# learning how to deal with my perfect mans hypos!!



## Lissy87 (Aug 18, 2011)

Hello everybody,

I hope you don?t mind me jumping in but help advice or just chit chat of experience would be greatly appreciated. 

My lovely boyfriend and I have only been together a year but we feel so right for each other it?s scary (and a bit bucket at bay!!! eeeek) But he is one of those guys you cannot help to love. 6"1 athletic blonde blue eyed and a beautiful personality to match. 

He is a type 1 diabetic 30 years of age and has been diagnosed for 27 years.
 Two injections 9am (30-34 and 6.00pm
Unfortunately recent times have been a fairly rough time for him as he keeps having victorious hemorages in his eyes and also to top it off some rather bad hypos.

Just last week I woke to my darling mans screech and convulsing at around 3.30am turned the light on to see him blue lipped. I immediately rang the paramedics after putting him in the recovery and checking his airway. It took four hours to bring him out of a low and an anxiety attack  

This is the first severe fit I have experienced!! He has a fair few lows anyway which I am fair confident to (as we put it) bring him back! With a big smile and a hello where have you been?!?

My experience with the gp was shocking he will just say to us well you should know how to deal with this after 27 years!!!!

I cook all the food from fresh, bread wise burgen (quite yummy soya bread and very low baddies!) I am very keen cook and love making sure he enjoys his restricted diet the best I can.

Sorry to babble but like I say if any advice or other partners of diabetics can share I would be greatly appreciative.

Lissy
x


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## Copepod (Aug 18, 2011)

Welcome Lissy.

A few things the GP could usefully have mentioned are:
(a) Glucagon injection for you to use when your boyfriend is unconconscious due to hypoglycaemia
(2) basal bolus regime (long acting insulin once or twice a day, plus short acting matched to each meal carbohydrate content) gives much more flexibility than twice daily insulin
(c) carbohydrate counting courses, usually offered by diabetes clinics in hospitals, and more complete courses, such as DAFNE (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating) 

I would be worth your boyfriend asking about these.


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## novorapidboi26 (Aug 18, 2011)

Welcome to the forum...........

It seems he has been diabetic for a long time, yet it also seems he has not been advised as to how best manage the condition, I suspect there are many long term diabetics in the same predicament.........

My advice would be to get him to attend his hospital diabetic clinic where he can discuss an MDI regime and to arrange for a carb counting course.....

This will firstly give him flexibility with his food, but more importantly, much tighter control, so as to avoid hypos and to help improve any current complications.........

Well done for taking an interest and seeking help, he is a lucky man............


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## Lissy87 (Aug 18, 2011)

*Thank You *

(a) Glucagon injection for you to use when your boyfriend is unconconscious due to hypoglycaemia
(2) basal bolus regime (long acting insulin once or twice a day, plus short acting matched to each meal carbohydrate content) gives much more flexibility than twice daily insulin
(c) carbohydrate counting courses, usually offered by diabetes clinics in hospitals, and more complete courses, such as DAFNE (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating) 


Thank you he asked for the glucagon but they gave glucagel!! 

I will get him to suggest these at the diabetic clinic.


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## Northerner (Aug 18, 2011)

Hi Lissy, welcome to the forum  Just because he has had diabetes for so long does not necessarily mean that he is able to manage it well and knows all about it. We have had lots of stories from long-term diagnosed people here who have been greatly surprised how much treatment options have changed, and how behind the times they find they are. I think that some healthcare preofessionals make the assumption that a person is fully au fait with the latest information, whereas in fact they might be attempting to control things on the basis of wholly incorrect knowledge. For example, a man I met had been diagnosed for several years, but thought that he should only need to look at the sugar content of food rather than total carbohydrate content.

I think that sharing experiences here with hundreds of other people with diabetes is an excellent way of gathering knoweldge so you can go back to your doctor with new questions  One thing that strikes me immediately is that he is on two injections, rather than the more usual multiple injections (also known as basal/bolus), whereby you inject once or twice a day long acting insulin, plus seperate injections of fast-acting insulin to match the carbs in your food. This is far more flexible than two injections as you are no longer tied to having to eat whatever matches the insulin - it's the other way round! 

I would suggest getting a copy of Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults by Ragnar Hanas. It's an excellent reference book for Type 1s of all ages (I'm 52!) and just browsing it might give you and him some ideas.

I look forward to hearing more from you (and your man, if he wishes to join!). No question is considered 'silly', so ask away if there is anything you've ever wondered or worried about!


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## Steff (Aug 18, 2011)

Hi Lissy sorry i cant be much help on this one, but wanted to welcome you on the forum


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## Mark T (Aug 18, 2011)

Welcome to the forums Lissy


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## Lissy87 (Aug 18, 2011)

novorapidboi26 said:


> Welcome to the forum...........
> 
> It seems he has been diabetic for a long time, yet it also seems he has not been advised as to how best manage the condition, I suspect there are many long term diabetics in the same predicament.........
> 
> ...




Hi Novo 

The next app is on the 7th sep which i will be going too. Thanks for the response i will defo get the course info. he does have his normal foods when we go out to dinner and family gathering! but as a general rule we stick to scrit diet as his bg can fluctuate so dramatically!! eg. 8am 11.9 12pm 2.4 8pm 8.8 then in the night around 1am he will hypo and that is after having a snack normally a banana!! 
It feels somtimes like a very long battle but it is so worth it. I would do anything i can to improve quality of life for him.

Thank you muchly x


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## novorapidboi26 (Aug 18, 2011)

The problem with a mixed insulin is he is stuck with a fixed amount of carbohydrate to match the insulin dose he is taking, but also, the longer acting part of the dose which deals with the livers contribution and other more slowly released carbs may be too much or not enough throughout a 24 hour period.....

that's why separating both the long acting and faster acting needs with separate insulins' makes it easier to control, as both can change independently of one another..........

I hope you can both get answers when the time comes.........

Feel free to ask questions here and to ask about possible questions you might want to ask on the day......


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## Natalie123 (Aug 18, 2011)

Hi Lissy, Welcome! You have a lucky boyfriend, well done for seeking advice. The first thing I noticed when reading your post is that he is only on 2 injections a day. I started on this and found it awful! Really hard to control sugar levels and very restrictive for my diet. Has he been offered an MDI (multiple daily injections) treatment? This is usually 4 injections a day, one "long acting" that lasts 24 hours and covers the background sugar from the liver and keeps levels stable if you don't eat, and then 3 (or more) "quick acting" injections that you take before eating a meal or large snack. The doses can then be varied so that he can eat a larger variety of foods and do exercise. Also, you should try to get a glucagon injection for use in emergencies like the hypo you described. You can then give it to him if he is unable to treat himself.


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## Natalie123 (Aug 18, 2011)

Glucogel is fine for hypos he can deal with himself but not if he is unconscious, it is worth asking again and explaining about his bad hypos and why you need it, if they still wont give it to you I would get a second opinion.


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## Lissy87 (Aug 18, 2011)

Steff said:


> Hi Lissy sorry i cant be much help on this one, but wanted to welcome you on the forum



Thank you Steff


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## GodivaGirl (Aug 18, 2011)

Hi Lissy, sorry I can't be of any help, but welcome to the forum


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## Lissy87 (Aug 18, 2011)

Natalie123 said:


> Glucogel is fine for hypos he can deal with himself but not if he is unconscious, it is worth asking again and explaining about his bad hypos and why you need it, if they still wont give it to you I would get a second opinion.



Thanks Natalie i will defo persue this one. If i have to face what was last weeks episode i think it would be a very handy tool to save him


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 18, 2011)

Hi Lissy

Welcome to the forums and well done for joining and asking questions.

As another long-term T1 I am very well away that it can be quite easy to just get used to whatever shortcomings your current regime imposes on your (and your partner's) life. You know it kind of works, most of the time. But sometimes D just messes you about and your clinic never really seem to have any suggestions that make any sense. The comments you make about having to have someone 'bring you round' every so often are very familiar to me.

It doesn't have to be like that.

I'd been invited to 'support groups' at clinic, but the idea of sitting in some dingy room with other diabetics moaning over tea and biscuits was *never* something I was going to do.

The interweb is an amazing thing. The great thing about a forum like this is that you can ask questions and read others' experiences whenever it suits you. You get the wisdom of 100s of clinics from all over the country (and world if you want to). And a chance to vent/rant/rage in a place where people get it.

In the last few years on this and other forums I have learned so much about how my own D works that I feel much much more in control. I've made lots and lots of little changes to the way I view and handle things. I've learned all sorts of bits and pieces that explain many of the previously 'random' events, and have helped me avoid them. I've not had a hypo I couldn't deal with myself for around 2 years. (I started looking after a really nasty one there are other posts on there from my other half you might find interesting)

Not everything you (or he) reads will apply or be right for him, but switching to MDI will be a massive step in the right direction.

Stick around and keep us posted with how he's getting on
M


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## Lissy87 (Aug 18, 2011)

GodivaGirl said:


> Hi Lissy, sorry I can't be of any help, but welcome to the forum



Hello GodivaGirl

I was reading your post then!! Wow what a discovery story eh!?! Since i have come into contact with diabetes i have most defo learnt somthin new every day!! The thing i found a first was recognising when he was dipping some fairly funny things have happened such as finding the contents of his pockets in random places or because my chap is a funny guy anyway trying to figure out if he is winding me up or dropping BG... 

30 bg you mentioned that is madness dunc only gets that high when he is poorly yet he can go from 1.9 to 23 in less than 2 hours which is extrodanairy!! 

Would be great to keep in touch and see how you and hubby are learn as i am too!!!

All the best 

L x


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## Lissy87 (Aug 18, 2011)

Mark T said:


> Welcome to the forums Lissy



Thank you Mark T


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## Robster65 (Aug 18, 2011)

Hi Lissy. Welcome 

It does sound as though he's having completely the wrong regime for his lifestyle. I've been on MDI (basal/bolus) for a long time and it completely changed my life. I had far more flexibility to eat different amounts at different times and could be more spontaneous.

Even then, my control was a bit hit or miss, but since joining the forum I've improved much more.

Do you know what his latest HbA1c is at all ?

As others have said, I would get away from the GP and seek out a hospital clinic.

Rob


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## Lissy87 (Aug 18, 2011)

Northerner said:


> Hi Lissy, welcome to the forum  Just because he has had diabetes for so long does not necessarily mean that he is able to manage it well and knows all about it. We have had lots of stories from long-term diagnosed people here who have been greatly surprised how much treatment options have changed, and how behind the times they find they are. I think that some healthcare preofessionals make the assumption that a person is fully au fait with the latest information, whereas in fact they might be attempting to control things on the basis of wholly incorrect knowledge. For example, a man I met had been diagnosed for several years, but thought that he should only need to look at the sugar content of food rather than total carbohydrate content.
> 
> I think that sharing experiences here with hundreds of other people with diabetes is an excellent way of gathering knoweldge so you can go back to your doctor with new questions  One thing that strikes me immediately is that he is on two injections, rather than the more usual multiple injections (also known as basal/bolus), whereby you inject once or twice a day long acting insulin, plus seperate injections of fast-acting insulin to match the carbs in your food. This is far more flexible than two injections as you are no longer tied to having to eat whatever matches the insulin - it's the other way round!
> 
> ...



Hi Northener Thank you for post. It is great to hear about anything that can potentionaly help him. I completely agree with your comment on the professional assumptions that a long term Diabetic isaware of all new developments!! yet scary how he just got up mid convo and opened the door for us to leave once again thank you for your advice i will be showing him all of the post to me later. multi injections are defo top of my list to bring up with the specialist. 
I will keep updated.

L x


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## Lilies (Aug 18, 2011)

Welcome to the forum and hope u get all the info to help


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## Natalie123 (Aug 18, 2011)

Lissy87 said:


> Hello GodivaGirl
> 
> I was reading your post then!! Wow what a discovery story eh!?! Since i have come into contact with diabetes i have most defo learnt somthin new every day!! The thing i found a first was recognising when he was dipping some fairly funny things have happened such as finding the contents of his pockets in random places or because my chap is a funny guy anyway trying to figure out if he is winding me up or dropping BG...
> 
> ...


Sounds familiar from when I was on the 2 injections a day thing, doesn't feel nice at all.


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## RSVP (Aug 18, 2011)

Hi Lissy 

Can't really add anything to what has already been said. I seriously hope that he can get onto MDI asap which will go a long way to help control the big D.

My o/h (Robster65) didn't have the best of control when we first got together. The middle of the night hypos where I would sit with him whilst he munched his way through a bag of jellybabies were followed by tremendous highs the next day! 
I could see the link but as he'd been diagnosed so long he thought he knew better. But when you're low you don't think straight sometimes a rational word or two can go along way. 

We had a long chat about "us" and then I started recording all that went in carb wise, hypo treatments included. 

I shudder when I think back to what he was injecting with his meals back then. 

With help from all the guys & girls on here you can turn that corner and life improves 100%.

Look forward to hearing more from you. 

Take Care 


Sarah x


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## Lissy87 (Aug 18, 2011)

Robster65 said:


> Hi Lissy. Welcome
> 
> It does sound as though he's having completely the wrong regime for his lifestyle. I've been on MDI (basal/bolus) for a long time and it completely changed my life. I had far more flexibility to eat different amounts at different times and could be more spontaneous.
> 
> ...



Hiya Rob

I hope he can get on to the multilpe as it seems to have helped so many of you! your lady has posted on here too 

He said that his last known HbA1c was 8.8!!!!!! can you believe!! it certainly does tell the story that we have each week!

He has an app with diabetes centre at the hospital on the 7th sep so fingers and toes crossed.

He is going to post on here at the weekend too 

Thanks for your & RSVP's Kind support.

L x


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## Lissy87 (Aug 18, 2011)

RSVP said:


> Hi Lissy
> 
> Can't really add anything to what has already been said. I seriously hope that he can get onto MDI asap which will go a long way to help control the big D.
> 
> ...



Hello hun,

Thanks for the post  Its nice to hear of other ladies proping their men up with jelly babies he he we have a bag either side of the bed which i love as i normally pinch the green ones  I have been told to give him lucozade but rather difficult when his head is moving so much and any rational word would be a miracle!!! The first low i saw i thought he was drunk and then quickly realised his face was sweating then the eyes rolled eeeek i have never been one to run around naked for sweets before!!! ha

I am going to take what you have done by recorded everything that goes in and start a diary i love that idea!! Thanks.

Also like the ref of "THE BIG D" 

Thank you so much

L x


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## Lissy87 (Aug 18, 2011)

*Just want to thank everybody for the feedback today!!*

I have shown dunc all your comments and we both cannot believe how supportive everyone is.

Really Massive thank you and he will be joining asap.

Lissy 
x


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## Northerner (Aug 18, 2011)

Lissy87 said:


> ...Its nice to hear of other ladies proping their men up with jelly babies he he we have a bag either side of the bed which i love as *i normally pinch the green ones* ...L x



You are welcome to mine! 

http://diabetespoetry.blogspot.com/2010/06/ghastly-green-jelly-babies.html


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## Robster65 (Aug 18, 2011)

Lissy87 said:


> Hiya Rob
> 
> I hope he can get on to the multilpe as it seems to have helped so many of you! your lady has posted on here too
> 
> ...


 
Just a quick reply about the 8.8 Hb. In itself, it could be a lot worse but if he's constantly bouncing from high to low, it will reflect an average without showing the extremes, which are worse than just a steady high average, if you see what I mean.

It's really important for him to get the stability, even at a slightly high level and then reign it in to a better average. I used to have convulsions years ago but since the beginning of last year we've got my Hb down from the 8s to the low 6s. If you start from scratch and he's a willing patient, you can both have a good future without complications.

Looking forward to him posting too.

Rob


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## hyper-Suze (Aug 19, 2011)

Heya Lizzy. 

Welcome to the forum, I'm afraid I'm a bit late at the welcome as I not been on for an age. My god, in your picture, you look the spit of my cousin...not that it would make any sense to you or anyone!!

I echo everything everyone has said. Mike, Rob and Alan(northerner) are all extremely knowledgable and give sound advice. 

Everyone on here is sooooo friendly as you have already gathered and my o/h has been in your situation twice with the lows (0.6 and a 1.1) and a DKA high where on brink of death..I am suprised he hasn't left me yet with all the chaos I bring!
It must be a scary thing to witness, my o'h says I have rolled my eyes back, contorted my body, fitted and hit my head and bled everywhere
...not quite the level of running around naked for sweets but he's run into the street in just his boxers to flag down the ambulance!

Good luck for the DSN appointment on the 7th, let us know how it went. Deffo get on DAFNE or similar(in Telford its the STILE course), deffo get glucagon, deffo get on MDI, maybe ask about the Continous Blood Glucose Monitoring machines, the hospitals can lend them out for a week or so at a time and they track the patterns your o/h levels and alarms apparantly can go off when too high or too low! Fab or what!

The episode you posted about originally, had your o/h been drinking alcohol at all that day? Alcohol can lower your levels and the liver is so busy detoxing the alcohol that it temporarily stops secreting out glucose, thus lower levels, especially if this is not known and insulin is then given?

It sounds like from your thread and replies that you are a sensible and intelligent person but even hypos can be misread, I've been kicked out of bars before because they assume I'm on drugs! Its evident you can now recognise the hypo symptoms which is great, I always say its like being drunk and disorderly but I can eat for England and usually end up doing, thinking or saying the oddest of things. In fact I think I posted on here once in the early hours as whilst hypo, my brain was trying to figure out who had posted last!?! I've also been convinced I was covered in varnish and I also swore blind that the paramedic once was Heston Blumental(why oh why would a michelin starred chef be in my bedroom at 2am!)

I hope that you enjoy learning and sharing on this forum, there is a great mix of people, knowledge and experience as well as regular meets. The next one is in B'ham in Sept and one in London in Nov for the forum b'day. 

Take care and if you want all my green jelly babies too, send your postal address!!! LOL


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## Lissy87 (Aug 29, 2011)

hyper-Suze said:


> Heya Lizzy.
> 
> Welcome to the forum, I'm afraid I'm a bit late at the welcome as I not been on for an age. My god, in your picture, you look the spit of my cousin...not that it would make any sense to you or anyone!!
> 
> ...



Hiya Suze!

Wow thank you for you post. I am defo taking the thing you have mentioned particulay the continuous blood monitor machine.
He hadnt had any alcohol the other week. He has however been stressed out due to him running his business and being poorly.
He ok now still having the odd hypo every few days but quite calm i just cant wait to get him sorted. You other half sounds like he knows whats what. and if he is like me everytime something happens it makes me realise i couldnt be without him. (cheeeeeeeesey) he he
Telford you say your from!! We are in wolverhampton! How do you find the response from your GP and Princess royal?
Ha Heston would scare me!!

The support on here is out of this world im really glad i found you all. It is a real massive help to me and dunc.

Green Jelly Sweet Forever!! ha
Lissy x


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## Andy HB (Aug 30, 2011)

I just wanted to add my rather late welcome to the forum.

It's certainly been an interesting thread this one and I boggle at the poor support that some GP's give. Anyway, I hope the information that the brilliant guys and gals here have given really turns things around for you both!

Andy


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## hyper-Suze (Aug 31, 2011)

Lissy87 said:


> Hiya Suze!
> 
> Wow thank you for you post. I am defo taking the thing you have mentioned particulay the continuous blood monitor machine.
> He hadnt had any alcohol the other week. He has however been stressed out due to him running his business and being poorly.
> ...



Oops! Sorry, I wrote Lizzy not Lissy!!

Not long now till the DSN appointment, hope you have written down  a list of the questions you want to ask, it only shows your dedication and interest! 
I doubt my o/h would ever show as much 'cheesy' affection as you have for your o/h..he tends to use humour to show his love!!! Nah, he's not too bad!

Princess Royal I have found fab, I don't care too much for my GP and the person I have the utmost respect and thanks for is my DSN. It was by chance that we met as she was covering someones leave but I have carried on seeing her even though she is from Shrews. I think when you find a health professional who cares, is extremely knowledgable and doesn't patronise either is a good thing. She's a keeper! I have had a lot of ups and downs with gaining control over 10y so I tend to see the head consultant at PRH which at least I feel I am getting the most experienced advice. He also sees me as we are planning a family (with Rick not the Doctor!!) and I have been discussing the pump with him too. 

Glad things are settling even though a few hypos are creeping in. I'm having a few waking hypos and no idea why! I think sometimes, it can be 'just because' 

Glad you are liking the forum, it is great as you can be as active/involved as you want or remain anonymous and just browse or anywhere inbetween! No-one on here holds grudges either if you only pop on here periodically to just ask questions, get advice or just to vent and get through a bad patch!!!!

...I used to work in Wolves funnily enough -Express & Star.
Oh, and it was while out around there that the bar thought I was on drugs! I think it was a place I doubt exists still -the Lite Bar ! OMG, does the civic still have Cheeky Monkey night? I vaguely remember being in there, worse for wear I might add. I'm too old and far too sensible to act like I did back in those days!!


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