Stroke symptoms

[Guest]

A very good friend of mine is a diabetic, he injects himself daily. Like me he was into deep sea fishing and we often travelled many miles offshore to fish the wrecks in the English channel. This often caused problems for my friend if seas were rough and sea sickness set in.

Diabetics need to eat regularly and no one eats when they feel sick so blood sugar levels fall rapidly.Before my friend went with us for the first time his wife gave me a crash course in what to do should he go hypo. Sugar was a no no for him unless he was taken ill and then we had to get sugar into him to bring him round, just a little on the tip of a PLASTIC spoon, he also carried Glucose tablets for emergencies, but by the time we realised he was going hypo it was to late for the glucose. By being taught these simple measures he was able to enjoy his hobby in relative safety.

 

This may not be the way to treat all diabetics, but if you know someone who is, talk to them and find out what to do in an emergency

 

Ron

[Timbo]

As Uncle Albert's carer I have to deal with his diabetes on a daily basis. Uncle Albert is a Type 1 Diabetic. This means he is dependant upon insulin injections.

 

Uncle Albert is also a pillock, and will try to get out of taking his insulin and will often refuse to take his insulin. He will also decide to inject more insulin should he get the whim to binge drink or eat. Consequently I now monitor the idiot very closely and have become quite adept at spotting the symptoms of too much or not enough insulin in his system.

 

Blood sugars for a normal human being are around 4 MMol. After a meal blood sugars will temporarily rise up to 7.8 Mmol. But everyone varies. For example, Uncle Albert can have 'normal' levels between 6 and 16 Mmols.

 

HYPOglycaemia (PO = LOW is how I remember it) is when the blood sugars fall too low. In Uncle Albert symptoms of this are tremors in his hands, he becomes sweaty, he complains of being hungry, he can be dizzy and will often stumble or even fall. He can also be extremely irritable...read that as 'down right nasty'.

 

Correcting a HYPO is quite easily done by giving Uncle Albert something to eat. Usually a sandwich and a cup of tea, but I keep Mars Bars on hand should he need extra. I avoid putting sugar into his tea. I also avoid energy drinks and the like as they can deliver too much and the wrong type of sugar into his system and can start him bouncing between a HYPO and a HYPER.

 

HYPERglycaemia is the bad one. Too much sugar in the system and there is little that you can do. Symptoms of a HYPER in Uncle Albert include shortness of breath, being very thirsty, and gross incontinence. Confusion, uncommunicative, rambling...basic symptoms of dementia. In fact I have discovered that what has been taken in the past to be dementia with Uncle Albert is simply his blood sugars running too high. In the extreme Uncle Albert will present with symptoms of a stroke and will sink into a comatose state.

 

Correcting a HYPER is nigh on impossible. In an absolute emergency I have been authorised to administer a small dose of insulin to Uncle Albert, but in the case of someone else this should not be done. There are several different types of insulin that a type 1 diabetic might be injecting and these act in different ways. Uncle Albert uses a 'mixed' insulin which is administered in specific non varying doses. Other insulin dependant diabetics may take different types of insulin in different doses in different situations, to allow for a meal out or a drink or two. If Uncle Albert's blood sugars rise above 16 Mmol in an evening I will administer him an extra 10 units of insulin the following morning. Should his blood sugars hit the 20 Mmol mark (he recently had blood sugar levels of 26 Mmol rising to 32 Mmol when he refused to take his insulin) I will ring the diabetic nurses during office hours for advice or after office hours dial 111 for advice. However in the majority of cases Uncle Albert will be hospitalised and will be administered insulin via a drip to bring his sugar levels back under control over quite a long period of time. His most recent bout of Hyperglycaemia was corrected by admitting him to a nursing home for respite care where they supervised his insulin closely...at a cost of £750 for the week!

 

Not all diabetics present the same symptoms, or are on the same type or dosage of insulin. Type 1 diabetics will have a little blood testing machine to hand, so get them to do a blood test so you have information to hand. Listen to what they tell you...they will usually know more about their symptoms and treatment than anyone. If blood sugars are high DON'T give them sugar or sugary drinks.

 

Of course as Maurice will tell you...its often difficult to tell when Uncle Albert is having a HYPO, HYPER or is just his usual self and talking dangly spherical things! 

[MauriceMynah]

Thanks Tim, Hypo = low, I'll remember that, but the more I read the more I'm inclined to dial 999 given that the symptoms of a stroke and diabetes are so similar.

[Timbo]

Thanks Tim, Hypo = low, I'll remember that, but the more I read the more I'm inclined to dial 999 given that the symptoms of a stroke and diabetes are so similar.

For everyone else its 999 Maurice. But if its Uncle Albert we are talking about...and I'm nowhere to be found...please call New Delhi – 110002 and contact the offices of the General Secretary of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh Trade Union. It won't do Uncle Albert any good, but it will give me some time to make a clean getaway! 

[Guest]

"In Uncle Albert symptoms of this are tremors in his hands, he becomes sweaty, he complains of being hungry, he can be dizzy and will often stumble or even fall. He can also be extremely irritable...read that as 'down right nasty'."

 

Timbo, after reading your last posting I began to think that your "Uncle Albert" and my mate were one and the same person, exactly the same symptoms, when going into a hypo state my mate usually would not accept help, refused to take one of his Dextrose sweets and was generally nasty to all around him, Many a time I had to threaten to tell his wife he was being uncooperative, this usually worked because he knew she would put a stop to his fishing trips. When he recovered he had no recollection of the veiled threats I had made.

 

Ron

[Springsong]

Tim I don't know how I missed this thread. Your "summing up" of stroke near the beginning is the best I have ever read. You may or may not know I have suffered two strokes, The second happened because I was miss diagnosed by two separate doctors over a period of two weeks. The first GP attended as I was wheeled into an ambulance said to me and I quote " you should have called us sooner". So much for his viral infection theory. Both my wife and I are lucky in that I can more or less get around ok the loss of my lower leg to diabetes not withstanding. I do think that those nearest to one suffer almost more than the person coping with the stroke.

I to have found people generally very generous with their time and help physically and in spirit, many of them are from these forums and I find when one shows a little independance they back off but are always there to catch you when it goes pear shaped. Thank you all you know who you are so I wont mention any names as I might inadvertently leave someone out, but Doug is certainly one, he took me for my first sail post all this cr+p.

Sorry to go on but just felt the need to unload, cannot match Tims prose though.

[Timbo]

Doctors are a pain for misdiagnosing! I went to the GP (some german feller) with chest pain.

"So you haff chest pain! Vot vould you like me to do at 6 O'clock in the evenink?" asked the GP, after I explained I had suffered strokes and already had one heart attack.

The GP sent me to walk home where he would get an ambulance to call on me. The ambulance turned up three hours later and I could hear the crew telling my neighbour that it was a non urgent call. Once inside my house they took one look at me...I was going blue... and I was 'blue lighted' to hospital...profound apologies were given all the way to Lincoln.

 

The specialist at Lincoln telephoned my GP from my bedside the following day and gave him the rocket of a lifetime. Consequently if I ask for an appointment at my GP these days I am seen within twenty minutes by my new GP.

 

Talking of things hospital... Uncle Albert put himself back into hospital this morning by binging on fruit scones and biscuits last night. His blood sugars were in the 30's this morning and off the scale when the ambulance crew turned up and checked him on their blood sugar measure. Although sugar levels are now falling they have admitted him to the CDU for further checks.

 

I have of course emptied his biscuit and sweetie stashes into the bin.

[BroadScot]

Tim,

 

That was an awful German Accent!  V hav vays of making you talk german!..JA!

 

 

Iain.

[Timbo]

The ex mother in law was German Iain. I can remember her at the wedding smiling and nodding at me whilst speaking German. Unfortunately for her my favourite aunt from West Berlin was sat beside her...There's 'nowt like a good punch at thee wedding lad!