Glucagon

[AJLang]

I've tried that with Lucozade rinsing it round my mouth and it didn't really help.

 

[Northerner]

One of the things I've seen mentioned on several occasions is that things like liquid glucose/glucogel can transfer into the bloodstream through the tissues of the mouth/gums.

Does anyone know how effective this is? Would it be better for a person with gastroparesis to try to hold the glucose in the mouth as long as possible?

I'm sure I read somewhere that this is a myth, and the glucose only gets into the bloodstream via the gut I'll see if I can find out more evidence...

 

[DeusXM]

Don't know whether it's true or not. I seem to recall the old advice if someone had collapsed from a hypo was to smear jam on their gums but I understand this was scrapped a while back as it created a choking hazard.

 

[Redkite]

One of the things I've seen mentioned on several occasions is that things like liquid glucose/glucogel can transfer into the bloodstream through the tissues of the mouth/gums.

Does anyone know how effective this is? Would it be better for a person with gastroparesis to try to hold the glucose in the mouth as long as possible?

Our consultant told us that the glucose needs to pass through the stomach and be digested, and cannot be absorbed through the gums. So we're advised to use glucagon if he can't swallow, even if he's still conscious.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Our consultant told us that the glucose needs to pass through the stomach and be digested, and cannot be absorbed through the gums. So we're advised to use glucagon if he can't swallow, even if he's still conscious.

So why is hypogel or what ever it's called dispensed by GP's etc and why do paramedics use it to treat semi consious peeps?
The Gel just disloves and does the job as far as I am concerned.

 

[Hanmillmum]

I was to believe some of it was absorbed by the cheeks, after-all that is the training the teams give and in the guidance leaflet with the glucogel/hypostops, which is attached to my daughters care plan. There is the risk of choking with anyone unconscious which is when you should be considering the glucagon injection over other options.

Newbs, if you have the Ragnar Hanas book, see pg 36 (we have 4th ed) on "mini dose glucagon" for situations like yours. It's aimed at kids with sickness/diarrhoea or refusal to eat who would be at risk of spinning out a hypo.

 

[Monica]

I haven't read all the replies properly.

I have used Glucagon on Carol last year, when she had trouble getting her levels up and refused to eat/drink anymore glucose. She wasn't unconscious.
I was never shown properly how to do it, only where to inject (the spare tyre above the bum), but I practised with an expired one.

The syringe is quite long and a lot thicker than an insulin syringe/pen. I was quite shocked at how much pressure I had to use to pierce the skin.

I think it's a good idea to go and be shown properly 🙂

 

[Adrienne]

I would like to dispel the myth that glucogel is some magic hypo treatment. So many teams tell people that if all else fails use glucogel so I read things, here, on facebook and the email groups where people say they could get a hypo up and others then advise it could be time for the glucogel.

Believe me it is not magic and for many people for whatever reason glucogel doesn't work. We can't use it. We've tried many times as its quite handy but anything like glucogel, hypofit, glucojuice just does nothing. Many find the same thing so before leaving that as the ultimate hypo treatment do try it out on a not so low hypo to see if it does anything.

I've used glucagon on Jessica before now. It shot her up to 27 and that was quite tricky to bring her back down to something ok ish. You do need to avoid hypos for the next few days and eat carbs to replenish the liver again once you have used it.

It does not have to be injected into muscle It can be used three ways, via IV which paramedics can do, intra muscular or subcutaneously. THe needle is long though so chances are it may hit muscle. THere is proof that doing it in the muscle or subcut there is no difference.

It is worth practicing with an out of date one though. There are four picture instructions in the lid. One of them looks like you shake it when mixing. That is the worst thing you could do, you need to either just move it in a slow up and down motion a few times or just stand it up and the powder will dissolve within seconds. If you shake it you will get loads of bubbles and just draw up bubbles.

Some are sick after. Jessica wasn't sick after though but felt awful but she was a bridesmaid the next day and sort of sloated down the aisle with a level of 24 mmol. Obviously that was far too high to run her but it was proving quite hard to get levels down at that particular point 😛

 

[FM001]

This has reminded me to order the glucogon kit at my next prescription, last one expired in 2011 and has never been replaced.