Airline's medicine ban leaves passenger in coma [Archive]

archimeech

11-01-2006, 04:01 AM

Read the whole story here:
New Zealand Herald - Airline's medicine ban leaves passenger in coma - Wednesday 01, November 2006 01:44.00 AM (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/search/story.cfm?storyid=000D8496-4536-1547-BDBF83027AF1010E)

Airline's medicine ban leaves passenger in coma

Wednesday November 1, 2006
By James Ihaka

A diabetic man fell into a coma because airport staff refused to let him take his insulin on board a flight from Auckland to Christchurch.

Qantas yesterday apologised to Tui Peter Russell, who had a severe attack on the plane and was in hospital for two weeks.

Mr Russell said check-in staff at Auckland Airport told him he could not take his medication on board because it was dangerous.

The 43-year-old Glen Innes chef said he had flown many times with Qantas and had never had problems taking his medicine on board.

The medication was clearly labelled, he said.

"They thought I would hurt somebody, but I was only flying to Christchurch, not LA," said Mr Russell.

He started feeling ill during the flight last month and called a flight attendant.

"They asked where the insulin was, and they weren't very happy when they found out I wasn't allowed to bring it on board."

Mr Russell praised cabin crew who tried to keep him conscious and gave him oxygen until they arrived in Christchurch.

But he fell into a coma shortly before the aircraft landed and spent two weeks in Christchurch Hospital.

CycloneKitty

11-01-2006, 04:09 AM

Thats disgusting that something like that can happen in this day and age. You think staff would realise the importance of insulin. I hope the staff member that wrongly advised him at check in gets the sack. And here's hoping he gets re-imbursed for his hospital and medical bills.

Cyborg

11-01-2006, 04:11 AM

So... Insulin would have stopped his heart attack? :stupid:

Stuboy

11-01-2006, 04:17 AM

So... Insulin would have stopped his heart attack? :stupid:

I didn't see any mention of a heart attack?

It's discusting that this can happen tho. I had a short argument with the checkin girl in Canada when we were on our way home who was telling me I couldn't take my glucogel onboard. After telling her I was going to anyway she told me that security would have the final say... I didn't bother telling them i was diabetic, or that i had any needles or anything in my bad and it all went through fine! I even walked through the metal detector with my Meditag on and it didn't go off!!

DeusXM

11-01-2006, 04:23 AM

Funnygrl

11-01-2006, 04:26 AM

Or it was a heart attack.

Stuboy

11-01-2006, 04:28 AM

2high

11-01-2006, 04:32 AM

Something's up with this. You don't go into DKA and coma because you're unable to get to your insulin for a half-hour hop over. I smell a very large rat - either he went into hypoglycaemia (in which case insulin would be the last thing he would need) or he's been running hyperglycaemic for some time, which means he'd have ended up in a coma anyway.

Agreed... The guy must have been DKA or close on already. And IMHO, he should have had a drs letter stating that he was carrying insulin and why. I never even fly to Sydney without a letter from my doc.

Latest news (5 mins ago on TV) is that QANTAS have changed their "policy" and will "now" allow insulin on board...

I find the whole incident rather odd...

CycloneKitty

11-01-2006, 04:32 AM

maybe he had a brain anurism. And now that i think about it - who spends two weeks in hospital with DKA????

Cyborg

11-01-2006, 04:32 AM

Musta been a sugar attack... :whistling

duck

11-01-2006, 04:33 AM

So... Insulin would have stopped his heart attack? :stupid:

No, but oxygen, if properly administered, can stop a number of things, including hypoglycemia...

:hmmmm2:

SueM

11-01-2006, 04:35 AM

I have to question the Blokes soundnes of mind.
Pardon the sacasim sp! but how many of you would be parted from life saving insulin on a flight any way?
I can assure you if someone told me I could not have my life giving drugs with me then I would not be going on that plane.
As Deux says a large rat is smelt somewhere.

2high

11-01-2006, 04:37 AM

maybe he had a brain anurism. And now that i think about it - who spends two weeks in hospital with DKA????

***raises hand***

Easy Kaitlyn... especially if you've been comatose...

Simon

11-01-2006, 04:37 AM

I've flown even recently with insulin and never been questioned.
If I were not allowed on board with it I simply wouldn't fly. It's as simple as that.

Stuboy

11-01-2006, 04:37 AM

why does everyone pick on the rats? lol Their cute!

Cyborg

11-01-2006, 04:41 AM

Remember that New York Times reporter that made up stories for years before he got busted?

LauRa Lu

11-01-2006, 04:42 AM

Agreed... The guy must have been DKA or close on already. ..

Sounds to me like he's just some attention seeking freak who makes the rest of us diabetics look bad. Yes he should have been able to take it on board but the story doesn't add up. In all reality he should have been ok for an hour or so unless he went low... in which case it's not insulin he would have needed anyway.

2high

11-01-2006, 04:44 AM

Remember that New York Times reporter that made up stories for years before he got busted?

Stephen Glass??

Great movie about him, "Shattered Glass"...

Stuboy

11-01-2006, 04:49 AM

Sounds to me like he's just some attention seeking freak who makes the rest of us diabetics look bad. Yes he should have been able to take it on board but the story doesn't add up. In all reality he should have been ok for an hour or so unless he went low... in which case it's not insulin he would have needed anyway.

Altho, if nothing else, it's brought an awareness to the public and the airlines just how important insulin is to us. So we shouldn't have any problems getting on planes with it!

2high

11-01-2006, 04:52 AM

Altho, if nothing else, it's brought an awareness to the public and the airlines just how important insulin is to us. So we shouldn't have any problems getting on planes with it!

I wonder how much damage this has done to QANTAS though?? I mean, Ansett is gone, and Jetstar and Virgin are budget airlines, lets hope this doesnt ruin QANTAS completely!

Cyborg

11-01-2006, 04:53 AM

Stephen Glass??

Great movie about him, "Shattered Glass"...

Jayson Blair, but same difference I suppose.

DeusXM

11-01-2006, 05:48 AM

Altho, if nothing else, it's brought an awareness to the public and the airlines just how important insulin is to us. So we shouldn't have any problems getting on planes with it!

You shouldn't have any problems anyway. I flew a couple of weeks after the liquid ban came into force and I had no problems at all. I didn't even need a doctor's note.

I'm with Laura on this one. This man is giving all of us a bad name, because now there will be this public perception that if we're not constantly hooked up to insulin, within half an hour we'll be in a coma for weeks. So now not only do we have to deal with everyone thinking we're more fragile than glass, it'll probably encourage even more people to 'help' people with diabetes by jacking them up on insulin. If I go into a diabetes-related coma, I assure you it'll be from too much insulin rather than too little and I'm certainly not keen on the idea of being 'helped' by someone.

I'll tell you exactly what's going on here. This guy's an idiot, he doesn't treat his diabetes properly and he's probably got a load of other underlying medical conditions. Those catch up with him and put him in a coma that costs him quite a bit in medical bills. But luckily for him, he managed to pass out in unusual circumstances, which means he gets to kick up a fuss and send the bill to someone else.

Thanks, "mate". I'd offer to pay for his flight over here so I could kick the **** out of him but he'd probably die on the way over and thus deny me the satisfaction.

JediSkipdogg

11-01-2006, 06:04 AM

I second everything that Deus has said. THis then gives us a bad name and this is what causes us problems. Why do you think you legally aren't suppose to get a standard driver's license in the US having diabetes? Yes, it's easily avoided, but that's not the point. It's the same reason getting a CDL is very very hard. People give us a bad name in one instance, make a big deal out of it, get some congress people on it, and then you have a new ban.

Personally, when I fly to Vegas next summer if they tell me I can't have my insulin on board, I'll ask for their boss and then the phone number for the New York Times and any local papers. I never put anything that is a MUST HAVE or expensive under the plane. That includes ALL medical supplies. Luggage gets lost and my family has a 100% success rate in something being lost. So I won't take the chances.

DeusXM

11-01-2006, 06:21 AM

Personally, when I fly to Vegas next summer if they tell me I can't have my insulin on board, I'll ask for their boss and then the phone number for the New York Times and any local papers.

Try showing them a doctor's note first....

Seriously though, you really shouldn't have any problems getting your medical supplies on a plane. I've flown on numerous occasions both pre- and post-9/11 without a single hitch whatsoever. I mean, yeah, I'm used to everyone taking a closer look but the majority of airline security people are clued up to understand or at the very least, try to avoid a scene. Understandably, people with diabetes tend to kick up a rather vocal and loud fuss when challenged on stuff like this and so it's always easier just to quietly check and then let it pass. The biggest problem I've ever had was, as I said, flying a couple of weeks after the liquid ban. My bag got picked up by the scanner, as I knew it would, and all it meant was waiting an extra two minutes whilst a security person looked through it wordlessly, before handing the bag back and saying 'thanks' to me.

Even at the height of the liquid ban, they were still letting you take insulin on the plane - the problems come when these things aren't spelled out to the grunts on the ground and it's not their fault. They're told 'no liquids', not 'no liquids, but if it's insulin it's ok' and so they're just doing their job to the best of what they've been informed. A quick chat to more senior personnel should solve the problem.

Funnygrl

11-01-2006, 06:59 AM

Agreed... The guy must have been DKA or close on already. And IMHO, he should have had a drs letter stating that he was carrying insulin and why. I never even fly to Sydney without a letter from my doc.

Latest news (5 mins ago on TV) is that QANTAS have changed their "policy" and will "now" allow insulin on board...

I find the whole incident rather odd...
When I flew Qantas I was impressed with their service. I wonder why they didn't allow insulin to begin with.

archimeech

11-01-2006, 07:00 AM

So... Insulin would have stopped his heart attack? :stupid:

What Heart Attack? they're saying he had a high sugar induced coma...

JediSkipdogg

11-01-2006, 07:07 AM

When I flew Qantas I was impressed with their service. I wonder why they didn't allow insulin to begin with.

I'm not familiar with overseas airports, but....

Here in the US airport security has NOTHING to do with the airline you are flying with. The security is handled by the airport and not the airline. So not sure really how Qantas has any blame to this unless they owned the entire airport. Which maybe they do.

And I, like others, are still puzzled at where the heck Cyborg got the heart attack part from.

Funnygrl

11-01-2006, 07:39 AM

Kit said Qantas changed their policy, so I figured it had to do with the airline. Plus Qantas is pretty much Australia's only airline iirc.

momof6

11-01-2006, 08:07 AM

I read this article elswhere and it made me sooo mad!!!!!!!!!!!

Cyborg

11-01-2006, 11:00 AM

And I, like others, are still puzzled at where the heck Cyborg got the heart attack part from.

Since you seem to be infatuated with me... I read "a severe attack" and assumed a heart attack. No where did the quote state "diabetes induced coma". Please excuse me, master Jedi. :wavey:

2high

11-01-2006, 11:23 AM

Kit said Qantas changed their policy, so I figured it had to do with the airline. Plus Qantas is pretty much Australia's only airline iirc.

In Aus, the airport is divided into different areas. If you're flying QANTAS, you go to one area, Jetstar another, Virgin another, so on and so forth. All the news flashes ae focusing quite heavily on QANTAS, (of course! they gotta blame someone!) which is why I wonder at their rep now... what will be left of it??

The reason I said they have "now" changed their policy, is I was qite confused as well... I have flown with QANTAS in the past (domestic flights) and never had a problem with my insulin being allowed on, so either this "policy" is less that 4 months old, or the ataff were pretty lax when I flew.

FG, QANTAS is our biggest airrline now, but we also have Jetstar (don't bother, they suck!) and Virgin doing international as well as domestic... So 3 big(ish) airlines!!

Just_Plain_John

11-01-2006, 01:20 PM

I'm thinking that this is a case of mangled facts by the news journalists.

Suppose he had a hypo - and in a technically unrelated incident had his insulin banned from his carry-on luggage. He goes low and passes out, but somehow the insulin-ban becomes the focus of the misinformed airport/airline staff. The news doesn't know any better and repeats the tale. The diabetic doesn't mention a test or other details (and may have a motive to be obscure if he wants a hospital bill paid).

Maybe this will just alert people to "not mess with diabetics." Yes, I'm grasping for optimism, much unlike me....:ridinghor

Aggie06

11-01-2006, 02:49 PM

You should not need a doctor's note in order to carry your medication.

The problem with a "doctor's note" is there is no control or guidance over what an appropriate not contains. I could easily forge a note in 10 minutes on my computer that says I require 4 pizzas and a 6-pack of beer to be medically fit to fly.

Who is the TSA agent to question what the note says?

I have flown multiple times post-liquid ban and I haven't had any hassle. I put all the insulin in one plastic baggy to make it painfully obvious to the x-ray screener what is going through the belt. No one has asked me any questions regarding my supplies.

kimbo

11-01-2006, 03:24 PM

Actually I immediately smelt a rat too. So I am really proud of myself because when it comes to diabetes I dont know what I am talking about half the time.:stupido3: I must be finally getting there.:laugh:

BriOnH

11-01-2006, 04:00 PM

I have flown many of places and have never had a problem. I often get marked quad S ("SSSS" - high security check) randomly too. When I have gotten quad s, both times, they were (the TSA) not shocked even in the slightest that I had syringes on me because of diabetes.

If anyone tried to make me give up my insulin I just assume it's a fight until death with that person. Or they give in, I guess.

notme

11-01-2006, 04:48 PM

The whole story is a crock of.....well a crock. The short hop from Auckland to Christchurch is not long enough for them to even serve a snack! So either this nerd's blood sugar was through the roof before he boarded or there was some other underlying condition. I also smell a rat.

Stories like this one give diabetes and people with diabetes a bad name. I have flown a lot and I have to say I have never had a "diabetes emergency" on board an aircraft. I have gone low and I have treated with candy or asked for juice. No big deal. I get so mad when I hear these stories because it just makes us look incapable of taking care of ourselves. Just what we DON'T need. I want to drive a car, be able to fly in a plane or go scuba dive if I want. I don't want someone thinking that I am a walking time bomb.

Sheesh!

Ailsa

11-01-2006, 07:30 PM

I live in New Zealand & this artical was front page news.
What you guys are not aware of is that the flight from Christchurch to Auckland is only 1 hour.
Nothing can go that badly wrong in that space of time by missing your shot.
Of course reporters don't have D & so know nothing about it, they are bound to have the facts wrong. But sounds to me like the guy is blaming his own slackness on the airline. Nothing annoys me more than that. It's the kind of thing that causes people to be predjudiced against us because they have some misguided notion we'll do something strange & scary. And while there are times I do feel like doing things that are strange & scary, they don't have anything to do with D!!!

BriOnH

11-02-2006, 10:52 AM

What you guys are not aware of is that the flight from Christchurch to Auckland is only 1 hour.

uh, you might want to read from the beggining of the thread :), pretty much everyone is aware of it.

Even if the flight is 1 hr, and this guy is a jackass, they should have let him board with his insulin. IMO they got what they deserve with this [probably bogus] claim by not letting him board with it.

Emm

11-02-2006, 11:23 AM

notme

11-02-2006, 11:30 AM

Thanks for the link Emm. They shoulda just asked us. LOL

SueM

11-02-2006, 12:30 PM

Hopefully this rat will be put in a cage (prison cell)

Just_Plain_John

11-02-2006, 01:43 PM

All seemed rather dodgy to me... so I was happy to see this yesterday:
No hospital records for 'comatose' airline passenger - 02 Nov 2006 - National News (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10408778)

Ahhh...lovely to see a follow-up. Shall we show this idiot what a *real* insulin-related coma is like ?

(uncaps Humalog pen menacingly)

:mad:

BriOnH

11-02-2006, 01:59 PM

I wonder if he is even diabetic<?>. That article spelled hypoglycemia wrong.

Just_Plain_John

11-02-2006, 02:05 PM

That's just the spelling convention there - they spell hematoma as haemotoma, color as colour, etc. We are all people divided by a common language. :)

BriOnH

11-02-2006, 02:07 PM

That's just the spelling convention there - they spell hematoma as haemotoma, color as colour, etc. We are all people divided by a common language. :)

Ahh!! I knew about colour and others, but didn't know that! My bad.

2high

11-02-2006, 02:13 PM

Ahh!! I knew about colour and others, but didn't know that! My bad.

Yeah Brian, in Australia and NZ we know how to spell, and we drive on the correct side of the road... the LEFT!!

JediSkipdogg

11-02-2006, 02:23 PM

Yeah Brian, in Australia and NZ we know how to spell, and we drive on the correct side of the road... the LEFT!!

Why do you think it's called the RIGHT side of the road? We at least use some logic when deciding what side we should drive on.

2high

11-02-2006, 02:54 PM

Why do you think it's called the RIGHT side of the road? We at least use some logic when deciding what side we should drive on.

Aus+Logic=???????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????

You should know that by now through your dealings with me!

Miss Jade

11-02-2006, 03:08 PM

Ahh!! I knew about colour and others, but didn't know that! My bad.

Hehehe I just pointed the same thing out in another thread somewhere. Coeliac vs celiac etc

You funny americans and your war on extra vowels! :)

DeusXM

11-02-2006, 03:14 PM

Why do you think it's called the RIGHT side of the road? We at least use some logic when deciding what side we should drive on.

Yeah, you drive on the same side of the road as the French...

Cyborg

11-02-2006, 04:09 PM

I wonder if he is even diabetic<?>. That article spelled hypoglycemia wrong.

The thing that gets me is that now people will have the false impression that a shot of insulin will save a diabetic when they are having problems. Most of the time a diabetic is low when having problems.

gettingby

11-02-2006, 04:18 PM

The thing that gets me is that now people will have the false impression that a shot of insulin will save a diabetic when they are having problems. Most of the time a diabetic is low when having problems.
True. I can't count the number of times people have asked "So, I need to give you an insulin shot when you are unconscious?"
As if......................:eek:

JediSkipdogg

11-02-2006, 04:24 PM

The thing that gets me is that now people will have the false impression that a shot of insulin will save a diabetic when they are having problems. Most of the time a diabetic is low when having problems.

I agree I hate that....but....the problem is in the majority of other medical conditions out there, the medicine is what saves you in an emergency. Main one coming to mind right now, Asthma and an inhaler.

notme

11-02-2006, 04:51 PM

OMG that is my mother!!! You think after twenty years she would figure out that when I am having a problem, I don't need to give myself some insulin! I am glad I got diabetes at an older age.....she would have killed me by now. :banghead:

CycloneKitty

11-02-2006, 07:21 PM

All seemed rather dodgy to me... so I was happy to see this yesterday:

No hospital records for 'comatose' airline passenger - 02 Nov 2006 - National News (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10408778)

pffffft!!

Hahahahaha .... BUSTED!!!! :bebored:
Serves him right too.

BriOnH

11-02-2006, 08:09 PM

Anyone remember that post about the guy who was low and his boss gave him insulin to help him? That has to be one of my worst nightmares.

Funnygrl

11-02-2006, 08:11 PM

Anyone remember that post about the guy who was low and his boss gave him insulin to help him? That has to be one of my worst nightmares.
Yeah, I remember that. And reading that thinking it's insane.

BriOnH

11-02-2006, 08:13 PM

Ok, coincidence or phenomanan. Right as I posted my last post, on "My name is earl" Darnell just said to Randy "but she was just passed out from low blood sugar. I am still glad I said["I love you" to his sister he thought was dead] it now that they have her on insulin I dont know if I will get another chance"

wt ef?

friend49

11-02-2006, 09:21 PM

All I can say is wow. Not at the story but all of your repsonses!. I lost a very dear friend to Diabtes 15 years ago. He laid down to grab a nap 1/2 hour later he was dead. Yes it does happen fast. I can't believe the ones here saying he is trying to ruin it for other diabetics you all should be against the airline and back up your fellow man. When I was diagnosed 8 months ago it scared the heck out of me

Funnygrl

11-02-2006, 09:25 PM

friend49

11-02-2006, 09:40 PM

To be honest not sure

DeusXM

11-03-2006, 01:51 AM

Yes it does happen fast. I can't believe the ones here saying he is trying to ruin it for other diabetics you all should be against the airline and back up your fellow man.

Because the two scenarios are totally different. This man was prevented from taking insulin with him on the plane - and yes, that's wrong, he should have been allowed to. But you do not pass out in half an hour from HIGH blood sugar - you pass out that quickly from LOW blood sugar. If this man went into a coma from hypoglycaemia then it wouldn't have made a difference whatsoever whether he'd been allowed to take insulin on the plane with him - because as I'm sure you're aware, when you're hypo, the absolute last thing you need is insulin. Taking insulin when you're hypo will kill you in even less than 30 minutes.

And as I've pointed out, if he did pass out from HIGH blood sugar, he'd have had to have been running on high blood sugar for weeks before passing out, in which case his problem has far less to do with him not being able to take insulin on the plane with him and far more to do with the fact he's an idiot who obviously wasn't taking his insulin properly.

2high

11-03-2006, 02:06 AM

And as I've pointed out, if he did pass out from HIGH blood sugar, he'd have had to have been running on high blood sugar for weeks before passing out, in which case his problem has far less to do with him not being able to take insulin on the plane with him and far more to do with the fact he's an idiot who obviously wasn't taking his insulin properly.

Ok, first time for everything... I'm disagreeing with you here.

I've had episodes of DKA that have literally come on in hours. An example?

Woke up at 7am, was 6.3. Had a slice of toast and my insulin. Went to school (this was when i was in yr 9), and by 9am felt high, and had that gross taste in my mouth. Called my dr, he said to get to hospital.... my bg was 32.8 mmol/l already. By the time I got to hospital, less than an hour later, I was hot and dizzy, and still not coming down regardless of massive boluses. Within 20 minutes of arriving at the hospital I was unconcious. I woke up later that day in PICU.

Less than 5 hours, and I had gone from 6.3 to DKA... btw, my bg read in the lab at 46.3 mmol/l...

Jackets

11-03-2006, 03:37 AM

DeusXM

11-03-2006, 04:54 AM

Yeah but Kit, in that scenario it's obvious a lot more was going on there - you simply don't shoot up that high from a piece of toast unless you have some sort of underlying infection. So let's say maybe this guy had something similar. Notice how you still survived for 5 hours before going into a coma - and all things considered, that's pretty quick for DKA.

This guy was separated from his insulin for what, an hour? Why didn't he test before getting on the flight and make corrections as necessary? Why didn't he argue his case with someone more senior?

Part of having diabetes and managing it is realising that things aren't always going to go according to plan - so you have to be defensive and prepare yourself for the unexpected. Responsibly managing your diabetes means just that - YOU take responsibility for ensuring you don't have problems. I've been in situations at work where I've forgotten to bring my insulin in with me - so what do I do? I make **** sure that I won't need it during the day, that's what. I'll stay off the coffee, drink only water, and not eat.

I've got every sympathy for the newly dxed because it's a lot to ask at first, but once you've had diabetes for a while then you should know to prepare. Obviously you can't legislate for everything (such as 2high's DKA attack) but these are very, very rare occurances.

JediSkipdogg

11-03-2006, 05:00 AM

I've had episodes of DKA that have literally come on in hours. An example?

You make me wonder in the chat last night if some of your problems with that are you not being on the inhalers. Some will raise BGs, and if you don't compensate that with insulin, then it could really shoot you up. Just something to think about, especially since FG said you were what she considered on a high amount.

Funnygrl

11-03-2006, 07:01 AM

To be honest not sure
I'm willing to be it was hypoglycemia then and had nothing to do with him not being able to get to insulin for a half hour.

Funnygrl

11-03-2006, 07:02 AM

Ok, first time for everything... I'm disagreeing with you here.

I've had episodes of DKA that have literally come on in hours. An example?

Woke up at 7am, was 6.3. Had a slice of toast and my insulin. Went to school (this was when i was in yr 9), and by 9am felt high, and had that gross taste in my mouth. Called my dr, he said to get to hospital.... my bg was 32.8 mmol/l already. By the time I got to hospital, less than an hour later, I was hot and dizzy, and still not coming down regardless of massive boluses. Within 20 minutes of arriving at the hospital I was unconcious. I woke up later that day in PICU.

Less than 5 hours, and I had gone from 6.3 to DKA... btw, my bg read in the lab at 46.3 mmol/l...
That's still 5 hours, not 30 minutes, and it is still very unusual for it to play out that way. And I agree that other circumstances like infection may have been involved.

Funnygrl

11-03-2006, 07:05 AM

Realistic emotional scenario for a Diabetic(?):

-You go to airline.
-Security says you can't carry you're insulin on board.
-You're low, so with impaired judgement you say "Ok" even though it doesn't make sense.
-Near the gate, you panic and grab as much sugary content as you can get.
-You injest way too much glucose to compensate for the low. Fast-acting sugars included.
-You go DKA because you don't have insulin to counteract.
-Next thing you know, you're in the hospital and it's an international news story.

Nightmare scenario or reality?
DKA is a situation that occurs from lack of insulin, not from eating too many carbs. If you eat a lot of carbs and still have long acting insulin on board, and there aren't other situations going on (like infection, steriod use, other meds, etc- like in Kit's situation likely), you just won't go into DKA. You'll go high, but not DKA.

Funnygrl

11-03-2006, 07:07 AM

You make me wonder in the chat last night if some of your problems with that are you not being on the inhalers. Some will raise BGs, and if you don't compensate that with insulin, then it could really shoot you up. Just something to think about, especially since FG said you were what she considered on a high amount.
Inhalers will raise bs, but not by a ton because it's not usually a systemic effect. I'm more concerned with the effects on the heart with that dose of albuterol, and that fact that Kit's doctor just keeps putting her on higher doses of a "rescue inhaler" rather than using any "controller inhalers." In a diabetes analogy, it's like constantly correcting high bs with huge amounts of novolog instead of taking any basal insulin. It's absurd. But I digress...largely.