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Original poster

DH has sweet smelling breath, and bedroom smells

419 replies

QuickNC789 · 07/05/2021 08:42

I noticed last night when I got home from work that DH’s breath smells very sweet. I also noticed it again this morning when he kissed me before going to work.

This morning our bedroom smells exactly like when you’ve been drinking the night before and wake up and you can smell the alcohol in the room.

I’ve read before that a pear drops smell could be a sign of diabetes. BUT he doesn’t have any other symptoms. In fact, over the last six months he’s been putting weight on as he’s had a really stressful time at work, gave up exercising and has been eating a load of chocolate and biscuits etc.

So I would definitely say he hasn’t got low blood sugar!

Can anyone think of what it might be instead please?

OP posts:
BloodyGoodRep · 07/05/2021 08:47

Could it be type 2 diabetes?

NaToth · 07/05/2021 08:47

If it smells like pear drops, he needs to call the GP sooner rather than later.

CupcakesK · 07/05/2021 08:48

It absolutely could be diabetes as the smell is caused by high blood sugar levels (not low). From the sound of it, he could have type 2 diabetes due to weight gain and too much sugar intake (the sweet smell occurs as the body doesn't produce enough insulin so ketones build up and ketones=sweet smell). Other symptoms listed on the NHS website below. A trip to the GP is needed!

www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/

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Diabetes General health
Konga · 07/05/2021 08:49

Diabetes is high blood sugar.

Original poster
QuickNC789 · 07/05/2021 08:51

It’s high not low?

Oh bugger!

OP posts:
CupcakesK · 07/05/2021 08:54

Low blood sugar happens in diabetic people treated with insulin, too much insulin/not enough food causes it. Untreated diabetes = high blood sugar

Original poster
QuickNC789 · 07/05/2021 09:00

Thanks for the comments everyone. This is the last thing he needs. Bugger.

He’s gone to work now and won’t be back til 6.15. Our GP surgery is video calls only right now. Is there any kind of test we can do ourselves over the weekend?

OP posts:
TakeYourFinalPosition · 07/05/2021 09:02

Some pharmacies did diabetes testing before the pandemic, I want to say Lloyds was one for a while... but you had to go in person for the pharmacist to do the test, and they can’t treat him, they’ll send him over to the hospital if his levels are high.

I don’t know if they’re still doing them now, though, I think anything involving bodily fluids might still be suspended in lots of places.

nevertrustaherdofcows · 07/05/2021 09:02

You could nip to a chemist and buy a test kit. They tend to be about £20 and come with 10 test strips, a meter, and instructions. Then you would have some basic data to take to the GP. Or you could just ring the surgery and book him in for a blood test asap.

Is he weeing more? Tired and lethargic?

Gingernaut · 07/05/2021 09:04

He needs to ring 111

An urgent care centre can do simple blood and urine tests and make recommendations.

Anydreamwilldo12 · 07/05/2021 09:04

He really needs to see a Dr today to get his blood sugars tested. Can he get to A and E. Undiagnosed Diabetes with high blood sugars is a very serious issue.

nevertrustaherdofcows · 07/05/2021 09:04

Make sure you get a meter with some test strips included.

Lovingspring · 07/05/2021 09:06

You can buy home tests OP, but it is probably best to see his GP. Diet and exercise and monitoring are really important in managing type 2 diabetes. Often GPs have specialist diabetic nurses as there is quite a lot to learn when newly diagnosed. It is really important to encourage him to manage his condition, his outcome will be much better.

Original poster
QuickNC789 · 07/05/2021 09:08

Yes, he is tired and lethargic. He’ll have a snooze on the sofa most evenings. He doesn’t really have any of the other symptoms though?

I hear what you’re saying about getting him seen quickly but he works in the NHS and has a full caseload today - he would be very reluctant to drop all that on the basis of a phone call from me saying he needs to see his GP! Ironically he has health anxiety too… which can make these conversations… difficult.

Thanks for the tip about the pharmacy testing kit. I’m off to work myself now but should get an early finish so will see if I can get hold of one from somewhere.

OP posts:
headintheproverbial · 07/05/2021 09:08

Sounds like it could be type 2.

Type 1 weight would be falling off as you say. It would also be unusual (tho of course not unheard of) for an adult to develop it. Adult onset type 1 is relatively rare.

Incidentally type 2 is not caused by eating sugar!! There is correlation with weight gain but there is also massive genetic predisposition and other factors involved!

Gullible2021 · 07/05/2021 09:12

If he’s put weight on and been eating very sugary foods, along with the smell then it’s likely he could be type 2 diabetic. I think maybe you’ve been confused about some of the symptoms. As well as blood sugar monitoring today, it might be best to try and get a GP appointment as ideally he needs his H1BaC levels tested to confirm what’s going on. He could be prediabetic if not diabetic.

gamerchick · 07/05/2021 09:16

@QuickNC789

I noticed last night when I got home from work that DH’s breath smells very sweet. I also noticed it again this morning when he kissed me before going to work.

This morning our bedroom smells exactly like when you’ve been drinking the night before and wake up and you can smell the alcohol in the room.

I’ve read before that a pear drops smell could be a sign of diabetes. BUT he doesn’t have any other symptoms. In fact, over the last six months he’s been putting weight on as he’s had a really stressful time at work, gave up exercising and has been eating a load of chocolate and biscuits etc.

So I would definitely say he hasn’t got low blood sugar!

Can anyone think of what it might be instead please?

I wouldn't expect him to have low blood sugar with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.

My husband's diabetes was picked up at a general health check.

ChristonaMoped · 07/05/2021 09:17

If he works in the NHS he may be able to get a nurse to do his blood sugars quickly.

Original poster
QuickNC789 · 07/05/2021 09:50

For the screening tests kit should I be getting something that measures his glucose or something that measures his ketones?

OP posts:
Gullible2021 · 07/05/2021 10:06

I honestly don’t think you should be self testing for this at this stage. He needs to be seen. GP or out of hours. Long term it would be blood glucose monitor. But please just ask him to phone his GP and get an appointment ASAP.

BigFatLiar · 07/05/2021 10:07

If there's a pharmacy you can ask the pharmacist. If you haven't got a local pharmacy then your local supermarket may have a pharmacist if its a big store and may be available later when he gets home, otherwise somewhere like Boots. You can buy kits online but if seeing a doctor is not so easy just now try the pharmacist, they usually know what they're doing and tell you if they think you need to see the doctor.

RB68 · 07/05/2021 10:15

the pear drop smell is a well known sign of ketoacidosis. People on here seem to mix up 1 & 2 but actually this can happen with both types of diabetes.

He could be type 2 or late onset type 1 OR have something else that is interfering with insulin production causing blood sugars to be too high. Often if you have an infection and are predisposed to diabetes or pre diabetic it can kick you to diabetic levels as the body tries to fight infection and struggles.

Any which way GP or if he is in a hospital down to a& e as they will have all the testing kit and know what to do with him - GP usually sends someone in if its ketoacidosis

Dancingwithunicorns · 07/05/2021 10:16

Does he vape? Or is it possible he’s doing it secretively? That’s exactly how I discovered my son vapes.

RB68 · 07/05/2021 10:17

Oh and putting on weight, reduced exercise, increased sugar intake and stress maybe all it takes

DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou · 07/05/2021 10:33

You can buy a kit from the pharmacy if he struggles to get an appointment with the GP, I know you can be number 20 in the queue for some places and it's hard to get seen at all.

OP, ketones will show in the urine and the blood sugar will show on the finger prick test.