I'm really worried about dh

[Jean in Newcastle]

He's diabetic. He's also an RN and should know better.

 

Lunch today he ordered jo-jo potatoes and a prime rib sandwich (thick roll). To his great surprise, his blood sugar sky-rocketed.

 

So - he took metformin and another hypoglycemic (both prescribed) and ran 3 miles. He got home and his blood sugar plummeted down to 40. Lower than 50 can affect brain function. He was sweating profusely. We got him juice and he ate half a bag of caramel corn. Then he decided that he would eat a pork bun for dinner.

 

He's gone to bed and feels rotten. I'm worried because most of what he's doing to treat his blood sugar is to take lots of sugar and carbs and while it might help him for the short term, I'm afraid that he's going to plummet again. He's had episodes when he's woken up in the middle of the night with blood sugars in the 50s. I checked on him a few minutes ago to see if he was alive. I know that sounds dramatic but I hadn't heard from him in a couple of hours and with his sugar having been so low, I really was worried. I don't know how to handle this. He won't look kindly on me bugging him but I don't want him to go into a coma either.

[Veritaserum]

What would help stabilize him? Some nuts? Cheese? Other protein?

 

I don't know much of anything about diabetes. I hope he's ok!

[Liz CA]

Tough...and I know a little bit what it's like. I watch dh eat gummy bears and other sugary candy (he is not diabetic yet) and shake my head.

You can try the "...you are scaring me and the children.." route. Only you will know if it would work.

Another thought: Does he have an unusual amount of stress right now. Is eating like this a coping mechanism? Has he been pretty good so far and all of a sudden started falling off the wagon?

[SonshineLearner]

I am so sorry for you both :( I worry about my husband as he's chubs and loves to drink down the Pepsi. His mom is diabetic and I know it can run in families. I am super careful about sugar and such.... (except for tonight when I was given an entire BOX of cookies that are like Pecan Sandies... only with Almonds.... ugh... I think the box may be almost gone!!)

Anyway, would a trip to a nutritionalist help??

:(

[Evergreen State Sue]

You're caring for your husband like a devoted wife would. I said a prayer for him and for your peace of mind.

[Jean in Newcastle]

What would help stabilize him? Some nuts? Cheese? Other protein?

 

I don't know much of anything about diabetes. I hope he's ok!

 

Protein would help to stabilize him. He did have some protein (the pork) but I'm not totally sure that it is enough. But maybe it is.

 

Tough...and I know a little bit what it's like. I watch dh eat gummy bears and other sugary candy (he is not diabetic yet) and shake my head.

You can try the "...you are scaring me and the children.." route. Only you will know if it would work.

Another thought: Does he have an unusual amount of stress right now. Is eating like this a coping mechanism? Has he been pretty good so far and all of a sudden started falling off the wagon?

 

It's more a matter of him being so busy. He doesn't eat at regular intervals because he doesn't want to take the time to eat. Then he ends up eating when his blood sugar is already too low.

 

I am so sorry for you both :( I worry about my husband as he's chubs and loves to drink down the Pepsi. His mom is diabetic and I know it can run in families. I am super careful about sugar and such.... (except for tonight when I was given an entire BOX of cookies that are like Pecan Sandies... only with Almonds.... ugh... I think the box may be almost gone!!)

Anyway, would a trip to a nutritionalist help??

:(

 

This is the frustrating thing for me (out of concern for him, not as a bashing thing): he KNOWS how to eat nutritionally correctly. He's the one who has counseled me on my own blood sugar issues and has helped me turn around pre diabetes so that my sugars are normal.

[Jean in Newcastle]

You're caring for your husband like a devoted wife would. I said a prayer for him and for your peace of mind.

 

Thank you. I really appreciate it.

[Barbara H]

That is very stressful and scary.

 

I'm wondering if he's met with a dietician or taken a class in diabetes from a local hospital. Any chance something like that might help?

[Natalieclare]

:grouphug::grouphug:

 

I'm sorry you've had a scare.

 

 

My husband is similar in that he waits too too long to eat; he is just so busy! He hardly ever takes time to just sit and breathe while at work. I have tried going in to his office and planting healthy snacks in his desk, calling and giving him a "be sure to take time to grab a snack" pep talks, and even some good old fashioned nagging. He doens't have diabetes, but he gets reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally cranky and growly by the end of his work day. And it sets the tone for the rest of his evening. At home. With me. And I would like that to stop! And, also similar to your husband, he certainly knows better.

 

At times, I think he still needs a mom...and I know just the right person for the job! (I'll give you a hint: it's not his mother)

[jplain]

How high was his blood sugar? Depending on how high it was, leaving it alone, or just exercise, might have been safer than trying to bring it down with exercise plus metformin.

 

You know this, and he knows this, but Type II meds aren't intended to be used that way. If he wants to mess around with his eating like that, he needs to be on injected insulin so that he can adjust his dosage according to what he's choosing to eat.

 

Is it worth going on injected insulin? Or would it be a better idea to make smarter choices? Only he can make that decision. But being reckless isn't fair to the people around him. I hope he understands that today.

 

Has he read Dr. Bernstein's book?

Edited November 13, 2011 by jplain

[Plink]

You are in a difficult position. :grouphug:

 

When grandpa, a diabetic, was living with us I had to put the entire family on a diabetic diet, not just grandpa. There was no candy in the house, no white bread, no pretzils, etc. It was hard, but in some ways it made my life easier. I never had to think about whether the meal would be okay for grandpa because everything was pre-planned.

 

Can you get an appointment with a nutritionist for yourself?

 

ETA: you cant force him and that stinks!

Edited November 13, 2011 by LibertyH

[Jean in Newcastle]

Thanks, everyone. He's alive. (And no, I'm not being overly dramatic. I really was worried that he might not wake up. I was afraid to sleep myself but finally did. I was so happy to be accidentally awakened at 6 am:001_smile:) He has some lasting physical symptoms from the extreme hypoglycemic episode. I'm going to insist that he get checked out by his endocrinologist. I suspect that he already has that on his agenda.

 

I wasn't totally clear in my OP that my worry wasn't so much on his daily diet. 90% of the time he eats extremely well but he does have lapses. My worry was centered on the extreme hypoglycemia. He was close to diabetic coma range and it scared me very much.

[AK_Mom4]

Hang in there, Jean! :grouphug:

 

It can be tough. My doc is of the opinin that type 2 diabetics need a refresher course in nutrition about once every 3 years because their control starts to slip (a cookie here, some rice there.....)

 

I have been going through the low-sugars lately since I started insulin - it takes a little trial and error with this kind to get the dose right. One of the things they warned me about is the rebound - if you get too low and eat something to get it back up, the number generally bounces too high. Your DH might want to look at using the little "rescue tablets" instead of eating carbs when he is low because it puts a fixed amount of sugar into the blood stream. You can buy those tablets at the grocery store. Take one of those and then eat PROTEIN and FAT to avoid the rebound - I find that cheese or peanut butter works great.

 

BTW - he probably has a carb-hangover today.....prepare for the grouchies! Again, fat and protein, lots of water, and some fresh veggies will help clear that out.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Hang in there, Jean! :grouphug:

 

It can be tough. My doc is of the opinin that type 2 diabetics need a refresher course in nutrition about once every 3 years because their control starts to slip (a cookie here, some rice there.....)

 

I have been going through the low-sugars lately since I started insulin - it takes a little trial and error with this kind to get the dose right. One of the things they warned me about is the rebound - if you get too low and eat something to get it back up, the number generally bounces too high. Your DH might want to look at using the little "rescue tablets" instead of eating carbs when he is low because it puts a fixed amount of sugar into the blood stream. You can buy those tablets at the grocery store. Take one of those and then eat PROTEIN and FAT to avoid the rebound - I find that cheese or peanut butter works great.

 

BTW - he probably has a carb-hangover today.....prepare for the grouchies! Again, fat and protein, lots of water, and some fresh veggies will help clear that out.

 

Thank you. He did just start taking some insulin lately and has been having dosing problems.

 

Most of the time he eats an appropriate diet. He just does not always eat it in time. Then his sugar starts to drop and he reaches for the carbs. In my opinion that would be fine if he added enough protein to counteract it. We have a disagreement as to how much sugar is enough in that situation and how much protein is needed to counteract the rebound. After last night's episode I'm hoping he'll listen to me.;) Or that the endocrinologist will help settle the disagreement.

[Truscifi]

Thank you. He did just start taking some insulin lately and has been having dosing problems.

 

Most of the time he eats an appropriate diet. He just does not always eat it in time. Then his sugar starts to drop and he reaches for the carbs. In my opinion that would be fine if he added enough protein to counteract it. We have a disagreement as to how much sugar is enough in that situation and how much protein is needed to counteract the rebound. After last night's episode I'm hoping he'll listen to me.;) Or that the endocrinologist will help settle the disagreement.

 

Would it help him stay on track if there were prepared snacks/small meals ready to go when he needed them? I know I do much better staying on track when I have something I can just grab and go. I will make a few bags to keep in the frig or in a lunchbox to take with me. When I forget or don't have time I am much more likely to grab whatever is convenient whether it is the best thing to eat or not.

 

I hope he is okay. I know in many ways the highs are worse because they are sneaky and do long term damage, but the lows always scare me more. They can kill you right then. :grouphug:

[Random]

Thanks, everyone. He's alive. (And no, I'm not being overly dramatic. I really was worried that he might not wake up. I was afraid to sleep myself but finally did. I was so happy to be accidentally awakened at 6 am:001_smile:) He has some lasting physical symptoms from the extreme hypoglycemic episode. I'm going to insist that he get checked out by his endocrinologist. I suspect that he already has that on his agenda.

 

I wasn't totally clear in my OP that my worry wasn't so much on his daily diet. 90% of the time he eats extremely well but he does have lapses. My worry was centered on the extreme hypoglycemia. He was close to diabetic coma range and it scared me very much.

 

:grouphug:

 

I'm thankful he's better today! I will pray for you and him.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Would it help him stay on track if there were prepared snacks/small meals ready to go when he needed them? I know I do much better staying on track when I have something I can just grab and go. I will make a few bags to keep in the frig or in a lunchbox to take with me. When I forget or don't have time I am much more likely to grab whatever is convenient whether it is the best thing to eat or not.

 

I hope he is okay. I know in many ways the highs are worse because they are sneaky and do long term damage, but the lows always scare me more. They can kill you right then. :grouphug:

 

We had a heart-to-heart talk this morning. He will get some snacks to have with him. He already has an appointment with the endocrinologist on Wed. and promised to tell him about the episode.

[Denisemomof4]

We had a heart-to-heart talk this morning. He will get some snacks to have with him. He already has an appointment with the endocrinologist on Wed. and promised to tell him about the episode.

 

oh good. I think it's so important you share with him how you're feeling, how worried you are, etc.

 

I have hypoglycemia with symptoms worse than any diabetic I've ever met. I could see having juice or half a candy bar to get the sugars up, but I know that to sustain a healthy level, fats and protein are necessary. Carbs only make it worse. If your dh doesn't understand/agree with this, hopefully a nutritionist or a doctor can help him to.

[5forMe]

I am an RN and you are right, your husband knows better. As his wife I would ask him why he is deliberately abusing his body this way. He knows that when his body swings on this blood sugar pendulum so drastically, he is damaging his organs and tissues and essentially creating an environment that will be less and less reactive to meds and other treatments.

 

I would keep my eyes open to be sure he isn't doing this as some sort of defiant coping mechanism.

 

Hang in there.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I am an RN and you are right, your husband knows better. As his wife I would ask him why he is deliberately abusing his body this way. He knows that when his body swings on this blood sugar pendulum so drastically, he is damaging his organs and tissues and essentially creating an environment that will be less and less reactive to meds and other treatments.

 

I would keep my eyes open to be sure he isn't doing this as some sort of defiant coping mechanism.

 

Hang in there.

 

No, it isn't a defiant coping mechanism. He's working two jobs and is super busy. He forgets to eat. Then when his sugars start to go out of whack he stops being able to think coherently. I should have been aware of that and pushed the protein yesterday. This morning during our talk, he started to say that I didn't have the foods available for him to eat. I started to list all the foods I stock that he could have had that would have been good. He stopped me and admitted that maybe he did have lots of options.;) The good that has come out of it is that the episode scared both of us. I won't be as passive in the future and hesitant to be seen as a nag. And he's promised to be more aware of eating before he gets to that point.

[Evergreen State Sue]

We had a heart-to-heart talk this morning. He will get some snacks to have with him. He already has an appointment with the endocrinologist on Wed. and promised to tell him about the episode.

 

So glad he woke up okay. God is good! Is there any way you can go to the doctor as well? Maybe you can ask what you can do in the future at times like that. :grouphug:

[Impish]

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

[katilac]

If he is truly forgetting to eat, he needs to set an alarm on his phone or watch.

[Chelle in MO]

I'm glad everything's better today! How scary!

[Lawana]

If he is truly forgetting to eat, he needs to set an alarm on his phone or watch.

:iagree:This. l

 

I know a woman whose dh is Type 2. He works with construction crews and won't stop to eat if they are not also eating. He has 2 young children (5 and 3) and even though his wife does all she can, he will not break out of the "tough guy" mentality to take care of his diabetes. He won't sacrifice the "good"─being part of the crew, for the "best"─being around to take care of his family. It is so hard for men, in particular, to change life long habits surrounding work, to take the time that is *vital* for long term success with their health goals.

 

I also recognize the impossible situation of the wife─needing to take care of the husband, but also needing the husband to take care of himself, without being "nagged."

 

Research the low carb lifestyle.

[AK_Mom4]

If he is truly forgetting to eat, he needs to set an alarm on his phone or watch.

 

:iagree: This is me. If I don't eat a snack around 9am, my level drops dangerously low. So I have an alarm set on my phone to obnoxiously beep at me.....

[Truscifi]

No, it isn't a defiant coping mechanism. He's working two jobs and is super busy. He forgets to eat. Then when his sugars start to go out of whack he stops being able to think coherently. I should have been aware of that and pushed the protein yesterday. This morning during our talk, he started to say that I didn't have the foods available for him to eat. I started to list all the foods I stock that he could have had that would have been good. He stopped me and admitted that maybe he did have lots of options.;) The good that has come out of it is that the episode scared both of us. I won't be as passive in the future and hesitant to be seen as a nag. And he's promised to be more aware of eating before he gets to that point.

 

If he is truly forgetting to eat, he needs to set an alarm on his phone or watch.

 

An alarm is a good idea. And having lots of options doesn't always help if he isn't thinking clearly. When my sugar gets really low I do need help making good choices. Heck, when it is really low I can't even open a pack of crackers, much less think through making a balanced snack.

[Laurie4b]

When the diabetic's blood sugar gets really low, they often feel panic and (because of the brain function problem you mentioned) are not thinking clearly/rationally. This can happen even if when of sound mind they agree with you. Sometimes you have to be very firm when the sugars are low and take control of what is eaten. we have a diabetic in the family and there is always concord grape juice around for the quick sugar intake. (I made that choice because concord grape juice is so good for you, so swigging down 43 g. of sugar worth at least takes a lot of other good things down with it. Grape juice, though dark, is considered a clear juice, like apple juice. Clear juices affect the blood sugar faster than oj.) Anyway, it will take a bit for the sugar to affect the blood sugar and it can keep dipping for a while (maybe only a few minutes); meanwhile, the diabetic is feeling panicked. That's when being firm and saying, "Let's wait another couple minutes and test your blood again" is helpful. Along with the juice, once the panic is somewhat subsided, take in something like peanut butter crackers--longer acting carbs, a little protein and fat. Does your husband have an emergency shot of glucogon? That's for if the sugars go too low and they pass out or are about to.

 

I wouldn't worry much about a coma in your situation. Our family member has been much worse many times and the body will compensate for it nearly all the time. You want that glucogon in case it doesn't, but it will likely expire without you ever having to use it.

 

Also, exercise will affect insulin levels and it takes a while and some experimenting to find out how much what kind of exercise affects blood sugar, insulin needs, etc.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I just got home after a long day out so I won't respond to each and every post, though I did read each and every one of them. An alarm on his watch is a very good idea. And having ready snacks is also good. Laurie, your comment about the panic is very true. I think he overdoes the sugar in trying to feel better.