Could diabetes cause this?

[SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore]

My dad has been diagnosed with queried diabetes and has to go back this week for more blood tests to confirm.

Recently he has had 'funny turns'. Where he is awake and alert one second but then a minute later goes distant and unresponsive and seems to be falling alseep. Often during these turns he heads off to bed where he immediately falls into a deep sleep.

When he did this on holiday I told my mum to give him some sugary pop and he seemed to come around quicker than normal after this.

Any one? My mum is past herself when this happens and doesn't know what to do. She is worried he will die in his sleep or fall into a coma.

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Yes I think it is having a 'hypo' and is, I'm afraid, quite serious. My friend's DD with Diabetes has to have digestive biscuits if this happens.

So giving him something sugary is the right thing to do? Or not? I guess all of this will be confirmed when he goes to the doctors but he has to go alone due to my mum working and tends to play things down to us if he is scared. Which he will be.

Hi, My son is a Type 1 diabetic and it sounds like it could be a hypo but also bear in mind that very high blood sugars (hyperglcyma (sp?)) can also cause severe tiredness, unconsciousness etc. I'm not sure how diagonsis for type 2 diabetes works as I only have experience of type 1 but it may be worth getting an earlier appointment to make sure it's not very high blood sugar causing the problem as this can cause a build up of ketones (sp?) and also be potentially serious. Might be worth a trip to a chemist or a phone call to NHS direct to see if he needs to take action quicker to put your mind at rest. Hope this all makes sense as this is my first post.

Yes, its a hypo if it is happening that quickly. He should not got to sleep and should drink juice or full sugar soda.

It is definitely worth getting an earlier appointment if this is happening all the time.

Is he being treated with tablets or anything for the diabetes? Generally someone with type 2 diabetes, if it were NOT being treated would be suffering from high blood sugar (hyper) not low blood sugar (hypo). However, it is possible that his insulin production is being sluggish , hence he eats, blood sugar goes high because insulin isn't released quickly enough by his body, then insulin kicks in after he actually needed it and he goes low.

Does he tend to have this happen an hour or so after eating? especially if eaten something with lots of sugar? Most people feel "shakey" when they start going low, does he get this at all?

In any case, whether it is diabetes related or not he should really see doc ASAP as this is a serious symptom which should be investigated.

No he is not getting any treatment atm as we are still in the middle of getting a proper diagnosis.

The time I saw it it happened about an hour after eating a fried breakfast. I don't know about other times but I'll check with my mum.

My completely unqualified medically opinion (I do have Type 1 diabetes though!)is that this doesn't sound like a hypo. Fried breakfasts are actually ok from a blood sugar point of view because the oodles of grease slow down any sugar release into the bloodstream. It would be unusual (although not impossible) for either high or low blood sugar to take you from feeling fine one moment to unconscious the next.

I really would discuss with a doc sooner rather than later.

If he is not getting treatment this is not a hypo.

Fried breakfasts and diabetes do not go well together but not because of the sugar aspect.

How old is your Dad?

absolutely agree this can't be a hypo if he is not being treated for diabetes. he needs to talk to his dr about this.

He is 56 and overweight so if it is diabetes it is likely to be type two.

He has his next appointment later this week.

He also suffers angina and high blood pressure. Could either of these be causing it?

Doesn't sound right got angina or Bp.

Angina, blood pressure overweight possible diabetes should stay clar of the fried breakfasts.

This is not a hypo, as he would not recover without treatment. Also his blood sugars are probably running on the high side, not the low side.

WobblyPig we keep telling him that. He was allowed that week because he was on holiday. My mum keeps a closer eye on what he eats during the rest of the time, but his diet still leaves a lot to be desired.

Can he talk ok when he has these "attacks"?

No slurring or difficulty?

If talking is affected or he has any pins and needles down his arms and legs, it might be a TIA or mini-stroke which is temporary,and should be treated as an early warning sign.

Don't want to worry you further,but with High Blood Pressure this could be happening.

If it sounds like this,or even if not,if it were my Dad I'd encourage my Mum to bring forward the appt. and mention these "attacks".

Didn't mean to nag about the food thing and not to worry you but he is accumulating a bad set of risk factors and I give my Dad a regular ear-bashing. it is difficult people only do things when they want. My Dad just gave up smoking but took amny years of convincing - the time had to be right. Separate issue sorry.

Your Dad needs a check-up soon and the results of his diabetes test.

Agree with Sawyer64, sound like TIAs. He probably needs scans of the blood vessels in his neck and also needs a heart trace. He has some risk factors for TIAs (angina/heart disease, possible diabetes and high bp) and this needs to be checked out asap. I hope it all gets sorted and it's not too stressful for all.

I have had a word with him and my mum and he is seeing the doctor tomorrow. She will be going in with him to make sure he doesn't play it down to the doctor, as he is prone to doing.

Honestly men are such babies. He refused to go to the doctors once and sent me to the pharmacist for fourflu and told my mum the doctor gave him them, He was admitted to A and E that night with pnumonia and we were told if he had left it any longer he could have died. But he still hasn't learnt his lesson.

Men and health issues are nightmares. In my job it's always men whom seem to cope badly with their health poblems. I think they can't talk about things like women can and tend to bury their heads or quitely go to pieces.