Parents of young T1 child-glucogon

[subvet1969]

I was just curious about something. My 6 yr old daughter has had T1 for nearly 5 years, and luckily we have never had to use the glucogone kit. We have had quite a few low bg's and have been close to using the kit a couple times. Luckily she was aware enough to take a sugar orally. I was just wondering what the frequency is of parents having to give thier T1 child the glucogon shot. I don't hear about it very often, and I figure it's very scary when it comes to having to administer it. If you don't mind to share your stories with me(past or present) regarding using the glucogon, I would surely appreciate it. I just want to know what to expect if the need ever arises. As most parents know, a child's eating habits at this age are very tough to control as they are picky, and they sure love the candy(even though it should be limited). Thats what makes it tough administering insulin with syringes. The pump has made the eating issue much easier to manage. If you are a parent with a newly diagnosed type 1 child administering insulin with syringes, I feel for you, and know exactly what you are going through. Believe me though...it does get easier. We switched doctors just for the sole reason of pump therapy, which the old doctor refused pump therapy on any child under 10 yrs old. I still have a lot to learn about diabetes and the pump...but its getting easier...one day @ a time.

Pray For A Cure :smile:

Bryan

[JediSkipdogg]

I have had diabetes for 24 years and I cannot recall anytime that my parents had to give me glucagon. OJ always seemed to do the trick. The worst part about glucagon is that it does have a 1 year expiration date and if you go to far past it can actually be useless.

OJ seems to be able to be poured down someone's throat when they are low. Another item that you may want to have is glucose gel. It's harder to find in stores (I think Walgreens online sells it) but it's a gel form of sugar in different flavors (grape is my favorite.) You just open the tube and squirt away in the mouth.

Now, OJ and glucose gel are both assuming the person is still conscious, and believe it or not, even if they are fighting you, as long as they are concious they can still swallow.

So glucagon is something that if you do use it, it would most likely only be once. And even then, it's not scary to use, just don't rush it and poke it in the eye or something stupid. The pump will greatly lesson the need for it. Before I started pumping I was averaging one major low where my parents had to assist a year, since pumping, I've had NONE.

[Stuboy]

yah ha! Ask for some Glucogel... formaly known as Hypo Stop. I've used it twice while i was low and had nothing else to have... and in the instance of unconciousness... it can be squerted into the mouth around the gums and cheaks, takes a bit longer than an injection, but much easier to administer and doesn't have to be refrigerated. store it at room temperature and you can carry it around with the tester kit!

[mark-TN]

The gel is a great low remedy. Just remember that the child will inevitably wipe his/her mouth with their hands after the gel is squirted in and they will get it on their hands. Be sure to rinse the child’s hands thoroughly before doing a blood test to avoid getting a false high reading.

Mark

[Lorna]

On the origanal point of the glucogon, although it is unlikely that you will have to use it, it may be an idea to practice measuring ou the injection with old viles when they go out of date, that way it won't be so allien if you ever do need to use it.

[maunder]

Hi

I have had to use glucagon injections several times. My son tends to have seizures when he is low so we have to deal with that, take bg and inject. This usually takes place at 3am!

I have not mastered the art of administering it at all and usually manage to break the needles. The other thing I hate about it is that the specialist team insist that we take him to hospital so that they can monitor him. We feel that we are confident to do this at home and after all he just sleeps through the day.

We did have a period when we used the kit every few weeks but we managed to identify the changes that were going on and have since avoided the problem.

[Tsukia]

I have been diabetic T1 for 6 years my parents never needed to use the glucogon shot on me. But I think a main thing to keep in mind is how aware the child is of what is going on. If they always tell you when they start to feel off and can identify it than the shot probably isn't necessary because the child should be conscious enough to take something orally.

Another option if they do go unconscious is using honey or jam rubbing it on the lips and just inside the mouth. My doctor told me that unconsciously humans tend to lick their lips but like someone else mentioned it can take a little bit longer. or there is the gel as well but it is harder to find.

[samsmom]

we have used the glucagon a few times...two times in an emergency and a few times we have used the non emergency dose when our son was sick with large ketones and low bg....the glucagon brought him up enough to give him insulin to get rid of the ketones......good for when they have the stomach flu too...(check all this out with the ped endo first though)....the emergency times happened when he was on nph (yuck , terrible for a toddler) since going on the pump, we have not had to use an emergency glucagon...

shannon

[BriOnH]

The gel is great. Sugar gets to the brain fast this way. I always keep it on me. My mom never had to give me glucagon growing up, she was always able to give me juice and bring me out. God bless her; she is a great mom. I take that back, acutally when I was about 15 she tried to give me glucagon but appearently was too fistey so she had to get this 300+ lb guy down the street to sit on me and give the shot, so technically while she never gave it to me, she inadvertantly did . He was a good friend, and also a former nurse turned real estate agent.

[Erin]

I only had to use glucogon once, and yes, my poor dear parents were the ones who had to administer it. I was about 12 or 13 years old, and had flip-floped the bottles of insulin (back in the days of mixing insulin) and ended up very low during the night. I had gone unconscious and had a seizure in my sleep, so there was really no way that I could have taken sugar orally. (and I have been known to drink oj in my sleep... it is kind of cool, if you put a straw in my mouth it's like my body knows what to do.)

Hopefully you'll never need to use the glucagon, but it is a good idea to have around, just in case! If your child is still very young, ask your doctor about using a regular insulin syringe to inject the stuff... instead of the big and scary glucogon needle... I think that is what my parents did.

[blue_eyed_devil]

Yup, had to use glucogon (glucagen over here) about five or six times when i was an adolescent. Not a fun experience for me, and I know it was hard for my parents to do. Often it happened in the real early hours (no surprise there)... I have some at home all the time just in case, haven't used it since I was about 17/18.

Hope ya never have to use it... nasty vomiting and bad headaches!

I wish they were situations where I had of been awake and been able to eat before it went bad...!!! I've learnt over the years to wake up with I go low at night now, and it doesn't happen often now anyway... All the best :)

[melissata]

My son has needed Glucagon many times over the last 10 years. He only got sick afterwards once, and I think that his friend gave him the full dose that time. The needle is huge, and even though he was completely out of it, he knew to try to keep away from it. He even bit my husband a couple of times while he was trying to hold him down. That is when I started using the regular syringes. Also, you don't have to put it in the muscle like they used to tell you. You can only get about half the dose in a regular syringe, but it was always plenty and I think that the smaller dose kept him from feeling sick. He was 15 at diagnosis, so you can use the smaller dose on an adult also. He has never been able to feel his lows, but hasn't needed Glucagon in a few years now. Everyone should get the kit out and read the instructions ahead of time. When you are in an emergency it is difficult to concentrate on how to mix it. Hope none of you need it, but it sure beats a trip to the hospital. There is no reason to make them go to the hospital, but the chances are greater that they will have another low in the next 24 hours once they have a severe low like that. Make sure to get a new kit pronto. We always get the endo to write the script for two. If you have insurance, you can get two for the price of one co pay that way. Also be sure to check the expiration date on them when you get them. They should be good for at least a year. The pharmacy gave me some that were not fresh and I made them send them back and get fresh ones.

[momof6]

I like to read the directions every few months just to make sure IF I needed to use it, I'd know how.

[right2fight]

In almost 6 years, we have not had to use a glucagon. I believe it's all in the way the child is taught to deal with diabetes as to whether or not it may be necessary.

[aeromarv]

In 15 years, only had a use for glucogon once. And of course thats when I didn't have any. A call to 911 (by my father), a few paramedics and some firefighters solved that problem!

My issue was being unconscious and unable to really drink or eat. Injection was about the only way out.

[BriOnH]

God bless you parents of diabetic on here. When working at camp I can't tell you how awful it was when parents took little to no interest in their childs disease. It was very few parents, but none the less they exist.

[right2fight]

Your message means so much! Thank you, Brian.