Not knowing what to do

[Viviennes]

Hi guys haven't been on here a while, but today has been just horrid, my husband was taken into hospital last Sunday with a chest infection and his heart was racing, carer had bought the infection in by having a cold,but lets jump to today, when I visited my husband had to go to a meeting and was told that my husband had to go in to a nursing home on a temporary basis to see whether my health inproves, eg BG and my metal state, this has been so quick,yes I need respite, but not like this, spoken to my DN, she was able to calm me down,my BG is in the high 20s and even in the 30s, the stress has actually made me physically sick and can't eat, I'm trying really hard to eat, but how long will I be like this, I don't want my husband and family see me like this, will it get easier for hubby to come home, or will he back in a nursing home, sorry for ranting but I'm driving myself crackers with worry, been together for 42 years, and he my world. I'm so sorry if this has thread has upset anyone, it's a horrid situation to be in xx

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Really sorry to hear the position you and your husband are in.

Hoe do you treat your diabetes and how long have you been diagnosed. Have your BGs changed rapidly to their current levels and how do you treat/manage your diabetes?

Sorry for all the questions!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Looking back over previous posts there seemed to be some question marks about whether you had been correctly classified. At some stage you were having hypos, but now your BG is extremely elevated.

Did you ever make enquiries about the possibility of being checked for LADA (slow onset T1)?

If that is your type of diabetes, oral medications may work to begin with, but as your beta cells reduce in number over time you will need to inject insulin as you will be unable to produce enough yourself.

Please also check for ketones today (you can buy a pot of urine strips at a chemist for £5). Vomiting may be related to ketoacidosis rather than stress - which is very dangerous and requires immediate treatment.

 

[Viviennes]

I'm on humlin 3times a day and abasaglar 1a day before I go to bed, all doses has been increased, been on new regene 1mth now, my DN said it may well need tweaking. I try really hard for a sensible diet, normally toast in the morning with a coffee, soup home made for lunch, and meat with veg for tea, washed down with a coffee, I've had diebectese for a while now, but after my husbands and mine, stroke things has gone crazy,

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Yes I’ve just been reading back through your posting history.

it’s good that you are on MDI, but it doesn’t seem that your doses have been adjusted to be suitable for you.

have you been shown how to adjust things yourself? Or is it your nurse who is recommending dose changes? And have you been told about matching the carbohydrate in meals to the doses you are taking?

 

[Viviennes]

I spoke to my DSN in hospital and it was dismissed, being told that being T2 for so long would be unlikely, at the moment really no happy middle ground, I mentioned my hypos and was worried by increasing my insulin, would I have hypos again and feeling unwell, and was told, I should be okay, and carry something with me which I always do.

 

[Viviennes]

Its a nurse which has recommended these changes, would Luke to see improvement before anything else, she was saying

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Well with BGs in the 20s and upwards you will be feeling awful I’d imagine, and it seems pretty clear that your doses aren’t working for you.

it also seems like you’ve really not been given the information you need to manage your diabetes yourself.

what sort of doses are you taking at the moment?

 

[Drummer]

As you seem to have no help from your nurse, can you equate the highs and lows of your blood glucose to what you are eating - toast for breakfast might be overpowering the insulin dose - have you checked the carb content? Later in the day meals lower in carbs could result in hypos - I have to eat fewer carbs in the morning simply because I can't cope with them then. As the day goes on I can eat more and get the same BG level, which seems a common phenomenon amongst type twos.
I don't need medication - I understand what I need to do to control my levels, and I checked that it was working as I tested and adjusted what I did, and what I ate. In your situation I think that the nurse expecting improvement without helping in any way to prevent such wild highs and lows comes close to negligence. Can you consult anyone else about how to gain more control?
The sooner you can show a more even level of glucose the sooner you'll show improvement (in my opinion). I was on a high carb diet which pushed my levels high and I really could not cope with everyday tasks around the house. A random test showed 17.1mmol/l and I'd had difficulty in even going to have it done at the surgery around the corner from me.
I do hope that you can soon get back to things being more normal - but I do think that your health needs are just as important as those of your husband - and that seems to be the attitude of the hospital as well. Perhaps you could mention your problem there - if your husband is still there. A comment such as 'my nurse thinks a blood glucose test in the 30s is nothing to worry about, but I'm not sure about it' might just set off some alarm bells and get some action on your behalf. Do take care of yourself - you need to get this sorted for yourself so then you can look after your husband. It would only make things worse to have him at home but you being an emergency admission to hospital.