I am a 3rd semester nursing student, and I have a questions concerning my Papaw. He's 87, has been a diabetic for many years, but never took any medicine or insulin. He also never did regular blood sugar checks (I have no idea why - Dr did not order it) Anyway, so it was more or less diet controlled.
He now has a glucometer at home, and my aunt, who helps care for him "occasionally" checks his blood sugar. He has had two episodes where his first morning capillary glucose level is in the 30's. From what I understand this is pretty serious. My aunt is also diabetic, so she gives him orange juice or something similar. He doesn't eat just a whole lot, so we told him to eat something right before he goes to bed to raise his blood sugar. The doctor told him to drink OJ right before bed, but this morning his BS was again in the 30's. Would drinking OJ by itself cause spikes in his sugar (causing it to drop low). Is there something that would work better to keep his sugar up through the night. I don't understand if he's been supposedly "diabetic" all these years - why is his blood sugar so low - he's not taking insulin.
Maybe I'm missing something - just wanted to know if any of you had experienced this before.
I am a diabetes educator, and if i had a pt with severe hypoglycemia who was not on insulin, sulfonylureas, or meglinitinides, I would first check the meter, but would want to know why these numbers are so low. This is not normal for a type 2 who is not on any meds. If he were my relative I would want him looked at by an Internal Med Doc or an Endo. It may be nothing, but I would want to be sure. Infection usually drives BG up not down. Get a second opinion.
Thank you. I will definitely insist he see another doctor. I feel like I need to go down there, myself, and find out exactly what is going on, and I may take him myself. When my aunt called his GP, that's who just told him to give him the OJ before bed, and I just didn't feel right about that. Ya'll have given me something to go on, and pointed me in the right direction.
RN2Bn2006
142 Posts
Thank you. I will definitely insist he see another doctor. I feel like I need to go down there, myself, and find out exactly what is going on, and I may take him myself. When my aunt called his GP, that's who just told him to give him the OJ before bed, and I just didn't feel right about that. Ya'll have given me something to go on, and pointed me in the right direction.
Thank You