Glucagon - For emergency low blood sugar

[ThaiBob]

Where or how can I get, as my Thai doctor said it is not available here. It requires a prescription in USA. My friends are willing to give me the musculature injection if needed. I say this after a low blood sugar sent me to emergency a few days ago.

[Sheryl]

It truly is not available in Thailand. If you return to the US (or know anyone coming over) can bring it in with you as long as prescription is clearly labelled, and I suggest you also have a doctor's letter given that it is injectrable which may raise suspicions in customs.

By law, you cannot import pharmaceuticals by mail and while customs often ignores this rule for small quantities of medications I don't think I would try it with an injectable.

Best option is just sugar in water, candy or one of the electrolyte powders (which all contain glucose).

Instruct your friends that if necessary (i.e. you can't swallow) they should put sugar under your tongue, there will be some sublingual absorption (and of course get you to a hospital).

[ThaiBob]

It truly is not available in Thailand. If you return to the US (or know anyone coming over) can bring it in with you as long as prescription is clearly labelled, and I suggest you also have a doctor's letter given that it is injectrable which may raise suspicions in customs.

By law, you cannot import pharmaceuticals by mail and while customs often ignores this rule for small quantities of medications I don't think I would try it with an injectable.

Best option is just sugar in water, candy or one of the electrolyte powders (which all contain glucose).

Instruct your friends that if necessary (i.e. you can't swallow) they should put sugar under your tongue, there will be some sublingual absorption (and of course get you to a hospital).

Thank you, my Thai doctor recommended honey or syrup under the tongue or on the gums.

[Mobi]

A vast majority of diabetics feel the symptoms when their blood sugars are low. (I won't bother to list them as you must be aware of them).This being the case, unless you are very careless, you should be able to take action before you reach the point of passing out.

My blood sugars have been as low as 33 and I still haven't passed out.

If you are not unconscious, you have plenty of remedies to get your sugar levels back up. My favourites are: a cup warm water with as much sugar as I can dissolve in it, (or in coffee or tea), 2 cans of regular coke /Pepsi, pure chocolate, and even dry sugar from those little packets of sugar you get from cafes for your coffee and just slide the grains down my throat. (or a combination of any of the above)

I never go out without a whole bunch of those little sugar packets, but I also carry packets of glucose tablets with me. I have never been able to track down glucose tablets in Thailand, but they are available in all chemists and supermarkets in the UK and I'm sure in other countries. (see below)

In the UK, the major brands are Lucozade and Dextro but there are others. I always bring a whole stock back with me and get family & friend's to bring hem over as well as they are very effective in dealing with low blood sugars and are easy to carry around.

[ThaiBob]

A vast majority of diabetics feel the symptoms when their blood sugars are low. (I won't bother to list them as you must be aware of them).This being the case, unless you are very careless, you should be able to take action before you reach the point of passing out.

My blood sugars have been as low as 33 and I still haven't passed out.

If you are not unconscious, you have plenty of remedies to get your sugar levels back up. My favourites are: a cup warm water with as much sugar as I can dissolve in it, (or in coffee or tea), 2 cans of regular coke /Pepsi, pure chocolate, and even dry sugar from those little packets of sugar you get from cafes for your coffee and just slide the grains down my throat. (or a combination of any of the above)

I never go out without a whole bunch of those little sugar packets, but I also carry packets of glucose tablets with me. I have never been able to track down glucose tablets in Thailand, but they are available in all chemists and supermarkets in the UK and I'm sure in other countries. (see below)

In the UK, the major brands are Lucozade and Dextro but there are others. I always bring a whole stock back with me and get family & friend's to bring hem over as well as they are very effective in dealing with low blood sugars and are easy to carry around.

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I have all of these products above(or equivalents). I can feel low blood sugars coming on 98% of the time. Last Sunday, exhausted from a long drive I laid down to take a nap with specific instructions to wake me at a specific time for dinner, that never happened and I wound up in the hospital. There are a few diabetics (vast minority) who have lost their hypo awareness. Why glucagon is not available in Thailand, I don't know. Edited May 10, 2015 by ThaiBob

[Mobi]

Sorry to learn how it happened.

Personally, I have always woken up when I had a hypo, but clearly you must have been too tired.

It's easy to be wise after the event, but obviously next time you decide to take a nap after you have had a tiring drive, it would be wise to check your blood sugars before sleeping.

As well as injecting fast acting insulin 3 times a day, I also take slow acting insulin overnight. In the past, I have been caught out when in retrospect, my BS must have been low at the time I took the overnight insulin, thus causing a few scary hypos. I now check my BS every night before I take the overnight injection, and occasionally I have to throttle the dosage back, or not take it all.

Good luck with your BS control and I hope there are no more hospital visits.

[ThaiBob]

Sorry to learn how it happened.

Personally, I have always woken up when I had a hypo, but clearly you must have been too tired.

It's easy to be wise after the event, but obviously next time you decide to take a nap after you have had a tiring drive, it would be wise to check your blood sugars before sleeping.

As well as injecting fast acting insulin 3 times a day, I also take slow acting insulin overnight. In the past, I have been caught out when in retrospect, my BS must have been low at the time I took the overnight insulin, thus causing a few scary hypos. I now check my BS every night before I take the overnight injection, and occasionally I have to throttle the dosage back, or not take it all.

Good luck with your BS control and I hope there are no more hospital visits.

Hopefully, everyone (including me) learned a lesson and about the importance of following specific instructions. I test myself multiple times throughout the day and in other thread I am inquiring about cheaper test strip options. Thanks for your concern.

[ThaiBob]

As a footnote, my doctor recommended putting honey(or my log cabin maple syrup) under the tongue or around the gums if someone is unconscious until professional help arrives. Although not swallowed some of the sugars will still be absorbed.

[Sheryl]

In a pinch, can also put regular table sugar under the tongue.

[happysanook]

Old thread, but wanted to add, there is 99% pure glucose available at pharmacies. Glucolin. Can't hurt to have around. 

[tutsiwarrior]

can anyone describe the symptoms of hypoglycemia? I've had a few instances when my BG was well controlled and then with some exertion I became dizzy and had to sit down and then it passed...mostly on jobsites in the middle east with extreme heat and humidity (in coastal areas)...I never did associate the dizzyness with hypoglycemia, just thought that I was gettin' old and couldn't handle it anymore....

 

like sheryl sez, sugar cubes are available in most places...easy to carry around...

 

 

Edited April 6, 2018 by tutsiwarrior

[Sheryl]

honey is also good as it can be smeared onto gums for quick absorption

 

hypo symptoms: shaky/lightheaded and headache are most common initial ones. There can be some confusion or other mental changes. Cold sweat.

 

Most people have experienced mild hypoglycemia - think of how you have felt when you went a long time between meals then imagine that magnified.

 

What you describe , Tutsi, is more likely to  be postural hypotension or dehydration/electrolyte imbalance.

 

 

[happysanook]

15 hours ago, tutsiwarrior said:

can anyone describe the symptoms of hypoglycemia? I've had a few instances when my BG was well controlled and then with some exertion I became dizzy and had to sit down and then it passed...mostly on jobsites in the middle east with extreme heat and humidity (in coastal areas)...I never did associate the dizzyness with hypoglycemia, just thought that I was gettin' old and couldn't handle it anymore....

 

like sheryl sez, sugar cubes are available in most places...easy to carry around...

 

 

For me, rapid heart beat and moderate / extreme shakiness are the most evident symptoms. Confusion / anxiety to a minor extent. 

[faraday]

I just looked at the Thai Mims & see that it is listed.

 

Does this mean it is now available?

 

[Sheryl]

Only one brand listed, Glucagen and I am not sure how easy it is to find.

 

Made by Novo Nordisk, imported so will be expensive