Semi-urgent help if poss

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DiabetesPartner

DiabetesPartner

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Hi,

Have to type quick have to go to work.

K has been constipated for last 2 days and can't face going work today. Massive stomach cramps.
She can't face eating and so I have said that she must still take her insulin (she is on 2 inj a day) but then just drink some sugary drinks to prevent hypo (as I remember reading this somewhere). I have also said to prob take less insulin than normal so not too many sugary drinks are required, maybe easier to control. Is this the best course of action?

[will ring Dr when they open, but hoping for some quick "out-of-office" advice"]

THanks

DP
 
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Definately never stop taking insulin, and if she can't eat then sugary drinks etc could be useful for preventing hypos. Test more frequently so you know what's happening. You mention she's on two injections a day, presumably that's a mixed insulin so she doesn't have a quick acting bolus? A lot of the 'sick day rules' ate based on corrective doses when necessary which you can't do with the mixed insulin so do call her dsn when possible.
Oh, and it'd be worthwhile testing for ketones too.

Hope she feels better soon.
 
Thanls for reply. Yes mixed insulin.
I wanted to get some kind of easy eating low-carb food for if she felt she cud eat but didnt take much insulin first thing. Not easy in a rush @7am in local shop. Best I could find was chicken soup, about 9g carb (~2g sugar) in 1/2 can. I suggested eating half the can waiitng, testing, and seeing if she cud eat rest without hyper.
But before all that she wud have spoke to the DSN at ~8am so we'll see.
Any other suggestions for food would be useful.

No ketone tests I'm afraid, never been offered them, but certainly on my list for the next Dr visit.

MUST go to work now. but wil check forum at work.
Thanks
 
Can't add to what Aymes has said as it works different for tablets. As a general rule of thumb a bit of extra fruit works for me, but if you don't feel like eating in the first placr, this will be difficult.

If you can't get to the doctor, the pharmacist or NHS Direct may be able to offer advice.
 
I would have thought that carby foods that she can manage would be better than trying to low carb and make up for it with sugary drinks. If she can manage maybe ice-cream it would give her carbs but without the big spikes of sugary drinks.

Any thoughts on changing to a basal bolus regieme? Almost all situations are more easily managed on these insulins.
 
A bit of porridge might be good, then she won't have to eat lots as it is very very very slow release.
 
Yogurt is often good with an intestinal upset, whether constipation or diarrhoea, and you can usually get sweetened, no-sweetened eg to match the right amount of carbohydrate for the dose of insulin. But if she hasn't been taught sick day rules, then she should ask her diabetes team to explain. Although she's on bimodal insulin, she might have been issued with a vial of short acting insulin for correction doses?
 
😡WHAT A DAY
First off, Thanks very much all for the replies they were very helpful.
In truth, we have talked about a basal/bolus regime but right know K is not too keen on more injections, but I expect she will eventually move onto it.

No vial of short acting insulin, again maybe worth a mention to the doctor.

HOWEVER now I must rant 😡

It is official, everyone is USLESS, doctor, DSN, diabetic centre, NHS direct. EVERYONE!!

Our normal Dr's opens @ 8am and K rang explaining the situation.
K: "..*K explaining situation*... so basically I am not sure how much insulin to take right now and to eat etc etc....."
Doctor's reception: "right OK the nurse will ring you this afternoon, bye *hang up*"
VERY useful...
This phone call never materialised by the way.. excellent care....

DSN at diabetic centre said K should just take her insulin but don't worry about eating if you can't manage it and don't drink sugary drinks.
Very smart....just let yourself pass out :confused:

NHS direct only seemed to concentrate on the consitpation/cramp and when K pushed for the more diabetes related help, they put her on hold to ask a colleague and got back and said that as she is newly diagnosed (I wouldnt say 6 months is that new but OK..) she shouldnt mess with her insulin dose and should contact her GP.
Obviously they didnt listen to the fact she has tried to get hold of Doctor.

I am sorry to rant on, but the moral of the story is YOU really are the best medical professional you can get, because if we had listened to the nonsense we've been told today then K would be in a pretty sorry state right now. 😡
If ever there was a story to tell people to question/second guess what you are told by doctors/DSN's etc. then this is it.

Thanks for reading.


DP
 
DP, so sorry to hear that you and K have had such a poor response from the medical profession. It really does beggar belief, and I just can't imagine what goes through their minds - especially the DSN! I've found that there are some whose advice I can trust and others who I ignore, but it's just plain wrong that what really ought to be straightforward knowledge is completely lacking.

I do hope that K is feeling better soon. I started on 4 injections, and am glad for that as I don't think I would have had the control and flexibility I have on only 2, so I hope that K will decide on this option.

Best wishes to you both.🙂
 
DP that sounds awful. There is nothing worse than being mucked about. Esecially when you are doing the best to try and help yourself. I hope K is better now and things get sorted. Give her our best x
 
Thanks guys. 😉
In the end she managed a little breakfast and dinner and had taken the right amount of insulin this morning to cope with this.
She still feels rotten with her stomach and will take another day off work, but we can handle the diabetes OK 🙂

DP
 
DiabetesPartner said:
Thanks guys. 😉
In the end she managed a little breakfast and dinner and had taken the right amount of insulin this morning to cope with this.
She still feels rotten with her stomach and will take another day off work, but we can handle the diabetes OK 🙂

DP
Click to expand...


WOW I only just noticed her HbA1c in your signature- IMPRESSIVE!!!!
 
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