Welcome to Diabetes Forums!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features.
Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.
|
 | | 
01-25-2007, 10:17 PM
| | Senior Member
I am a: Type 1 | | Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,810
| | | Grrrr
So I was in the ER tonight working, and I overheard one of the doctors talking.
"This patient doesn't say they have diabetes, but their blood sugar was 240, so they have a touch of something going on there."
Are you farkin kidding me?  |
01-25-2007, 10:21 PM
|  | Senior Member
I am a: Type 2 | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Douglasville, GA
Posts: 2,574
| | | *SIGH*
WALMART SPECIAL!!!
Medical Course $9.99!!
__________________ Age: 43
Type 2 - Dx'd 08.16.05
•••
[ A1c ]
6.9 - 01/07
6.0 - 05/07
5.9 - 09/07
6.4 - 3/08  
[ Meter ]
UltraSmart/Ultra2/Contour
[ Meds ]
Metformin 1000mg 2x, Novolin N 20u 2x, Novolin R 1:10
Lisinopril 20mg 1x, Lovastatin 40mg 1x, Aspirin 81mg 1x, Albuterol as needed
[ Other Conditions ]
Coccidioidomycosis aka Valley Fever Dx'd 1.17.94
- Asthma
- Chronic Bronchitis
Hypertention
Hyperlipidemia
|
01-25-2007, 11:58 PM
| | Member
I am a: Type 1.5 | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: reno nevada
Posts: 245
| | Quote:
Originally Posted by Funnygrl  So I was in the ER tonight working, and I overheard one of the doctors talking.
"This patient doesn't say they have diabetes, but their blood sugar was 240, so they have a touch of something going on there."
Are you farkin kidding me? | I swear some people, don't have the sense God gave a goat! Did these doc admit the guy? |
01-26-2007, 12:21 AM
| | Junior Member
I am a: Type 1 | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: San Mateo County, CA
Posts: 52
| | At the risk of sounding foolish, and maybe I'm missing something here, but couldn't there be something unforeseen that could possibly raise blood sugar that high in a non-diabetic? I know it'd be incredibly rare, but it doesn't seem impossible to me.
I can remember testing a family member and their blood sugar was 178 and they absolutely do not have diabetes (he went in and did all the tests of course to disprove). But a sugar like that seems like it'd be possible at least occasionally anyhow.
Please educate me.  |
01-26-2007, 12:24 AM
| | Junior Member
I am a: Type 1 | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: San Mateo County, CA
Posts: 52
| | | Oh, not that that would be a reason to skip checking for diabetes or anything. |
01-26-2007, 02:11 AM
|  | Junior Member
I am a: Type 1 | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs (USA)
Posts: 30
| | | If the results were from a fingerstick test if the patient had been eating sourpatch kids, or gotten sugar on there fingers and didn't wash their hands prior to testing thats always a recipie for a false reading. One time I was on an airplane my sugar was on the low side ate candy. Stupid me didn't think to wash my hands later on felt like my sugar was outta wack tested it using my fingers saw upper 300's bloused and almost killed myself was lucky I have friends close by. It might be that or just a person in denial of their DX.
__________________
Avid Insulin Junkie 
28
DX since 1991
Insulin Pump user since 1995
Humalog
Just started Symlin
Minimed Paradigm 722 (realtime with Minilink CGM)
Used to use Guardian RT
Freestyle Meter
HbA1c: Of little consequence to you  Omitted in an effort to avoid control comparisons and A1C snobbery lol. While I have had many good ones every once in a blue moon I get my *** kicked hard by this D. The fact that I dust myself off and continue the fight is whats really important.  |
01-26-2007, 05:07 AM
| | Senior Member
I am a: Type 1 | | Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,810
| | | I don't know if they admitted him. He wasn't my patient.
Yes, something else could have caused it. It, at the very least, requires follow up, and I hope he gets that. I'm mostly bothered by the way the doctor said it. Good grief. My blood sugar was 175 when I was diagnosed, and I obviously had more than a "touch of something." I wish people wouldn't equate non-dramatically high blood sugars with nothing serious, or place varying degress on a disease that is always serious.
As far as something being on his finger- no, we used alcohol, then blot off the first drop. |
01-26-2007, 06:09 AM
| | Member
I am a: Type 2 | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 362
| | Quote:
Originally Posted by Funnygrl
As far as something being on his finger- no, we used alcohol, then blot off the first drop.
| Blotting off the first drop... is that just to make sure there's no alcohol in the sample or is there some other medical reason for doing so?
Just curious. |
01-26-2007, 07:51 AM
|  | Senior Member
I am a: Type 1 | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Southern USA
Posts: 1,500
| | | I can relate. My mom has had a fasting bs of 140-165 for almost 5 months now, and her so-called doctor says she has "insulin resistance", yet seeming wants to do nothing about it. Meanwhile, every single symptom of D is showing up in her body every passing week. Perhaps he was a great doctor 30 years ago, but times have changed! |
01-26-2007, 09:24 AM
| | Senior Member
I am a: Type 1 | | Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,810
| | Quote:
Originally Posted by moorejames Blotting off the first drop... is that just to make sure there's no alcohol in the sample or is there some other medical reason for doing so?
Just curious. | To make sure there is no alcohol on it still. |
01-26-2007, 02:41 PM
|  | Member
I am a: Type 1 | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: new zealand
Posts: 255
| | | hey funnygirl,
yeah i've seen stuff like that happen over here too. it sucks. i'm just curious what you do in the hospital? are you a nurse? dr? ca?
__________________ money can't buy you friends, but you get a better class of enemy" - spike milligan
diagnosed april 1993, age 10
was on MDI until april 2005, when started on cozmo pump (purple).
i'm a nurse and the medical profession scares me sometimes  |
01-26-2007, 03:27 PM
|  | Junior Member | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Lockport, IL
Posts: 33
| | My father (absolutely non-D) had an inner ear infection about two months ago...this increased his bgl but he didnt know it. He drank two gallons of orange juice to feed the immune system (self-medicating) and went into a coma.
Infection is gone, and he is fine..he "had a little something going on" 
__________________
NO LONGER In diabetic denial.
|
01-28-2007, 02:00 AM
|  | Senior Member | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: MIdwest, USA
Posts: 1,067
| | | If you stand back from looking at everything through diabetes glasses, it's easy to see why the doctor said this. This doctor was likely working on a differential diagnosis. S/he may have even been suggesting that the pt was taking illegal drugs!
As you know, hyperglycemia can "easily" be induced in normal, otherwise formerly healthy people for other reasons, including steroids, infection, certain combinations of medications or "supplements", and even stress response from severe injury. For the doctor to conclude diabetes just from a chem or metabolic panel would be premature.
Some illegal substances will create a short-term hyperglycemia that presents itself with the symptoms of diabetes, but only for a short time. |
01-28-2007, 08:55 AM
| | Senior Member
I am a: Type 1 | | Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,810
| | | I'm a nursing student.
Yes, a random glucose of 240 isn't diagnostic of diabetes (though a second one over 200 would make it diagnostic). Even if the patient was on steroids, diabetes would still be diagnosed. It would be called "steroid-induced" diabetes, but it would still require treatment, and monitoring. If someone on steroids or with an infection gets hyperglycemia, it's an indicator diabetes is there or on it's way. A person with totally healthy glucose metabolism can handle an infection or steroids without elevated glucose.
The thing that annoyed me most was the doctor's casual response to an obviously elevated bg. |
01-28-2007, 01:16 PM
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: MIdwest, USA
Posts: 1,067
| | You'll probably find that the doctor's casual response is a sign of his relief that he can actually "do something" about it. That way, when a really complicated patient comes along, he can still look smart. 
I imagine you'll be wanting to go to medical school after a few years of listening to bad doctors you encounter! Hopefully you can fill in the compassion that some doctors leave out of their care. And you've got a bunch of CDE education already under your belt! |
| |
| Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | |
|  | | » Site Navigation | | Diabetesforums.com | | | Resource Directory | | | Contact Zone | | | |
