Help with type 1 diabetic with dementia

EmLou

New member
May 18, 2020
8
0
Surrey
My Dad is a type 1 diabetic and has been for 60 yrs. He is insulin dependent. But over the last year my mum and I have had to take over the management of his diabetes. My Dad has become increasing anxious and confused about his glucose levels and he constantly wants to eat. We try to explain things to him but he just doesn’t understand and sometimes gets aggressive. He is up and down all night and starts shouting for either his breakfast or his injection from about 4am. My mum and I are at our wits end. We can’t get through to him. He just doesn’t comprehend much anymore. We are both just tired and want to be able to get a decent night’s sleep. Any advice would be appreciated.
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,447
0
Kent
Hello @EmLou

Have you and your mum asked the diabetic nurse for help. I expect they will have experience in helping carers of people who have diabetes as well as dementia.
 

angelict

Registered User
Jan 16, 2020
154
0
Diabetes is a serious condition are you monitoring the glucose levels daily if it goes too high or too low you're in trouble. It could also be causing him more confusion makes sure he's drinking fluid before giving food as thirst can be confused with hunger. Has he had an hba1c recently if not I would be contacting the gp about it. If you look on your NHS trust they will have a diabetes service listed I would consider contacting also if the diabetic nurse at the gp practice hasn't been in touch for a while he is entitled to a yearly check up yearly.
 

EmLou

New member
May 18, 2020
8
0
Surrey
Yes we monitor his diabetes along with help from the diabetic nurse. Yes he has had hba1c test. He just does not understand the difference between high and low blood sugar anymore. He just says he doesn’t feel well and needs something to eat all the time, even when he has just had his dinner. He gets so very anxious and says he is going to die. We try and explain to him that he can’t have any food when he is high but he just says we don’t understand. He will wake up in the night saying he needs an injection. We test his level and he is fine. We explain this to him but again he just doesn’t understand. This happens throughout the night! Exhausting!
 

angelict

Registered User
Jan 16, 2020
154
0
Yes we monitor his diabetes along with help from the diabetic nurse. Yes he has had hba1c test. He just does not understand the difference between high and low blood sugar anymore. He just says he doesn’t feel well and needs something to eat all the time, even when he has just had his dinner. He gets so very anxious and says he is going to die. We try and explain to him that he can’t have any food when he is high but he just says we don’t understand. He will wake up in the night saying he needs an injection. We test his level and he is fine. We explain this to him but again he just doesn’t understand. This happens throughout the night! Exhausting!
Lack of sleep isn't good for you or your Mum I would speak to the gp and see if anything can be prescribed not all gps will prescribe sleeping pills as it could increase the risk of falls they might give you something else but what you don't want is a crisis.
 

EmLou

New member
May 18, 2020
8
0
Surrey
Lack of sleep isn't good for you or your Mum I would speak to the gp and see if anything can be prescribed not all gps will prescribe sleeping pills as it could increase the risk of falls they might give you something else but what you don't want is a crisis.
Thanks
 

Bod

Registered User
Aug 30, 2013
1,958
0
Is there any thing he could be given to eat, that wouldn't upset the blood sugers?
The other problem, is that PWDs often develop a very sweet tooth, because the sense of taste deteriorates, sweetness is the only thing that has any taste, to them.
How variable are his BS levels, during the day?

Bod
 

EmLou

New member
May 18, 2020
8
0
Surrey
He doesn’t seem bothered about sweet things. It is just food. He seems to get extremely anxious and it’s like food is the answer to making his anxiety lessen. He has a Libre sensor which we use to test his glucose levels which is also very helpful in seeing if his level is still rising or levelling off. We try and explain to him that he can’t have food when his level is high, we even show him what the sensor is showing, but he just says that it is isn’t right. There seems to be no getting through to him. It is a constant battle.
 

Canadian Joanne

Registered User
Apr 8, 2005
17,710
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70
Toronto, Canada
I think you should speak to his GP to see if there is any medication to lessen his anxiety. You would have to monitor him carefully but you are doing that now so it shouldn't be a problem to you,
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
We try and explain to him that he can’t have food when his level is high, we even show him what the sensor is showing, but he just says that it is isn’t right. There seems to be no getting through to him.
People with dementia lose logic and the ability to follow reasoning. Once they get an idea into their heads you cannot use reasoning to correct this idea. My mum was certain that people lived above her (who it was changed, but she was always convinced there was someone) who were doing things like pinching all the hot water or rearranging the furniture, despite living in a bungalow! At the beginning I tried to reason with her that there was nobody there. She would agree that she lived in a bungalow and yet at the same time insist that people lived above her. I tried taking her round her bungalow to show me the stairs and took her outside to show her that there was nothing above her, but nothing worked. She did not believe me when I said that she was wrong because she knew that she was right!!

It sounds like your dad is sundowning and when that happens many people with dementia interpret the feeling of increased confusion and anxiety with feeling unwell. My MIL used to phone me up most evenings (multiple times) to tell me that she was so ill, although doctors never found anything wrong. I suspect that this is what is happening to your dad and he interpreting this feeling of being unwell as being a blood sugar hypo.

I agree with @Canadian Joanne , that the way to go is to try and reduce his anxiety. An antidepressant/anti-anxiety medication could help a lot.
 

EmLou

New member
May 18, 2020
8
0
Surrey
People with dementia lose logic and the ability to follow reasoning. Once they get an idea into their heads you cannot use reasoning to correct this idea. My mum was certain that people lived above her (who it was changed, but she was always convinced there was someone) who were doing things like pinching all the hot water or rearranging the furniture, despite living in a bungalow! At the beginning I tried to reason with her that there was nobody there. She would agree that she lived in a bungalow and yet at the same time insist that people lived above her. I tried taking her round her bungalow to show me the stairs and took her outside to show her that there was nothing above her, but nothing worked. She did not believe me when I said that she was wrong because she knew that she was right!!

It sounds like your dad is sundowning and when that happens many people with dementia interpret the feeling of increased confusion and anxiety with feeling unwell. My MIL used to phone me up most evenings (multiple times) to tell me that she was so ill, although doctors never found anything wrong. I suspect that this is what is happening to your dad and he interpreting this feeling of being unwell as being a blood sugar hypo.

I agree with @Canadian Joanne , that the way to go is to try and reduce his anxiety. An antidepressant/anti-anxiety medication could help a lot.
Thank you for your reply. Yes I think you are right. There is just no reasoning with him. It doesn’t matter how we try and help him he understand he just doesn’t. He tries everything to get what he wants, shouting at us, pleading with us, swearing at us. It is just so upsetting. I think we will contact the GP and see if they can help. Although to be honest our GP has been pretty useless so far!!!