I went to the doctor because I may have diabetes. The fat doctor gives me expired insulin. Their office is in northern Virginia. If want more information, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Wut?

I’m asking sincerely…what is your blood sugar right now?

250

Some quick research showed that emergency help is needed at 270 mg/dl. Coupled with your OP being borderline incoherent, it's possible you might be having an episode right now.

I'm a Type 1 diabetic. If you are at 250 (assuming you are using a finger prick), there is a VERY good chance you have diabetes. That may not be the only possibility, though others are less pleasant (like pancreatic cancer or other complex issues).

I was over 500 when I was diagnosed, and I could sure as hell feel it. You should be still be feeling 250 easily- frequent urination, dry mouth, fatigue. There could be other symptoms as well, but if you've been high for a long time, you may be somewhat used to them.

The oh-shit line can vary from person to person. Some people need medical attention at 300. Others feel it, but are fine past 400.

Are you saying a doc gave you a shot of expired insulin? First, how would you know? Second, what is the follow up? Did you get you in with an endocrinologist to get a full workup/diagnosis? If you were given insulin, there MUST be some kind of following action.

Provide more details.

One of my daughters is Type 1.
250 is pretty high.
With her, she knew when she was low and everyone around her knew when she was high.

When low she would get jittery and be close to passing out. With high BG, she was cranky and short fused. But she was 9 when she was diagnosed. It was over 600 when she was diagnosed. At your age I’m gonna say your sugar swings will bring more pronounced effects.
At 250 you might want to seek some medical care. Especially if you don’t have “good” insulin.

So….Marlinfan….how we doing?

thank you for asking. So far, not too bad.

quote:

Originally posted by Marlin Fan:
thank you for asking. So far, not too bad.

Were you able to get your sugar down?

Insulin is more robust than people give it credit for. I would not be afraid to use expired insulin if that was all I had. I'd just continue to monitor my blood sugar and make sure it is responding as expected.

I've been Type 1 for almost 5 years now, and take insulin daily. 250 is pretty high, so it's likely you probably are diabetic. More important for a diagnosis than your immediate blood sugar, though, would be your A1C, which gives a more long-term look at your body's blood sugar levels. When I was diagnosed my fasting blood sugar was in the 390s (should be under 100) and my AIC was off the chart at greater than 15.5 (healthy is below 5.7).

yes, my blood sugar is coming down

I understand what you’re saying about the insulin. however, what if this was a long-term supply and I didn’t catch it. Diabetes runs in my family. I probably am diabetic.

GO BUY A TEST KIT RIGHT NOW. NOT TOMORROW. BUY THE MONITOR, TEST STRIPS AND LANCETS. DO IT RIGHT NOW.Although it is high at the moment. the true danger is if drops off a cliff and goes down to the 30's, you may never wake up from that. As a Type 1 and damn lucky to be alive as I seem to have a high tolerance for the low lows. I am coherent at 38 but that is so near the danger zone of never waking up, don't take a chance.

Also consider getting a prescription for the Libre 3 Plus 24 hour monitor. Truly a life saver and I won't go without it now. download the app to your phone and you can see your blood sugar in real time 24/7.

If you are diabetic, there should be a period of education from your medical provider. Then you will continue that education the rest of your life as you learn how YOU react to various meds, foods, conditions, etc.
What type you are (Type 1 is USUALLY juveniles, Type 2 is USUALLY adults) how to use whatever meds and devices you are prescribed, dietary restraints and suggestions, etc.
it’s a lifestyle.

As to the insulin, in my experience with my daughter, the insulin is pretty tough. Even expired insulin should still “work” but it may take more of it.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: hudr,

quote:

Originally posted by Marlin Fan:
I understand what you’re saying about the insulin. however, what if this was a long-term supply and I didn’t catch it. Diabetes runs in my family. I probably am diabetic.

I'm honestly surprised your doc gave you anything at all at the office. It was probably some in-office samples, and if he gave it to you to use I imagine that was with directives to use it immediately, not put it in long-term storage. If you end up on daily-use insulin it won't be around long enough to matter. When I got diagnosed, I had to go the pharmacy to get mine, which took a day and then they sold me insulin pens with no needles and I had to go back and get another prescription for those (because my state has some stupid laws).

There are two types of insulin...basal and mealtime. The basal (I take Lantus) is slow release and you take it once a day to kind of regulate your overall insulin level. Mealtime (I use Humalog) is fast acting and can be taken before you eat or any time you have a large spike in blood sugar. The way your blood sugar reacts will depend on how many carbs you eat and how active you are. Most days, even as a full-blown type 1 I only take the Lantus and try to regulate through diet and exercise. If I'm at work sitting in the car all day sometimes I need a little of the Humalog to keep things in check.

If you're lucky enough to be type 2 instead of type 1, you may be able to regulate it with diet and medication alone and not have to take insulin. Your doc should refer you to an endocrinologist to test for this. They also ought to set you up with some classes to teach you about blood sugar management and how to eat and how to dose your insulin. That'll probably come after they figure out what type you are, because that will determine your management routine.

Regular checking of your blood sugar is going to be a fact of life. Finger pricking sucks, especially if you're doing it 5-10 times a day. I highly recommend a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) like the Freestyle Libre or the Dexcom. It gives you constant feedback and makes it easier to learn what you can and can't eat and how effective your exercise routine is balanced with your diet.

It sucks at first and I remember being really frustrated and overwhelmed. Hang in there...once you get used to it and learn what you need to do to keep everything balanced it's not so bad. I just spent a week in the backwoods and climbed a mountain last month. Yeah I eat boring food and have drunk nothing but water for the past five years, but it's a far cry from the death sentence that this would have been less than a century ago.

92fstech- I’m surprised you are still on two types of insulin as a type 1. I was on those for a year or two when I was first diagnosed- it SUCKED, especially trying to regulate when unexpected rigorous activities would arise. I switched to a pump and Humalog only, with a continuous monitor sensor. It’s SO much easier.

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
92fstech- I’m surprised you are still on two types of insulin as a type 1. I was on those for a year or two when I was first diagnosed- it SUCKED, especially trying to regulate when unexpected rigorous activities would arise. I switched to a pump and Humalog only, with a continuous monitor sensor. It’s SO much easier.

Oh, my endo has tried. Hell sell me anything he can...it was a full on sales pitch every time I went in there until I finally convinced him I wasn't doing it.

Pumps are expensive. The shots are pretty much free after insurance. And I don't really mind them. It's pretty rare that I take Humalog...I'm still on the first batch that they gave me almost four years ago. It expires in September, but I think I'm just going to keep using it as long as it's working.

I'm also not super keen on having more tubes and needles connected to me all the time. Sometimes I have to fight people at work, and it's annoying enough when the CGM gets ripped off...I can't imagine dealing with a pump.

Plus, not being on Humalog motivates me to stay active. It's kind of a game to see if I can avoid needing it, and if a pump is just delivering it automatically I'm sure I'd not be as motivated to eat right and exercise. I know how I am, lol.

There are some specific signs associated with diabetes that is out of control:
Polyuria: urinating more volume than usual
Polydipsia: drinking more volume than usual
Polyphagia: eating more than usual

As things get worse, approaching diabetic ketoacidosis, mental function deteriorates and people can become comatose.

Unfortunately, your posts appear to us to be terse, disjointed, and not providing much information; suggesting that your mental sharpness is not what it should be.

Did the doctor test your blood sugar? Urine sugar? Hemoglobin A1C, a measure of long-term diabetes control?

Do you have a glucometer so you can test your short-term blood sugar?
You don’t need a prescription, all the necessary equipment and supplies are available at any pharmacy, like a WalMart Pharmacy. You need a meter, and the lancets and test strips for that specific meter; together with control solutions to be sure your measurements are accurate.

If no one has given you instruction about this, you must get it. If you don’t feel comfortable with the doctor you saw, you can see a physician in urgent care or a hospital emergency department.

Do you live alone? Do you have family or friends close by who can get you to medical care?

I have a son who almost died of diabetic ketoacidosis; only because a hotel manager found him near-comatose in his hotel room 2000 miles from home and called 911 is he alive today.