Diabetes blood sugar readings

[Marn]

My partner has fairly severe diabetes, with pills and two kinds of insulin each day. The diabetic nurses want to change Kit's insulin levels, but they'll need several days' blood sugar readings. Kit is in so much pain day to day that this is very difficult. But the diabetic nurses and the district nurses tell *me* that it's my responsibility. The district nurse said I was failing as a carer if I couldn't persuade Kit to have the reading every day. I don't know what good she thought that would do, even if I was failing-- it's not like I could be fired and someone else could start instead! It's frustrating.

[susieq]

Hello Marn

I'm diabetic and test my sugars up to 7 times each day (on waking, before and after each meal and at bedtime) - if done properly it shouldn't hurt, no more than a mild pin-prick.

The trick is to use the lancet to puncture at the side of a finger (not the pad as that is more sensitive) and to use a different finger each time. Washing the hands in warm water beforehand will also make the blood flow more easily and be less painful.

Does Kit do his own readings or does he rely on you to do them ? It is important for his Diabetic Nurse to have the readings as she can't adjust his insulin doses correctly without them - it's not something that can be done by 'trial and error' !

[Marn]

Thanks for your reply! I do everything for the readings except actually using the lancet on Kit's finger. I know it's really important to get consistent glucose readings, but Kit's in constant pain (180mg codeine a day, 2000mg paracetamol a day, and naproxen, and all that just makes it bearable) and doing the insulin injections is painful enough.

I think maybe if Kit gets more able to cope in other ways, then it'll become more easy to do the readings, and then getting the insulin right will help even more. But until then we seem to be stuck. :/

[Melly1]

Has Kit been referred to a pain clinic? If not, it's worth asking for a referral.

Melly1

[Marn]

Yes, but it was about three years ago when we lived in another part of the country. Thanks for reminding me-- I'll talk to our GP.

[Melly1]

Definitely worth persuing, if the fibro pain was better managed Kit would tolerate the blood tests and insulin jabs much better.

Melly1

[Teresa_16031]

Hi Marn have had type 1 diabetes for about 15 yes now.
Use'd to struggle with my bg levels however I had a life changing experience last year but I understand that it's a post code lottery and all depends on your hospital consultant and how serious they take your condition ,is am lucky to have a brilliant consultant and a support team who are always at the end of the phone,at the beginning of the year she checked my previous hospital blood readings and the hba1c and her first remarks were i I don't understand why you haven't had a insulin pump previously I had previously been seen at the same hospital
I was put straight onto an insulin pump and the rest is history

[tracie]

You have not failed at all caring for someone is hard and if someone refuses a treatment you can't force them unless they don't have a capacity,maybe worth seeing GP and a referal back to pain clinic I have something called fibromyalgia and ME and osteoarthritis and I am in pain constantly.

[Sophia_1704]

Hi Marn,

I can't believe you were told you were failing as a carer - that is harsh!!

Your post brings back some criticisms I received when caring for my father, who is also a type 1 diabetic. My father has been type 1 diabetic since he was around 13, as the years go on, his diabetes develops more complications in his body. I became his carer when he had to have a leg amputated, I was around 19 - 20 when he had it removed. As I had never experienced my father in a wheelchair before, the day he came home was the most hardest thing I had ever experienced. His wheelchair was heavy for me to lift in and out of the car and it hit me that he would need a lot of care.

In the early days I received a lot of criticism and so did my mother, yes we were slighly unprepared but we were new to being carers. The little criticisms seemed to come from the OTs in the first few days we had dad at home, we had no help in funds for adaptations to the house. We had to buy a stairlift, we had to pay to have our driveway adapted and the steps to the house removed. Then my family told me and my mother that we need to move out of our home and into a bungalow within the first week of dad being home! We had just paid out for things to help my father as well. I understand the reasons why it would have been beneficial to move, but we were sorting adaptations out and it was a stressful time without the thought of moving!

Like you said, you can't just leave and someone else take over - it's not how it works.

I hope things get better for you and Kit!

- Sophia