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Original poster

Diabetes test for DH - he has some symptoms but not others....

58 replies

KBear · 25/08/2006 12:39

he gets up 7-8 times a night to wee, he's thirsty, he's exhausted all the time (but he does shift work so who wouldn't be). Doc has sent him for tests. If it's not diabetes as the doc thinks, what could it be? A simple water infection?

He's always woken at least once in the night but it's driving him crazy at the moment with getting up so often.

OP posts:
Flossam · 26/08/2006 19:35

Just one little thought - if not diabetes perhaps enlarged prostate - would explain the frequency and I'm not surprised he is bloody knackered getting up 7-8 times the both of you! Hope his results come back ok.

Original poster
KBear · 26/08/2006 20:28

~First of all - feel free to hijack and talk about diabetes generally on this thread - I couldn't find a previous thread on the subject so it could help lots of us.

Secondly, I think if the doc really thought it was diabetes he would have done the pin prick test wouldn't he? In the surgery, there and then? He's normally pretty good. Maybe he is just eliminating it before investigating further. (she hopes).

DH seems fine, no unusual behaviour or anything so I'm no unduly worried.

Good point about the prostate - DH did google and discover prostate cancer and scared himself but I googled further and found enlarged prostate and read up a bit on that too.

Sounds like some of you have a lot to cope with with children and husband suffering with it - it's a bit unpredictable I suppose and mighty scary at times.

Thanks for all your help and please carry on chatting about it here....

OP posts:
1Baby1Bump · 27/08/2006 11:15

even for diabetes, dh says they will do a proper test initially as even tho he uses the prick test and monitor to help decide how much insulin to use, it is not accurate enough to diagnose it with.

i have the orange injection thing too, spidermama. we call it the 'jumpstart'!
i thought i was going to have use that when i found dh outside. then i chickened out and called ambulance who luckily arrived quickly, but he had snapped out of it and was trying to vacuum the house due to the following adrenalin rush!
on this occaision, which was the first, i seriously thought he was going to die. it was horrific.
the ones hes had since have been him waffling rubbish like a drunk and one where he got quite nasty and wouldnt let me help him. i wasnt affraid of him hitting me or anything but i wasnt allowed near.

i know straight away now so its easier to help.

he says the glucogel tastes horrible too.

1Baby1Bump · 27/08/2006 11:19

also, once he come out of it, he cant remember any of the mad stuff he has said or done.

blossom2 · 27/08/2006 11:46

the hardest part of me, about DH having diabetes is not knowing when the hypos might happen and sometimes having to be on my guard on the time, especially when we are out & about. i'm always clock watching because i'm mindful that if he doesnt have lunch etc he'll get a hypo. also making sure he's got enough insulin, when his next checkup is and remembering to pack all his stuff whenever we are going away.

DH is just disorganised really and it drives me round the bend at times ...

Spidermama · 27/08/2006 12:30

Totally understand bloss. Same with my ds.

1baby1bump - I remedmber my grandmother suddenly shouting at me and being really horrible and grumpy and woozy like a drunk. I called the ambulance and she went into hospital.

This was before I knew much about diabetes. She died a few years later but I often look back on that incident and realise she was just hypo. I could have helped her had I known and kept her out of the hospital she hated so much.

It's so important for diabetics to let those around them know about the condition so they can help out in these circumstances.

blossom2 · 27/08/2006 12:40

i dont know how you do it spidermama, with your ds, one of my worst fears is baby & dd's getting diabetes.

how do u do it?? when was ds diagnoised? how did you know?

VeniVidiVickiQV · 27/08/2006 12:43

Sounds more like a prostate problem actually......

VeniVidiVickiQV · 27/08/2006 12:44

Ah, I see Nurse Floss has already suggested that....(I should read all posts first and not just the OP...)

Original poster
KBear · 27/08/2006 13:21

QV - what do you know about prostate problems then please? The more I think about it, the more I don't think it can be diabetes. Surely he would be ill.

OP posts:
Spidermama · 27/08/2006 16:27

Bloss he was dxed three days before christmas. He was weeing non stop and drinking loads so I took in a sample and they put in a dipstick then sent us straight to hosp.

It is really tough. It's constant, the pressure of making sure he eats the right food at the right time, adjusting it for exercise (tough with a 6 year old) and then there's all the testing and injections. Quite apart from the worry about long term tissue damage.

I'm currently obsessing about what might have prompted it. I know there's a genetic element but still. I can't help wondering if it's linked to his dairy intoerlance as there seems to be loads of research suggesting links, despite what the docs say.

In all the time since his dx he has only had one really worrying and dramatic hypo and even then we caught it with glucose sweets in hte nick of time.

As to how we manage, we just do because you have to. Like anything really. I'm also aware that there are worse things out there and people dealing with tougher situations with their dcs. That said, you'll know yourself that people tend to think diabetes isn't all that serious because sufferers appear so normal. they don't realise the constant vigilance required to keep it that way.

Bloss even though there's a genetic element, the odds are still very much in your favour as regards your kids getting it. It's still pretty rare.

1Baby1Bump · 27/08/2006 16:35

blossom- know exactly how you feel worrying about children developing it.
i dont know if anyone saw my recent thread. i was sure ds (1year) had it. i was sat in the bath with him and earlier that morning i had smelt the dreaded 'pear drops' but decided i was imagining it.
in the tub with him it absolutely stank and i just sat there, cuddling him, balling my eyes out.
i took him to docs and a wee test was done and luckily he was fine.
but i still worry of him developing it later as dh was diagnosed at 10.

blossom2 · 27/08/2006 16:39

it still annoys me that thye dont know what triggers/causes diabetes, given the condition is so common.

like spidermama says, the odds are good and with luck our babies wont develop it.

Dh was diagnoised at 28 years!!

VeniVidiVickiQV · 27/08/2006 21:15

Hi Kbear...sorry - have been out all day. My dad has recently suffered prostate problems (well apaprently its been not so bad for several years but anyway....) he was needing to wee several times a night, and very often in the day (has suffered bouts of incontinence in fact), he was tired all the time, and, in fact has lost some weight too. He has been found to have a "hardened" prostate, which indicates problems with it, but, we dont know to what extent atm - he is having follow up tests.

Usually, in the less serious cases, I understand that hormone treatment deals with it adequately.

Original poster
KBear · 27/08/2006 22:16

Thanks VVVQV. Just got to play the waiting game until Tuesday I suppose then take it from there. Never wished away a bank holiday before but Tuesday can't come soon enough.

OP posts:
1Baby1Bump · 27/08/2006 22:25

kbear- it also sounds a lot like this prostate thing so try not to worry too much- i know its easy to say.
when you get the answer we will all be here waiting. x

Original poster
KBear · 27/08/2006 22:29

aww thanks

OP posts:
Spidermama · 28/08/2006 20:10

Good luck tomorrow kbear.

Original poster
KBear · 28/08/2006 22:02

thanks Spidermama. We went out for the day today to take our mind off things - Natural History Museum! All exhausted - must have walked miles.

OP posts:
Flossam · 29/08/2006 13:15

any news Kbear?

Original poster
KBear · 29/08/2006 15:34

Called first thing. Results back but doc not in until 4.30 so he won't see them until then and I have to ring back. The receptionist obv can't discuss but I know her and said I was concerned etc (DH was driving at the time which is why I was on the phone) and she said not to be, if the hospital thought it was diabetes they would call the doc and DH would have had a call immediately.

So....hoping that it's not and just have to wait to find out if there is any other reason for his symptoms. As I told DH, it's "finger up the bum" time to check the prostate. He ran off screaming! ha ha

OP posts:
VeniVidiVickiQV · 29/08/2006 16:16

KBear....tell DH that past a certain age, visiting the GP is pretty much always "finger up the bum time".

VeniVidiVickiQV · 29/08/2006 20:02

Kbear....results?

Panman · 29/08/2006 20:05

and all on the NHS...

VeniVidiVickiQV · 29/08/2006 20:13

Oh yes.....you are lucky lucky guys Dont know why hugely famous musicians feel the need to go cottaging when they can get it free and legal on the NHS......