just diagnosed and lost

[STUART1967]

Hello, my name is Stuart and im 52 years old.On Tuesday 20th of August I was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after my partner found me extremely worse for wear. I was taken into resus with a blood glucose level of 23.2 and keytones of 8.1 (Which until now was a foreign language to me). I was informed that I have developed type 1 diabetes which has still left me with a numb , cant believe it emotion. I released yesterday evening after my bloods were 10.4 and after I had seen the diabetic nurse. During the night my levels kept increasing even after taking the insulin I was instructed to take. So quite worried I rang the Adult diabetes service number (provided by the nurse) only to be told I have to be referred to them I cant self refer. So I went to my doctors who told me he hadn't received anything from the hospital and with no information and cant do anything. I was sent home with blood metre and insulin but only 20 testing strips, I cant get anymore without a prescription, my doctor says he cant refer me unless he has information and my bloods are always high. I am totally clueless and don't know what to do .Any help or information would be greatly appreciated. sorry for the long mail.

 

[Deleted member 25429]

I was in the same situation as you at the beginning of June and I’m the same age . I purchased my own glucose strips for the first week or so . Have you been given a contact number or name for your specialist diabetic nurse ? This forum helped me immensely. Good luck it’s a difficult journey

 

[STUART1967]

I was in the same situation as you at the beginning of June and I’m the same age . I purchased my own glucose strips for the first week or so . Have you been given a contact number or name for your specialist diabetic nurse ? This forum helped me immensely. Good luck it’s a difficult journey

As of yet ive received no information of any such kind apart from the number the nurse gave me only to be told I have to be referred. Im going back up the hospital tomorrow to find the diabetic clinic and see if I cant get something moving.

 

[Thebearcametoo]

So sorry you’ve been left in the dark. Definitely chase the diabetes clinic. If you need to you can go to A&E if your blood glucose goes too high again. Were you told a target range to aim for and when you need extra help? Which insulin are you on? Just one sort or a basal (slow acting) and a bolus (fast acting)?

 

[Deleted member 25429]

As of yet ive received no information of any such kind apart from the number the nurse gave me only to be told I have to be referred. Im going back up the hospital tomorrow to find the diabetic clinic and see if I cant get something moving.

As of yet ive received no information of any such kind apart from the number the nurse gave me only to be told I have to be referred. Im going back up the hospital tomorrow to find the diabetic clinic and see if I cant get something moving.

My diabetic nurse has been fantastic . We shouldn’t have to push for care we’ve got enough to deal with trying to manage the condition . Good luck tomorrow I really hope you get the help you deserve

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @STUART1967. I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis, but glad that you have found the forum. There is plenty of support and advice available here from people who are living with Diabetes. There is a lot to learn very quickly, but this is a manageable condition.

It is a massive shock being diagnosed. I was diagnosed with T1 at the age of 53, and there are many others on here who were also diagnosed as adults. It can be a slower onset than when diagnosed as a child, but the principles are the same.

With such high levels at diagnosis they may want to bring your levels down gradually so that your body can cope with the adjustment, having been under stress for a while with the high BG. If however you feel at all unwell, and can get no specialist advice then go back to the hospital.

If you have not been given enough strips, go back to A&E or the ward from which you were discharged (I had to do this when I went home over the weekend after diagnosis). You need them. Many GPs will want to wait for the notification from the hospital but that could be another option. Go back and explain the situations, take your test kit and ask for a prescription so that you can get some more strips. They cannot leave you with the means of testing your glucose levels.

What insulins have you been given? Hopefully two different ones, a background one that will deal with the glucose that your liver is releasing, and a quick acting insulin that deals with any food that you eat. You will gradually be taught how to adjust these, but be patient, as initially you are likely to go through the ‘Honeymoon Period’ (most inappropriately named) during which the remaining beta cells that you have (it is the destruction of these cells which make the insulin that is T1), having had a rest, will sometimes chuck out a bit of insulin. So things can be a bit wobbly in the early days.

It is all a lot to take in at the start and my apologies if what I have said is stuff you already know. If you have any questions just ask, and know that there are no silly questions.

 

[freesia]

Hi. Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I was diagnosed t1 around 18 months ago and am still learning every day. There is a lot to take in and remember initially but the forum will help if you have any questions and once you get referred to a specialist nurse you will get the support/advice you need. Could you try talking to the GP medical secretary? Sometimes they can hurry things up or chase things for you, or they may be able to give you other numbers to try. Good luck getting it sorted.

 

[Ditsy daisy]

If you are trying to lower your sugar levels there are foods and drinks that can help lower your sugar levels. It works for me. Blueberries are lowering and green tea is another one but mention it to the nurse because you must be careful it doesn't give you a hypo. The insulin and green tea need to balance out you need less insulin when drinking it and I usually have mine after a meal.

 

[Ditsy daisy]

Hello, my name is Stuart and im 52 years old.On Tuesday 20th of August I was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after my partner found me extremely worse for wear. I was taken into resus with a blood glucose level of 23.2 and keytones of 8.1 (Which until now was a foreign language to me). I was informed that I have developed type 1 diabetes which has still left me with a numb , cant believe it emotion. I released yesterday evening after my bloods were 10.4 and after I had seen the diabetic nurse. During the night my levels kept increasing even after taking the insulin I was instructed to take. So quite worried I rang the Adult diabetes service number (provided by the nurse) only to be told I have to be referred to them I cant self refer. So I went to my doctors who told me he hadn't received anything from the hospital and with no information and cant do anything. I was sent home with blood metre and insulin but only 20 testing strips, I cant get anymore without a prescription, my doctor says he cant refer me unless he has information and my bloods are always high. I am totally clueless and don't know what to do .Any help or information would be greatly appreciated. sorry for the long mail.

I must tell you this it's important. I'm so sorry for saying about the green tea I'm learning on here too and didn't realise it's affects. It's giving me awful nightmares and confusion delusions at night also I'm going hypo. Please DON'T drink green tea before going to bed but I think it's ok in the day to drink it. Plus I found out too much water can be an overdose and be dangerous I was mildly suffering last night. Check with doctor the safe daily amount. I must say aswell that too much caffeine can cause caffeine overdose which caused me panic attacks for years. I've got over my panic attacks now though. Hope you are ok

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

Green tea can cause confusion and even hallucinations at any time of day if it's drunk in any quantity (just said this to Daisy on another thread, but adding it here too to be on the safe side for anyone else who hasn't seen that).

@STUART1967 - I hope you have got some more help now, it sounds like there's been an appalling lack of communication between your hospital and your surgery. Please do go back to A&E if you are at any point without test strips or insulin or anything else you need - it's really important that you have them, it could be life-threatening if you don't. And go back too if your blood sugar goes into the high teens and stays there or if it goes much over 20, or if you get high levels of ketones in your urine (you can buy Ketostix from a chemist if you don't have any prescribed yet). The insulin doses they put you on when you leave hospital are a "best guess", so they will need to keep changing them until they get them right, and if they're not working for you you need to talk to the hospital diabetes nurse again asap. Once you do get in touch with the hospital nurse again, get her phone number or email address, as you are likely to have lots more questions over the coming weeks.

 

[SB2015]

Good morning @STUART1967 I hope that you have been able to get the support that you need now, and that you/they are beginning to make adjustments to your insulin doses.

As @TheClockworkDodo said it is essential that you are testing both your blood glucose and also ketones with high levels. If you are without any of the equipment that you need ensure that you get them (GP or if that fails A&E)

 

[Ditsy daisy]

Green tea can cause confusion and even hallucinations at any time of day if it's drunk in any quantity (just said this to Daisy on another thread, but adding it here too to be on the safe side for anyone else who hasn't seen that).

@STUART1967 - I hope you have got some more help now, it sounds like there's been an appalling lack of communication between your hospital and your surgery. Please do go back to A&E if you are at any point without test strips or insulin or anything else you need - it's really important that you have them, it could be life-threatening if you don't. And go back too if your blood sugar goes into the high teens and stays there or if it goes much over 20, or if you get high levels of ketones in your urine (you can buy Ketostix from a chemist if you don't have any prescribed yet). The insulin doses they put you on when you leave hospital are a "best guess", so they will need to keep changing them until they get them right, and if they're not working for you you need to talk to the hospital diabetes nurse again asap. Once you do get in touch with the hospital nurse again, get her phone number or email address, as you are likely to have lots more questions over the coming weeks.

Thanks for letting me know that theclockworkdodo pleased to meet you on here.

 

[louloulou]

Hello, my name is Stuart and im 52 years old.On Tuesday 20th of August I was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after my partner found me extremely worse for wear. I was taken into resus with a blood glucose level of 23.2 and keytones of 8.1 (Which until now was a foreign language to me). I was informed that I have developed type 1 diabetes which has still left me with a numb , cant believe it emotion. I released yesterday evening after my bloods were 10.4 and after I had seen the diabetic nurse. During the night my levels kept increasing even after taking the insulin I was instructed to take. So quite worried I rang the Adult diabetes service number (provided by the nurse) only to be told I have to be referred to them I cant self refer. So I went to my doctors who told me he hadn't received anything from the hospital and with no information and cant do anything. I was sent home with blood metre and insulin but only 20 testing strips, I cant get anymore without a prescription, my doctor says he cant refer me unless he has information and my bloods are always high. I am totally clueless and don't know what to do .Any help or information would be greatly appreciated. sorry for the long mail.

Hello Sorry to hear about your story I was the same last October was really poorly and in intensive care with ketones. The hospital should have sent all your information over to your gp so you can order all the medication that you require Lou