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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Poorly mum - diabetes - help needed

20 replies

seascaper · 30/10/2020 04:35

Posting here for traffic.

I've just woken up to a message from my brother he sent at 11pm saying our mum has a reading of 35 and has had 3 consecutive readings of 25 plus she's being sick. This sounds like DKA I think? She's had this before and was hospitalised for 2 weeks.

DB lives over an hour away by public transport and I am 15 mins by car.

I should be leaving for work at 6am but I think I'll need to go over there?

Also, if she's okay when I get there, which I doubt by his text, then what do I need to do to get her help?

Social work in the past fobbed us off saying they didn't need help and my dad could help. Which he doesn't seem to be able to do.

My mum and dad have private carers going in once a day in the morning to ensure they are up and for mum to take her morning insulin as the last time she hadn't taken it for days.

Can someone help please. I feel like I should go over now because if it's DKA then time is of the essence. But it's 4.30am and I don't want to terrify them by rocking up at this time.

OP posts:

Yummymummy2020 · 30/10/2020 04:53

Would she go to the hospital to get checked? I don’t know much about this but if she is unwell really she needs to be seen by a medical professional. At the very least I would ring to ask someone in the know for advice on what’s best to do in the situation. Sorry I’m not more help didn’t want to not leave a message! I hope your mum is ok!

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 30/10/2020 04:59

You need to call an ambulance to their house - NOW - and go there yourself if you can, but if not, you can always go and see her in hospital after work, if you can't get there any sooner. Give your Dad a call to let him know what you've done. Bear in mind that he probably won't appreciate the severity of what's happening inside her body, so I wouldn't accept him telling you that she just seems tired or whatever, however well-meaning.

DKA is a race against time; ignore the fact that it's stupid o'clock and that it might shock your parents - it sounds like an emergency. They'll probably want to take her in for checks at least, but if they do give her the all-clear without needing to or send her back home soon after, you have the peace of mind of having covered all bases.

From what you say, your Mum & Dad aren't able to cope for whatever reason, so as well as your Mum getting the attention she needs, it's also useful supporting documentation for stating your case for any more carer assistance that she might subsequently need.

All the best for you and your Mum (and Dad)

Verytired2019 · 30/10/2020 05:02

A reading of 35 is extremely high - my dad is a poorly managed diabetic and he feels unwell when he’s in the early 20s.
I think she needs to go to A&E - vomiting is also a sign of DKA and from what I understand it is dangerous and requires treatment at that stage to bring down the bloody glucose levels. I would take her to A&E or at least call 111 but I think she sounds in a bad way.

Verytired2019 · 30/10/2020 05:04

bring down the BLOOD glucose levels - although I’m sure I’ve shouted “bloody glucose levels” at my dad before! As the poster above has said - act now OP and hope she’s ok. From a fellow stressed diabetic parent daughter

AbsentmindedWoman · 30/10/2020 05:16

A&E, definitely. She will feel extremely unwell at 35.

Hope she feels better soon.

Original poster

seascaper · 30/10/2020 05:20

Thansk for your replies.

I've just phoned and woke them up. Dad says she's fine

OP posts:

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 30/10/2020 05:52

I've just phoned and woke them up. Dad says she's fine

Is he a trained paramedic, though? He has no way of knowing what might currently be happening to her internally - to somebody who doesn't understand the signs, you probably would just think "Get her to bed and let her have a good, long sleep." Unfortunately, with DKA, it can be the kind of sleep from which you never wake up. Sorry, I'm really not trying to alarm you, but he has no way of being able to pronounce her 'fine' - especially if he isn't even in a position to help her monitor it routinely on a day-to-day basis (and she isn't able to cope with it herself either).

If you could just look at somebody or see their external physical behaviour/appearance, there would be no need for glucose testing meters and daily finger pricking in the first place.

MingeofDeath · 30/10/2020 05:55

Why has she not been taking her insulin?

MingeofDeath · 30/10/2020 05:57

Sorry meant to say has she had her insulin?

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 30/10/2020 05:59

Why has she not been taking her insulin?

Maybe, if she's been feeling unwell with no appetite, she's made the common and (on the surface) not-unreasonable deduction that no food = no insulin needed. Unfortunately, it's not that simple.

FoolsAssassin · 30/10/2020 06:01

I would call an ambulance in this situation personally and wouldn’t listen to my Dad. My friend’s 46 year old SIL died a year ago With DKA so I absolutely would not ever take chances.

DH is T1 and have been with him 23 years and not had a reading above 18 all that time but he has had some hypos I couldn’t cope with a couple of times so called ambulance who have always assured me I absolutely did the right thing by calling.

Original poster

seascaper · 30/10/2020 06:20

I don't know yet if she's had her insulin.

After the last time they changed the way she took it so she only needed to do it once in the morning when the carers are there but now she's back to 3 times a day.

She wasn't feeling well a month ago and phoned the clinical at my insistence who said her dose had been put up a while ago but she didn't remember and my dad thought she was on an even lower amount than she thought.

OP posts:

Original poster

seascaper · 30/10/2020 06:21

I can't go until after the school run because DH needs the car to take the kids

OP posts:

FoolsAssassin · 30/10/2020 06:36

I think this is time for a taxi to be honest. Sounds as if there are some issues about her management to be sorted longterm but that’s for later and right now she needs medical help.

ABCDay · 30/10/2020 06:42

Has anyone tested her for ketones. OP? At those readings I really think it would be foolish not to get medical help immediately. DKA can go from being sick to dead very quickly. Sorry to be blunt, but it doesn't sound like anyone's taking this seriously enough.

Original poster

seascaper · 30/10/2020 06:55

I have limited information at this time until I can speak to my brother and see my mum.

I'm going over to theirs just now.

OP posts:

FoolsAssassin · 30/10/2020 07:08

Good luck, I hope she’s ok.

earlydoors42 · 30/10/2020 07:17

Is she a type 1 or a type 2 on insulin?

You can test ketones with either a special blood monitor (I doubt chemists would have these?) or urine strips - these are less good as they tell you what her ketones were a while ago - but chemists have them in stock so better than nothing.

She needs insulin and to drink lots of water. If she has ketones she will need more insulin than her usual amount plus a correction to bring her down. Water helps flush ketones.

Good luck, hope she gets sorted today

bobbiester · 30/10/2020 07:18

NHS guidance...

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

ABCDay · 30/10/2020 18:47

How is your mum, Seascaper? I hope she's improving and all is well.

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