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Very Painful Arm

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MummyRose2009

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
i wasnt sure where to post this.

When i was in hospital i was stabbed all over my arms and had four canulars in different places. None of them hurt except one on my forearm before my wrist. Its been gradually getting worse since the first visit to hospital and its really sore and tender to touch and swollen. I'm going to try make an appointment with the doctor today but appointments are few and far between at the moment.

i'm worried if it is infected how much worse is it going to get and is having an infection going to affect my insulin level, i really don't want to end up back in hospital with an infection with me being newly diagnosed but it really does hurt :(
 
Tell the receptionist that you are diabetic and that you think your arm is infected (from what you have posted that is what you think isn't it?) If you can see red marks on the veins then tell them that and they should give you an appointment.

Failing that I see you are in sheffield - try one of the walk in centres here

http://www.sheffield.nhs.uk/walk-in/
 
If you can't get a GP appointment, then ask to see practice nurse - if they see you have an infection in your skin / vein, the nurse will be able to get you to see GP quickly for antibiotic prescription if that's what is needed. If it's an infection, the situation will start to improve with your first antibiotic dose, but make sure you take all, and ask about which pain killers are best for you.
 
Hi, If you're able to, I'd go into the drs and say you'll wait for an appointment! I'm sure when they see your arm/wrist, they'll let you see someone. And it is important you tell them you're diabetic as this can (only can, not a certainty!) affect your healing time, and your blood sugar levels may be raised whilst your body fights infection, which then means more insulin!

Do not feel like you are pulling the 'diabetic card' as I used to feel! You need to get it sorted for a reason.

Good luck. And definitely agree with Margie that if they won't see you, you need to go to a walk in centre.
 
Can't add to the advice given.

Your BGs were very high while the cannulas were in and afterwards for a short while. High BGs allow infections to take hold quicker, so you could well have one.

Now you are coming back down, your immune system should be coping better but you may need antibiotics to clear this up.🙂

Rob
 
Hey everyone thank you for replies i've got to admit i feel like i have a endless list of problems at the moment :(

I'm going to be walking into the doctors this morning and seeing what i can do. It is quite painful but i cant see any marks except for where the canular went in. its just quite swollen and sore.

My sugar levels have shot up again this morning and i've started to feel a bit sick so i hope i'm not slipping back to the way i was before i've been so careful with my sugars and carbs.Waiting for diabetes nurse to phone me but if she hasn't phoned me before i set off to doctors i'll be phoning her from my mums.

i've noticed as well that my face has broken out in a bumpy rash (not red or visible unless look closely but definately bumpy)
 
Unfortunately, it's a vicious circle if it is infected.

High BGs cause greater risk of infection. Infections cause BGs to rise. Return to step 1 and repeat ad infinitum.

SO it could be coincidence that your BGs are still high and you have a painful wrist. Or it could be that it's infected and causing your BGs to rise.

If the latter, then you will need more insulin temporarily until teh infection clears and your BGs drop back down. It's just a little quirk of diabetes that we have to try and feed into the equations.🙄

You will feel battered until you get stabilised, but once there, you'll be more in tune with your body and will recognise what's 'normal' and what isn't.

Good luck at the doc's and emphasise that you're Type 1 newly diagnosed and have had high BGs. Never take it for granted that a nurse or doctor have read any notes.

Rob
 
Certainly sounds like a bad infection to me. Make sure you get seen today! You could try the pharmacy but they will probably send you straight to the doctors! The rash sounds like an allergic reaction but I guess it could be due to your infection. Hope you are feeling better soon x
 
MummyRose2009 said:
i wasnt sure where to post this.

When i was in hospital i was stabbed all over my arms and had four canulars in different places. None of them hurt except one on my forearm before my wrist. Its been gradually getting worse since the first visit to hospital and its really sore and tender to touch and swollen. I'm going to try make an appointment with the doctor today but appointments are few and far between at the moment.

i'm worried if it is infected how much worse is it going to get and is having an infection going to affect my insulin level, i really don't want to end up back in hospital with an infection with me being newly diagnosed but it really does hurt :(
Click to expand...

This happened to me once, when I had a pneumonia injection my forearm became very swollen and extremely painful and red - I couldn't move it - if this sounds like you my advice is to go to A and E and get it checked out, tell them you are Diabetic. I didn't get mine seen to for several days and I ended up in hospital a fortnight with ketones because of the infection. I would at least ring NHS direct if I were you. I don't mean to scare you, just concerned. I hope you are feeling much better soon 🙂
 
Sugar level has been high all day, diabetes nurse got me some ketone strips and luckily no signs of ketones, insulin has been put up and im to check my blood sugar and ketones every two hours.

Trying to get an appointment at the doctors is like trying to pull your own teeth. i'm going to try again tomorrow but at the moment they arent doing anything to help me and i will be putting in a complaint.
Gonna see how my arm is in the morning, the nurse thinks the bumpyness on my face is dryness due to me being dehydrated before and my diet changing. My arm hasnt got any rash on it but it is still swollen and very tender.
i told the nurses the second day of me being in hospital that the canular was causing me immense pain and causing me to cry out if i moved my wrist but they said it was just cause i had fluids going into my arm...funnily enough none of the other three canular sites are hurting or sore or anything.
 
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