Please come and talk to me about diabetes

[northender]

Over the last few months we've had problems with dd's behaviour. She gets angry and violent which we put down to her being a strong character and getting frustrated (she's 4). Then one of ds' friends was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and one of the big differences for her when he got treated was how his behaviour improved. This got me thinking and connecting it with her really strong sweet smelling breath that I'd noticed a few times. I told myself I was being over fussy (I'm a health professional and a little knowledge can be dangerous I think!) but in the end took her to the GP who reassured me that it was likely a behavioural thing but they would do a urine test anyway.

I've just picked up our phone messages to find one from our regular gp giving his mobile number and saying dd needs a blood sugar doing .

We feel in a fairly blind panic at the moment. Tis too late to ring gp but I think they are now doing a Saturday surgery.

Are there any other explanations for an abnormal result? (they requested proteinuria and glucose)

Any support welcome

bump

If he's given you his mobile number then phone him.

If she does have diabetes then a prompt blood sugar is essential. They might say come in tomorrow, or they might even ask you to pop to out of hours tonight.

Sugar in the urine could be from what she had eaten or drunk, but the only way to really be sure is to do blood tests, usually a finger prick to start and then a proper venous sample if that is high.

Thanks sidge. They do have a Saturday morning surgery and they are literally round the corner so we'll be banging on the door at 0900! The thing is it's not just a random result out of the blue, The behaviour, the sweet smelling breath........then dh was round at some friends with her last week and they commented on how much she was drinking.

Looking back we think things have got worse over the last 2 or 3 weeks in terms of those things. I've never considered she drank more than normal, we always have water out with us and she drinks it regularly but lately I've seen her down glasses of water or juice very quickly.

It's certainly a possibility then. If it's any consolation if she does have diabetes once it's under control things will be so much better and there is a lot of support nowadays. Hope all goes well! Let me know what happens tomorrow (cos I'm nosey...!)

I will do sidge thanks. I really appreciate you posting. I think writing it all down in a post helps.

Relief all round! We went off to the doc's this morning to find out that the urine had been tested for protein not for glucose so rather than repeating the urine test they would do a blood test. It was a different doctor from the one who left the message who couldn't answer why we'd been asked to come in so urgently.

Anyway they did a BM and it was fine and they don't want to anything more which is good but doesn't explain the other things so we'll still keep a close eye on things.

Oh that is good news, glad her sugars were ok.

Glad that was ok - keep monitoring the other things and if you have any reservations at all go straight back to the medics.

The reason they wanted you in quickly is that diabetes is life threatening in the acute phase.

My son has T1 diabetes, he was 7 when diagnosed and very, very ill. It all came on very quickly (wetting bed, drinking loads) after other symptoms - weight loss, tiredness, very very highly strung and grumpy, stomach pains, blurred vision, pallor, pear drops smell on breath, to name a few.

Keep an eye on it - I know you will.