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Original poster

should we take her to GP or A&E or ride it out??

65 replies

lisad123 · 12/08/2009 19:04

Im on holiday with my parents staying in my aunts house while shes away.
Mum hasnt been right for about a week. She thinks she had/has swine flu but im not sure. The last 2 days I have barely seen her as she has been in bed. Dad has had to help her to the loo and she is saying it feels like someone has taken a sledge hammer to her head and she is also getting flashing in her eyes. She diabetic too.

We are stuck on IOW so nearest hospital is the mainland and a 30 min ferry ride.
help

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 12/08/2009 19:41

call 999 now...

Original poster
lisad123 · 12/08/2009 20:40

bloodly GP took an hour to call back. Now says she has swine flu and will have to wait it out!! I asked about blood levels and he says short term its not a problem She wont let me call anyone else and dad agrees with GP. What do i do?

levels now down to 18.5

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 12/08/2009 20:45

still way too high, they were high week. She doesnt have a cough does she

SparklyGothKat · 12/08/2009 20:46

last week

Original poster
lisad123 · 12/08/2009 20:48

no cough and no temp, just clammy

OP posts:
oopsacoconut · 12/08/2009 20:56

Please get her seen tonight. My FIL was just like this 3 weeks ago he said he was fine and he was one moment and the next he collapsed and we had to call and ambulance. they struggled to bring him around. He is diabetic and not very good at controlling it. Please get her seen tonight.

TotalChaos · 12/08/2009 21:09

I'ld not be happy at an over the phone swine flu DX in these circumstances, 18.5 does sound way too high (have no medical knowledge, but am pretty sure my friend who is type 1 diabetic has a target for blood sugars in the single figures)

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 12/08/2009 21:24

If she has no temp then she does not have swine flu. Please take her to a&e. As a friend of someone who died of diabetes then I know its dangerous to be that high. My friend's levels were fine in the evening and he was dead in the morning. This was a fit 30 year old. I don't think levels that high are safe even short term.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 12/08/2009 21:25

The clamminess and vison problems are due to the diabetes.

blinks · 12/08/2009 21:28

you need to seek emergency help.

lulalullabye · 12/08/2009 21:33

If someone who is diabetic gets ill like this, their blood sugars can get very uncoontrolled. If the person is symptomatic with this, ie very ill, then it is a neccesity that they go to hospital to have their blood sugars controlled or so many other life threatening problems can occur.

Please get her to a hospital !

moaningminniewhingesagain · 12/08/2009 21:41

Am nurse too, unwell and sugar level that high needs to be assessed, in person, at an A&E.

Suspected swine flu are still allowed to go to A &E if neccessary, just advise reception when you arrive that it's a possibility as they might want to put her in a seperate area.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 12/08/2009 21:42

Don't ask for your mum or dad's permission. Just ring 999 and get a paramedic there. Don't mention swine flu to them as it may make them reluctant to come out. Just focus on the diabetes. I'm sure they will tae her to hospital.

luvaduck · 12/08/2009 21:50

I'm assuming that she has type 2 rather than type 1 diabetes.

if she has type 2 then a glucose of 18 is less dangerous in the long term, unlike type 1 where it is life threatening.

however i agree she needs to be assessed in person rather than over the phone. if she doesn't havea fever that makes swine flu less likely and there is a lot of misdiagnosis going on. headache and flashing lights could be a migraine but could be something more serious.

take her to A+E for assessment. they won't know you've called nhs direct. don't even mention the words swine flu - just that shes not herself, her symptoms and blood sugar readings

(am a doctor)

good luck

anniebear · 12/08/2009 21:50

I would call an ambulance or get her straight to a&e

Hope your Mum is ok xx

noddyholder · 13/08/2009 17:51

What happened?Did you manag to get a doctor for your mum?Is she any better?Hope so x

SparklyGothKat · 13/08/2009 18:04

spoke to Lisa earlier, GP didnt come out and mum refused to go to hospital. Lisa checked her blood sugars this morning and they were 23!!! not sure whats happened since, as Lisa was out with the kids when I phoned

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 13/08/2009 18:31

maybe you should tell her that my friend went into a diabetic coma and died, he was 29...not trying to scare YOU but she needs to be seen!!

He didn't know he was diabetic and thought he had "flu" as well.

SparklyGothKat · 13/08/2009 18:39

someone from my school died last year after slipping into a diabetic coma, he was 28 (in Lisa's year I think) He knew he was diabetic but got silly about controlling it.

I am very annoyed with my mum atm, she has never controlled it properably. I had GD while I was pregnant with Ds2 and I was advicing her on things to eat, even though she had been diagnosed about 3 years before that. She thinks that because she takes a tablets and the levels come down a bit thats it ok... She doesnt test regularly either

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 13/08/2009 18:41

sorry, I know it must be really hard for you, I know how stubborn mums can be, and it can be impossible to persuade them to do anything if they don't want to

ComeOVeneer · 13/08/2009 18:46

Don't know much about diabetes (but learning since dh was diagnosed earlier this year). However I must correct the person who said no temp no swine flu. I know 3 people who tested positive to it in the abscence of a temp, so don't be fooled. Hope your mum is better soon lisa/sparkly and misdee.

SparklyGothKat · 13/08/2009 18:49

me and my sisters have nagged her endlessly about it, but she doesnt think its a problem. I have told her about my FIL who had lost his foot because he didnt control it, but all she thinks about is what she isnt supposed to eat but does..

luvaduck · 13/08/2009 21:03

just to point it out again, those who went into a coma and died had type 1 diabetes and i would put money on the fact that the OPs mum has type 2. it is a different pathological process and diff kettle of fish. it does need to be checked out, but BMs have to be much higher to go into a coma (called a HONK) with type 2.

swine flu is LESS likely without a temp but not impossible.

she does need to be seen. she may have something else, and it could be really serious and those BMs need to be better controlled.

please get her seen, and update us!

SparklyGothKat · 13/08/2009 21:53

thanks Luvaduck, yes the boy I knew who died had type 1. And mum does have type 2. Her blood levels were 19.5 just now. She is on holiday with Lisad123 and I am at home. Lisa has said she seems better today. How long can her Blood sugar levels stay high before it causes problems with her blood vessels?

My FIL has type 2 and lost his foot last year due to type 2

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 13/08/2009 22:04

My friend who went into a coma actually had type 2...