Diabetes Talking

Question:

Agreed.  I cannot imagine what the hell is so important about a $.99 washcloth at K-Mart.  I see people using these darn phones to call about these kinds of sales.  And don’t even get me started on the autos.

I know what you mean.  I wrote countless numbers of vehicle citations for drivers drifting in lanes, tailgating, illegal last minute lane changes and speed to drivers talking on the phone while driving.  Almost everyone of them never stopped immediately and the few who contested it lost.  Why?  The prosecutor asked the judge or jury that how could the driver know that he was not committing a violation when he was concentrating on the phone so intently that he failed to notice a black and white unit behind him with bright red and blue lights flashing right behind him?  There are a few  states that prohibit driving and using the telephone at the same time, even hands-free styles. You know me, I have to believe there is something psychotic in the NEED to use a cell phone in public.

Last year for a vacation, we took the kids and grandson to Disneyland. I saw several people talking while in the restaurant or waiting in lines.  I told my wife that there is NO ONE that important.  I carry a pager that only 8 family members know.  They’re nothing more than an electronic leash with a chockchain.  They go off and you jump.  I do have a cell phone that is left in the vehicle for highway emergencies.

Response:

Bean, Sorry that you had such a bad experience.  This is not what I usually expect from an ER (we have box lunches and "Healthy Choice" frozen dinners in ours) but I get complaints like this from time to time. The ER crew often has a tough job. When people come in cracked up from car accidents, and the knife & gun club had a few more initiations,  diabetes gets a lower priority. Making a screw up on the insulin dose is more common than you would think. I get calls like this about every 2 weeks. We have stressed that patients need to have a very low threshold for calling us. I would rather answer a simple phone call than deal with the ER hassle also. It’s not much easier on my end to go to the ER. Did you try calling your doc first ? Don’t be bashful about it.  What we usually recommend is that the person start pushing the carbs, and if they are low now,  get them in liquid form. We also insist on somebody being there,,, if they have a family then great, but if not they need to call Mom or Dad, cousin, friend, co-worker, etc to be there.   The "sitter" needs to know where and how to use the glucagon. You DO have glucagon on hand don’t you? How did you get to the ER?  I hope you didn’t drive yourself. We have called paramedics out when the person was obviously too far gone to follow instructions. The only tool that the ER doc has that you don’t is IV glucose. IMHO a push ought to be followed by a continuous IV infusion of glucose if you are unable to ingest food by mouth. It seems that you were conscious through the who ordeal, thus feeding you would have been preferable. It would have worked as well as the IV glucose, and you would be happier. I’ve actually gone to the doctor’s lounge and gotten a Coke and a sandwich for some of my patients when the ER crew was working in a cardiac arrest. It’s amazing that an IV ampule is easier to find and administer than food, but that’s the way it is in an ER. Bean, just wait until you get the ER bill. Let us know what the total cost on your visit was. Between the ER visit, overnight in ICU, all those amps of D50, sounds like a $1500 overdose of insulin to me. At least. Sorry again about that. I’ll bet you’re more careful about this in the future. Ask your doc what he/she thinks you could have done instead, just in case there is a next time. William Biggs

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – JLang writes: You’re right if you modify your assertion to "ER doctors do much better with acute than chronic health problems." Partly because of stupid TV shows about ERs, partly because of insurance and access problems, and partly because of other things (including poor judgement), too many people go to ERs for things they have no reason to expect ERs to be good at. Other doctors (how about diabetes specialists) are likely to be much better at what they do routinely (surprise, it’s diabetes care). You need a doctor who has plenty of experience with your problem, who is accessible, and who cares what happens to you (those are what the doctor should contribute to your problem). You have to speak up and ask questions (and keep asking until you get answers), you have to be honest with her/him about what you’re doing & not doing, and you have to expect your doctor to be best at what she/he does most. Bottom line: don’t go to an endocrinologist for a gunshot wound; don’t go to an ER for efficient and optimal diabetes care. You probably already know this, so forgive the rant.

I dunno I guess it also depends on the level of care your endo is willing or able to provide.  In my case, I was a bit glad I went into the ER because they said my potassium was low ( I guess to the drop in BG?) and that I could potentially risk a heart attack b/c of the low potassium.  How great the risk was I dunno.  Their treatment of the low BGs was absurd though.  I must have had about 5 glucose pushes.  And they hurt like hell which I didn’t know earlier.  The lack of food was riduculous.  Looking back on it, I guess I should have ordered out for pizza.  My experience with pure glucose is that it may temporarily cure a hypo but you need something with more protein/fat to sustain the sugar level. I also encountered alot of the treatment I’ve heard others on this NG describe. The medical team always wanted to keep my BGs over 150 and wouldn’t even give me insulin until a full day later when I passed out after eating breakfast. ( I think the BG was around 500). I just am not understanding something here.  A close friend of mine recently had a hospital stay for a stroke and surgery for a heart disorder.  She raved about the good treatment she got at the hospital.  What’s the deal with diabetes? Its not like this is some kind of obscure disease we don’t know anything about?  Why can’t these docs get their shit together on this? Beanie Beanie,  I have a chronic  condition(Another one<G). that makes me have low potassium, I remember getting readings of 2.4 and my Dr calling me on the same day to make sure I wasn’t having chest pains. One time I was supposed to be put under general anithesia for a biopsy, and they decided not to do the surgery because my potasium at the time was 2.9. So anyways the threat of a heart attack with low potassium can be serious. Jacquie Type 2…Metformin 500 mg Twice a day

Response:

Generally I agree, too. There’s a great bumper sticker: "Hang up and Drive!!" Also, I have seen on one health risk assessment page a question pertaining to cell phone use while driving (have seen elsewhere in news publications that using a cell phone while driving is as much of a risk as drinking and driving). BUT, a few years ago I was pretty thankful for the person who called the rescue squad on a cell phone after I rear-ended a huge piece of farm machinery (all right, it was a manure-spreader) on a lonesome stretch of two-lane state road one November night (long story, short version: it had no lights). This crash had nothing to do with diabetes, though I was asked that repeatedly. One case where it really came in handy. Who knows how far away the nearest phone was. BTW thanks to seat belts, I came out of the totalled car bruised and shaken (not stirred), but basically okay. — Nanuq of the North, T2, 6 years, glucophage, diet & (not enough) exercise Remove grzl to send email: I’m only a grizzly when my bgs are low! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Wendy, who has a passionate and possibly irrational hatred for people who use cell phones in public. Wendy: Agreed.  I cannot imagine what the hell is so important about a $.99 washcloth at K-Mart.  I see people using these darn phones to call about these kinds of sales.  And don’t even get me started on the autos. You know me, I have to believe there is something psychotic in the NEED to use a cell phone in public.   Judy

Response:

Wendy, who has a passionate and possibly irrational hatred for people who use cell phones in public.

Wendy: Agreed.  I cannot imagine what the hell is so important about a $.99 washcloth at K-Mart.  I see people using these darn phones to call about these kinds of sales.  And don’t even get me started on the autos. You know me, I have to believe there is something psychotic in the NEED to use a cell phone in public.   Judy

Response:

same experience here in canada…..  and if you ever need to go to hospital for a pre arranged visit (hopefully not)  make sure that your chart reads that you are in charge of your medication routine as it pertains to diabetes…. get your Dr on line with you…. the nurses are not allowed to do anything that is not authorized by your Dr

Response:

I can empathize with you Beanie. Though my experience was a little different. I was admitted on a non-diabetic issue. However, even after telling them that I was a diabetic, and gave them the meds I was on, the doctor(s) there at the hospital stopped all my meds completely. I was totally shocked. Not dispensing meds for a chronic illness?

Last Sept I was admitted to the hospital for a possible heart problem.  No heart attack but it goes a little wacky when heavy exertion is involved.  I had the same problem.  Because it was at night, and I worked at night, I couldn’t get anything to eat.  I told them my med regimine and insulin doses and that was the last I heard from them.  The next morning at breakfast, I had to set it aside because no insulin was delivered.  I called my wife to bring my meds (I sort them out in a weekly despenser) and I pulled out the Hype Kit.  The nurse came in and said that I would get the insulin within a hour.  I dosed my own insulin and shot away.  I told her she had the opportunity last night (was admitted around 1:00am) to take care of this and if the hospital couldn’t handle it, I would.  I was called basically a pushy know-it-all.  I told the day nurse that I am not a know-it-all but I know about me.  Never had another incident for the remaining 3 days there.

Response:

AMEN, Sista Judy! I went thru a terribly long period of suffering severe hypos. I will credit the hospital where I was treated the first few times in that I did receive a meal STAT after the glucose push. But damn, sitting around waiting for the hospital personnel to decide my bg was stable seemed like such an incredible waste of time. I could’ve actually been home doing something productive rather than sitting empty-handed on a gurney watching the clock tick. I was *never* released before my bg had skyrocketed to reading simply "HI" on the meter… Once I had no insurance, there was no question that I was not going to be whisked off to the pricey ER for treatment that I could provide for myself just as well. A glucose push from the EMTs occasionally, but I happily signed the form refusing to be transported to the hospital a number of times. The EMTs would leave, satisfied that someone in the household was in the kitchen fixing me a plate of food. Quite simply, the treatment for hypos caused by injected insulin is food. Quick acting carbs when under insulin assault, followed up by balanced stick-to-your-ribs (and in your system) sustenance stuffs. My feeling is, why pay a hospital megabucks to figure that out? Or, in Beanie’s case, paying a hospital megabucks NOT to figure that out. All that being said, I’m glad Beanie’s all better and back with the rest of us ole curmudgeons now. She’ll be a ‘vet’ in no time given the brilliant medical personnel like she described at the ready to ummm… ‘treat’ (cough) her. Congrats on surviving the inititiation ritual, Bean! (huggs) Robin – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -All the Type 1s on here, let’s cheer.  Beanie is getting there, or at least close.  Yes, this is the perfect time to order a pizza, maybe two.  None of us plan for these things to happen, but when they do – take advantage of it.  May not happen again for years.  So, next time, don’t panic – EAT WITHOUT GUILT. )   ) Judy

Response:

Well I hope there isn’t a next time, but I’ll have to remember to bring a cell phone so I can order out for pizza.  Thanks Ginny, I’m doing much, much better today.  

Do NOT use the cell phone in the ER! lol!  This reminds me of my last visit to the ER, with my son.  There are signs all over the place that ask you NOT to use your cell phone as it will set off the sensitive machinery to which other people are hooked up.  This basically brain-dead woman in the bed across from my son decided to ignore the signs and call her husband, explaining in great detail (and with much volume) how to put the laundry away, get dinner started, etc. etc. etc.  Sure enough, little machine sirens started going off in different corners of the room.  The nurses ran around hysterical for a while and then one came over and demanded that the woman put the phone away, explaining to her that it was triggering the machines and endangering patient care.  The woman looked highly offended, but put the phone away — until the nurse left, and then she blithely pulled it out again and proceeded to talk to her girlfriend (again, in a VERY loud voice) about a planned shopping expedition. Use a pay phone to order pizza, or grab a nurse by the throat and threaten to not let her go until food is forthcoming.  But put that cell phone away! Wendy, who has a passionate and possibly irrational hatred for people who use cell phones in public.

Response:

All the Type 1s on here, let’s cheer.  Beanie is getting there, or at least close.  Yes, this is the perfect time to order a pizza, maybe two.  None of us plan for these things to happen, but when they do – take advantage of it.  May not happen again for years.  So, next time, don’t panic – EAT WITHOUT GUILT. )   ) Judy

Response:

I just had one of the most horrible experiences since becoming diabetic – so naturally I just wanted to share this with my fellow diabetics.

<snipped for brevity I can empathize with you Beanie. Though my experience was a little different. I was admitted on a non-diabetic issue. However, even after telling them that I was a diabetic, and gave them the meds I was on, the doctor(s) there at the hospital stopped all my meds completely. I was totally shocked. Not dispensing meds for a chronic illness? They would come in and test my sugar, and then proceed to berate me because my sugar stayed in the 160-180 range. This possible only due to the bland, generally crappy hospital food. Only after a particularly caustic remark to one of the nurses, did they start my meds up. Sentinel T2 – 11/96 – Glucotrol XL & Glucophage

Response:

I also encountered alot of the treatment I’ve heard others on this NG describe. The medical team always wanted to keep my BGs over 150 and wouldn’t even give me insulin until a full day later when I passed out after eating breakfast. ( I think the BG was around 500).    

Don’t get me started. I wound up in an ER once, with a physician on staff at that hospital for whom I happened to do technical work and who marked me on several scientific papers he wrote. The blood glucose marked "stat" took 3 hours to return. He ordered me a sandwich, that took 2.5 hours. After we left, he formally apologized for the *ROTTEN* quality of their care. They simply failed to deal with the hypoglycemia I was experiencing in any meaningful way, despite his physical presence in the ER (which was not where he worked!) and his attempts to get them to do their damn jobs. This was at a major hospital in Boston whose name I am reserving for various professional reasons. By contrast, Mount Auburn Hospital a month ago was a prize of speed and awareness. I injured my hand, and they were fast, aware, and helpful. The only thing they missed was how fast I was talking due to low blood sugar (a reaction to the injury!), but that’s not necessarily a common symptom. They get a gold star for it. —

Response:

Ginny writes: Beanie.  Sure glad you came through the ordeal ok.  You know, with all the zillions of $$ spent on high tech equipment & staff, you’d think every hospital could have snacks readily available for just such an emergency.  Too bad you couldn’t have gone to "Chicago Hope" or "ER". Oh, wait a minute, you went to a REAL hospital.  Hope your bgs have stabilized & you’re feeling better.

Well I hope there isn’t a next time, but I’ll have to remember to bring a cell phone so I can order out for pizza.  Thanks Ginny, I’m doing much, much better today.   Beanie Type I, MDI (Humalog and Ultralente)

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -JLang writes: You’re right if you modify your assertion to "ER doctors do much better with acute than chronic health problems." Partly because of stupid TV shows about ERs, partly because of insurance and access problems, and partly because of other things (including poor judgement), too many people go to ERs for things they have no reason to expect ERs to be good at. Other doctors (how about diabetes specialists) are likely to be much better at what they do routinely (surprise, it’s diabetes care). You need a doctor who has plenty of experience with your problem, who is accessible, and who cares what happens to you (those are what the doctor should contribute to your problem). You have to speak up and ask questions (and keep asking until you get answers), you have to be honest with her/him about what you’re doing & not doing, and you have to expect your doctor to be best at what she/he does most. Bottom line: don’t go to an endocrinologist for a gunshot wound; don’t go to an ER for efficient and optimal diabetes care. You probably already know this, so forgive the rant.

I dunno I guess it also depends on the level of care your endo is willing or able to provide.  In my case, I was a bit glad I went into the ER because they said my potassium was low ( I guess to the drop in BG?) and that I could potentially risk a heart attack b/c of the low potassium.  How great the risk was I dunno.  Their treatment of the low BGs was absurd though.  I must have had about 5 glucose pushes.  And they hurt like hell which I didn’t know earlier.  The lack of food was riduculous.  Looking back on it, I guess I should have ordered out for pizza.  My experience with pure glucose is that it may temporarily cure a hypo but you need something with more protein/fat to sustain the sugar level. I also encountered alot of the treatment I’ve heard others on this NG describe.  The medical team always wanted to keep my BGs over 150 and wouldn’t even give me insulin until a full day later when I passed out after eating breakfast. ( I think the BG was around 500).     I just am not understanding something here.  A close friend of mine recently had a hospital stay for a stroke and surgery for a heart disorder.  She raved about the good treatment she got at the hospital.  What’s the deal with diabetes? Its not like this is some kind of obscure disease we don’t know anything about?  Why can’t these docs get their shit together on this? Beanie Type I, MDI (Humalog and Ultralente)

Response:

I think I’ll just frame this for future reference.  As in the words of Neil Simon,  "If I ever get sick take me to a pharmacy but NEVER a hospital". Beanie Type I, MDI (Humalog and Ultralente)

If you came into the ER with a gunshot wound to the head and a stubbed toe, they would have been able to take care of you with no problem (doctors do much better with "acute" rather than "chronic" health problems). Jeez. These hospital employees sound like something out of a Robin Cook novel. Thank God you’re alright. Jennifer

Response:

If you came into the ER with a gunshot wound to the head and a stubbed toe, they would have been able to take care of you with no problem (doctors do much better with "acute" rather than "chronic" health problems). Jeez. These hospital employees sound like something out of a Robin Cook novel. Thank God you’re alright.

You’re right if you modify your assertion to "ER doctors do much better with acute than chronic health problems." Partly because of stupid TV shows about ERs, partly because of insurance and access problems, and partly because of other things (including poor judgement), too many people go to ERs for things they have no reason to expect ERs to be good at. Other doctors (how about diabetes specialists) are likely to be much better at what they do routinely (surprise, it’s diabetes care). You need a doctor who has plenty of experience with your problem, who is accessible, and who cares what happens to you (those are what the doctor should contribute to your problem). You have to speak up and ask questions (and keep asking until you get answers), you have to be honest with her/him about what you’re doing & not doing, and you have to expect your doctor to be best at what she/he does most. Bottom line: don’t go to an endocrinologist for a gunshot wound; don’t go to an ER for efficient and optimal diabetes care. You probably already know this, so forgive the rant.

Response:

I just had one of the most horrible experiences since becoming diabetic – so naturally I just wanted to share this with my fellow diabetics. Here’s the problem.  All that time in the ER I had asked for food and was given a meal about 3 hours after arrival.  Then no food for over 12 hours.

EGADS!  What a tough way to learn that doctors and nurses, especially in an ER have only basic knowledge of the effects of diabetes, if that at all.  ER personal are there to stabilize a person.  This would have been easily done with a OJ or a sandwich a couple of times.

Response:

From Guy Williams                     Considering the cost oif medical cure, we have the right to expect better. If we quit chopping at each other and develop a uniteds front  to set standards for diabetic care we can expect horror stories to continue.

Response:

Beanie.  Sure glad you came through the ordeal ok.  You know, with all the zillions of $$ spent on high tech equipment & staff, you’d think every hospital could have snacks readily available for just such an emergency.  Too bad you couldn’t have gone to "Chicago Hope" or "ER". Oh, wait a minute, you went to a REAL hospital.  Hope your bgs have stabilized & you’re feeling better. Ginny  

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -JLang writes: That sounds miserable but possibly avoidable. After discovering your mistake (took insulin twice, similar to a more common error, taking AM dose in PM), you should have called your diabetes specialist, who (if experienced) would have reviewed with you the length of time the extra insulin would work, would have suggested you: 1. approximately doubling your carbohydrate intake for that length of time, 2.  check sugars about every 2 hours until past the peak of the insulin (and eat more if they go lower than 90), 3  make sure a family member or friend is there with you, 4 as a last resort if food couldn’t keep sugars up would have explained how to take a partial glucagon dose subcutaneously instead of IM, and 5 would have told you to  KEEP AWAY FROM the ER.    ER docs rarely know how to efficiently manage diabetic emergencies. They won’t kill you, and they’ll eventually get you better, but they often do far more tests, use suboptimal treatments (such as IV glucose pushes) because they are more familiar with them, and keep you far longer than a good endocrinologist will, simply because of the excessive caution which goes with inexperience. If your doctor isn’t a diabetes specialist, consider getting one. Your 24 hour ICU admission would have paid for the next 5 years of specialist care.

I think I’ll just frame this for future reference.  As in the words of Neil Simon,  "If I ever get sick take me to a pharmacy but NEVER a hospital". Beanie Type I, MDI (Humalog and Ultralente)

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Judy writes: Hard to believe, isn’t it?  Was it Nico that said he up and walked out?  Would take some nerve because the clinicians get you to thinking that things might be worse than they are and get you too scared to do something else. One time I ran to the ER to have a cyst lanced on my lunch hour. (Thank goodness this was over 15 years ago and I hope no one is around who remembers me ) )  I was a good employee and couldn’t take time off because of the work deadlines.  That’s why I did the lunch hour thing.  Anyway, I was lying on the table and mentioned to the nurse that I thought I might need something to eat.  She asked why.  I explained I was a diabetic. She ran to the lunch room and got me an egg salad sandwich. Out of her own pocket (which I reimbursed). I don’t think it is the hospital, but whomever is on shift at the time. Sorry this happened.  Thinking about writing a letter?  Think you should.  (I wrote one about the nurse that got me the sandwich) Judy P.S.  In 26 years I have never had as much trouble as I have had in the last year with remembering which meds I have taken.  I always go for safe  (I guess a matter of perspective) so I don’t take it if I can’t remember.  I always figure the ole BGs will tell me and I will just have to take care of highs for a day or two.  Better than overdosing.

You know the awful part was that when I saw that I could have probably gotten better,quicker treatment at home, I told the doctor that if I didn’t get food and a visit from him in reasonable time I was leaving.  He then threatened to PEC me (forced stay under doctor’s orders) because he said that I was not stable to leave the hospital.   I wasn’t even allowed to have a phone to call my family to bring me something to eat.  Personally, it makes me mad as hell it seems that prisoners in the USA have more rights than diabetics (overdramatizing I know).   Well that was a very expensive hypo and I sure as hell won’t go to an ER for a hypo again if I can help it.  And you’re right Judy I shoulda just not worried too much about the high BGs and not taken the dose. I kinda laugh now because I’m usually the ‘good’ girl……but in that ER I was actually thinking of a way I could make a break for it and run.  <g Beanie Type I, MDI (Humalog and Ultralente)

Response:

Beanie: Hard to believe, isn’t it?  Was it Nico that said he up and walked out?  Would take some nerve because the clinicians get you to thinking that things might be worse than they are and get you too scared to do something else. One time I ran to the ER to have a cyst lanced on my lunch hour.  (Thank goodness this was over 15 years ago and I hope no one is around who remembers me ) )  I was a good employee and couldn’t take time off because of the work deadlines.  That’s why I did the lunch hour thing.  Anyway, I was lying on the table and mentioned to the nurse that I thought I might need something to eat.  She asked why.  I explained I was a diabetic.  She ran to the lunch room and got me an egg salad sandwich. Out of her own pocket (which I reimbursed). I don’t think it is the hospital, but whomever is on shift at the time. Sorry this happened.  Thinking about writing a letter?  Think you should.  (I wrote one about the nurse that got me the sandwich) Judy P.S.  In 26 years I have never had as much trouble as I have had in the last year with remembering which meds I have taken.  I always go for safe  (I guess a matter of perspective) so I don’t take it if I can’t remember.  I always figure the ole BGs will tell me and I will just have to take care of highs for a day or two.  Better than overdosing.

Response:

That sounds miserable but possibly avoidable. After discovering your mistake (took insulin twice, similar to a more common error, taking AM dose in PM), you should have called your diabetes specialist, who (if experienced) would have reviewed with you the length of time the extra insulin would work, would have suggested you: 1. approximately doubling your carbohydrate intake for that length of time, 2.  check sugars about every 2 hours until past the peak of the insulin (and eat more if they go lower than 90), 3  make sure a family member or friend is there with you, 4 as a last resort if food couldn’t keep sugars up would have explained how to take a partial glucagon dose subcutaneously instead of IM, and 5 would have told you to  KEEP AWAY FROM the ER.     ER docs rarely know how to efficiently manage diabetic emergencies. They won’t kill you, and they’ll eventually get you better, but they often do far more tests, use suboptimal treatments (such as IV glucose pushes) because they are more familiar with them, and keep you far longer than a good endocrinologist will, simply because of the excessive caution which goes with inexperience. If your doctor isn’t a diabetes specialist, consider getting one. Your 24 hour ICU admission would have paid for the next 5 years of specialist care.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just had one of the most horrible experiences since becoming diabetic – so naturally I just wanted to share this with my fellow diabetics.  Thursday morning I took my usual doses of UL and Humalog and ate a small breakfast. I’ve been in the middle of moving so my life has been very hectic.  Well I feel pretty stupid now …but I couldn’t remember whether or not I had taken the UL and without really thinking I took another dose of UL.  After I realized what happened I decided I’d just wait it out and see if I’d be ok.  Well I wasn’t and that night my BGs started dropping so low that even after several regular Coke’s and candy and bread……nothing seemed to matter so I went to the ER. After about 6 hours in the ER and about 3 glucose pushes the BGs would still not stay up so they transferred me to the ICU for continuous BG monitoring and glucose pushes. Here’s the problem.  All that time in the ER I had asked for food and was given a meal about 3 hours after arrival.  Then no food for over 12 hours.  And my BGs were staying at 40 , 55 ish.  The answers I"d get from the ER staff would be "we’re working on it" "we’re just really busy".  And mind you this was at a private hospital, supposed to be the best in town.  After a few hours in ICU I told the nurse about the food situation and politely explained to her that the glucose would just wear off right away and that’s why my BGs wouldn’t stay up. So she actually gave me some food from the employee’s lounge and lo and behold the BGs finally got back up there.  Anywayyy,  the doctor decided not to give me any insulin until the BGs became stable.  So the following morning they brought me their ‘diabetic’ diet of OJ, Milk, Biscuit, Grits and Eggs.  No morning I guess they decided I needed insulin so they gave me a shot of H and U ( the wrong dose btw)…..an HOUR after eating.  Call me crazy, but is this good medical care?  I was so put out with the treatment that I almost wish I had just stayed home and continued with my own ‘treatment’ (not really but I’m just pissed). Beanie Type I, MDI (Humalog and Ultralente)

  What a bad experience!  Where was your doctor?  What doses of insulin did you double?  That is, how many units of what?   My few experiences in emergency with low BG were pretty good, even without my own doctor.–Phil —   Phil Munro                           Dept of Electrical Engineering                                                 Youngstown, Ohio  44555

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I just had one of the most horrible experiences since becoming diabetic – so naturally I just wanted to share this with my fellow diabetics.  Thursday morning I took my usual doses of UL and Humalog and ate a small breakfast. I’ve been in the middle of moving so my life has been very hectic.  Well I feel pretty stupid now …but I couldn’t remember whether or not I had taken the UL and without really thinking I took another dose of UL.  After I realized what happened I decided I’d just wait it out and see if I’d be ok.  Well I wasn’t and that night my BGs started dropping so low that even after several regular Coke’s and candy and bread……nothing seemed to matter so I went to the ER. After about 6 hours in the ER and about 3 glucose pushes the BGs would still not stay up so they transferred me to the ICU for continuous BG monitoring and glucose pushes. Here’s the problem.  All that time in the ER I had asked for food and was given a meal about 3 hours after arrival.  Then no food for over 12 hours.  And my BGs were staying at 40 , 55 ish.  The answers I"d get from the ER staff would be "we’re working on it" "we’re just really busy".  And mind you this was at a private hospital, supposed to be the best in town.  After a few hours in ICU I told the nurse about the food situation and politely explained to her that the glucose would just wear off right away and that’s why my BGs wouldn’t stay up. So she actually gave me some food from the employee’s lounge and lo and behold the BGs finally got back up there.  Anywayyy,  the doctor decided not to give me any insulin until the BGs became stable.  So the following morning they brought me their ‘diabetic’ diet of OJ, Milk, Biscuit, Grits and Eggs.  No morning I guess they decided I needed insulin so they gave me a shot of H and U ( the wrong dose btw)…..an HOUR after eating.  Call me crazy, but is this good medical care?  I was so put out with the treatment that I almost wish I had just stayed home and continued with my own ‘treatment’ (not really but I’m just pissed). Beanie Type I, MDI (Humalog and Ultralente)

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