anyone with knowledge of diabetes

[luvwinnie]

My FIL is in the hospital with a UTI, then became septic...they are treating him with antibiotics, but what we are wondering is why isn't his sugar dropping below 250 despite being given insulin. Of course, the main problem is his dr is not very communicative. Personally, I wish they would switch dr's, but it's not up to me. Does just having an infection cause blood sugar to be higher? Thanks for any insight.

 

[pumba]

four weeks ago with pnemonia and her sugar went up to 600......they had to bring it down with another type of insulin........when a person has an infection this makes the sugar jump out of control.........be patient for a few days......and if you need to ask questions.......make sure the one with the problem is in the room.....other wise with the new patient privacy they may not be able to say anything to you......I think it really stinks

 

[Disney Doll]

Yes. I am a nurse on am medical floor in an acute care hospital, and anytime we have a diabetic with an infection, their blood sugar is higher. As the infection clears, his blood sugar will normalize.

If your FIL is a non-insulin dependent diabetic(ie-he takes pills or controls his blood sugar by watching his diet), he may actually have to take insulin while he's hospitalized to better control his sugar.

Generally, when we have a diabetic on my floor with an infection, we check his blood sugar 4 times per day (before breakfast, before lunch, before dinner, and at bedtime) via a fingerstick and have parameters for insulin coverage. For example, if I check someone 's blood sugar before breakfast and find that it is 210, I might be giving them 4 units of Regular insulin, which is a quick-acting insulin that will help bring that elevated sugar level down relatively soon. The parameters are usually set up by the physician Often, the person will also be on a slower released insulin(such as NPH or 70/30) which gets released more slowly into their system, in an effort to keep the blood sugar at a more even keel throughout the course of the day. Often, even if the person is on a slow release insulin, we will still do the 4 times daily fingersticks with Regular insulin coverage.

I got a little off the track there, but the bottom line is that any stress (infection, emotional stress, other physical illnesses) will affect blood sugar levels.

If I can help you with anything, feel free to PM me.

I am not sure how much say you have with regard to your FIL, but if he is not being seen by an Endocrinologist, it might not be a bad idea to request a consultation with one while he is hospitalized. They are the specialists in diabetic management.

 

[JC2]

Being sick does tend to cause the blood glucose to rise. It can sometimes be hard to keep a sick person's blood glucose in a steady, good range. 250 is high, as you already know. The doctor may be adjusting the dosage of insulin to try and regulate your FIL's level.
I encourage you to continue to ask questions until you get answers.
{hugs}

 

[luvwinnie]

Lots of helpful info!

 

[Talking Hands]

Also you should be aware that they are not as aggressive with bs control in the hospital as a diabetic would be at home. The will allow it to run higher so they won't have to deal with a low. I had absolute fits when I was in the hospital last year because they would allow my bs to run near 200 when I normally have it run no more than 120 at all times sick or not.