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Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in April of 1980. I recognize the incredible mental struggle of living with diabetes. I hope to share my struggles, my successes, and everything in between.

Friday, March 16, 2007

Test, Bolus, Eat, Puke, Panic

I got sick the other day.

Not sure what it was, but it hit me like a Mack Truck. Literally ran me over. I was sick for the afternoon, slept it off, and was fine after that. It hit me hard and fast, but was over quickly too.

I was having a great day up until 3:30 pm or so. Actually, I was feeling kind of weird before I ate lunch -- but nothing alarming, then it just totally knocked me on my ass within an hour and a half.

The panic struck shortly after I...well, relieved my stomach of the contents of my lunch. Yes, you know, the lunch I bolused for? The bolus that was acting to balance out the carbs I had eaten for lunch? The carbs that were not there anymore...

That's right. Low blood sugar and an upset stomach are two very hostile companions.

I need to eat, but can I?

Will it stay down?

If the food/drink won't stay down, how will I get my blood sugar to come up?!

Oh how miserable is it to eat/drink/breath/exist when you feel like shit and just want to lay down.

I managed to eat something and keep it down, then rested for the rest of the night. I was fine afterwards.

Here's my log for that day. Notice the AWESOME blood sugars for the day - until I got sick. All things considered I'm writing off the last half of the day to the "weird bug".

Have you met my new best friend? And why yes, that is another (almost) flat line basketball experience!! It never fails to amaze me...

18 Comments:

Blogger George said...

The only time I have ever been in ICU is when I had the stomach flu a few years back. SO SCARY DUDE!

Please take care man. I hope you are feeling better.

2:34 PM  
Blogger Kate said...

Stomach bugs are the worst- I always tend to go low during them because of the in ability to keep food down. Thankfully since the pump it's made adjusting basals easier, but those blood sugars are so hard to predict. I'm glad it was short lived and you're feeling okay enough to write about it.

2:40 PM  
Blogger Christine said...

I've used glucagon because of that before. It sucks. Feel better soon.

2:52 PM  
Blogger Bernard said...

Take the pump off, and suck glucose tablets slowly.

Good luck man, I hate when this kind of thing happens.

I wonder if we'll ever get a better injectable antidote to insulin than glugagon (I hate throwing up after glucagon, it always happen).

3:26 PM  
Blogger Minnesota Nice said...

So much fun to have yet another variable thrown in the pot.

Hope you feel well enough to enjoy the nice weekend ahead.

4:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That always happens and you are suppose to drink regular 7 up and of course we never have that on hand, ahhh!!!!

So glad you had another flatline for basketball, okay sign me up for your CDE!!!

Karen

6:07 PM  
Blogger Chrissie in Belgium said...

Everybody can get a copy of Kevin's logsheet onto their blog EXCEPT me - am I jinxed? When I cannot eat, coke (not the diet kind) can help, if you are scared about hypos, not hypers of course! Coke in little sips usually goes down but does not come up - if you get my point. Medicine wise there is something that works well too - it is called Motilium Instant. I always have it at home b/c puking and hypos are just so scary. Maybe discuss this medicine with yourdoc. It is new and also good for gastropares.

4:32 AM  
Blogger Drea said...

OHHH what a nightmare....a few months ago I was in the same awful situation!! I put a temp basal rate and was drinking juice to try to counter my bolus - but kept on throwing everything up! I paniced as well....I'm only human!

I hope you are feeling better!

The cold bug has found me this morning...grrr....TAKE CARE!!!

5:39 AM  
Blogger cc said...

getting sick sucks. glad it went quickly through you.

8:32 PM  
Blogger Carey said...

Hope you're doing better. That sucks.

7:35 AM  
Blogger Kevin said...

That sucks.

That and going low just after finishing a big meal where you couldn't possibly fit even one wafer-thin mint would make you explode.

They're scary and uncomfortable. It's like being kicked when you're down.

Hope you're feeling better (seriously, since this is 19 days after your post, or something like that, if you're not better, you should be hospitalized).

6:38 AM  
Blogger Anne Findlay said...

I'm glad you were able to keep something down, and avoid a visit to the ER or a glucagon injection. It's a scary situation when that happens.

Congrat's on the great basketball BG's though!

11:11 AM  
Blogger Minnesota Nice said...

Scott, I had to tell you that the quote that's up there now about quitting when you're close to success is RIGHT ON.
A couple of years ago my office had tickets to see Zig Ziglar (a motivational speaker) at Target Center. One of the examples he used was "priming" the old fashioned pump - you have to pump the handle several times before the water comes up from the depths, but many people quit just before it begins to flow..................really something to think about.

4:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Scary, scary. Once my little girl got sick after a big bolus. I found powdered sugar worked very well ~ melts on the tongue ~ easier than drinking anything or eating glucose tabs.

7:19 PM  
Blogger Bernard said...

Scott

How are you doing man? I hope you're over the bug from the middle of the month.

It probably saved you from having to drink green beer on St. Patricks.

I hope you're well.

7:45 PM  
Blogger Nicole P said...

I hate puking. Really really hate it. It reminds me of bad times. And makes me feel out of control.

I'm sorry you had to puke. I'm also sorry it threw you for a loop.

Hope all is well now. :)

1:00 PM  
Blogger bethany said...

hey i'm glad you're feeling better. it sucks being sick. especially when you're diabetic. lol ... i emailed you. i hope it was at the right email address. let me know if you don't get an email. :-D thanks for everything!

11:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey. I would sure hate to have diabetes. My doctor thinks i may have it. Doesn't help my blood sugar and blood pressure are always low. Well i'm glad you're feeling better. Hope diabetes isn't putting too much stress on you. ( kimoffroad99@msn.com)
E-mail me sometime if you get a chance. Kimmy

7:50 AM  

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