# Home & Away



## katie (Nov 24, 2009)

*contains spoilers* 

I was watching Home & Away yesterday and one of the characters, Ruby, kept drinking alot and going to the toilet.  I immediately thought DIABETES! So looked it up on youtube and yep she ends up in a diabetic coma.  So far the symptoms seemed pretty accurate, she was even waking up at night in sweats.  She didn't seem bothered about the fact she would have to inject though, she was more interested in getting with Geoff haha.  It will be interesting to see whether they actually carry on with it or just stop mentioning it.

Does anyone else watch it?


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## Caroline (Nov 24, 2009)

It has been around 20 esr since I stopped watching Home & Away. jason DOnovan and Kylie Minogue were still in it then...


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## Northerner (Nov 24, 2009)

Caroline said:


> It has been around 20 esr since I stopped watching Home & Away. jason DOnovan and Kylie Minogue were still in it then...



You're thinking about Neighbours, which I do still watch, but not H+A. Neighbours had a diabetic character years ago who also fell into a coma ISTR. This page is shows how Neighbours have dealt with various illnesses over the years:

http://www.perfectblend.net/features/doctor.htm


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## Steff (Nov 24, 2009)

I stopped watching Home and away about 2 years ago used to watch it every night at 6 o clock then just grew out of it , same with neighbours since it moved to channel 5 i aint watched any of it


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## katie (Nov 24, 2009)

This isn't about pointing out how sad I am


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## Steff (Nov 24, 2009)

katie said:


> This isn't about pointing out how sad I am



PMSL


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## am64 (Nov 24, 2009)

i watch it only soap i do...best on box re true soap totaly oTT....katie i guessed the same re diabetes !!


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## karinagal (Nov 24, 2009)

katie said:


> This isn't about pointing out how sad I am



If you're sad, I must be tragic!! I follow both Neighbours and Home and Away and just watched that episode today - as soon as she ran off to the loo I said to hubby "guess she must be diabetic, type 1 would be my guess"!!

Didn't pick up on the night sweats though cos Annie seemed to be having them at the same time, put that one down to raging teenage hormones! 



Karina


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## rossi_mac (Nov 24, 2009)

Home and Away!! Quality story lines and acting lessons, and accurate details!! Well at least the last point is true! Would be good if they do keep it up! Thanks for the heads up!! PS what channel is it on these days?


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## karinagal (Nov 24, 2009)

rossi_mac said:


> Home and Away!! Quality story lines and acting lessons, and accurate details!! Well at least the last point is true! Would be good if they do keep it up! Thanks for the heads up!! PS what channel is it on these days?



Channel 5 where all the quality programmes go......


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## am64 (Nov 24, 2009)

dani minogue was in home and away


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## rossi_mac (Nov 24, 2009)

karinagal said:


> Channel 5 where all the quality programmes go......



Your right, seriously Channel5 are getting good now I think I watched something on there the other week, and some good films and there's that fiver and five usa, apart from telly being evil, it's good!


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## wallycorker (Nov 24, 2009)

Caroline said:


> It has been around 20 esr since I stopped watching Home & Away. jason DOnovan and Kylie Minogue were still in it then...


I go back farther than that Ena Sharples and Dirty Den were in it when I last watched!


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## karinagal (Nov 24, 2009)

am64 said:


> dani minogue was in home and away



Was she? How long ago and who did she play? 

Karina


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## Steff (Nov 24, 2009)

karinagal said:


> Was she? How long ago and who did she play?
> 
> Karina



she was a trobuled schoolgirl called emma jackson  and it was some time back 1989-90


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## karinagal (Nov 24, 2009)

steff09 said:


> she was a trobuled schoolgirl called emma jackson  and it was some time back 1989-90



Nope - not ringing any bells! Obviously didn't make a big impression on me!

Thanks anyway

Karina


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## Steff (Nov 24, 2009)

LOL dnt worry i knew she was in it but cud not remember who she played i googled it


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## Northerner (Nov 24, 2009)

The only time I really watched H+A was the Meg Bowman storyline, when she died of leukaemia. My best friend died of leukaemia aged 19, so it was quite difficult to watch, but it was very well handled.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUOWtiFzuCA


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## Flower87 (Nov 24, 2009)

I used to LOVE home and away and watched it every day when i was at uni... havn't seen it properly in over a yr now though....

sounds good that they've got the facts right so far...lets hope they keep it up!!!!

I've noticed a lot of programmes, when they have a T1 diabetic character, they will at some point be trapped in a burning building/on the edge of a cliff etc and in desperate NEED of their insulin....  making out that the character will collapse/faint/die if they don't get insulin.... which of course, might happen after a few days, but it's much more likely that the character will go low - needing FOOD more than insulin!! 

slightly worrying cos it gives confusing messages to the viewer in relation to what to do if a diabetic collapses (on several occassions my friends have mentioned giving me insulin if i collapse - NO NO NO!!!) 

I think scrubs deal with Turk's T1 diabetes very well!


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## SacredHeart (Nov 24, 2009)

*raises hand* I tend to jump in on any mention of Scrubs, but Turk is T2, not T1....although I agree with you that it's very well handled!


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## rossi_mac (Nov 24, 2009)

I love scrubs very funny, had no idea turk was one of the gang!!


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## aymes (Nov 24, 2009)

Northerner said:


> The only time I really watched H+A was the Meg Bowman storyline, when she died of leukaemia. My best friend died of leukaemia aged 19, so it was quite difficult to watch, but it was very well handled.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUOWtiFzuCA



I remember that, I cried soooo much!


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## Flower87 (Nov 25, 2009)

Oh i didn't realise Turk was T2... not even sure why I wrote T1 - think it was just automatic! 
Anyway, I think it's good that it's been a consistant storyline, they havn't just forgotten half way through the series!

Will try to tune in to home and away again when I get a chance!


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## Tezzz (Nov 25, 2009)

If you're really keen on the soaps then you can always find the latest episodes on the internet. My friend downloads the latest episode of Neighbours that is currently showing down under. PM me for instructions.

What happened to Bouncer? He was the best character in it!


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## Northerner (Nov 25, 2009)

Definitely with you on Bouncer Tez - he was terrific! That was around the time of Kylie, Mrs Mangel and 'Plain Jane, Superbrain', played by the gorgeous Annie Jones! Sigh!


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## Steff (Nov 25, 2009)

i love bouncer didnt  itbelong to hannah martin? i loved that lady who was with joe mangel who was totally whacky i cant remember her name off hand tho


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## squidge63 (Nov 25, 2009)

Have to admit I watch Neighbours and Home & Away... but you can miss the soaps for a while and still know what is going on when you get back to them lol..  I like Coronation Street as well... and Bouncer rules


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## Donald (Nov 25, 2009)

steff09 said:


> i love bouncer didnt  itbelong to hannah martin? i loved that lady who was with joe mangel who was totally whacky i cant remember her name off hand tho



Hi steff which one he had a son by one called toby and then marryed kerry harold's child after she was killed at a duck shoot he marryed a  Melanie Pearson (the one with that laugh)

Donald


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## Northerner (Nov 25, 2009)

Donald said:


> Hi steff which one he had a son by one called toby and then marryed kerry harold's child after she was killed at a duck shoot he marryed a  Melanie Pearson (the one with that laugh)
> 
> Donald



Melanie was the one I was thinking of!


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## Donald (Nov 25, 2009)

Yea she was a hoot I liked The one who had the coffie shop Daphne sorry for spelling des clarke's wife


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## Steff (Nov 25, 2009)

thats the one melanie cheers donald


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## sofaraway (Nov 26, 2009)

Haven't watched it since I was at uni. Will be interested to hear if they keep the storyline up or now that the drama has happened they forget it in a weeks time. 
I remember watching Corrie several years ago and realising that Katie had diabetes a few episodes before she was diagnosed.


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## katie (Dec 2, 2009)

She got diagnosed today  (on Fiver)

It's not fair, she get's a teddy bear.  I know she is only like 15/16, but let's face it, she looks over 18   I looked about 13 and got nothing


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## Steff (Dec 2, 2009)

i knew she did wen i read tv guide saturday but i managed to keep stum lol


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## katie (Dec 2, 2009)

steff09 said:


> i knew she did wen i read tc guide saturday but i managed to keep stum lol



I'd already given the game away lol. Suspected it so i watched on the interenet. God i'm sad!


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## Munjeeta (Dec 3, 2009)

How do you watch it on the internet?! I love H and A but have missed all this (And I do love a good diabetic story line!!) but I don't have a telly... I tried to watch it online but couldn't figure out where to find it!!!


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## katie (Dec 3, 2009)

Munjeeta said:


> How do you watch it on the internet?! I love H and A but have missed all this (And I do love a good diabetic story line!!) but I don't have a telly... I tried to watch it online but couldn't figure out where to find it!!!



Well you can watch on ITV player, but obviously only the ones that have just been on: http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/

What I did was watch future ones on youtube to see if Ruby had diabetes  

Just type in episodes number and see if you get the one you are looking for:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH25mPffvaA


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## squidge63 (Dec 4, 2009)

I loved the talk by the dr and the bear which will show her where to inject!!! and then she was sent home!! will watch with baited breath to see how the storyline goes.


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## katie (Dec 4, 2009)

squidge63 said:


> I loved the talk by the dr and the bear which will show her where to inject!!! and then she was sent home!! will watch with baited breath to see how the storyline goes.



that is pretty much how it goes to be fair  haha! I stuck 1 needle in myself in front of the the DSN and then off I went


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## sofaraway (Dec 4, 2009)

katie said:


> that is pretty much how it goes to be fair  haha! I stuck 1 needle in myself in front of the the DSN and then off I went



I was in my DSN appointment about 45 minutes and stuck the needle in once (no insulin) then went home to do my first injection that night


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## katie (Dec 4, 2009)

sofaraway said:


> I was in my DSN appointment about 45 minutes and stuck the needle in once (no insulin) then went home to do my first injection that night



yep same here. Well, i'm not sure how long the appointment was, It didn't feel like 45mins!  It was probably a bit less because I never ask any questions


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## sofaraway (Dec 4, 2009)

katie said:


> yep same here. Well, i'm not sure how long the appointment was, It didn't feel like 45mins!  It was probably a bit less because I never ask any questions



I think part of that time was the nurse going to get the doctor because I refused to go on a mixed insulin and then getting the Dr to agree to basal bolus. 

I think as you were in hospital you should have given insulin more than once. At my local hospital they try and get newly diagnosed diabetics to give their own insulin as early as possible.


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## katie (Dec 4, 2009)

sofaraway said:


> I think part of that time was the nurse going to get the doctor because I refused to go on a mixed insulin and then getting the Dr to agree to basal bolus.
> 
> I think as you were in hospital you should have given insulin more than once. At my local hospital they try and get newly diagnosed diabetics to give their own insulin as early as possible.



Good on you for refusing the mixed insulin!  It's lucky you knew about Diabetes already.

Oooh yes, I do remember the nurse (the one who told me i'd probably be diet controlled) came to give me my injection and she asked if I wanted to but I was like  noo way.  The needle was really long though! I'm glad I didn't do it until the nurse handed my the 6mm one hehe.


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## sofaraway (Dec 4, 2009)

I think they were a bit taken aback, but really they shouldn't have been giving mixed insulin to a 21 year old at uni. 
The insulin syringes in hopsital are horrible usually 12mm!


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## katie (Dec 4, 2009)

sofaraway said:


> I think they were a bit taken aback, but really they shouldn't have been giving mixed insulin to a 21 year old at uni.
> The insulin syringes in hopsital are horrible usually 12mm!



Haha I can imagine they were, but yeah that would be ridiculous 

12mm, hmm I would have guessed 20, but i'm sure my mind has exaggerated things


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## rossi_mac (Dec 4, 2009)

Blimey Nikki you were lucky I guess to know what to ask for, when I saw nursey first time I was like a nodding donkey I would have injected anything!!

But seriously I know basal bolus is supposed to be the most flexible management but in what cases would you go to syringes and a mix of insulin twice a day? Are there any or is it just for those whose bodies are used to said type of insulin?


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## katie (Dec 4, 2009)

Just watching H&A and Ruby said it's ok as long as she takes her 'shot' 30mins before she eats.  She must get a breakfast spike


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## LisaLQ (Dec 4, 2009)

katie said:


> ...she was even waking up at night in sweats.



Is this a symptom of diabetes?  *looks a complete newbie*

I've had unexplained severe night sweats for the last year, thought it was early menopause


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## katie (Dec 4, 2009)

LisaLQ said:


> Is this a symptom of diabetes?  *looks a complete newbie*
> 
> I've had unexplained severe night sweats for the last year, thought it was early menopause



Yes, you can get them if you are high or hypo in the night.


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## squidge63 (Dec 4, 2009)

Thinking back I did have a lot of night sweats before I was diagnosed..

When I was put on insulin I also had about 45 mins with the DSN and I couldn't inject myself for about 10 mins I just sat there with the pen before I finally gave my first shot of insulin...

I wondered about the Ruby episode because going back 26 years when I was doing my nurse training, newly diagnosed diabetics (adults) were put into a hypo so that they would know what it was like to experience one, and were in hospital for a few days... but then things change over the years and I can't speak for children/teens being diagnosed as when I did my paeds experience never had any diabetics.


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## LisaLQ (Dec 4, 2009)

katie said:


> Yes, you can get them if you are high or hypo in the night.



Aah I see, well I dont think I'll be either as my fasting level was only 7.8 (although I was partial to chocolate in bed with a book prior to diagnosis, one of the reasons I'm so bloomin' fat!).


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## karinagal (Dec 6, 2009)

*Hypo or hyper?*

Ok - I've caught up with Home and Away on Five and saw Ruby being taken to hospital. The doc said her blood sugars were "through the roof" but she appeared to be in a diabetic coma... which was it - a hypo or hyper?

Karina


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## Northerner (Dec 6, 2009)

karinagal said:


> Ok - I've caught up with Home and Away on Five and saw Ruby being taken to hospital. The doc said her blood sugars were "through the roof" but she appeared to be in a diabetic coma... which was it - a hypo or hyper?
> 
> Karina



Hyper - I was practically there when I went to hospital


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## katie (Dec 6, 2009)

If you are undiagnosed the only way is up


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## karinagal (Dec 6, 2009)

Northerner said:


> Hyper - I was practically there when I went to hospital





katie said:


> If you are undiagnosed the only way is up



So ... for type 1's a hypo is the "prize" you get *after* diagnosis? Is it usually a hyper that shows up first?

Karina


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## katie (Dec 6, 2009)

karinagal said:


> So ... for type 1's a hypo is the "prize" you get *after* diagnosis? Is it usually a hyper that shows up first?
> 
> Karina



What happens is, for whatever your pancreas stop producing insulin (or a lot less) so your blood glucose levels start getting high.  You start to get symptoms like extreme thrist, urinating alot (especially at night), extreme fatigue etc etc... I can't seem to think of all the symptoms right now! But basically it isn't your average hyper because you are high for so long and keep getting higher and symptoms just get worse and worse till you get to the point you have no choice but to go to the doctor!


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## karinagal (Dec 6, 2009)

katie said:


> What happens is, for whatever your pancreas stop producing insulin (or a lot less) so your blood glucose levels start getting high.  You start to get symptoms like extreme thrist, urinating alot (especially at night), extreme fatigue etc etc... I can't seem to think of all the symptoms right now! But basically it isn't your average hyper because you are high for so long and keep getting higher and symptoms just get worse and worse till you get to the point you have no choice but go to the doctor!



I see.. that makes sense. Thanks for that Katie


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## Copepod (Dec 6, 2009)

Diabetic coma = hyperglycaemia. However, someone with diabetes can, in theory, go into a coma, either hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia. In practice, I suspect that people with diabetes who have never been anywhere near unconsciousness / coma, like me, are probably in the majority, particularly if you ignore the period immediately before diagnosis of type 1. Hypoglycaemia is basically an overdose of insulin (or some oral medications, but not metformin - although it is possible to become hypoglycaemic on metformin - see next phrase), but it is possible for people to become hypoglycaemic after long periods of physical exertion without adequate carbohydrate intake eg athletes in extreme training / races, starvation without exertion etc.


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## sofaraway (Dec 7, 2009)

Yes undiagnosed diabetes has high blood sugars not low. I have known people to say they think they have diabetes because they get shakey etc, and when they eat they feel better. I think it's because they know people with diabetes get low blood sugars and eat to resolve it, but don't realise it's the medication for diabetes, rather than diabetes itself that causes the lows.


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## katie (Dec 17, 2009)

Well so far they are keeping up the Diabetes thing.  Today she had a big hypo. Someone took her jelly babies and ate them all, then she missed lunch.  They took her to hospital afterwards "just in case" haha.  Oh well, at least they are keeping it up so far.  The bit I thought was acurate though, was her saying she doesn't want to feel different so she didn't tell anyone at school about her Diabetes.


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