# Bit confussed



## MrsBoyle (Aug 20, 2010)

Dylan said he was low at 10 so did his bloods he was 3.6 treated him 10 mins later he said he was low again so did his bloods and he was 3.3 

Thought he should of gone up not down.


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## novorapidboi26 (Aug 20, 2010)

Must of been on the way down FAST..................could be many reasons, was he active before hand?

Its not uncommon, just treat, wait 5, then test again if still feeling dodgy

What did you give him?


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## MrsBoyle (Aug 20, 2010)

No he was just lay being a slob be at half nine he was on 11.4 

I did the 3 dextro sweets and then 2 nice biscuits.
then i did anthoer 3 dextro sweets.
Now he is back on 6.1


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## novorapidboi26 (Aug 20, 2010)

It is strange, I have to say I have had some unexplained hypos in my time...

The problem is you cant pin point if its a dose problem, as he is on the mix....

He might of been extra sensitive at that time, but again a pattern would emmmerge if that was the case.......

*CASE UNSOLVED*


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## sofaraway (Aug 20, 2010)

If I am low I don't have the carb snack until I know that my blood glucose is back up above 4. So if I have to re-treat then I won't have anything else slowing the glucose down.


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## Adrienne (Aug 20, 2010)

Hiya

Yes sofaraway is right on this.

To treat a hypo you need to give approximately 15 grams of quick acting carbs only (you will soon work out how much he needs depending on his low) and then you need to wait 15 minutes and retest.   If he is higher then give the long acting carb again about 15 carbs (like you did).  If he is the same or even lower then another 15 carbs of quick acting only and wait again.

If you give the long acting carbs (the biscuits) before he has gone up then it will delay the quick acting carbs from working.

What I have always found is that if Jessica is hypo and I treat it, if I was to test after 5 minutes she would be lower, if I tested after 10 minutes (she would generally be the same as when I first tested) but after 15 minutes normally she would be higher.   There would be the odd time when she was still low and that would mean one hell of a hypo and she definitely needed more than the 15 carbs of quick acting to start with but you never know this.

Hope that helps.


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## MrsBoyle (Aug 21, 2010)

Oh the nurse told me to just give 3 sweets and a biscuit and he should be fine and not to test again as i shouldnt need to.

I have done your way today as he has had another hypo


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## Becca (Aug 21, 2010)

Hiya, it's always best and recommended that you treat with glucose, wait 15mins, re-test again, if levels above 4 to give carb such as biscuit.  If levels not above 4 you need to retreat with glucose.  Only give the carb when levels are above 4 as it will slow down the glucose.

Sometimes Rose will drop after a low and keep dropping, it does depend on activity beforehand and IOB.  It's all a bit scary when it happens but just keep in mind the 15mins testing and giving glucose.


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## Adrienne (Aug 21, 2010)

MrsBoyle said:


> Oh the nurse told me to just give 3 sweets and a biscuit and he should be fine and not to test again as i shouldnt need to.
> 
> I have done your way today as he has had another hypo



Ooops I just get this feeling that your nurse would benefit for some training eek!  worrying eh.   

Saying that though our original nurse at our first hospital was the same and she was type 1 herself but a very bad role model.  I think she was permanently hypo and due to her lack of knowledge and other things I complained about her, her advice was dangerous.  It was then that I really started looking into things.


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## Sugarbum (Aug 21, 2010)

Adrienne said:


> Ooops I just get this feeling that your nurse would benefit for some training eek!  worrying eh.
> 
> Saying that though our original nurse at our first hospital was the same and she was type 1 herself but a very bad role model.  I think she was permanently hypo and due to her lack of knowledge and other things I complained about her, her advice was dangerous.  It was then that I really started looking into things.



So true that nurses say different things about hypo treatment.

Im with the Adrienne and Sofaraway school of thought...

...however my father who is also type 1 treats with a glass of milk with sugar in  He was taught this years and years ago and wont deviate. I, on the other hand, was told NEVER to use milk because it lines the stomach and slows down the absorbtion.

I crave bread/toast/any carb when I am low. But if its a bad hypo I stay off t to let my lucozade do the job I buy it for!


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## Copepod (Aug 22, 2010)

If you're treating your own hypo, you have to do so virtually on automatic pilot, so if you've been having milk with sugar for decades, like Sugarbum's Dad, then that will come naturally. 
I think there's an element of a need to act fast, perhap preventing blood sugars falling lower, rather than worrying too much about exactly what you eat. I know that others disagree with this, but adults are different to children eg it's vital to test that blood sugar is OK and has been OK for 45 mins before driving; if not driving, then approach can be a bit different, although it's still best to get back into normal limits as soon as possible. Often it's better to have what's close to hand, rather than go down stairs in the dark, for example, which is why sweets beside bed is vital. A kayak becomes much more unstable if you try to pull food out from under your spray deck, but the need is removed by having sweets etc in bouyancy aid pockets.


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## Adrienne (Aug 22, 2010)

My daughter sleeps in a bed rather than a kayak so eliminates your problem of unstability hehehehehe


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## Adrienne (Aug 22, 2010)

I did mean to say though that we always keep coke and straws, glucotabs and a glucagon kit upstairs permanently.   I made the mistake of keeping them downstairs when I needed the glucagon kit so whilst Jessica was fitting and needed that injections i had to muck around running downstairs to get it, not anymore, its upstairs with everything else.


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## MrsBoyle (Aug 22, 2010)

Glucagon Emergency Kit why havnt i heard about this from our nurse.


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## Adrienne (Aug 22, 2010)

Oh no.

All people with type 1  (no idea about type 2, sorry) should have at least one glucagon kit, it will save a life.    I firmly believe I saved my daughter's life quicker than an ambulance by giving her this.

Unless anyone else tells you more, I'll pop back later and tell you more.  Am late for the cinema.


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## MrsBoyle (Aug 22, 2010)

Thank You 
Have a nice time


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## Adrienne (Aug 22, 2010)

Knight and Day is brilliant, you have to go and see it.  Quite funny and maybe is it soooo bad to fancy tiny Tom Cruise just a little bit !!

Anyway back to glucagon.  Do you know what one is first of all?   It is an emergency injection kit that you would use if a diabetic is unconscious due to a hypo (not hyper) or refuses to eat and drink when hypo due to being too low or fitting etc etc.

Take a look here :

http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/d_0n_022.htm

You can ask your GP to prescribe one.   We have about 4, one in the fridge and one upstairs, one in a bag that goes everywith Jessica and one at school.

If anyone (and I'm talking about your nurse or GP here) says you don't need it and call an ambulance don't accept that answer.    I can speak from experience as I had to use it.    The time it took to use it took no more than a couple of minutes, far less than it would have taken for an ambulance to get here.  If I didn't have one then I would have had to just watch her fitting and getting lower and lower with potential brain damage or dead.  An ambulance can crash or get diverted (bit dismal aren't I but these are your arguments if you need them).

There should be staff at school trained to use it and the Royal College of Nursing say this as well, not just me.  I have quizzed them as the DSN where I live now said it is not necessary in school.   I wonder why, do the kids leave their hypos and diabetes at home then!    There are ways and means to asking a school to be trained in glucagon and I would always wangle it that there were a few trained in it.    

The glucagon kit itself was designed purely for a lay person to administer, not a medical professional.  It is easy to give.


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## MrsBoyle (Aug 22, 2010)

Will be speaking to them tomorrow for one Dylan doesnt let us no he is low until he is 1.9 or lower.


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## Adrienne (Aug 22, 2010)

Oh dear that's not good.   You are not alone though, there are lots of children who don't know they are hypo.   Jessica has never known and she is 10 now.   She does say she is dizzy now and she can be hypo but she can also be at normal levels or hyper so not a great indication but when she says it I test her as well as at the normal times I test.


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## Copepod (Aug 23, 2010)

Adrienne said:


> My daughter sleeps in a bed rather than a kayak so eliminates your problem of unstability hehehehehe



Never actually slept in a kayak - other boats and canoe camping, yes - nor needed glucagon when afloat, fortunately


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