Can someone help...... please?

[Linda57]

My Dad is 77 and has lots of health problems, he is waiting to hear the results of an MRI on a lump in his neck, meanwhile he has been prescribed steriods which - a course of 3 weeks, which taper off, he is on his 2nd week. his blood sugar has reacted accordingly and has very quickly risen. The highest being 21 (about 375 I think). His diabetic nurse has told him to increase his Metformin from 2, to 3. Thats all he takes, no insulin - he normally has good control. He feels dizzy and ill.

Mum, has called NHS direct and they have 2 hr wait for a return call, and our local stand in doctor service has not rung back yet after 30 mins they say they are busy.

Is 21 high enough to be an emergency, shall I take him to the emergency room, or do you think its ok to wait for the call?

Linda

[Linda57]

Mum just got the call from emergency doctor, they are sending a doctor to him - he could be 30 mins or so....his BG has gone down to 19, the nurse says that this is still too high and doctor will still come, he may still have to have an ambulance though in which case I will meet mum at the hospital, I told Mum they could give him insulin to help bring it down.......did I tell her right?

[seacomp]

Mum just got the call from emergency doctor, they are sending a doctor to him - he could be 30 mins or so....his BG has gone down to 19, the nurse says that this is still too high and doctor will still come, he may still have to have an ambulance though in which case I will meet mum at the hospital, I told Mum they could give him insulin to help bring it down.......did I tell her right?
I think you are doing right. Your father could be in ketosis, which is dangerous.
But his situation does not sound dire, just serious. Best of luck!

[Linda57]

Thank you so much for answering me..........I have been out of my mind waiting to hear from them.

Doc has just been apparently, and listened carefully to all the health problems and meds he is on, and he took it again, (BG) , and its now 16, he says he doesnt want to interfere with his treatment, but says if necessary he can go up to 4 x daily Metformin, but only after speaking to his Diabetes nurse, or GP tomorrow.

Dad is now going to bed, me and Mum just going to have one more quiet nervous breakdown:goodnight

Thanks again - you have been a star - I have to admit, I was panicking there for a while..........its different when its someone elses Diabetes isnt it?

Linda

[JediSkipdogg]

Good luck with it all. I have heard that steroids can raise BG levels. Too bad he doesn't have some insulin for a quick bring me down. But it does sound like it's going down pretty fast on it's own. If you need anything else, I'm here the rest of the evening (about 3-4 hours my time.)

[Cyborg]

Ketosis is not dangerous. Diabetics Ketoacidosis is dangerous, but happens almost soley in type 1 diabetics.

[Linda57]

Thank you so much all of you............if Mum calls to go to the hospital I wont have time to post, so I will post when I get back.
I'm going to bed now - I may as well get some sleep while I can.

See you in the morning.

Linda

[kimbo]

My dad found he was diabetic and we were told it was steroid induced though now i have it i suspect he had it before the steroids, so they must effect diabetics bgs
Hope he gets on ok

[seacomp]

i suspect he had it before the steroids, so they must effect diabetics bgs That's my understanding of the relationship between the two.

[lgvincent]

I got into some poison ivy several years ago and was given a prescription for a steroid to treat it. I took only two pills before I realized what it had done to my blood sugar and stopped. It was four or five days before my blood sugar got back into the normal range, as if the steroid made the insulin useless.

[Linda J717]

That's my understanding of the relationship between the two.
OHHH NOOOO !!!! :( This is not good news to me. I have osteo arthritis and sometimes Prednisone is the only thing that helps. I just hope I don't have a flare up... :(