Comments on: What happens if someone takes the wrong does of Insulin for diabetes? http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/ Diabetes & Treament Questions Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:14:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: jkrbn http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/comment-page-1/#comment-825 jkrbn Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:11:24 +0000 http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/#comment-825 It is possible to cause death if the insulin were of a stronger and quick acting type, but would not likely be in a quantitiy sufficient to do that. If you are talking fiction most likely not be death but could see seizure, vomiting. In other words not a silent slip into death, but an uncomfortable messy business. It is possible to cause death if the insulin were of a stronger and quick acting type, but would not likely be in a quantitiy sufficient to do that. If you are talking fiction most likely not be death but could see seizure, vomiting. In other words not a silent slip into death, but an uncomfortable messy business.

]]> By: mbestevez http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/comment-page-1/#comment-824 mbestevez Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:22:22 +0000 http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/#comment-824 That actually happens in a common basis. If dose is too small, glucose will not go down. It will cause hyperglicemia with the symptoms any diabetic knows: too much thirst, too much hunger, too much amout of urine. If dose is higher than recommended, hypoglicemia can occur, it is worse because it can decrease your brain glucose and cause neurologic symptoms including dizziness, drowsiness, weakness, and hunger. If a hypoglicemia ends in a coma, it is more difficult to wake the patient up, however when recognized, and treated with glucose IV, response is good. That actually happens in a common basis. If dose is too small, glucose will not go down. It will cause hyperglicemia with the symptoms any diabetic knows: too much thirst, too much hunger, too much amout of urine.

If dose is higher than recommended, hypoglicemia can occur, it is worse because it can decrease your brain glucose and cause neurologic symptoms including dizziness, drowsiness, weakness, and hunger. If a hypoglicemia ends in a coma, it is more difficult to wake the patient up, however when recognized, and treated with glucose IV, response is good.

]]> By: erin10009 http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/comment-page-1/#comment-823 erin10009 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:51:11 +0000 http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/#comment-823 There is however, a small problem with your idea. Almost all insulin is the same strength. I could take someone else's no problem, and they could take mine. There is not a lot of variation, and if you've had diabetes for oh... 3 days, you learn most of it. There is a super concentrated insulin used in specific instances, but it is highly controlled, and very specifically marked. It would be pretty unlikely for someone to take this insulin unintentionally. You could have your character confuse the bottles of their own insulin. If you took say 15 units of Humalog, instead of the equivalent dose of Lantus in the evening you'd be in pretty big trouble. Lantus is a long acting insulin taken to cover the background sugar produced by the body. You generally take this once a day and it lasts 24 hours. Humalog is a rapid acting insulin used to cover food. You generally take this many times per day with meals. If you got the bottles confused and took a big dose of Humalog and did not eat after wards you could have severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) The person would get very hungry, shakey, light headed, and confused, they could pass out and have seizures. The treatment needed would be sugar or a glucogon injection. There is however, a small problem with your idea. Almost all insulin is the same strength. I could take someone else’s no problem, and they could take mine. There is not a lot of variation, and if you’ve had diabetes for oh… 3 days, you learn most of it. There is a super concentrated insulin used in specific instances, but it is highly controlled, and very specifically marked. It would be pretty unlikely for someone to take this insulin unintentionally.

You could have your character confuse the bottles of their own insulin. If you took say 15 units of Humalog, instead of the equivalent dose of Lantus in the evening you’d be in pretty big trouble.

Lantus is a long acting insulin taken to cover the background sugar produced by the body. You generally take this once a day and it lasts 24 hours. Humalog is a rapid acting insulin used to cover food. You generally take this many times per day with meals. If you got the bottles confused and took a big dose of Humalog and did not eat after wards you could have severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) The person would get very hungry, shakey, light headed, and confused, they could pass out and have seizures. The treatment needed would be sugar or a glucogon injection.

]]> By: Carol http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/comment-page-1/#comment-822 Carol Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:14:18 +0000 http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/#comment-822 Too much can result in insulin shock. Death can occur if not treated immediately. Too much can result in insulin shock. Death can occur if not treated immediately.

]]> By: Charli http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/comment-page-1/#comment-821 Charli Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:17:20 +0000 http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/#comment-821 are we talking type 1 here? im a bit confussed so sorry if this information is not what you needed: A) too much- hypoglysemia- blood sugars would drop. you character would feel sluggish to start with almost drunk- they would be slow to react and would struggle to do complcated tasks. Second satge would be them becomeing aggressive or irritable, they would break out in a sweat- not be able to sit still, shake, feel hot and the cold. Third stage- hardly able to communicate, dropping head, can't swollow or speak. Followed by unconsciousness. they would come round within 2 hours usually. This is unless a huge overdose has been had or they have consumed alot of alcohol- then it can be fatal. B) too little- hyperglycemia- this is a much slower process. they may feel hot and restless with a headache to start with and then they will become sluggish but will not go into diabetic coma. over a few weeks of not taking medication they will lose alot of weight, become moody, thirsty, weak, go to the toilet lots (especially at night) and have craving for sweet food. after a few months they will become too weak to move and there body will waste away and they will die. if you are looking for a sudden death or dramatic action- then write about a) not b) . I have type 1 diabetes so i am pretty sure all these facts are correct. Hope this helps and your story goes well! are we talking type 1 here? im a bit confussed so sorry if this information is not what you needed:

A) too much- hypoglysemia- blood sugars would drop. you character would feel sluggish to start with almost drunk- they would be slow to react and would struggle to do complcated tasks. Second satge would be them becomeing aggressive or irritable, they would break out in a sweat- not be able to sit still, shake, feel hot and the cold. Third stage- hardly able to communicate, dropping head, can’t swollow or speak.

Followed by unconsciousness. they would come round within 2 hours usually. This is unless a huge overdose has been had or they have consumed alot of alcohol- then it can be fatal.

B) too little- hyperglycemia- this is a much slower process. they may feel hot and restless with a headache to start with and then they will become sluggish but will not go into diabetic coma. over a few weeks of not taking medication they will lose alot of weight, become moody, thirsty, weak, go to the toilet lots (especially at night) and have craving for sweet food. after a few months they will become too weak to move and there body will waste away and they will die.

if you are looking for a sudden death or dramatic action- then write about a) not b) . I have type 1 diabetes so i am pretty sure all these facts are correct. Hope this helps and your story goes well!

]]> By: Bobby A http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/comment-page-1/#comment-820 Bobby A Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:24:17 +0000 http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/#comment-820 Call the doctor Call the doctor

]]> By: tkquestion http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/comment-page-1/#comment-819 tkquestion Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:03:13 +0000 http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/#comment-819 If you take too much of medication and the blood sugar goes too low, the person will look confused, pass out (lose consciousness), and if it goes farther, coma, then death. It happens somewhere around blood sugar count at 40 or lower. If someone takes none when needed, the blood sugar will rise. He/she won't feel anything for quite a while. Some headache may start. Tiredness, then in extreme cases, death. Having this too high is more of a long term problem where as having it too low will cause immediate problem. If you take too much of medication and the blood sugar goes too low, the person will look confused, pass out (lose consciousness), and if it goes farther, coma, then death. It happens somewhere around blood sugar count at 40 or lower.

If someone takes none when needed, the blood sugar will rise. He/she won’t feel anything for quite a while. Some headache may start. Tiredness, then in extreme cases, death. Having this too high is more of a long term problem where as having it too low will cause immediate problem.

]]> By: Luke d http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/comment-page-1/#comment-818 Luke d Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:18:52 +0000 http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/#comment-818 Too much insulin causes hyperglycemia. It can cause decreased physical awareness, illusions, and hysteria, even a comatose state. Too little insulin, or lack of taking your insulin, often results in things like a diabetic coma, which can result in death. In this case it is called hypoglycemia (instead of hyper) Too much insulin causes hyperglycemia. It can cause decreased physical awareness, illusions, and hysteria, even a comatose state.

Too little insulin, or lack of taking your insulin, often results in things like a diabetic coma, which can result in death. In this case it is called hypoglycemia (instead of hyper)

]]> By: paigan http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/comment-page-1/#comment-817 paigan Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:42:53 +0000 http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/#comment-817 if the dose was somewhere over 1,500 mg, then they're in danger of dying, that goes for any medication, unless instructed otherwise. if it was too little, it would lower the cell walls[they receive and absorb sugar] activity, and the person might go into a hyperglycemic coma, and could die. if the dose was somewhere over 1,500 mg, then they’re in danger of dying, that goes for any medication, unless instructed otherwise.
if it was too little, it would lower the cell walls[they receive and absorb sugar] activity, and the person might go into a hyperglycemic coma, and could die.

]]> By: Sarah L http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/comment-page-1/#comment-816 Sarah L Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:03:25 +0000 http://www.prayforpaul.com/what-happens-if-someone-takes-the-wrong-does-of-insulin-for-diabetes/#comment-816 It would kill someone, is this really for a fictional story or are you plotting a murder? It would kill someone, is this really for a fictional story or are you plotting a murder?

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