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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:
spacewitch99 · 08/05/2021 17:38

@ChristonaMoped

If he works in the NHS he may be able to get a nurse to do his blood sugars quickly.
This is not how it works. Most blood sugar monitors scan patient ID bar codes. He would have to register as a patient. If he didn’t the nurse would not be practicing professionally. Either way, if he has a health anxiety, he would probably not follow up on any concerning results and/or spend the weekend panicking until he could see his GP.
WouldbeVa · 08/05/2021 17:38

My ex partner had this op, started with months of sweet smelling breath, which he refused to get checked out. Followed by rapid weight loss, he was very over weight originally. I finally got him to the gp, bloods taken, told to wait a week for results. They called with his blood results in less than 24 hours, dangerously high blood sugars and medicated that day. He has type 2.

Bellringer · 08/05/2021 17:50

He just needs to make a gp appointment. It's not rocket science, they wii talk on the phone and arrange for him to be seen, have blood test an gonfrom there

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Diabetes General health
jenkel · 08/05/2021 18:02

DH got diagnosed type 2 diabetes. He had a raging thirst, that nothing would quench, went to the drs and his test results were through the roof, not slightly diabetic but dangerously high. He went to a diabetes clinic where they gave lots of advice, took some drugs, can’t remember the name but they really upset him. So he went on a diet, was mindful about what he ate, he has now lost 3 stone and is no longer diabetic, has had 3 subsequent diabetes tests from the gp and all are showing that he is now within normal levels so they don’t class him as diabetic, he has felt the best he has for years. So after some guidance I believe it is something perfectly controllable, as long as it’s caught soon without causing any damage.

TiredoutMum93 · 08/05/2021 18:04

I’m a type one diabetic. Do not hesitate and take him to a and e NOW! It is life threatening. Don’t wait around. Please.

Cheddarcheeseandsodabread · 08/05/2021 18:06

QuickNC789

I have sent you a private message re tests for diabetes.

Good luck Flowers

TiredoutMum93 · 08/05/2021 18:06

If it isn’t diabetes then that’s great news but sweet smelling breath is indicative of ketoneacidosis. It’s worse than high blood sugars. It can be fatal if not treated ASAP. Any vomiting is also a sign. It means the kidneys is turning the blood acidic and can lead to coma and death.
Not to scare you but I would be going.
As a diabetic if this is ever the case they always say ring an ambulance

DiabeticEllie · 08/05/2021 18:07

www.argos.co.uk/sd/blood-sugar-monitor/
Buy this plus the test strips and give him a finger prick test. If his glucose reading is above 12 he needs to talk to his gp. If above 18 go to A&E. I know he doesn't want to deal with this but for £20 you can have an answer today! As someone who has had diabetes since childhood he needs to tackle this head on. Hope you manage to resolve this. Xx

Rangoon · 08/05/2021 18:20

I just can't understand somebody who won't take time off work to get a test for a potentially fatal condition for which he has most of the symptoms. I mean it is going to inconvenience the patients and you if he lapses into a diabetic coma. And I am absolutely astonished that he can say he doesn't have the headspace to deal with it now as if it will go away if he ignores it. If he is diabetic I think that the longer the blood sugars are uncontrolled, the more damage is being done. I think his behaviour has ruined your evening, and you have to put up with a fat, unfit, and exhausted man who is too scared to seek medical advice.

Thisgirlcanrun · 08/05/2021 18:23

Difficult one but he is an adult who has capacity to make his own decisions regarding his health - you can’t force him/nag him/drag him - you can try but that may make him resist even more - sorry x

Whydidimarryhim · 08/05/2021 18:30

What an idiot he is - I hope he’s not driving an ambulance as he could fall into a diabetic coma and cause an accident.
He needs time of work already by the sound if it.
You are trying to help him in the same way he wants to help his patients.
It appears you are doing everything to facilitate helping him.
I’d call the GP as you’ve suggested - I hope he goes in to see them.
Good luck.

ViceLikeBlip · 08/05/2021 18:34

I haven't read all the replies, but anecdotally this seems to be a side effect of the AZ jab, if he's had that in the last 48 hrs? (probs completely irrelevant, but worth mentioning just in case)

nwg117 · 08/05/2021 18:44

could be stress. My husband had a very mixed bag of odd symptoms managed to get him to see a doc - luckily took him seriously-lots of blood test to rue our hormone issues as well as diabetes. Please do get him to speak to a Doc. Men are very odd about their health . Please do see a Doc -don't leave it to chance or guess work...even if its just stress sometimes having it told to you makes you think about yourself. That would be my advice to a relative or friend x

FudgeFlake · 08/05/2021 18:48

I feel for you OP, I had a very similar point blank refusal to consider that anything might be any more wrong than 'Don't be daft Fudge, I'm just a bit run down, stop nagging me!' when I noticed my DP had very similar symptoms to your husband's. It did take a couple of weeks before he finally accepted that things weren't right and maybe he should see a GP after all. I also had no compunction in playing the 'How can we bring the girls up to be responsible adults when they see their own dad hiding his head in the sand?' card.

It was Type 2, but it had been caught before major life-limiting irretrievable damage was done.

itsgettingwierd · 08/05/2021 18:48

If you can order and collect a Glucose monitor
would he be receptive to doing it to prove you wrong so you don't stop "nagging him?"

Or does he also believe something is wrong and he's just burying his head and taking his worry out in you?

Shell4429 · 08/05/2021 18:57

I would try to persuade him to adopt a low carb diet initially as it works very quickly to lower blood sugar.

knitnerd90 · 08/05/2021 18:58

@jenkel

DH got diagnosed type 2 diabetes. He had a raging thirst, that nothing would quench, went to the drs and his test results were through the roof, not slightly diabetic but dangerously high. He went to a diabetes clinic where they gave lots of advice, took some drugs, can’t remember the name but they really upset him. So he went on a diet, was mindful about what he ate, he has now lost 3 stone and is no longer diabetic, has had 3 subsequent diabetes tests from the gp and all are showing that he is now within normal levels so they don’t class him as diabetic, he has felt the best he has for years. So after some guidance I believe it is something perfectly controllable, as long as it’s caught soon without causing any damage.
It's really not so simple and doesn't work out that way for everyone. Generally speaking, weight loss will improve glucose levels, but not everyone can completely control T2 with diet. Or perhaps their set point is lower than they can achieve with diet (some forms of weight loss surgery have a high rate of complete reversal of T2).

There's been movement towards beginning oral medications straightaway and then working on diet, because in the meantime diabetes is damaging your body.

Even if OP's DH isn't in DKA, if he has diabetes, delays are accelerating the day when he's blind, on dialysis, or has lost a foot. He needs a proper glucose level and HBA1c. And perhaps it needs to be pointed out to him that his health might be contributing to poor work performance.

Maggiesfarm · 08/05/2021 19:05

It does sound like type ll diabetes.

Azealofzebras · 08/05/2021 19:15

Hi op! I haven’t read the full thread, but I’m a type 1 diabetic and it’s defo worthwhile getting checked out ASAP as other have mentioned.
His anxiety and mental health may be a symptom of high blood sugar...if your blood sugar is too high it can make you feel anxious and irritable.
Could you ask on a local Facebook group of anyone is a diabetic and would they mind you borrowing their kit? A simple pin prick blood glucose test will give you an answer in a couple of seconds. The prick is single use so there is no risk of infection. I’m in Bath - if you’re local to me you’d be most welcome to borrow mine x x x

Choconuttolata · 08/05/2021 19:17

He needs to take it seriously. My BIL lost his eyesight driving on the motorway. Luckily his girlfriend managed to steer the car to the hard shoulder and call an ambulance. His blood sugar was so high it was unreadable on the machine. He had put increased thirst and urination down to it being hot and weight loss down to increasing exercise. He was in ICU for months. Now with change of diet and exercise he is off insulin and onto Metformin.

AbsolutelyPatsy · 08/05/2021 19:19

you can reverse diabetes though, change the sugar to sweetener if he takes sugar

AbsolutelyPatsy · 08/05/2021 19:21

op you dh can do what he wants with the information.
try not to stress

notthefunkind · 08/05/2021 19:29

I'm T1 and diagnosed at 2 years old. It sounds as if it could be ketones but you've done everything you can.
People sometimes think T1 can only be diagnosed in childhood but it's very common in adults too!

I'm sorry he's being irrational

ineedaholidaynow · 08/05/2021 19:36

@AbsolutelyPatsy I think it will take more than changing sugar to sweetners

IEat · 08/05/2021 19:55

His shit weekend isn’t down to you, you have a concern and you communicated with your partner. Don’t feel awful because he’s having a strip. You were right to talk to him