????Normal?????

giggs · #1 (**permalink**) 06-20-2007, 08:05 AM

So, my BF had a check in with his nurse yesterday and I wanted him to ask her some questions but of course he would not. So Im going to ask you all.

1) Is it normal for him (type1 coming up on a year) to sometimes get really tired and sleep till noon. or all day? He will get up, eat, check blood, insulin etc. but then go back to bed and some days if he could sleep all day.

2) Is it normal for him to have a fruity smell all the time? Hes numbers are great. The highest hes been is 250, except for last night. I am at the point where the only way I can tell if hes high is the smell is stronger, more potent.

I have a hard time sometimes, esp when Ive been at work and school and I come home and hes sleeping or just getting up. I just need to know if this is something Im justifiyed in getting mad at or if these things are normal. Is there anything he could do for the fruity smell?

poper77 · #2 (**permalink**) 06-20-2007, 08:16 AM

I am by no means a dr, but I think I remeber reading/hearing that a fruity smell means Ketones which would be if his blood sugar is high...Maybe have him check for ketones? Pharmacies/grocery stores sell ketostix that you can pass thru your urine to see if your burning ketones.

I used to be able to sleep all the time and had a running joke with my friends and family that it never matter what movie we rented because I usually passed out within the first few mintues..once I was in better control I am not as bad. I am in general one of those people who do require a lot of sleep. I get it from my dad.

princesslinda · #3 (**permalink**) 06-20-2007, 08:17 AM

I'm T2 and am not speaking from personal experience, but I think the urine becomes fruity smelling when you are passing ketones through the urine (not a good thing). If he is regularly staying in the 200's and is on insulin, he is not very well controlled, in my opinion. He may be sleeping because of the elevated blood sugars. I know when my blood sugars are high, I am very tired and lethargic.

I'm sure a T1 will chime in with more info soon, but I would worry about a diabetic who sleeps all the time and has fruity smelling urine.

HollyB · #4 (**permalink**) 06-20-2007, 10:04 AM

HI,

The sleepiness could be due to running too high OR it could be "young guy sloth." My 22-year-old son frequently sleeps until noon, but he stays up late too. So the question might be more, how many hours of sleep does he seem to need? If he's going back to bed and sleeping for hours after a good night's sleep, that could be fatigue due to high blood sugar or even something like depression.

The fruity smell is not "normal" when diabetes is well controlled -- as has been suggested by others, that's a sign of ketones which are a toxic by-product made when there is too little insulin available in the body. It's possible to have ketones and not have high blood sugar -- for example, when you are sick and vomiting or on a super low-carb Atkins-type diet -- but generally they result from high blood sugar.

Which brings me to the question -- when you say his numbers are "great," I wonder what that means? More significant than his occasional highs would be his average or usual numbers. His A1c, which his care team should be monitoring, would give a better idea of his numbers. The most likely reason for that fruity smell would be that he's running chronically high.

Good luck -- it's hard being the partner of someone who is maybe not looking after himself properly. You can make suggestions, but in the end he's the one who has to decide to ask the questions or make a change.

CarrieScott · #5 (**permalink**) 06-20-2007, 02:37 PM

I don't know about others, but I can sleep all day, any time of day, whatever. I need a lot of sleep, especially if my BS is even slightly high. I get drowsy, sometimes dizzy, and extremely sluggish.

It must be hard caring about somebody with T1. I don't know how my husband does it.

Emm · #6 (**permalink**) 06-21-2007, 05:26 AM

Both the sleepiness and the smell indicate high BG numbers. Is he also grumpy? Maybe thirsty & needing to pee a lot?

Numbers in the 200s are NOT OK. We all get them every now & then - can't always get the right dose no matter how hard we try - but if those numbers are regular then I'd be wanting to do something about it.

So yes, the sleeping and the smell are normal D symptoms, but not normal for anyone who has control of their blood sugar. The smell in particular is trouble and he needs to do something about it - those ketones are damaging his body!

How's his diet?

The trouble with D is that its self managed. It's up to him how he controls it... if he's choosing to stay high, there's not a lot you can do. However, it could just be that he needs a bit of a refresher course on diabetes, maybe needs to get into carb counting, perhaps even just needs a dose change (does he figure out his own doses or take the same amount every meal?)

Good luck... I suspect it wouldn't be easy to get someone else to take control of their Diabetes.

JessicaD · #7 (**permalink**) 06-22-2007, 11:24 AM

I have to agree that numbers in the 200s aren't good, but at least for a Type 1, they're not all that rare either. I have fairly good control. The doctor always has some advice, but says I'm doing a good job, and my blood sugar still goes up into the 200s at least twice a week or so.

I would be more worried about the fruity smell. As several people have suggested, that smell is often related to keytones. I'd probably test for those, and also test to make sure my glucometer was calibrated correctly. I'm not very good about testing EVERY vial of test strips with the control solution (after all that's a dollar wasted for every 25 spent), but if he's having keytones and blood sugars only in the 200's then there's something flawed.

How often a day does he check. I know my endocrinologist says a bare minimum of four times daily but he's much happier when I do more like six to eight daily. Which isn't a bad idea if you can't figure out what's wrong.

giggs · #8 (**permalink**) 06-22-2007, 02:51 PM

So, Paul counts Carb servings every meal. He only injects twice a day...12 in the morning and 9 at night. Thats not alot.... His highs being 200 or over, maybe that was confusing, only happen mmmaaaayyyybbeee twice a month. and for us thats scary. Today it was interesting becuase I realized I hadn't smelled the fruity smell for a few days.Soo Im not sure. But I will be getting that ketone test. The sleeping...well I guess that might be part of being a diabetic? Its about 3 times a week, maybe hes bored??? Hes 26, so the teenage tiredness is out of the question. But I just get soooo MAD!. Its irritating coming home to him sleeping. Anyway. Thanks guys and Ill tell you have the test turns out.

giggs · #9 (**permalink**) 06-22-2007, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HollyB

HI,

Which brings me to the question -- when you say his numbers are "great," I wonder what that means? More significant than his occasional highs would be his average or usual numbers. His A1c, which his care team should be monitoring, would give a better idea of his numbers. The most likely reason for that fruity smell would be that he's running chronically high.

His last A1C was 7.5 and his dailys are usually 89-112 the hightest being 180 or so. 200 or over are very rare. Maybe twice a month. If he drinks, well thats a different story. He either goes low or is 300.WOW. It scares me sometimes.

DeusXM · #10 (**permalink**) 06-23-2007, 01:31 AM

His BGs aren't terrible but it sounds to me like he's probably running high in the afternoons because he's only on two jabs a day - switching to MDI will improve his control and sort out his fatigue.

Quote:

The sleeping...well I guess that might be part of being a diabetic?

The only thing that's 'part of being a diabetic' is you need to pay attention to your BG. When diabetes is well controlled, you're exactly the same as anyone else.