DH has sweet smelling breath, and bedroom smells

[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?

How absolutely ridiculous of him.

I cannot believe some men can be so pig headed and idiotic and stubborn that they wouldn't even make a courtesy call to the GP/111 if their significant other was extremely worried about their health.

I'd be furious OP. He could easily end up in a coma. Have you tried reminding him if he ignores this and gets seriously ill then he'll be off work a lot longer than the day it'll take to get diagnosed and start treatment... idiot.

Long-standing wife of a type 1 diabetic here 🙋🏼‍♀️ What @Rainbows89 said would be exactly my advice too. Spot on.

I have them symptoms but i was diagnosed with type 2

Sure, hence my insistence that OP presses ahead. In fact the most serious of the symptoms is his breath.

He's going to wind up with fucked kidneys if he doesn't go to A&E. Ketoacidosis is deadly. It can be fatal. Ring 999 and an ambulance on the way, because if he doesn't get seen ASAP you are going to wake up next to a corpse one morning.

DP is a T1 and I've been through every aspect of the condition as she has been uncontrollable for 20 years and we've had an excellent DSN who has ensured I'm well educated.

Type 2 really isn’t a big deal and it can be easily dealt with.

Yes, just pop pills and nothing to worry about

Please do all you can to get him to a GP. Men can be idiotic about their health! I know, as my Dad told me he was having problems with rectal bleeding but he thought it may be piles. I told him to get checked out with his GP. Long story short, he lied to me about visiting the GP and a year later, when the bleeding was horrific, he eventually went and was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer which had spread to his liver. He's been though the mill the past year and a bit. He's had a stoma bag fitted, 8 weeks of chemo, radiation therapy and one third of his liver removed. He still has the original bowel tumor and a small tumour on his liver, so there's further treatment to come. I know it's a different situation but this is what happens when people don't face up to their health issues. Just like your husband, my dad said it was something he couldn't deal with at the time as he didn't have the headspace for it. He regrets not going sooner. If I were you I'd definitely contact his GP for him, explain the situation and see if they can call him in for a "medication review".

@WhipperSnapperSteve

Type 2 really isn’t a big deal and it can be easily dealt with.

Yes, just pop pills and nothing to worry about

I have type 2. I deal with it easily by carefully controlling what I eat. My daughter has type 1. So I know what I’m talking about, thanks, and you can keep your

I was saying that it’s not something he needs to freak out about.

Try another tack with him...tell him it's his choice not to take responsibility for his health but ask if he's made a will, where is it and where are his life insurance policies. That might kick him in the scrotum a bit.

@Ninkanink, not all Type 2’s are equal! As I say, my DH has type 2. He’s had DKA and is now on insulin because of that episode (he’s also on several other medications including Trulicity). He is not overweight, eats healthily and is very fit, but he cannot control his diabetes by diet and oral medication alone.

The OP’s husband may have Type 1 anyway (possibly LADA).

And if he does have DKA it is definitely something to be very concerned about.

@Ninkanink It wasn't an attack, many people however see T2 as a joke treatable by pills and do nothing to prevent the possibility of getting the condition as a result (usually men with booze and massive meals, sedentary lifestyle (yes, I'll stereotype)).

I'm happy you're dealing with it extremely well and you'll reap the rewards in later life.

[quote Finzi]@Ninkanink, not all Type 2’s are equal! As I say, my DH has type 2. He’s had DKA and is now on insulin because of that episode (he’s also on several other medications including Trulicity). He is not overweight, eats healthily and is very fit, but he cannot control his diabetes by diet and oral medication alone.

The OP’s husband may have Type 1 anyway (possibly LADA).

And if he does have DKA it is definitely something to be very concerned about.[/quote]
I don’t know why you’re telling me this. I wasn’t saying it’s not dangerous, I wasn’t saying this might not be an emergency. I’m well aware of the dangers of diabetes and the risks, given that my daughter has been hospitalised more than once with severe complications. None of that is relevant to my earlier comment whose context should have been pretty obvious. I was saying that OP’s DH being a big baby and freaking out about taking a blood test and/or confronting the issue is entirely unnecessary. If dealt with properly it is not a big deal.

OMG he is being very reckless. My cousin died of ketoacidosis from untreated diabetes which she didn't know she even had. She was a nurse as well.

@WhipperSnapperSteve I’m reaping the rewards now, and have done for years. I’m a healthy size 12 (mine was not triggered by weight), fit and well.

If you are really worried OP, then I would buy a glucose testing kit from boots or Lloyds pharmacy first thing tomorrow. Lloyd's sell one for £19.99:

lloydspharmacy.com/products/glucorx-nexus-glucose-meter?currency=GBP&variant=32657529176127&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQjwytOEBhD5ARIsANnRjViyeYlRpBAnpJlu3N_CAvl3S7LebvpC-QygvxQQyLz63pqScd4hFXMaApXjEALw_wcB

Then test his blood sugar before he's eaten breakfast, it should be under 5.4 if he isn't diabetic or pre diabetic. Test it again two hours after he's eaten and it should be under 7.8. If either reading is higher then he will need to see his GP for a HBA1C blood test.

www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html

And just to be clear, in case there’s any doubt, I absolutely do think this is potentially very dangerous and it’s ridiculous that he’s refusing to deal with it calmly and rationally. I hope OP understands by now that this could well be a serious medical emergency, and that she manages to convince him to get checked over asap.

It can also be a sign of heart issues sometimes please definitely make an appointment.

I once helped a lady who felt faint in a seaside resort where I live. Her daughter was worried about how confused she seemed. I made her sit down as she was adamant she didn't want to spoil the day out. I could smell what smelt like really sweet cider on her breath so asked the daughter if she was diabetic or had been drinking. Neither applied. I called an ambulance and I am so so glad I did because she started to veer sideways off the chair so we laid her down and put her in the recovery position and kept talking to her and she was drifting in and out.
I had a phone call off the daughter that evening to say she was having the start of a heart attack and because the ambulance had rushed her in so quickly they had managed to so heart surgery.
It may be nothing but please ensure he takes it seriously.

Sorry @Ninkanink I misinterpreted your comment! It’s late and I need to go to bed I think!

OP, hope your DH is OK and you manage to persuade him to get himself checked out.

Ah Op, I really feel for you and can completely understand everything you have written. My seemingly fit and healthily husband was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 9 years ago (just before his 30th). Looking back it’s obvious something was hugely wrong with him but the only obvious sign to me was his absolutely awful behaviour and totally unreasonable reactions to everything. We’d only just got married and I put a year of his nastiness down to the fact he was regretting it and we nearly broke up. Like I say, this carried on for a year and it was only when he suddenly lost a stone and a half in a couple of weeks with a “stomach bug” that I insisted he went to the doctors. Believe it or not they weren’t too concerned with the weight loss, it was only when he mentioned he thought he had thrush or UTI that they said to do a urine sample. He did the sample then and there and went to leave. He was literally just out the door when the doctor called him straight back in and said they thought he could have diabetes and took his blood sugars. They were through the roof and they called me to collect him immediately and take him over to the hospital. Once there we met with the consultant, diabetic nurse and dietitian. He was given his testers and insulin and off we went! The doctor did say he was very lucky he didn’t end up hospitalised. It was a huge, huge shock and something I didn’t truly understand the implications of till we’d been living with it for a while. Turns out my husband was actually relieved as he genuinely thought he had cancer or something much worse as he’d been hiding how poorly he’d been feeling from me for months. I know it sounds nuts to others but I do totally get where your husband is coming from because mine was exactly the same. He was scared to find out what was wrong, in denial that there was anything wrong and because of his blood sugars acting completely irrationally. Even after diagnosis my husband was still in a bit of denial and it has been a long road of acceptance for him but now it’s just a part of life.
If your husband does indeed have diabetes I cannot recommend the DAFNE course enough. It made a huge difference to the management of everything and I think it was very therapeutic for my DH to chat to others in the same situation.
Apologies for the long post I just wanted to share as I know how I felt when I was in your situation and wanted you to know things will get better. I wish you and your husband the best and hope you are able to convince home to seek help and get some answers soon.

I really feel for you, OP. My (very stubborn!) DDad has been type 2 diabetic for years and still doesn’t take it seriously. He had symptoms for quite a while before he was diagnosed - eventually the excessive peeing was what drove him to finally see his GP. It got to the point that he couldn’t do a 10 minute car journey without needing to pee, even though he’d go just before leaving! When he got his blood results back they told him it was a good job he’d gone when he did because his blood pressure and cholesterol were so high he’d of been dead within months from a heart attack or stroke.

I know how tough it is dealing with a stubborn loved one, it’s like trying to push a boulder up a steep hill in a storm! I have to nag my DDad even now, to make sure he has his checks etc. because he just doesn’t take it seriously enough. I’ve been in situations with him before where he has literally been shouting at me in the street because he doesn’t want to do something but little did he know at that point that my nagging saved his life and he wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for me ‘interfering’. Your DH will eventually realise that you are coming from a place of love and that you just want him to be around for as long as possible. You just have to keep plugging away at him. If he is already stressed and his blood pressure is affected then having undiagnosed diabetes is going to put him at increased risk of a heart attack or stroke and he’ll be forced to rest...

I feel for you OP but I think that for now you just need leave it and talk to him maybe tomorrow and pick your moment

If he had health anxiety he will probably be freaking out and talking about it will push him away further.

Chances are he's not going to drop dead on the spot like some people are saying here. He's stressed, not exercising, under pressure and sad, of course this will affect his health. You know him better than anyone, pick your moment to talk and reassure him that with a quick gp appt, blood test and glucose test, these problems can be addressed and maybe it might be a case of oral meds, lifestyle medications and stress release.
IF it is type 2 diabetes, it can be reversed in some cases, if it's something else, there will be a solution. Stop panicking. And stop listening to people who are calling your husband names, that's not helpful at all.

OP, I seriously urge you not to leave this. Please ring 111 or your GP first thing tomorrow morning. I am not saying this to be dramatic but your DH needs to be checked out.

The smell you are describing could well be a sign of ketoacidosis. A member of my family had this smell, he ended up needing an emergency ambulance and was taken straight into intensive care. He was also very stubborn and refused to speak to the doctor. Wouldn't listen to anyone's concerns and told us we were all overreacting.

It is much better to get this checked out, if it turns out to be something else not connected to diabetes than that is really good news but much better to be safe than sorry. Please listen to what other posters are saying OP and get this checked out. I hope your DH is okay.

@Aldilogue Chances are he's not going to drop dead on the spot like some people are saying here. He's stressed, not exercising, under pressure and sad, of course this will affect his health. You know him better than anyone, pick your moment to talk and reassure him that with a quick gp appt, blood test and glucose test, these problems can be addressed and maybe it might be a case of oral meds, lifestyle medications and stress release.

Unfortunately, Ketoacidosis is potentially a life-threatening condition and not something that can be left and treated with diet and exercise. It is very serious. OP's DH is probably being stubborn because the diabetes has thrown his whole body out. This is exactly how my family member was behaving. I will never forget that smell it really can be a sign of a very serious condition. I do understand the difficulty of trying to get him to agree to see a doctor because my family were in the same situation but I really think you should ring 111 and explain the symptoms your DH has.

I really hope it turns out to be something else OP but if it is ketoacidosis it can escalate very quickly and the implications are enormous. It really is best to get this checked out.

This must be so stressful. It’s absolutely an emergency. No driving the children anywhere until he’s seen a gp. I’d look up the symptoms of it getting dangerous and list them to him saying you need an ambulance if these happen, and remind him every day. (Unfortunately it’s probably too fast/they are too disoriented to do this but may help). I’m not an expert as you can tell by not knowing what to look out for but there is type 1 in my family, and a relative died in her early 30s from it. I hope I don’t see the same from any of the younger generation with it, when one was diagnosed as a child he spent over a week in hospital while they tried to stabilise his sugar levels. I hope your dh comes around or the gp helps.

@QuickNC789 - so sorry for the stress this is causing you. Would he agree to a check up if he realizes what this is doing to you? I understand that he is opposed, but would he empathize with the impact of his choice on you, especially as you ar worrying for him?