Dementia and diabetes

noelphobic

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Feb 24, 2006
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Margarita said:
Sandy how do you. Spot potential hypos coming ? what like noelphobic says he looks drank ?

:)

Margarita there can be lots of warning signs of a hypo, or none at all! I have to say that I have never seen any visible signs in my son, even when he has tested at below 2 mmol :eek: He has only actually come to grief through a hypo once, unfortunately when he was in Bulgaria and I was at home :(

This link will give you some info on hypos

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Complications/Short_term_complications/Hypoglycaemia/

Lucozade is the best and quickest acting treatment, provided the 'sufferer' is conscious and co-operative. Despite what you might hear, chocolate is NOT the best treatment as the fat in it slows down the absorption of the sugar. However, it would be better than nothing if something more suitable was not immediately available. Hope this helps.
 

Margarita

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Feb 17, 2006
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Gosh noelphobic have just been to the 1st link you gave me . I always use to think that mum diabetes was link to her dementia and back then mum diebetes was right out of control just like her mother my granmother and my granmother sister all had diebetes all ended up with dementia ,In those days they where so uneducated in how to control it , I I better be careful with my diet , as on my mother side diabetes run in the family when they get to 50s , that has really eased my mind about me getting dementia/ AZ when I am older , I better watch out on those high fats food not only for the risk of getting diabetes also for my cholesterol , high blood pursuer yes high blood pursuer run in my father side of the family , all that can lead to dementia if not controled , its really good to know that . thanks a million for those links xx .

and if I did get diabetes I better learn from my mother Mistake in not controlling it properly



There is evidence from several studies that insulin-deficiency or type 2 diabetes is linked to dementia, through increasing the risk of stroke and hence brain damage. It is also possible that other mechanisms could link diabetes to dementia. For example, recurrent severe bouts of low blood sugar, which can occur if diabetes is undiagnosed or poorly controlled, could be harmful to the brain,
 
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Margarita

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Feb 17, 2006
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When I said I always use to think that it was because my mother diabetic being out of control was due to the AZ , it was my mother first doctor in Uk that told me that if I or my mother did not control her diabetic tablets oxygen would not get to her brain and she would go mad .

If only he had not use that word mad and just said dementia or AZ, he would not have put the fear of god in me. I would not have gone in to panic mode , I brought my mother back from Gibraltar for a week just to see him , as I had not sorted out my mother getting register in Gibraltar with a doctor and had to keep going to a privet doctor in Gibraltar and money was running low , till I sorted it out with the Gibraltar authority , that my mother, father had pay into there system that they also was Gibraltarian , As I have an English assent they thought I was English , I had to get so much paper work to prove i was gibraltarian , also to prove that my mother was getting a pension from my father from Gibraltar . if anyone was really going mad in that time it was me , not my mother . sorry just had to share that . I know its all in the past , but its lingering in the back of my mind .

I shall now put closures on (as they say,)that part of my life in doing so help me move on :rolleyes:
 
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mel

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Apr 30, 2006
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Hi Margarita
Mum is on Metformin 850mg twice a day.....she used to take gliclazide twice a day too but this has now been stopped. I don't test her blood sugar levels ....as I've never been told to!!.....I'll take her back to the doctors and find out exactly what i should be doing!
Both my aunts were type 2 diabetics......both suffered from dementia...

Noelphobic...thanks for the links
 

Margarita

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Feb 17, 2006
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london
Mel

Tell the doctor that you would like a district nurse to come out and explain it all to you, you do not have to pay for the district nurse to come to your home

When they come around they should give you glucoMen Blood glucose meter , free of charge Then you get strip , needles on repeat perception district nurse will show you how to use it, they did this all for me last year .
 

Sandy

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Mar 23, 2005
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Sandy how do you. Spot potential hypos coming ? what like noelphobic says he looks drank ?

The link that noelphobic to the Diabetes UK site (home page http://www.diabetes.org.uk/) did a great job of describing hypos. The thing is that each person will be somewhat different in which symptoms are most noticable. Also, it is possible for a person's hypo warning signs to change over time. For example, after a few years on insulin, some diabetics lose the early warning signs that they used to have of an oncoming hypo.

In my husband's case the obvious physical signs are sweating, slight shakiness and turning pale. Actually, I tend to notice his behavioural changes before the physical changes. He can seem quite giddy and laugh at even the feeblest jokes (always in plentiful supply at our house). Sometimes he can seem quite distracted and finds it difficult to put ideas into words.

Like mel's experience with her mother, I find the overnight period the riskiest in terms of hypo's. For that reason, my husband is always careful to check his blood sugar before bedtime and that way he can adjust his insulin dose or have a snack as needed.

On the positive side Margarita, with insulin, once the nurse shows you how to adjust the doses to match your mother's diet and activity levels, your mum should have more freedom in terms of the food she can eat.

Take care,

Sandy
 

Grannie G

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Apr 3, 2006
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Because of his short term memory loss, my husband forgets he has eaten and goes for more food. This has affected his blood levels. It`s impossible to ration his food and if I tell him he`s already eaten, he gets in a strop.

It`s not meals, but snacks that are the problem. I cook the meals. One day he had 3 bananas throughout the day, and he`s always going for cheese and crackers. Funnily enough, he`s not gaining weight, but he seems to be hungry.

Does anyone else have this worry with their Diabetics?
 

mel

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Apr 30, 2006
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Hi Grannie G
i used to have this problem with mum....she'd eat her meals,forget she'd eaten and then go for the snacks ....usually endless slices of toast and crisps...

Now I'm struggling to get her to eat anything at all......
 

noelphobic

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Feb 24, 2006
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Liverpool
Grannie G said:
Funnily enough, he`s not gaining weight, but he seems to be hungry.

Does anyone else have this worry with their Diabetics?

If his blood sugars are high then he may well be hungry and won't gain weight so it's a bit of a vicious circle. Does he have symptoms of hyperglycaemia? eg frequent urination, thirstiness, tiredness?

Is he type 1 or 2 and is he on insulin or tablets?
 

Margarita

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Feb 17, 2006
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london
Grannie


Yes my mother is also the same , always saying she got to eat because of her diabetic , or has not eaten so now when she says she hungry and I of cause know she eaten . she just forget or is geting confused , and going back to her bad habits .

I say ok am doing your blood sugar level, she does not like the finger prick so all of a sadden she says oh yes I’ve eaten. then if she get really angry because she can't have what she want I still do the finger prick , just to prove it to her , because at this point I am wondering myself if her sugar levels have gone low or height , I just say that if you don’t let me do it am going to bring in the district nurse , as she does not want that to happen she lets me do it .



It’s a pain bad habits are hard to break for anyone , but I have to be firm for her own heath or other wise I get in the thinking oh let her have it, she does not have a lot of comfort enjoyment you only get one life may as well do what you want , but I have to change that way of thinking for my mother health, as with the extra medication she getting and control with her food she seem more alert
 
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connie

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Mar 7, 2004
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Frinton-on-Sea
Had lunch with Lionel today in the care home......Was surprised at how many "diabetic" lunches were served...............Just my observation.
 

Margarita

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Feb 17, 2006
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london
Connie did you notice what type of food was serviced, what was the different then Lionel Compared to someone that is not diabetic ? :confused:
 

noelphobic

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Feb 24, 2006
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Liverpool
Margarita said:
Connie did you notice what type of food was serviced, what was the different then Lionel Compared to someone that is not diabetic ? :confused:

I believe the official line is that if you have diabetes you just need to eat a healthy diet. We have always been advised also to not ask for the diabetic option for meals on flights as it tends to be too low carb.

A lot of people seem to think that if you have diabetes you just need to avoid sugar. It is actually much more complex than that - all carbs are turned to glucose by the body anyway. It's a matter of balancing your food and your insulin and it's not easy, especially as exercise, illness and a myriad of other things also affect this balancing act.