Diabetic Coma - Scary Experience - My Story

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"Diabetic Coma" is scary!! Diabetic Information -Mellitus knowledge that may save your life!

BLOOD SUGAR EXTREMES CAN CAUSE COMA

"
Coma". It's a scary word. But what does it have to do with diabetes? ... Diabetic Comas are for real.  One of the scariest times in my life (even more so for my wife) is when I awakened at 3:00 AM, not in my bed at home but on a stretcher in the emergency room at the Jefferson Memorial hospital in Jefferson City, Tennessee.  I was at home, awakened by symptoms of low sugar; my wife rushed a glass of cold, tasty orange juice which I gulped like a dying man in a desert after water; I tried to heave myself to the side of the bed, then it happened.  I don't really remember it happening; I do remember hearing sounds in the distance. I was asleep and couldn't wake. When Barbara returned from the kitchen, there I was snoozing (she thought).  She spoke to me; I didn't answer. I just lay there.


(picture credit: http://www.diabetesdiabeticdiet.com/articles/diabetic_coma.htm)

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Diabetic Comas or diabetic blackouts are SCARY!

My experience was one of our most frightening times as a family!

Diabetic Coma Stories - I have one to tell

My Diabetic Story

My diabetic story may not be unique to diabetic stories but it may help someone. The day was stress laden. My wife's father had passed away and we were with her mother and her family most of the time. Being on the move we ate out a few times. Before the midday meal, I checked my sugar levels as was my custom. Of course with all the stress, It was a little high. I couldn't delay eating so I ate with the family. I am on insulin pump therapy, and I could not count carbohydrates very well at this particular meal but estimated my injection dosage to the best of my ability. My mind really wasn't on myself at this time. About an hour and a half after consumption I followed up with another test. My level was 350ml/dl (see my site on Insulin -Weight Loss and Insulin Weight Gain <>to see what these number mean).

I was shocked at how high it was. When taking diabetic classes, I had learned the correct insulin dosage for correcting high sugar ml/dl levels and I applied insulin immediately. We kept driving. Another hour and half passed and I checked my sugar again. 320 it read and I couldn't believe my eyes. At this time in my diabetes I didn't fully understand a phenomenon my endocrinologist called "stacking". Stacking happens when for some reason (e.g. stress) your sugar levels appear not to be reacting to the insulin as they should. Under that circumstance you are supposed to take extra insulin but much more conservatively and with considerable care. I took another full correction and it was stacking, waiting to be released later. We were home now and time for the dinner meal. This time I took a shot. I was always very aggressive to bring my sugar down and this time that was a major mistake. When bed time arrived around 10:00 PM, my sugar was normal. At last. At last I had brought it down! So we retired for the night.

Then, the nightmare began. I woke at midnight, trembling, sweating and shaking. My sugar was 60. I immediately ate something. I went back to bed. It continued to drop. At 2:00 AM - 50 ml/dl and still dropping. Orange juice time and I gulped it. I have had it down as low as 40 before and it was never fun and I knew I had to react quickly and so down with the juice! But the stacking affect was still lowering my sugar levels.
My thinking lost all center, my mouth and lips grew numb, my speech slurred, my motions slowed, my eyes lost focus and the world began to move like a slow motion video. When my sugar level hit 20, I was completely out of it. Whether I was in an actual coma, I know not. I just lay there, lifeless, except for an occasional groan and some flailing of my arms when someone tried to joust me.

The Paramedics first concern was to properly treat me and to "awaken" me safely from my diabetic coma!


My wife spoke to me repeatedly but I just lay there; she jostled me but I just lay there; She called our son and he shook me but I just lay there;  They called 911 and the paramedics first checked my Medical alert ID bracelet, then spoke and jostled  me,  but I just lay there; they wrapped me in a sheet but I just lay there.  Then, they tried to put an IV in me.  As they stuck me, my wife said I flailed my arms, so much that they could not stick, but otherwise no response.  The paramedic lifted me, sheet and all, hoisted me like a sack of southern taters to the gurney.  In the ambulance they give me a "sugar (glucagon ) shot."  I woke up in the emergency room.  Scary, it was.

 
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Final Notes:


If you have diabetes, prolonged blood sugar extremes can cause you to lose consciousness. This is known as a diabetic coma. Both very high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can lead to a diabetic coma. Left untreated, a diabetic coma is a life-threatening condition. But there's good news. The risk of a diabetic coma is small - and prevention is in your hands. Eating a healthy diet, taking your medication as prescribed and closely monitoring your blood sugar can go a long way toward preventing diabetes complications.


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Signs and Symptoms of diabetes

Warning Signs Diabetes

Signs and symptoms: A diabetic coma doesn't hit for no reason. You'll first encounter symptoms of high blood sugar or low blood sugar.If your blood sugar is too high, you may experience:
  • Increased thirst
  • Vomiting
  • Shortness of breath
  • Frequent urination
  • Dry mouth
  • Nausea
  • Blurred vision (for some)

If your blood sugar is too low, you may feel:
  • Hungry
  • Irritable
  • Confused
  • Shaky or nervous
  • Tired
  • Sweaty
  • Blurred vision (for some)

For More Information see:

  1. Diabetes Symptoms, Causes & Types
  2. What You Need To Know About Diabetes
  3. Warning Signs Diabetes - This Lens is about the five major warning signs of diabetes. The good news is that there is life after diabetes! However everyone needs to watch the warning signs of diabetes and keep in touch with your doctor as any of these develop! If...\
  4. Sign Of High Blood Sugar Similar To Normal Range Blood Sugar Levels - Don't Be Fooled - This lens deals with the five major signs of high blood sugar levels. The problem is that these symptoms could also be related other kinds of maladies. therefore it is imperative that a person gets himself checked for diabetes upon any doubt.

Diabetic coma prevention

Diabetic Coma Prevention The best way to prevent a diabetic coma is through day-to-day control of your diabetes. Keep these tips in mind:



·Follow your meal plan. Consistent snacks and meals can help you deal with your blood sugar.

·Keep an eye on your blood sugar level. Frequent blood sugar tests .

·Take your medication as directed.

·Educate your loved ones, friends and co-workers. Teach loved ones and other close contacts how to recognize early signs and symptoms of blood sugar extremes - and how to summon emergency help should you pass out.

·Wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace. If you're unconscious, the ID can provide valuable information to your loved ones, co-workers and others - including emergency personnel.  (For More Information see my lens on Diabetic Bracelet and Your Need to Purchase Medic Alert Bracelet.

If you don't have a bracelet act now and click here for more information.



Above all, keep your perspective. For most people who have diabetes, the risk of a diabetic coma is small. Take good care of yourself to help prevent diabetes complications.

Betty Crocker's Diabetes Cookbook: Everyday Meals, Easy as 1-2-3

Plus Links

Diabetes CookbookBetty Crocker's Diabetes Cookbook: Everyday Meals, Easy as 1-2-3
At last! This special cookbook puts flavor and choice back on the menu for people with diabetes and their families
Betty Crocker, America's most trusted friend in the kitchen, has teamed up with the International Diabetes Center (IDC)--one of the leading medical centers--to create an indispensable source of easy-to-make recipes and up-to-the-minute food and nutrition information for the growing numbers of people who have diabetes, more than 15 million of them.
Here is the first cookbook to include recipes featuring Carbohydrate Choices--the new, simplified approach to meal planning recommended by the American Diabetes Association. For people who find diet exchanges too hard, too limiting or too much work, this new method is a real breakthrough. Each of the book's 140 recipes shows the number of Carbohydrate Choices per serving, so that planning the rest of the meal is easy. From Old-Time Beef and Vegetable Stew to Creamy Vanilla-Caramel Cheesecake, the recipes are made with everyday ingredients, including sugar. No food groups or ingredients are left out, so there's no need for anyone to feel deprived or restricted to a special diet. Food exchanges are also included, making it easy for those who still count calories.
Betty Crocker's Diabetes Cookbook is also packed with expert medical and nutrition tips from Dr. Richard Bergenstal, an endocrinologist and diabetes doctor, and two registered nurses--invaluable for the newly diagnosed as well as for those who have been coping with diabetes for years. Throughout the book, real-life advice from people who have diabetes offers inspiration and great ideas on dealing with this chronic disease. When it comes to eating and living with diabetes, people need guidance and advice they can trust.

Diabetes CookbookThe folks at Betty Crocker have done it again: given us mere mortals great, easy recipes my whole family can enjoy. The best thing about this book is that the recipes aren't made from weird food you have to hunt for; they are made from items already in your kitchen. And they are recipes anyone can eat for good health. So, if one member of your family has diabetes, the whole family can eat this food and love it.

The recipes are great, especially the desserts. And you thought you couldn't eat dessert with diabetes! The Carbohydrate Choices is a great counting device. I've never seen it in any other cookbook and I find it much easier to use than exchanges. Plus, it's not just a cookbook. There's doctor's advice and management plans inside. This book is very uplifting and practical.

GET THIS BOOK! IT'S THE BEST DIABETES COOKBOOK, hands down.- Betty Crocker's Diabetes Cookbook: Everyday Meals, Easy as 1-2-3 - by Betty Crocker Editors - New: $16.47 24 new & used from $12.15




Other Link Resources
Amazon.com: Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook: Slow-Cooker Favorites to Include Everyone!: Books: Phyllis Good
Amazon.com: Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook: Slow-Cooker Favorites to Include Everyone!: Books: Phyllis Good by Phyllis Good
Amazon.com: The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed (First Year, The): Books: Gretchen Becker,Allison B. Goldfine
Amazon.com: The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed (First Year, The): Books: Gretchen Becker,Allison B. Goldfine by Gretchen Becker,Allison B. Goldfine
Diabetes Heart Disease - Diabetes Heart Attack and other Complications of Diabetes
This study deals with diabetes heart disease. Diabetes is one condition that should be treated as soon as it is detected, even though in its early stages it doesn't impair, and everything may appear to the patient as ok. However, ignoring it is a mistake, because the blood sugar imbalance can cause

Diabetic Coma: Seek Medical Advice %u2013 Diabetic Coma Treatments

Diabetic Coma: Seek Medical Advice - Diabetic Coma Treatments

A diabetic coma is a medical emergency. If you pass out, you'll need someone to call 911 for help.

When you're unconscious, timely identification is necessary. The emergency medical team will do an exam and will ask those who are with you about your medical record.  You'll need various tests as well. Your blood sugar will be considered, and your urine may be tested for ketones. To evaluate how well your kidneys are working, the doctor may measure the amount of nitrogen or creatinine (a breakdown product of creatine, an important part of muscle) in your blood. A hematocrit lab may be done to measure the ratio of cells and fluid in your blood. The doctor may also measure the quantity of potassium in your blood.  Left untreated, a diabetic coma can lead to permanent brain damage. In some cases, an untreated diabetic coma can be fatal.

If your blood sugar is too high, you may be given intravenous fluids to restore water to your tissues. You may need potassium, sodium or chlorine supplements to help your cells function correctly. When enough fluid has been replaced, short-acting insulin can help your tissues absorb glucose again. Any underlying infections will be treated as well. If your blood sugar is too low and you're unable to eat, the hormone glucagon can be injected to quickly raise your blood sugar level.

Consciousness typically returns when blood sugar reaches a normal level.

Other Diabetic Coma Resource Links

Many Myths And Facts About Diabetes Info
'There are a number of myths about diabetes' treatment. A diabetic should know correct information about diabetes and its treatment' (Nick Mutt)! This is true, not because it isn't available, but because so many suggestions are available. I have even talked to doctors who gave me conflicting opinion...
Diabetes Diet Plans Facts
Initially diabetes management and control may involve dietary changes alone. Diet is a vital component in your overall diabetes control program and to keep blood sugar levels under control, a diabetic diet strikes a balance among the carbohydrates, fats, and protein you eat, when you control your bo
Information About Hypertension (hypertension is often linked to diabetics)
Hypertension is the medical term for a condition in which the arterial blood pressure is consistently above the normal range. A blood pressure reading consists of two numbers. The number at the top represents systolic pressure. This is the amount of pressure that the heart generates when pumping blo
Diabetes Kidney Failure - My Story
I am a kidney transplant patient. I lost my kidneys in 2002 (approximately) because of diabetes and high blood pressure. I know first hand how deadly diabetes can be. I am new to hub pages, but I...

Del.icio.us bookmarks by Wbisbill on diabetes

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  • Reply
    holbrookesusan8 Aug 29, 2011 @ 2:17 pm | delete
    This is very scary stuff. I haven't suffered anything similar to a diabetic coma, however I have read a few blog articles extolling similar stories. I try to remain prepared by keeping a diabetes kit on me at all times. Contains some snacks, my pump, and my free diabetes test strips. Better to be prepared and not have to use the kit then to find yourself in a situation where you wish you were prepared.
  • Reply
    Papier Jul 29, 2011 @ 10:59 pm | delete
    Untreated diabetes took my mother's life. It is a very complicated disease that compromises other body systems if it is not properly treated. She quit testing her blood and by the time she tested again it was 516! She was elderly, but perhaps with regular testing she would have continued to enjoy many more years of life.
  • Reply
    mack881 May 20, 2011 @ 11:06 pm | delete
    Great lens, i have always been nervous of passing out or worse, from low blood sugar. It sounds like you got lucky this time, good for you! Diabetes is a terrible condition to end up with, everything from blindness to amputations and now the FDA tells us Avandia is going to kill us too. Too much
  • Reply
    miaponzo Apr 26, 2011 @ 1:21 am | delete
    The main thing that people can do to keep their sugar levels balanced is to control the carb intake and keep it around 60 - 80 grams a day (or even less)....
  • Reply
    Sophie Jan 20, 2011 @ 10:12 am | delete
    My mother is diabetic and she always carry this piece of card with her that states her condition and a note to call 911immediately. This works for her and at least my worries are lessened. Plus, I told her that she should never be alone and should always be with someone. One more thing, she got an insurance policy so that in case something happens, if she dies or something, at least she'll be covered and those she will leave behind will not worry when it comes to financial matters.

    Visitors Medical Insurance
  • Reply
    jjooo Jan 4, 2011 @ 11:55 pm | delete
    Very informative lens, I found here very useful stuff which can i use for my project. I am searching the information about Prevention Of Diabetes and your information is perfect for my project. I like the video also.
    Thanks.
    Nice Lens,
  • Reply
    Mike Rowan Sep 1, 2010 @ 11:47 am | delete
    A great resource for diabetic life insurance tips can be found at Diabetic Life Insurance Underwriting
  • Reply
    Nicole B Jul 9, 2010 @ 9:01 am | delete
    I lapsed into a diabetic coma, not from low blood sugar but dangerously high blood sugar, all of my insulin was stacking, and everything i put into my body just wasnt registering. I immediately went to the hospital because my meter was no longer reading my blood sugar levels and Im pretty sure (correct me if im wrong) that home meters will not read over 600 mg/dl. I went to the hospital, vomiting, looked very skinny from the dehydration and vomiting but they still didnt beleive me that i was very sick. I begged them to take my blood sugar immediately and get me a room, because something was terribly wrong!.. about an hour later they told me i finally had a bed in the emergency.

    For about an hour, they drew blood, got me comfortable, but refused to give me insulin. Stated they wanted to rehydrate me first as this helps with bringing down the blood sugar and then continue on to insulin slowly. I remember laying in the room with my mother (im 24 years old by the way, at the time i was 22) I kept going to the bathroom constantly, vomiting constantly, to the point of green bile just coming up. My mouth was so dry my mother had to wet napkins to keep my mouth open .. my heart rate was about 165 bpm. I remember telling my mother my hearts really pounding and im scared. She just kept saying.. your alright nicole, calm down (i later came to find out that she knew something was wrong, she just didnt want to scare me, she would go out into the hall and yell at the nurses because something was wrong).. I also remember calling her Chris (thats an ex bf from yeaaaars ago) saying i was going to Tuesday night bingo (i dont play bingo!) and that i wanted to get out of this place because i was supposed to be at mandies tonight (she was my best friend at the time!) I then started to pull my insulin out of my arm and she said i acted like a mad woman. I dont remember any of this! Scary.

    She then said i went to the bathroom (which was in the emergency room i was in) and i collapsed to the floor. She said the nurse was asking me questions, i peed myself, and she was scared.

    This is what i remember from being in my coma .. In my head i was playing a video game with cars, it was all black and white, but reallllly bright. I heard the nurse asking me what game it was.. and all i could remember was that i could hear her i just couldnt respond. I tried to respond but nothing came out. It was the weirdest thing. I heard all of the bustle around me and i felt my moms hand on my arm and my face...

    I woke up a few hours later.. my mother crying, mostly happy because i came out of it. My arms were bandaged up.. i had a catheter in me, and i was in ICU the next morning. I remember staying at the hospital for a little over a week. In icu for a few days, with a catheter next to my right arm to draw blood so they didnt have to keep poking me.. and then i was moved to PCU for a few days, which is a step below ICU.. and then a regular bed where i was released.

    It was an experience I will never forget! it was extremely scary!
  • Reply
    eclecticeducation Feb 4, 2010 @ 12:40 am | delete
    I found out last May that I have diabetes. I'm still trying to learn all the ends and outs of this. Thanks for writing about your experience. Blessed by a Squid Angel and lensrolled to my diabetes page.
  • Reply
    HealthFreak2009 Jan 13, 2010 @ 11:07 pm | delete
    Diabetes is a scary disease. Fortunately I don't seem to have a family history of it. I pray that me and my family is able to stay away from it.
  • Reply
    brooke h. Dec 9, 2009 @ 5:03 am | delete
    i remember my dad was in a high diabetic coma in the town and i was on my own with my autistic brother and it was terrible honestly i didnt know what to do so i asked someone to ring an ambulance and then he was fine then there was this other time in asda when he was sticking his head through freezers and shouting but lucozade always works! but the scariest of all was when i was in the house with my brother and i knew straight away there was something wrong because he became very tired and was making strange noises in his sleep! i went to a next door neibghour to ask for help but my brother caame out and shut the door behind him and it was one of those were u have to have a key to open it! so the ambulance came and had to break the door down and when we went in he was rolling around the floor and then all of a sudden he stopped i thiught the worst but i was taken away and when i went back to see him he was fine what did they do to him?
  • Reply
    LindaJM May 11, 2009 @ 12:50 am | delete
    I forgot to add... 5* and an Angel blessing for this lens!
  • Reply
    LindaJM May 11, 2009 @ 12:49 am | delete
    Diabetes can be very scary unless you get the balance just right. I'm glad you survived your ordeal. This happened once to a dear friend of mine. He became totally unresponsive and I gave him some orange juice then tested his blood sugar level at only 18. Fortunately he came out of it. I was grateful when a few months later he got a new, better medication that kept him from getting the constant scary low-blood-sugar episodes. Twice he had low blood sugars in the middle of the night and the dog, who wasn't even in his bedroom, started barking in the hallway outside his door. We believe she somehow sensed his condition and intentionally woke him up.
  • Reply
    mbrownauthor Dec 3, 2008 @ 6:49 pm | delete
    Excellent, excellent lens!
  • Reply
    thevascularsurgeon Nov 12, 2008 @ 5:01 am | delete
    Good lense. Another good site on Vascular Surgeon
  • Reply
    Anghz Apr 11, 2008 @ 1:54 pm | delete
    I was 11 yrs old when i fainted on to concrete wich hurt alot!MY FRENDZ THOT I WAS DEAD AN MA TEACHER WAS SWEARIN!To mak it worse i was on a skool trip!!
  • Reply
    Mar 2, 2008 @ 9:25 am | delete
    May I inform you some Alternative Therapy measures to control Diabetes. You may use a pinch of Cinnamon in your tea/coffee and test your sugar level after 40 days. Do some Yoga exercise for 60 days and try to feel the difference. Get more details from the site: http://tinyurl.com/245jav.
    Thanks
  • Reply
    Walteriz Nov 12, 2007 @ 8:58 am | delete
    I had a coma experience a few years ago. Thank God for my family great paramedics and an ID bracelet.
  • Reply
    waller5400 Sep 14, 2007 @ 6:22 am | delete
    great lens! check out my lens about diabetes vitamins here

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