joannqn Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 My dad recently needed new glasses. Then he started posting on FB on how he was drinking a gallon and a half and still thirsty. He wasn't sleeping well, getting up to pee and drink more at night, stuff like that. Then he complained of metallic taste in his mouth and nothing would make it go away. He'd had orange juice, chocolate milk, milk, coffee, tons of ice water, coke, dr. pepper, etc. all before noon. I told him he had symptoms of diabetes and needed to see the doctor. Shockingly (truly it was a shock to find out), he listened and went to an urgent care clinic (no job, no insurance). They put him in an ambulance and shipped him off to the hospital where he was admitted to ICU. All I know is what my aunt just told me. Sugar over 400. Acid in the blood. Numbers low. I know he has diabetes and they are monitoring him overnight, and he may be sent home tomorrow. My aunt is aware that she has to change the way she cooks and it sounds like she is willing to google and learn. Can you who know about diabetes explain how bad 400 is? What is acid in the blood? And what numbers being low might she be talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I do not know the answers to your questions...just wanted to give you a :grouphug: I know that our bodies need to be alkaline, not acidic. Acidic is the atmosphere for disease growth. It can be changed via diet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I can't answer your questions, but hope he is doing better soon. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Oooh! Scary. :grouphug: I believe that is ketoacidosis -- very serious situation and possible coma could result. http://www.livestrong.com/article/535758-blood-glucose-levels-above-400/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 My mom is a type 2 diabetic. She is going through chemo for breast cancer and one of her chemo meds makes her blood sugar levels go up. Her doctor said if it is over 200 during her next chemo treatment she needs to take medication to lower it. During her first chemo session it went up to 300 by the end of the day. The next morning she went to water aerobics and is was back down to 150 by the afternoon. Some how exercise is one of the best things you can do for diabetes. I went to her water aerobics class and it was super easy. I was stunned that such easy exercise could be so beneficial. My mom also joined a diabetes support group several years ago. They meet twice a month and she has learned so much about managing her illness. She is 84 and in awesome shape since she eats so well and exercises every day. So sorry about your Dad. Hope he is better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 He was at risk of a diabetic coma. The acid means that his body was breaking down muscles for fuel. I'm not sure what "numbers low" means other than possibly that his acid (ketones) number was low which would be a good thing because it would mean that they hopefully caught it before too much damage was done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I know that 100 to 125 is considered prediabetes. So he's obviously way over that. I found this article on the LiveStrong site: Blood Glucose Levels Above 400 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 As relative of someone with Type 1 diabetes, that is not a horrendously high number. It is not the kind of number you want to have a lot, but it's actually a lower number than others I've known have had upon first diagnosis. It's not a number to be worrying about right now. He's been diagnosed, he'll learn to make adjustments as will your aunt, he'll make his own choices (hopefully good ones!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 I just talked to him. His blood sugar was 477. His blood pressure was 190/90. He was dehydrated as well. They are keeping him in ICU overnight because they have him on an insulin drip and need to monitor that closely. They are also treating his blood pressure and giving him fluids. It sounds like he's letting the doctor's do their treatments. I hope he'll listen to the doctors, test his blood sugar the way he's suppose to, and make appropriate diet and lifestyle changes. I'm skeptical about that last part. I'm sure my aunt will do some changes to her cooking, but I can't see my dad eating/drinking healthy and exercising. I really can't. There's a long history that I can't go into right now that makes that really hard to picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Joann, most likely he (and his doctors) will manage his diabetes mostly with medicine - probably a combination of insulin and oral meds. While it is ideal to treat with diet and exercise, doctors are used to having many patients who don't make the necessary lifestyle changes. Yes, there will be a much bigger chance of diabetic complications that way but that is the way it goes for a lot of people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeenagerMom Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 The hospital I work in considers a blood glucose of above 350 as critically high and requires swift phone calls to the lab for a venous draw and to the physician on call. As far as low numbers, I am not sure unless she is talking about unless she means they got his blood sugar down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara in AZ Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) My daughter was around 600 when diagnosed with Type 1. If she's having a problem with her pump or something else strange is going on she's had an occasional "hi" reading. That means she's at least 500 but the meter stops there. Of course, we immediately take action and get her numbers down. I think a coma is more likely when no action is being taken and the numbers are high or undetected for a while. It sounds like your dad has responded well and is okay for now. What to hope for now is that he will take the appropriate actions in the future to manage the disease. It 's scary and the learning curve is huge. :grouphug: Edited June 21, 2012 by Sara in AZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Thanks for your help in understanding. He wasn't able to tell me which numbers were low. Once he finally decides to get medical help, he's more the type to let the doctor's do their thing rather than seeking to fully understand everything. I'm just the opposite. I have to understand everything, and I will ask questions until I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara in AZ Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Thanks for your help in understanding. He wasn't able to tell me which numbers were low. Once he finally decides to get medical help, he's more the type to let the doctor's do their thing rather than seeking to fully understand everything. I'm just the opposite. I have to understand everything, and I will ask questions until I do. Diabetes is so complicated, and you really have to be proactive like this. This is especially true if you are an adult facing Type 2. There is a lot of hand holding from doctors when Type 1 is diagnosed, especially in children. But I have known so many adult Type 2's who got very little guidance about how to proceed and where to go for additional training once the initial diagnosis is made. I hope you can encourage your father to follow up.... Read some books, see a dietician, attend an American Diabetes Association expo when they have them. Get him a subscription to Diabetes Forecast magazine. It is very informative. I know you yourself can only do do much for him, but your caring will go a long way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I'm skeptical about that last part. I'm sure my aunt will do some changes to her cooking, but I can't see my dad eating/drinking healthy and exercising. I really can't. There's a long history that I can't go into right now that makes that really hard to picture. My mom was the one who made all the changes for my stepdad when he was diagnosed with diabetes. He is definitely not the kind of person to do things for himself. I also don't think he really cares about his diabetes. He hasn't completely ignore things but I know for a fact that he eats things he shouldn't be eating. He eats everything my mother puts in front of him and he doesn't snack at home. However, he continues to eat fast food when he works. He did lose some weight but I believe that if he is eating the way he should be eating, he should have lost more weight. I think his glucose says low more because of the meds he's on than from his diet. But who knows. I might be wrong about him eating things he shouldn't eat. My mom says she doesn't really know, but she does pack food for him. So she's hopeful. Because of him, my mom had her numbers checked and she was in the low end of the diabetic diagnosis. It was easy for her to just change her whole kitchen around because diabetes affected both of them. But knowing my mom, she would have made changes for her husband even if she didn't need to do it for herself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 I just realized that it probably sounded weird that my aunt will probably change her cooking for my dad's diagnosis. My dad, one of his sisters, and my dad's mother all live together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Most doctors want the number to be 100 or lower, preferably around 70, before eating with a spike of no more than 150 about 2 hours after eating. Another number you want to ask about is the A1C. It is a blood test, done with a finger prick, that can show how high the sugar levels have been over the last 3 months. 5.5 is ideal, 7 is diabetic, everything else is seriously bad. Exercise is huge and can bring those numbers down in a hurry, but then you also need to be careful and not over do it and bring those numbers too low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I just realized that it probably sounded weird that my aunt will probably change her cooking for my dad's diagnosis. My dad, one of his sisters, and my dad's mother all live together. I didn't want to ask.;). I thought maybe your dad married your mom's sister orsomething.:lol: As a daughter of a dad who had his first heart attack at age 27 and never really took care of himself, I kow how hard it is to slowly sit by and watch them commit suicide over decades. :crying: i used to have to run to get his nitroglycerine tablets as a kid, then watch him smike and smike, drink several pots of coffee, and eat horribly. He was a wonderful man but it was so hard to watch him slowly die. Your dad and aunt need to make drastic changes. I know several people who have actually reversed diabetes through diet alone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 400 is bad, but not the worst I've heard. His hemoglobin A1C will give you an idea how his blood glucose levels have been over the past few months. Sounds like he'll probably be on supplemental insulin as well as other meds. Good that he saw an ophthalmologist, but he probably needs to see a retina specialist. Hopefully they dilated his eyes. If it was an OD, then he needs to see a retina specialist. Diabetes at the level your Dad had is one of the most common causes of blindness in the U.S. Also amputations and kidney issues. I'm sure he'll be referred to an endocrinologist as well as a whole host of other specialists. Hope he has health insurance. IF he does not, often times there are programs to help with drug costs, as well a some docs who will offer discounts (especially for diabetes). His wife should go with him to his diabetes education classes as it will help her learn how to cook. Basically, think low glycemic index. When his blood glucose is under control, his vision may improve...thus he might need new glasses again. THat's actually a good sign. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 There's a really good book by Bob Greene (Oprah's trainer) on diabetes. He wrote it with a bunch of experts. http://www.amazon.com/Best-Guide-Managing-Diabetes-Pre-Diabetes/dp/1416588396/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340298310&sr=8-1&keywords=bob+greene+diabetes I think it was better done than many of the popular ones on Type 2 :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 He has been mostly unemployed for two and a half years and has no insurance. Even when he had insurance, he wasn't the type to see the doctor unless it was urgent. He is divorced and lives with/supports his sister and mother. His sister does most of the cooking and knows she'll have to change her cooking, but she mostly covers just dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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