are on a camping trip well off the beaten track, its best to call an ambulance. You could have a talk with his Diabetic team to see if they can help you.

To help prevent them in the future, besides the obvious - take interest if he seems to be having a lot more hypos than usual, as his insulin levels might need an adjustment. Be attentive if he is ill as that can drive his blood sugar levels up, and its also possible to over correct besides the danger from ketone's. Educate yourself on symptoms and some of the things that are liable to raise and lower BG's such as exercise.

But try not to let it take over your life. Its understandable after a scare like that to want to try to everything to stop it happening again. But you are keeping a close eye now, and you have the basics already. Try not to wear yourself out trying to learn everything at once - its too easy to burn yourself out or miss something because you are rushing. Take it easy, keep an eye out, make sure he keeps testing when appropriate, and just go through the guides and read other peoples comments to make sure the information is clear to you.

 

[katfacetrimnell]

Firstly, you are fantastic for caring and looking for information so you can help
This basic information will help you to assist him without him feeling you are interfering.
Diabetes can be a very personal condition - you can feel very alone, like no one understands and even though your loved ones are trying to help you can feel like they are nagging and trying to control your life

His blood sugar levels would be between 4-8 mmols in a perfect world
However without testing he is not going to know what his levels are
Coming from a family of diabetics (1st husband and both my children as well as me ! ) hopefully this information will help you spot some of the warning signs he will give you without his realising.

Most important - if he is unconscious call an ambulance first!
Diabetics can become unconscious for both hypo's and hypers


Hypo = low blood sugar level
He probably gets warning signals - dependent on how long he's been diabetic etc they can become less obvious. I've been diabetic (T1) for 21 years and I still get signs, mine are talking faster and getting v sweaty (not pleasant lol :crazy: ) and I look a bit vacant
If he is awake and communicating etc the best option is either glucose tablets / ribena / lucosade etc and encouraging him to have them. Having these things available in your home or in your handbag as a 'just in case' as you already do is brilliant

If he goes hypo and you can't wake him then a product called hypostop is really effective. It is basically glucose gel that you squeeze out of the pack into the inside of his mouth and he can get it on prescription from his GP. However I would check his blood sugar level if you are able to as it is possible that he may be hyper instead.

As stated earlier though please call the ambulance first.

Hyper = High blood sugar levels
The signs for this is a little easier to spot, the person is thirsty, going to the toilet alot more often and with some people a smell of pear drops.
My daughter has this alot. She will also feel very achy in her muscles, tired and generally unwell, she then becomes confused if not treated. From there she becomes unconscious and goes into a coma . Depending on how long its been going on for will dictate how to handle it
If his sugars are high because he's eaten more carbs than his insulin can work with then a little extra insulin can sort out the problem - he can look after this himself. I'd offer to keep an insulin pen in your handbag for him if he's likely to go out without it

If he has really high sugars and he's been unwell for a number of hours or a couple of days he needs to check to see if he has ketones. Some of the blood testing machines tests for ketones now or alternatively you can get sticks that check for it in urine (from the GP)
If he seems confused, again call an ambulance. Ketoacidosis is dangerous if untreated but the hospital can easily sort it out.

My only other advice is try and be as light hearted about diabetes as you can. Although it is a serious condition that needs to be controlled there is so much more to a person than their illness.

Hope that helped a little

KT xx

 

[concernedgirlf]

Thank you so much for the replies, i am taking them on board and will take your advice. I know that sometimes it may seem that i worry too much, but it is only because i care, i try not to question him about what he does because he has been diagnosed since he was 6 years old and i'm sure that in his heart of hearts he knows best, but sometimes he overlooks his better judgement, sometimes not asking for food as he doesn't want to seem rude etc. however i have told him just to open the cupboards and fridge and take what he wants, as its going to be ate by someone in the end, so it may as well be him, and that its no problem. However, i feel as though he thinks that it is not my responsibility although diabetes is serious, he doesn't want to seem a burden. Yet whenever he goes hypo/hyper due to lack of control it is my responsibility, as well as anyone else who is near to him to ensure that he is okay.
I love him for who he is, and the fact that he is a diabetic never fazed me. My grandfather was a type 2 diabetic and i have rheumatoid arthritis so i know how he feels in the way he thinks that it isn't my responsibility to worry or fuss about him as he usually copes quite well as i hate asking people to help me as well and having a fuss made.
But it's because i care that i want to know as much as possible so that he can feel as though i can understand what he is going through, even just a fraction of the amount, and that i'm here to support him.

 

[Tricki]

You're definitely not worrying too much, it is a serious situation if he gets to the stage where he loses control. It sometimes easy to overdo it a little if you've just been in a stressful situation is all. Try to relax a little if you can. With such an caring girlfriend he's in pretty good hands, you just need a little time to take in all the new information.

I appreciate how difficult it must be wanting to help when the person seemingly doesn't want help. Finding out information on your own is probably the best thing you can do at the moment.

 

[concernedgirlf]

yeah, i understand thank you but could you help me with some of the basics too? see sometimes he takes his insulin before eating and sometimes after, without checking his blood sugar levels what way is the correct method so maybe i could encourage this?

 

[Tricki]

to start with, read these guides if you haven't already and then come and ask about anything you are a little unsure about.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/high-low-blood-sugar-symptoms.html

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/Diabetes-and-Hypoglycaemia.html

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-a-hypo.html

Here is a list of some of the commonest symptoms.

Feeling dizzy
Feeling hungry
A change in mood
Feeling sweaty
Trembling
Finding it hard to concentrate
being pale
feeling weak
a higher heart rate than usual
blurred vision
temporary loss of consciousness
confusion
convulsions
and even coma (in serious cases)

Bear in mind that the list of symptoms of an hypo is not an hard or fast rule, and its not always the same for someone who is having one - he could tremble and sweat one hypo, and just be confused and weak the next.

And of course circumstances can mimic some of the symptoms. Checking your blood sugar levels every time you got one little symptom that could be an hypo would be infuriating to do, so those of us on insulin or other medications that make us prone to them try to judge by the way their body has been feeling, what is happening at the time and experience.

If you see him sweat or tremble when the temperature doesn't seem to justify it; he seems a little confused or cannot concentrate or his mood changes when the situation isn't likely to cause it, or something else slightly out of the ordinary' then you could always gently ask if he is OK, as at the early stages sometimes the person may not notice. If he says he is, and he thinks its not an hypo, then just keep an eye out for other symptoms just in case, but defer to his judgement at first.

Just familiarise yourself with the symptoms, and ask if it seems appropriate. Bear in mind that he may not want to worry you or be pestered with questions about hypos, so if has symptoms he might spot them and discreetly treat them without telling you.

If his blood sugars are below 3.5 mmol he is definitely having an hypo, and should be treated accordingly. A lot of people start getting symptoms before that, I always have a little something to eat even if its borderline in case is going down.

Treatment- Its recommended to have around 10- 15g of carbohydrates after an hypo. The more of it is sugar the better for an hypo, so some foods are better than others. Some sports brand foods will have a lot of slower acting carbohydrates, so stick to foods that are mostly fast acting sugars and use the others for after the hypo.

Liquid works faster but can be less convenient to carry around than tablets or other sweets If its lucozade its about 50-100ml, soft sweets like jelly babies or fruit pastilles 2-3. Glucose tablets it depends on the make - the square Dextro Energy tablets you often find in the shops can be up to 5 to get a full 15g dose, Glucotabs 3-4. Glucogel or other glucose gels will depend on the make, but its often one tube if its a sealed one. The advantage of the latter is that it can be used if the patient is still awake, but unable to swallow , as it can be massaged into the gums or the inside of the cheek. Lastly there is a glucagons kits which will need training and I do not know the best way to get hold of one, you might have to see what others say.

Other good things for an hypo - fruit juice, cola, lemonade, sugar.

After treatment its a good idea to eat a light snack to keep blood sugars up until your next meal - a slice of toast, snack bar, or anything else with some longer acting carbohydrates. He doesn't bother if the next meal is within an hour though.

It's sometimes a good idea to test again 10 to 30 minutes later. If I were uncertain that my insulin levels were correct, the hypo came when previously high BG's, had more exercise than normal. or had been having hypo's without symptoms I would make sure the treatment was working, as in the past one dose hasn't been enough.

 

[phoenix]

Glucagon kits are available on prescription in the UK. The instructions for use are very clear.http://mcs.open.ac.uk/nlg/old_projects/ ... T_1mg.html
As you said one of his problems was to do with alcohol, and irregular meals,
Most people with T1 are fine to drink some alcohol, in moderation. Most doctors I have met have suggested that it is drunk with food . A mixture of alcohol, lack of food (to raise glucose levels ) plus excess insulin can be extremely dangerous.
When someone develops low blood glucose levels the body has back-up system it releases glucose from the liver. Unfortunately, this system doesn't work as well as it should , particularly in long term T1. On top of that, alcohol is processed by the liver . The liver isn't that good at multi-tasking so if it's processing the alcohol it can't at the same time release glucose.

You could suggest to your boyfriend that he asks his doc/nurse about doing a DAFNE course. This is a course where people are taught not only how to adjust their insulin to what they are eating but how to live a normal flexible life with T1. Almost everyone who goes on it say they get a lot out of the course, not least from being amongst other people with the same problems. Some areas have similar courses with different names.
http://www.dafne.uk.com/What_is_DAFNE_-I293.html

 

[iHs]

|Hi

As great as DAFNE courses are for people, unfortunately there is usually a very very long waiting list to go on one.

So, what I would encourage you to do is to make your boyfriend feel more at ease with you with regards to injecting insulin and also for him to test his bg levels a lot more than he is doing. If he was to test before he started eating a meal and then again mid morning, mid afternoon he would get an idea of whether he was injecting too much insulin or not enough. I really cannot recommend bg testing enough. It really does sort out an awful lot problems with bg control.

Hypo symptoms vary from person to person..........often they start off sort of subtle and then start to progress resulting in general slowing up mentally. You will in time be able to spot the signs yourself and using some friendly caring tact, get your fella to test himself.
Glucose type sweets work fairly well as does lucozade. Luke warm cuppa tea or coffee with some sugar in it works all ok too. I tend to use sugar coated pastiles or some dolly mixtures which I carry around in my bag or in my coat pockets. I've also used a mini chocolate swiss roll which is also fairly good and doesnt send bg levels up too high. Lots can be used .................