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Serious question! Chest infection and high BS

A

Alex_B

Well-Known Member
Messages
168
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I have a chest infection, I don't know how dangerous it is for me to have them, but my diabetes nurse said that I can be put back into hospital if untreated.
How dangerous can it be? and Do I need to go to the doctors straight away?

I am doing the same stuff I did before I went into hospital, (heavy breathing, headaches, dizziness, not eating). Thing is, my mum is at work, and she is working late, I don't know if I should call her. I am really scared as I don't want to be in hospital again. Should I get my mum to ring the doctors tomorrow and try to get in tomorrow?

Posted this in Diabetes UK forums to see what people say, I really don't know what to do, I haven't been this sick since I went into hospital!
 
Alex_B said:
I have a chest infection, I don't know how dangerous it is for me to have them, but my diabetes nurse said that I can be put back into hospital if untreated.
How dangerous can it be? and Do I need to go to the doctors straight away?

I am doing the same stuff I did before I went into hospital, (heavy breathing, headaches, dizziness, not eating). Thing is, my mum is at work, and she is working late, I don't know if I should call her. I am really scared as I don't want to be in hospital again. Should I get my mum to ring the doctors tomorrow and try to get in tomorrow?

Posted this in Diabetes UK forums to see what people say, I really don't know what to do, I haven't been this sick since I went into hospital!
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Sorry to hear that you're unwell @Alex_B. First of all, try not to panic as this won't help matters any.

You say you're "doing the same stuff I did before I went into hospital", was this for a prior chest related illness?

You shouldn't be scared about going back into hospital, you will be surrounded by medical professionals who are there to take care of you.

Remember to keep a tight eye on your BG as this tends to creep up when we're feeling unwell. Try testing more regularly than you normally do by 50% so you can see if you're running high, and then correct if necessary.

If you're in real pain and have concerns about your state of health then I'd go straight to your GP so they can check you over.

Hope you're feeling better soon,
Grant
 
Sorry I am not in UK so if this is wrong disregard, but don't you folks have a non emergency medical number 111 you can call to get advice as to what to do? I get chest infections and as an immune suppressed diabetic they can be very serious. You need medical attention soon.
 
As its the second day of the chest infection, my mum has said she was going to get me in tomorrow morning as an emergency appointment. I have took my BG and it is 25.4, I have just tried eating a bit of toast like my mum told me to and had my injection I still feel bad but hopefully I dont have to worry about going into hospital and they will just give me antibiotics and an inhaler like they use to.

I went into hospital because I had a chest infection, but did not know I was diabetic. They told me that chest infections bring it out more, thats why I was in hospital.
 
You need to try and get medical attention as soon as you can... the reason for that is an infection left untreated can cause serious complications such as sepsis. You don't want that. You need to be put on treatment as quickly as possible. Also when you have an infection you will find your sugars can go a little crazy and they're harder to control. The antibiotic treatment will help your sugar to stabilise again.
 
Alex_B said:
As its the second day of the chest infection, my mum has said she was going to get me in tomorrow morning as an emergency appointment. I have took my BG and it is 25.4, I have just tried eating a bit of toast like my mum told me to and had my injection I still feel bad but hopefully I dont have to worry about going into hospital and they will just give me antibiotics and an inhaler like they use to.

I went into hospital because I had a chest infection, but did not know I was diabetic. They told me that chest infections bring it out more, thats why I was in hospital.
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Most surgeries have emergency appointments on the same day. With the diabetes, a high BS and having had a previous chest infection, you should be seen today.

If the person you/your mum speaks to doesn't get it, ask to speak to a doctor or nurse.

Edited to add - are you testing for ketones? You need to do that. It may also be very helpful to,give your DSN a call for advice.
 
Alex_B said:
As its the second day of the chest infection, my mum has said she was going to get me in tomorrow morning as an emergency appointment. I have took my BG and it is 25.4, I have just tried eating a bit of toast like my mum told me to and had my injection I still feel bad but hopefully I dont have to worry about going into hospital and they will just give me antibiotics and an inhaler like they use to.

I went into hospital because I had a chest infection, but did not know I was diabetic. They told me that chest infections bring it out more, thats why I was in hospital.
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I'd take @azure's advice here. You really don't want BG's that high, combined with an underlying illness like your chest infection.
 
if you can't get to the doctor because you're relying on your mum taking you, then phone the surgery and ask to speak to a doctor. Some surgeries will still do home visits.

Being by yourself with a bad chest and high sugars isn't wise. Can another relative or friend come and help you?

I know you don't want to go back into,hospital, so the sooner this is dealt with, the better.
 
My mum can take me to the doctors, as I have social anxiety I can't do many things on my own. I tested my ketones and it was 0.1 don't know if that is good or not. I am feeling a bit better but need to still get checked out.
 
Alex_B said:
My mum can take me to the doctors, as I have social anxiety I can't do many things on my own. I tested my ketones and it was 0.1 don't know if that is good or not. I am feeling a bit better but need to still get checked out.
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Ok - I understand :) Well, in that case, I think it's best for your mum to take you today so you can get checked over. The diabetes can make any infection worse, and an infection can make the diabetes worse. Getting seen/treated as soon as possible means things can be nipped in the bud.

If you have to wait for your mum to be free, keep testing your BS, keep sipping sugar-free drinks so you don't get dehydrated, and keep your phone by you.

You or your mum should also get advice about keeping your BS down. Your insulin might need adjusting. The DSN will know more than the doctor most likely, so get their advice.

I hope you feel better very soon :)
 
Alex_B said:
I am feeling a bit better but need to still get checked out.
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I hope that your appointment is as stress free as possible. I'm sure your GP will know exactly what to do with a chest infection, probably antibiotics, just make sure that you take the full course. Failure to do so will enable the stronger bacteria to survive and multiply.
 
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