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- Thread starter Gill Drum
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Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome @Gill Drum and so sorry to hear about your husband’s hypoglycaemic comas. That must be awful for you both.
Can I ask if he has a CGM? Has he always suffered severe hypos or is this a recent thing?
Can I ask if he has a CGM? Has he always suffered severe hypos or is this a recent thing?
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi welcome to the forum
Just one thing, you say hyperglycaemic episodes but I think you must mean Hypo as you used the glucogen kit.
I just mention so it doesn't confuse people.
If you are able to say how your husband manages his condition, what insulins does he take and how long has he been diagnosed then people will hopefully be able to make some suggestions.
Does he have a Libre or similar.
Sally71
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent
Ooh that sounds really scary. Just to clarify, you said he had HYPERglycaemic comas but you treated it with a glucogen HYPO kit, does that mean he actually had HYPOglycaemic comas? (Hyper = high, hypo = low, blood sugars can go either way)
Does your husband have any sort of sensors? Libre or Dexcom are the most common ones. These would alarm if his blood sugar is going out of range so that you would have chance to help him before he becomes comatose. I’m presuming he doesn’t, all type 1s are supposed to be able to get these on prescription now and if you are having to use glucagon on him then he has a good case to request one. He should see his doctor.
However, if he’s going so low that he’s unconscious then that would suggest something a bit awry with his diabetes management. Does he see a doctor or specialist nurse regularly? Is he proactive in trying to keep his blood sugars stable? It sounds like he might need some help to keep things a bit better under control. Diabetes is a complicated beastie and things can change from time to time, so what might have once worked well for him may not be doing so any more. Would he mind if you went to his next appointment with him so that you can understand better and help him?
Does your husband have any sort of sensors? Libre or Dexcom are the most common ones. These would alarm if his blood sugar is going out of range so that you would have chance to help him before he becomes comatose. I’m presuming he doesn’t, all type 1s are supposed to be able to get these on prescription now and if you are having to use glucagon on him then he has a good case to request one. He should see his doctor.
However, if he’s going so low that he’s unconscious then that would suggest something a bit awry with his diabetes management. Does he see a doctor or specialist nurse regularly? Is he proactive in trying to keep his blood sugars stable? It sounds like he might need some help to keep things a bit better under control. Diabetes is a complicated beastie and things can change from time to time, so what might have once worked well for him may not be doing so any more. Would he mind if you went to his next appointment with him so that you can understand better and help him?
What is a CGM?
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
A continuous glucose monitor. Dexcom is one type. The Libre is similar. They help monitor blood sugar and have a range of alarms to alert to impending lows and falling sugars, etc.
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
If it’s the Libre he’s got, he might find the Dexcom G7 better (I do - by miles). You can set the Low alarm higher on the Dexcom. It also alerts you to fast falling blood sugar. It catches more hypos in my experience @Gill Drum
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
If he’s had these sudden and severe hypos, he might qualify for the Dexcom G7 on the NHS. Also, if he’s on injections, he might want to look at insulin pumps. They can reduce nocturnal hypos in particular because their basal rate can much more closely match what the individual needs.
Also, some pumps can be used in a ‘loop’ with a Dexcom sensor or other such sensor. Then they can temporarily suspend insulin if a person is going low.
Also, some pumps can be used in a ‘loop’ with a Dexcom sensor or other such sensor. Then they can temporarily suspend insulin if a person is going low.
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi and welcome from me too.
So sorry to hear that your husband is experiencing these dangerously low hypos and that you have been left in the scary position of having to deal with them. I hope we are able to help you a bit.
If you can answer questions in as much detail as possible it will really help us to help you and your husband.....
1. When are these hypos happening? ie Daytime or when he is asleep or no obvious pattern?
2. Which insulins does he use? The actual names of them and has he always used these insulins or have they been changed recently?
3. Which sensors does he have and what is his low alarm set at?
4. Was he particularly active the day of these bad hypos or perhaps had some alcohol? Not saying he shouldn't drink but knowing how to keep yourself safe with alcohol whilst using insulin is important. Same with increased exercise/activity.
5. Who oversees his diabetes management? ie his GP or a nurse at his GP surgery or does he attend a specialist diabetes clinic usually at a hospital? If he is just being managed at his GP surgery then he should push for a referral to a specialist clinic. GPs do not have enough in depth knowledge of Type 1 to support him and it is certainly not acceptable to suggest that this is part of having diabetes long term. It needs specialist support to try to work out the cause and how to prevent it.
6. What does he use to inject his insulin? There was a lady on my DAFNE course who was using a metal gun type thing that she had had for about 40 years to inject her Lantus. She was experiencing regular bad hypos like you describe where her family were having to call paramedics during the night because she was losing consciousness. She was referred onto the DAFNE course where they discovered that the injector gun mechanism had worn and was not injecting the correct dose. She was given an insulin pump after completing the course which enabled her to manage her levels much better. Just wondering if your husband has been diagnosed a long time, maybe he is using old, potentially worn equipment?
So sorry to hear that your husband is experiencing these dangerously low hypos and that you have been left in the scary position of having to deal with them. I hope we are able to help you a bit.
If you can answer questions in as much detail as possible it will really help us to help you and your husband.....
1. When are these hypos happening? ie Daytime or when he is asleep or no obvious pattern?
2. Which insulins does he use? The actual names of them and has he always used these insulins or have they been changed recently?
3. Which sensors does he have and what is his low alarm set at?
4. Was he particularly active the day of these bad hypos or perhaps had some alcohol? Not saying he shouldn't drink but knowing how to keep yourself safe with alcohol whilst using insulin is important. Same with increased exercise/activity.
5. Who oversees his diabetes management? ie his GP or a nurse at his GP surgery or does he attend a specialist diabetes clinic usually at a hospital? If he is just being managed at his GP surgery then he should push for a referral to a specialist clinic. GPs do not have enough in depth knowledge of Type 1 to support him and it is certainly not acceptable to suggest that this is part of having diabetes long term. It needs specialist support to try to work out the cause and how to prevent it.
6. What does he use to inject his insulin? There was a lady on my DAFNE course who was using a metal gun type thing that she had had for about 40 years to inject her Lantus. She was experiencing regular bad hypos like you describe where her family were having to call paramedics during the night because she was losing consciousness. She was referred onto the DAFNE course where they discovered that the injector gun mechanism had worn and was not injecting the correct dose. She was given an insulin pump after completing the course which enabled her to manage her levels much better. Just wondering if your husband has been diagnosed a long time, maybe he is using old, potentially worn equipment?
Bruce Stephens
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
As @rebrascora says, hypos that bad are serious things that healthcare professionals will want to help with. So if he's currently under the care of a GP and not a hospital, asking for a referral to the hospital team makes sense, and they can look at everything and try and reduce the chances of such nasty hypos.
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