partner refuses to take sugary drink/gucose tabs when having hypo

[madferrit]

Hi all,
my hubby has had type 1 diabetes for 6 years now, he is 36 yrs old, he has attended the DAFNE course and found it to work well but just recently he has been having more hypos than usual.
Also he has become hypounaware. He has no idea he is having a hypo, which comes on quite quickly- i try to get him to drink lucozade or take glucose tabs but he flat refuses insisting he is fine.
He acts like hes very drunk, tired and very confused. He makes no sense bless him and its become very distressing for the both of us

I have to talk to him like he is a child just so he doesnt get aggressive- which i fully understand but would like to know if anybody has any tips for me on how i can convince him to drink the lucozade 🙂
thanks all

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I have been there (as the diabetic) and know the brain-fuzz hyper-avoiding confusion/everything makes no sense position your partner finds himself in. Im not sure what to suggest really as he will not be thinking/reasoning properly.

I wonder if it might be worth explaining at the time that you are worried and upset. That you realise that he doesn't think he needs to take anything, but that a swig of lucozade will not do any long term harm and will not push them too high even if they are coming round already.

I found someone being insistent and talking/repeating rapidly quite confusing. It might be worth talking slowly. And certainly talk about it and how you feel/only wanting to help etc when your partner has recovered.

In the meantime, get him to test his basal insulin. Sounds like it might be too high (these things change every few months for me)

EDIT: Forgot to say... if he is acting hypo but refusing glucose etc can you just ask him to do a test (even if just so that you can stop worrying).

 

[Northerner]

It does sound like he needs to try and run his levels a little higher for a while so that he can get his hypo-awareness back, so it would be worth noting any patterns you are aware of to the hypos and reduce insulin either at meals or, as Mike suggests, his basal/slow-acting insulin. I've generally been alone when I have had hypos so have no real knowledge of how I would react to others trying to get me to do things. You do feel very vulnerable and a little paranoid, especially if it dropping very low, and quickly. Certainly, getting him to test would be one way of proving to him that you're not making it up or fussing unnecessarily! 🙂

 

[Drouthy]

Hypos

Hi there. As a carer too, I know exactly what you mean. It is so difficult to be on the outside of it but responsible for the outcome. Testing is key though. If he thinks he's ok just force his hand to test to prove to himself that he's not. I find the night time hypos are worst as my dh is far lower than he would get through the day. I find I do talk very firmly to him, a lot to do with my worry that he won't do anything about it and we will be calling 999 again. We spoke about this the other day and he reminded me that he has no control over it when he's that low - night time generally about 2.😱 There is the gel you can get which when rubbed into the gums will absorb quite quickly but that could be as challenging as the lucozade! Do you have a glucagon kit? This gives you control if he just can't take anything or do anything for himself which will be rare but good to have for him. 🙂

 

[trophywench]

Drouthy

If your OH is having hypos during the night, (or at any time really) which aren't down to simple user error (ie having miscalculated the carbs or the dose of fast acting for those carbs) then he needs to investigate/discuss with his team. Because something needs changing!

Has he been on a carb-counting course?

Does he ever test his basal to make sure that's correct 24/7?

If he's done all that and his basal still isn't right - having changed timings, tried split doses, different long-acting insulin - or whatever ..... then perhaps the time has come where he should discuss possible eligibillity for a pump with his team?

 

[Drouthy]

Hypos

Hi trophywench

He has been offered DAFNE a couple of times but cant get a week off work to do it and wasn't willing to use his precious holidays for it - so no - no carb course. He seems quite happy to blunder along. Always happier to be low and running too close much of the time. I agree with you and trying to get him to speak to the team preferably before our holiday to US as it worries me. He does need guidance and the team are the best bet but it's not a great service where we are. I need to bully more

Sorry to hijack your post madferrit🙂

 

[Ellie Jones]

madferrit

You'll not alone, as you've just described my husband to a T😱

I've used various tricks in different situations.. Sometimes they work sometimes they don't..

You could try changing what he uses to treat an hypo, as personally I hate the taste of luccozade.. So perhaps find something more palable for him!

If he's lost his hypo awareness, get him to test more often, and hopefully he might catch them before they hit..

If he's being particularly stubborn and you getting nowhere and/or he starts becoming combative get the paramedics out, if I do this with my husband, I do go through a system, of picking up the phone threatening to call them if he doesn't eat/drink something, if this fails I hit the first 9, then inform him try again to get him to eat/drink, if this fails I hit the second 9 as so on, as by the time I actually phone I need them...

And don't forget your safety is paramount, not only because it can really hurt if the attempt to push you away or clout you awkwardly, if the deck you, you'll no good to anybody and create a much bigger medical emergency... But to remember if you call them out, due to hubby being combative, do let control know, so the paramedics can be informed what they are walking into...

Be warned though, if he's being combative then the paramedics might ask your permission to call police backup, this is for safety reasons for all... Can be a bit of a shock though, as it can lead to hubby being arrested and handcuffed, but don't panic, as this is purely because of legal procedures, police can restrain anybody using handcuff's unless they've been arrested and read their rights! But once everything calmed down, hubby out of his hypo, the cuffs are removed and hubby de-arrested on the spot, the arrest isn't even logged. And you find even if the police attend, the paramedics and police will do there best to avoid the handcuffs...

As already said, he does need to look at some of his underlying control, DAFNE is a very good course (I've been on it) but it's a starting point which information and understanding gained does need to be expanded on, a good way of doing this, is investing in a book by John Walsh, called Using Insulin, where it goes through all the aspects of the MDI regime, how to work out all the various factors that impact on control, and how to test control, work out your correction factors etc...

 

[trophywench]

Oooh - of course - would he do an online course ?

Now I can't pretend it's as good as attending the hands on one, cos it isn't - I mean you can't ask questions as you go or have the benefit of constant input from trained professionals or that of other folks' experiences - but most people do find it helpful in the absence of a better solution.

http://213.106.147.101/bdec2/index.shtml

Click on e-learning on the right hand side.

I give the full link to BDEC so he and you can see that it is from a proper, trusted source. (People get referred to BDEC from all over the country; we have a few members here who have undergone complete removal of their pancreas which doesn't only instantly render them diabetic, there are also various other problems since the pancreas doesn't ONLY produce insulin - and two of them have been seen there with particular success - they really are one of the best centres of excellence for endocrinology!)

Good luck !

 

[Drouthy]

I'll have a look at the site with him. That's a great idea . I didn't know there was an online course

Thank you so much

 

[Austin Mini]

This is very worrying if he cant recognise a Hypo onset as he will lose his driving license if he doesnt watch out. I dont bother with Lucozade any more just buy cheap non diet Tesco lemonade works just as well. Sorry but you MUST insist he does something about this get an appointment with the nurse and go with him as support in the meantime get him to inj less insulin. I went through this faze but better now. Its a very difficult time for a wife God bless you.

 

[Caroline]

Hi Dorothy, I hope things are sorting out for you with hubby and his hypos. Perhaps he would take some jelly babies or other sugary sweets?

Speaking personally I can understand where hubby is comming from as when I am out of sorts and have anything wrong I want to be left alone. I can be quite nasty to hubby and grown up son who are only trying to help.

 

[Drouthy]

Thanks Caroline. Jelly babies are a great idea. It's difficult for both sides with this. Carers getting the aggression and partner getting the grief of the hypo. Very hard for either side to really understand the other. Someone hound try to create that as an education tool. There's 'beer googles' to let kids see what it's like to be drunk so what can be done with this?!