Sunday, December 26, 2010

Hiccup on Christmas Day

Matthew has had some high blood sugars before, and we've tested for ketones in the blood, and they have always come back negative.  Until yesterday, Christmas day.

He woke up feeling sort of icky, said he felt a bit sick to his stomach, but was out playing and I didn't think much of it.  He also woke up a bit higher than usual, at like 250, but that's not THAT high. So we spent a morning opening presents, with him taking a rest between gifts. 

I knew something was wrong when I found him laying down amid the pieces that were to make up the White House kit he got from Gilly for Christmas.  Not even able or willing to sit up and put together Legos??  Something is very wrong.

Steve finally had him test for ketones, and the stick immediately turned its darkest color.  Truly, no more than 15 minutes after that, Matt tossed the little breakfast he had eaten all over our bed and floor. 

So, the big question with diabetes is this:  are the ketones causing the vomiting, or is the vomiting causing ketones??

I called a friend of mine from Middle School, who, by virtue of Facebook, I have reconnected with and who's second child is also a T1D, to see what she thought.

"Is the pod actually giving insulin?  Because it could come dislodged but still register that it is giving insulin.  Check that, then give some insulin by injection, then call the Endo.  I bet the ketones are causing him to throw up, as its the only way his body has to get rid of them."






It all turned out OK, and we got his sugars back under control by the time he went to bed, and FINALLY got a "negative" reading on those ketone sticks.  So, lesson learned.. when the PDM suggests to check for ketones, CHECK FOR KETONES, and do not put the OmniPod canula side down next to the waist band of jeans.

1 comment:

Lorraine of "This is Caleb..." said...

I'm so sorry that happened and on Christmas day too! But it sounds like you handled it all with great composure.

We've had that issue - the Pod too near the belt line and it pushes against it just enough to kink it and cause bgs on the high side. Although we don't often check for ketones, we do use the rule of 2 over 250s without any explanation, pull the Pod. Sometimes it is the Pod and sometimes it's just diabetes. Checking ketones is never a bad idea though.

Merry Christmas - I hope he's been feeling well since.