DIABETES INFO FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Questions Timeline

1. How can I recognize when someone's having low blood sugar levels?
2. How do you assist a person who is having low blood sugar reaction?
3. What do I do if a person with diabetes loses consciousness?
4. What local resources are available for diabetics and their friends and families?


Diabetes Info For Family And Friends
How can I recognize when someone's having low blood sugar levels?

When someone is having a low blood sugar reaction, they generally start off with a higher blood sugar level and fall to a lower blood sugar level. And during that fall, outside observers can often tell that it's happening, and oftentimes better than the patient can. So say it's your husband or your wife, and you know that when they get, or start to get a low blood sugar reaction they act a little bit spacey, or they put the milk in the cupboard, or they just sort of aren't quite right, or they get a little shakey or a little slurred, you can recognize that and ask them to check a blood sugar reaction. Part of the problem with this is of course, is that sometimes one is right, and sometimes one is wrong and if somebody's a little bit irritable and you test their sugar and they just happen to be irritable, then it is a problem. But the point is that people from the outside can often tell.
How do you assist a person who is having low blood sugar reaction?

When someone is having a low blood sugar reaction, there are basically two phases; one in which they're conscious and can eat or drink something and the second in which they become unconscious. If you're with someone who's having a blood sugar reaction and they can still swallow, giving them some juice, for instance, is a very good thing. People have been known to take sugar cubes and to crush them up in water, but you're basically just trying to give them sugar water, so fruit juice, Coke (not Diet Coke) or any of the kinds of sodas that are sugary. Sugary fluids are a good idea. The problem is that once somebody loses consciousness, they can't swallow, and there may be a point in which they're losing consciousness and they'll fight you. You don't actually want to get in the way of somebody who's got a low blood sugar and who's fighting you. Once they've lost consciousness from a low blood sugar reaction, if you have Glucagon, which is an injection, you can give them an injection of Glucagon and they'll wake up. Or, you'll have to call 911 so that paramedics or someone can come, give them glucose, and wake them up. Now, there are some other things that you can do. Sometimes people have been known to be helped if somebody has cake icing, which is a very concentrated form of glucose, or has real maple syrup. I met somebody in Greece who just rubbed honey on the gums of the person having a low blood sugar reaction and they woke up from the sugar being absorbed through the gums, but you've got to be careful doing that because you don't want the person to bite you, so that's a risk. You don't want to pour water down their mouth because they'll aspirate it; they'll swallow it and get it down into their lungs. So, if they can't swallow it themselves, you really need to either know what you're doing or call someone to come help.
What do I do if a person with diabetes loses consciousness?

Well, if someone with diabetes loses consciousness and you think it's from a low blood sugar reaction, you either treat it right away with glucagon if you have glucagon, or you call the paramedics. But the important things that you want to do is to make sure the person isn't going to fall from a height. So you want to put them on the floor so that they're not going to fall off something, and then tilt their head to the side in case they vomit or have a seizure. Then they're not going to aspirate, which means sort of inhale the vomit or the fluid into their lungs. So just keep them safe. And, even if they're having a seizure, it's okay; they're going to get over it. It seems awful, but just make sure they're safe and in a place they won't hurt themselves, and then help will come or you'll be able to help them. So it's staying calm that I think helps a lot.
What local resources are available for diabetics and their friends and families?

Well, there are many local diabetes organizations that are subsets of national organizations, so there's the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, there's the W.H.O, there's the International Diabetes Federation, there's the American Diabetes Association, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a lot of different places which have national websites, and then local links. In many places, there's recognition for certain programs, centers of excellence, there's people who are certified diabetes educators, there's all sorts of local programs that people can get hooked into, often your health care provider will know, and if not, you could search on the internet and find the more international organizations to try to get to a more local place. The other possibility is, if there's a university near you, or even a ways away, you could contact their diabetes department and find out what the resources there are, or get local referrals.


1.

Diabetes: How can I recognize when someone's having low blood sugar levels?

2.

Diabetes: How do you assist a person who is having low blood sugar reaction?

3.

Diabetes: What do I do if a person with diabetes loses consciousness?

4.

Diabetes: What local resources are available for diabetics and their friends and families?