First Aid - diabetes

[MATTBIN]

We had a bit of an incident yesterday, one of my colleagues went hypo, by the time I got there (other building) his mates were wedging sugar etc down his neck. He looked very out of it when I arrived and in danger of falling out of the chair so I got him on the floor into a shock position. One of the guys, also a diabetic, had a blood test kit, he was 1.6 by the time the ambulance arrived he was 1.2 and just about concious. The thing we missed was searching his bag, he had a tube of glucose in there, not sure we could actually have administered it as he was very much out of it. Apparently he had looked drunk earlier in the day, classic early symptoms.

So the upshot - call the ambulance early, it can always be cancelled, ours took 35 mins to get onsite and then only after I phoned a second time and stated he was almost unconcious. Check the patients bag for 'stuff' that may help. Very few of his colleagues knew he or anyone else on his floor was diabetic, it may be an idea to have a list so visiting first aiders can seek more knowledgeable advice, we dont often see an Insulin shock and I wouldnt want a first experience to be someone else's last one.

Matt

[Adrian Kelland]

I've had several jobs working with diabetics. They had the curtesy to tell me so. Always makes it easier if you know before any problems occur, and what do do, where they keep their stuff etc.

One guy we could always tell when he was going a bit - he started getting very short tempered. He could never admit it, but used to disappear to inject his insulin.

It is in their best interests to let first aiders know. Does he wear any medic alert medalions or similar?

Adrian

[ScubaSue]

I worked with (actually opposite) a girl who was diabetic - she told me, and then we ensured that anyone who should know did know. From all the First Aider's on site (and not just for our office), through all the Line Managers up to our Director.

[MATTBIN]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

I've had several jobs working with diabetics. They had the curtesy to tell me so. Always makes it easier if you know before any problems occur, and what do do, where they keep their stuff etc.

One guy we could always tell when he was going a bit - he started getting very short tempered. He could never admit it, but used to disappear to inject his insulin.

It is in their best interests to let first aiders know. Does he wear any medic alert medalions or similar?

Adrian

Nope.

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by MATTBIN

Nope.

I take it he doesn't think very much of himself Matt. Diebetes is nothing to be ashamed of; telling all his colleagues would certainly make things easier for all concerned.

I was once made aware of a diabetic who used to get absolutely bladdered all the time. Used to leave it to his mates to keep him alive. Nice chap.

Adrian

[Steve S]

Hi my name is Steve and I'm a diabetic hypo's are not the problem that they once were with the 2 injection per day regime that was the norm when I was first diagnosed, although to someone not used to them they can be alarming when witnessed.

I have 5 sometimes 6 small injections a day and this gives me freedom to eat as much or as little as I wish with only a very small risk of hypo's, also I'm praised by my doc's for having HBA1C levels almost to non diabetic levels and this is why I can dive to my qualification limit as opposed to the 30m limit usually imposed on diabetics.

Matt you did the right thing alerting the emergency services but most diabetics are fine a few mins after recieving fast acting carbohydrate, and are just left feeling embarassed that it happened.

The danger is that a hypo suffering diabetic will often be uncooperative when you try to give them sugar based stuff as they know they should normally avoid such things.

Personally I don't wear a medic alert thing but do carry hypostop [even underwater] and a glucose injection pen which thankfully has never been used in anger, and I tell people that I have diabetes.

Safe diving,
Steve

:Edit: for the record signs to help spot a diabetic on the hypo road is confusion, profuse sweating, beligerance right up to agression, staring into space, unusual emotions, palour and if not sorted out quickly falling over

[dlegros]

Just to add Matt,

If you had to wait any longer and you have found the glucose gel (hypostop or glucogel) you can smear it behind the lips and it will be absorbed slightly througt the mucous menbranes.

HTH

Dom