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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be sick with worry than DS (12) may have diabetes!

266 replies

HumiditySucks · 23/08/2022 10:13

Please help calm me down until I can get a GP appointment this afternoon.

DS 12 has started drinking a lot more water, saying he feels thirsty. Started about 3 weeks ago while abroad. Obviously it’s hot but this is more than that.

He’s also lost a lost a lot of weight on his stomach. That may be him shooting up in height but he wasn’t over weight before.

Also saying he feels more tired but that could be due to being up until early hours of the morning 😡and sleeping rhythm messed up.

Noticed last night his breath has a chemical smell like acetone.

No Type 1 diabetes in families. MIL was diagnosed in her late 60’s with Type 2.

GP had no appointments by the time I got through this morning so have to try again at 2pm. Aarghhh!

OP posts:
Pottedpalm · 23/08/2022 15:51

Well done for persevering.
I have taught a fair few teenagers with diabetes and they cope brilliantly. The new technology available is amazing.

girlmom21 · 23/08/2022 15:55

Well done @HumiditySucks - you've done amazingly

fortheloveofcheesecake · 23/08/2022 15:55

Well done OP....good for you for recognising the signs. Wishing you and your son all the best. It's a steep learning curve but you sound amazing so I just know you'll all cope with this.

Ithinkthatisenoughnowthanks · 23/08/2022 15:58

Oh OP, what a nightmare. You got your son help when he needed it and you will get help over the coming days before he is discharged. Join the parents of children with type 1 on Facebook as you will get lots of useful support and advice there. It’s a shock and feels frightening at first but you will get used to it and adjust. Take care x

Teder · 23/08/2022 16:02

Well done OP. You did the right thing and advocated for your son before he got too poorly. Good luck. Hope you are well supported. 💐

Ducksurprise · 23/08/2022 16:04

Agree that you being aware of the signs is amazing and has saved your son so much.

Mariposista · 23/08/2022 16:06

Well done you OP for getting him checked and sorted so quickly. He is such a very brave and mature lad for taking it in his stride as he has at this age. He will be fine! Hope he is out and enjoying the last week of his summer holiday ASAP. He is lucky to have such a vigilant mum!

Ducksurprise · 23/08/2022 16:08

@stayinghometoday op didn't go to A&E she went to urgent care, there is a difference.

BreatheAndFocus · 23/08/2022 16:12

I’m so pleased you got him seen - well done for pushing! I’d complain about your GP too. Your son is absolutely in the right place. He’ll be well looked after. I spent 4 or 5 days in hospital at diagnosis and got excellent care. It’s a huge shock to start with - it seems like so much to think about. But it gradually gets easier.

Diabetes U.K. have information pages and also a forum with Type 1s and parents of Type 1s:

Diabetes U.K.

There’s a phone line too when you feel up to it.

Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 23/08/2022 16:16

I would be absolutely livid with the GP surgery. This could have led to a very serious situation. Please report

Prestissimo · 23/08/2022 16:18

Sorry you've had a bad day OP. Just to say I'm a GP and this definitely needs feeding back to the practice - not necessarily as an angry complaint (although I can imagine that you have all sorts of emotions at the moment), but it definitely sounds as though their reception triage/emergency recognition needs tweaking. Receptionists should recognise these sorts of signs in children and be facilitating an urgent appointment or signposting you to urgent care/A+E etc.

Sounds like you've done a great job today. Hope you have plenty of support and things get sorted soon for your son.

Oblomov22 · 23/08/2022 16:22

So very Sorry to hear this. Hope you get good support. I was only aged 1 when diagnosed, but it was tough for my mum.

Please report to GP surgery. Their treatment was disgusting.

stayinghometoday · 23/08/2022 16:22

Ducksurprise · 23/08/2022 16:08

@stayinghometoday op didn't go to A&E she went to urgent care, there is a difference.

It doesn't matter. There is a pedants corner here somewhere. What mattered was that OP's son needed a quick diagnosis.

Tonkerbea · 23/08/2022 16:22

Good job OP, you got your son the care he needed. Hope your DH is there for support soon, you've all had a stressful day xxx

Mummyoflittledragon · 23/08/2022 16:33

Well done for persevering. You prevented a medical emergency. Your GP surgery is awful. I hope your ds will be ok.

Tlittle · 23/08/2022 17:10

Hi I really hope you get him seen too. My twins are both type one and are eight. My son diagnosed when quite poorly. His sister diagnosed early as I knew the signs. Hope he is ok x

kimchifox · 23/08/2022 17:17

So glad you got him seen - I'm sorry you were right but you have saved his life - good luck with all that follows.

jdrf.org.uk/information-support/newly-diagnosed/support-newly-diagnosed-children/

My friend found some really good support at jdrf - obviously I don't expect you to look at this now but for future reference maybe.

madasawethen · 23/08/2022 17:25

Sorry to hear he has diabetes. Well done to you mum for getting him in so quickly.

JustDanceAddict · 23/08/2022 17:25

So glad you didn’t wait & he’s been seen and diagnosed.

mac1974 · 23/08/2022 17:31

Well done Op for getting your DS sorted. Hope he is up and running soon. What a shame the receptionist wasn't a little more helpful. I understand they are busy but these kind of symptoms shouldn't be ignored. Hope you manage to get some sleep tonight.

girlmom21 · 23/08/2022 17:35

Oblomov22 · 23/08/2022 16:22

So very Sorry to hear this. Hope you get good support. I was only aged 1 when diagnosed, but it was tough for my mum.

Please report to GP surgery. Their treatment was disgusting.

Oh I agree with this. Please make a formal complaint about the GP - and everyone who's had similar issues should do the same

AngelinaFibres · 23/08/2022 17:37

HumiditySucks · 23/08/2022 10:13

Please help calm me down until I can get a GP appointment this afternoon.

DS 12 has started drinking a lot more water, saying he feels thirsty. Started about 3 weeks ago while abroad. Obviously it’s hot but this is more than that.

He’s also lost a lost a lot of weight on his stomach. That may be him shooting up in height but he wasn’t over weight before.

Also saying he feels more tired but that could be due to being up until early hours of the morning 😡and sleeping rhythm messed up.

Noticed last night his breath has a chemical smell like acetone.

No Type 1 diabetes in families. MIL was diagnosed in her late 60’s with Type 2.

GP had no appointments by the time I got through this morning so have to try again at 2pm. Aarghhh!

My brother and my youngest son have type 1 diabetes. Those are the classic symptoms. Take your son to A and E if you can't get an emergency appointment tonight with a doctor. If it is confirmed it really is okay. My son was 14. He is 28 now and has just had a baby with his wife. He manages his condition brilliantly.

Mglass · 23/08/2022 17:44

What an amazing super mum you are! Sorry to hear it’s diabetes but how lucky is he to have you as a mum to spot all the symptoms and push for the diagnosis so quickly.

MyOtherProfile · 23/08/2022 18:05

@HumiditySucks I really want to encourage you to look up Diabetes UK. They are an amazing charity and great for support and information.

Musicaltheatremum · 23/08/2022 18:06

HumiditySucks · 23/08/2022 15:17

OK. Rang 111 after reading a few replies. They said he needed to seen within a few hours and to go to the Urgent Care Centre (attached to A&E) if GP will not see.

Rang GP, explained symptoms asking if a nurse could see him to do a quick test before going to hospital. They said No and I had to call back at 2pm to get an appointment for afternoon. They were busy and had lots of patients to see😡

So went to Urgent Care. Waited an hour to get urine test. Urine test had glucose in it, so taken straight to A&E! They did a pin prick which was high so told it was diabetes.

Luckily bloods show his body is coping and it’s still in the early stages. He will be admitted shortly.

Cannot believe this has happened. In absolute shock. DS is calm and fine, they put a catheter in his hand and he hardly flinched! Just waiting for DH to come from work now.

Thanks for all the replies.

So glad you got seen. I'm shocked at your GP surgery. I'm a GP and would be seriously cross with my staff for doing this. My staff put all requests for urgent appointments in a list for us and we decide what to do. I would have either said to go to a&e or got you in asap. I know how our local children's a&e works so would probably be quicker to do this.

And being a patient or parent of someone with type 1 diabetes means you know an awful lot more than a GP does. I openly admit that I am not an expert in insulin use as most people get managed by the hospital. I'm pretty good on a lot of other topics though. GPs are GENERALISTS not specialists and over the years we have taken on and expected to know far much more about diseases than we were 30 years ago.

It's going to be quite a time for you but I wish you well.