spiritfree
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Could someone please explain what a sliding scale, for insulin, means? I know I should know but I am having mind blank moment hahahahahhaaha.
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Sliding scale
- Thread starter spiritfree
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Afaik it's an intravenous infusion of a mix of insulin an glucose used in hospitals to keep you on the level (under anaesthesia for example)
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
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Yes, they balance the effect of a glucose drip with a huge insulin pump (or at lease that's how I remember it. The one they put me on the battery on the pump went flat and it took them ages to find another one! 😱
trophywench
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Looks like a giant syringe mounted on a board !
If it's for an operation, the anaesthetist is responsible for sorting it out for you (they do a LOT more than just knock you out) If it's childbirth, the diabetic midwives do it. Not sure who is responsible under any other circs.
If it's for an operation, the anaesthetist is responsible for sorting it out for you (they do a LOT more than just knock you out) If it's childbirth, the diabetic midwives do it. Not sure who is responsible under any other circs.
Northerner
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spiritfree
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Thanks for replies everyone.
Out of the hospital setting the term is used for an insulin regime where the dose is determined by the pre meal glucose level. :http://pfrc.med.nyu.edu/handouts/pdf/describe/diabssi.pdf
When I was diagnosed that's the system I used alongside a fixed carb amount for each meal. I'd probably still be doing that if I hadn't found out that it was perfectly OK to vary the carbs and adjust accordingly.
When I was diagnosed that's the system I used alongside a fixed carb amount for each meal. I'd probably still be doing that if I hadn't found out that it was perfectly OK to vary the carbs and adjust accordingly.
lauraw1983
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Catwoman76
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Hi I suspect if the birth is going well and there are no complications then maybe not, I'm not to sure nowadays, as I had my child 11 years ago. I was on one( but unsure if I had it under the anaesthetic ) but I definately had the SS after the birth, because of emergency complications and the midwives looked after the sliding scale. Don't be too alarmed or worried, as every birth is different. Sheena
rachelha
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I was told if I wanted I could not have the SS so long as I was still with it enough to be able to control my diabetes myself. To be honest not long after the contractions started, which they did with quite a bang, there was no way I could have thought about my diabetes as well. The midwifes managed my bloodsugars perfectly through out the labour/section and afterwards, far better than I would have done myself.
trophywench
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I concur 100% with Rachel.
If you ever NEED a SS I can assure you you won't give a flying (errr) fig.
Slightly behind your head to one side, you know it's there obviously but don't see it, until you get out of bed, which if you need the thing, won't be partic imminent!
Worry about forceps, not the SS (but then again at the stage you need the forceps, you couldn't give a toss about them either - Fer Chrissakes get on with it - and Get Her/Him Out!!!!)
LOL
If you ever NEED a SS I can assure you you won't give a flying (errr) fig.
Slightly behind your head to one side, you know it's there obviously but don't see it, until you get out of bed, which if you need the thing, won't be partic imminent!
Worry about forceps, not the SS (but then again at the stage you need the forceps, you couldn't give a toss about them either - Fer Chrissakes get on with it - and Get Her/Him Out!!!!)
LOL
lauraw1983
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Yeah my son (first baby) was forceps. Not nice.
And because of that, I had a lovely amazing homebirth in a birthing pool with my daughter. 🙂
Something I have thought over and over is that I am *so* glad I already had my two children before I ended up with this...but on the other hand we hadn't made a final decision about no more babies for absolute definite and it's played on my mind a bit.
I guess it would be silly not to be in hospital, if not for the me then the baby anyway, I believe the babies need a close eyes kept on them the first 24 hours after birth too?
Ugh. Maybe I will just stay grateful for what I have!!
I don't want one of those sliding scale things - when I was in hospital and diagnosed, there was a lady in DKA on one, she wasn't very well at all
trophywench
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She was 'really ill' because she was in DKA - not because of the SS ! LOL
The SS was to get her OUT of DKA !!! - they can't give you a mega dose of insulin and you'll be OK, they have to 'normalise' you safely, which means a bit more slowly. DKA is vile.
Personally I've always had BG's of smack on 5.0 when I've been on em for operations - 3 different hospitals at different times. I see no reason why the stress of childbirth couldn't be managed in a similar way - bearing in mind the people operating the thing are REAL experts at it.
The SS was to get her OUT of DKA !!! - they can't give you a mega dose of insulin and you'll be OK, they have to 'normalise' you safely, which means a bit more slowly. DKA is vile.
Personally I've always had BG's of smack on 5.0 when I've been on em for operations - 3 different hospitals at different times. I see no reason why the stress of childbirth couldn't be managed in a similar way - bearing in mind the people operating the thing are REAL experts at it.
lauraw1983
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Oh I know that's why she was on it! Was just scary to see when im sitting there being told I have diabetes! I don't think she cared for herself well and was a heavy drinker-bless the curtains round beds eh, can hear everything!
I just hate childbirth being interfered with medically unless there is good reason. I guess diabetes is one of those things though. Sigh.
Natalie123
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I know what you mean laura. The SS does just involve being on a drip right? No horrible big needles?! When I was last in hospital on a ward I could hear everything going on mext to me too, unfortunately the lady next to me was dying, the doctor was telling the family she only had a few hours left. Not a good experience.
Northerner
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It's (if I remember correctly - wasn't pregnant by the way!) two drips that are fed into a single cannula that has a two-way input, so they can alter the amounts of either glucose or insulin going in to keep BGs steady. Not scary at all and you forget it's there 🙂
trophywench
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Natalie, I agree hospital wards can be most depressing places.
When I was diagnosed (aged 22) my ward was half full of recent stroke victims. I'm sorry, stroke victims, but 90% of them were inert and dribbling. I just didn't think I should have been in there with them. Horrid.
Yup, the SS is a drip so once the doings (shunt? is that what they are called?) is in your arm that's it. And the advantage of having one is if you need any other intravenous medications, they go through that too!
When I was diagnosed (aged 22) my ward was half full of recent stroke victims. I'm sorry, stroke victims, but 90% of them were inert and dribbling. I just didn't think I should have been in there with them. Horrid.
Yup, the SS is a drip so once the doings (shunt? is that what they are called?) is in your arm that's it. And the advantage of having one is if you need any other intravenous medications, they go through that too!
lauraw1983
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Horrible isn't it?
I know it's just a drip, I just don't really like or want any Dr's or anything medicalised near me in childbirth full stop. I don't think I'll have much of a choice if there is ever a next time though, which saddens me
trophywench
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May I make a suggestion Laura?
Ask to have a word with the pre-conception clinic at the hosp where you get your diabetes care. Not necessarily because you are definitely going to go for it - but to get some idea what the methodology and reasoning behind the usual care plan for a diabetic in your neck of the woods actually is. Some hosps insist you don't go beyond X or Y weeks, some are content to let you do it in your own good time.
You want to know what care etc you could expect so it then becomes a more informed choice of whether you want to go for it, or not. All this chat on here is just so much speculation, isn't it?
Ask to have a word with the pre-conception clinic at the hosp where you get your diabetes care. Not necessarily because you are definitely going to go for it - but to get some idea what the methodology and reasoning behind the usual care plan for a diabetic in your neck of the woods actually is. Some hosps insist you don't go beyond X or Y weeks, some are content to let you do it in your own good time.
You want to know what care etc you could expect so it then becomes a more informed choice of whether you want to go for it, or not. All this chat on here is just so much speculation, isn't it?
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