TD Chatroom to the Rescue!!!
I woke up Saturday at 96. Fabulous. Since it was Saturday I planned to go back to sleep after taking my lantus. I take a split dose, so I injected 12 units and went back to bed. I woke up an hour later at 55 and had a juice box. Then I checked into the Tu Diabetes Chatroom and talked a bit, but got tired and went back to bed.
An hour later I was at 40. Gosh, this was very strange for me. I almost never have problems with lows in the morning. Suddenly I thought maybe I'd reversed my vials and taken 12 unit of Humalog. I keep both insulin vials in a pouch on my kitchen table. I went into the kitchen, and the vial of Humalog was sitting out by the pouch. Not the Lantus. Shoot.
I was in my "just standing there" phase, where you just stand and really don't know what to do or even which direction to walk. There have been times when I think I've just stood there for at least 30 minutes.
Went back to the chatroom and my friend Marie was there and I told her what I thought might have happened. "Eat", she said. Well, I'd already had another juice box and two big handfuls of Skittles. Then my friends Doris and Linda came onboard, along with a new friend I'd met the night before, David SQ. "Eat", they said. My befuddled thinking was telling me that I didn't think I needed to eat.
Well, the Skittles were gone and so I took 8 glucose tabs. It was suggested I have some treats but I can't keep anything of a treat nature because I'll snarf it down without restraint.
"You need some protein". I forgot that I had some eggs, so put a couple on to boil.
"Call someone". I called my sister but she doesn't get it. Lost cause.
"Be sure the door is unlocked in case you have to call the paramedics". I certainly hadn't thought of that one.
"Don't drive." "Go test now and come back and let us know where you're at."Don't go shopping until you're absolutely stable."
I retested and was at 72 so signed off, telling everybody that I was going to also have some chicken and then wait awhile before I left.
30 minutes later I was at 170. Ok, I'm stable. I was walking down the stairs to the door and my mouth started getting numb. 42. Say what?
Then I remembered that I had just gotten done telling everybody that I was going to a Thai restaurant for supper, but couldn't have any rice because it spikes me. Rice! Yes, I had a big box of Minute Rice and cooked a big pot and ate it. 30 minutes later, 55. Felt awful.
Finally the rice kicked in and I was at 190. Feeling like I'd been through a war. I made it to the restaurant but was so exhausted it wasn't much fun.
If you're not familiar with Tu Diabetes, go over and check it out. TD is a large community with many compassionate, selfless and knowledgeable people. Something for everyone. It has been an extraordinary blessing for a number of people, including myself.
Now, had it not been for the chatroom, I might have just stood there and it could have ended badly. Maybe, maybe not. But the care and concern of these 4 people was priceless.
Dang it, thought I had the paragraph problem solved. Guess not.
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Comment by Trudy on July 16, 2012 at 5:18pm -
So glad the Chatroom was there for you!
I use a vial for my Apidra and Regular, a pen for my Levemir in an effort to avoid just this mistake. I still make the mistake once in a while, but using a split dose of Levemir also makes it a "small" mistake. A can of original Coke plus some kind of treat takes care of it -- mostly.
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Comment by KML on July 16, 2012 at 6:26pm -
Scarey...glad you are ok.
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Comment by Doris D on July 16, 2012 at 7:29pm -
The chat is great!! Glad all of us were there to help!
Love u Kathy!
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Comment by Linda G on July 16, 2012 at 8:13pm -
SO SO glad we were all able to help. WHEW!!!
luv ya kiddo!
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Comment by Linda G on July 16, 2012 at 8:15pm
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Another GREAT reason why the chat room is NEEDED...S-O-O-O if you haven't voted yet, DO IT NOW!!!
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Comment by David (dns) on July 18, 2012 at 11:57pm -
So glad we were able to be there when you needed us. Another example (not that more were needed) of how precious this community is.
At the risk of repeating something I said in the chat room, I keep the opened vials in the boxes they came in. The vials look almost identical but the boxes look quite different. That way, it's a lot more difficult to pick up the wrong one by mistake. I also write (with a dark black marker) an abbreviation on the top of each box so I can identify it at a glance. At the moment I using Novolog and Regular, so one box has "NO" on the top and the other, "R". Every little trick possible to avoid a mixup.
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Comment by shoshana27 on July 19, 2012 at 5:57am -
if i had been SO low i would have taken GLUCOSE TABS + food ( starch- protein) then wait 30 mn. & retest
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Comment by wayna on July 20, 2012 at 6:04am -
I so understand that. I did the same thing... stupid humlog... I caught min when it was 72 overdosed on the sugar to keep it droping worse end up not to bad the next morning I was 172 at 500am went for a run/walk with a friend and took the day off. much better today.. I can at least think straight... I think it happens about ever 3 months for me that I dont pay attention and do the wrong one.. so now I have my nite one in a tupuware that I have to open that says nite on it.. so will see in 3 months how I do.
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Comment by Linda G on July 20, 2012 at 7:38am
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Hey....whatever works!!!!
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Comment by David (dns) on July 20, 2012 at 7:53am
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Right on, Linda. As we keep reminding ourselves, everybody's different. Each of us needs to find a method that works and then stick to it. Insulin is a two-edged sword, all right . . . it can do remarkable things, but it demands to be treated with great respect.
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