husband's seizures are getting worse

[scared_wife]

My husband (40) has had night-time hypo seizures since he was diagnosed with Type I 20 years ago (once every few months). He becomes unconscious and convulses wildly, but then once I get some sugar or the glucogon shot into him, the seizure stops after 20 minutes. Once he wakes up, he's a little groggy but 99% fine, mentally.

However, the other night he fell into a seizure that was far worse than usual. Before he started seizing he was able to drink juice, and then once the convulsing started I gave him the shot. However, he did not pull out of it, but instead went into a terrifying post-seizure state where he stopped convulsing but his eyes rolled back in his head, frothy liquid came out of his mouth, and it seemed like he had stopped breathing.I definitely thought he was dying/dead. I called 911 and they told me to put him onto his back. Once they arrived, they tested him and found that his sugar was up to 120 -- but he was completely unresponsive and unable to move. His eyes were open, but there was nothing behind them. This lasted for about another 45 minutes, until after we got to the hospital.  Only then was he at all coherent. (Now he's fine)

What happened? Why was he unconscious or vegetative for so long after his blood sugar was normal? Obviously we're going to meet with his endo ASAP, but has anyone else seen this? I've never been more scared in my life, and I was convinced he had suffered permanent brain damage from the seizure/hypo. I just want to talk to someone who's experience this, because I'm terrified. Can anyone shed light on possible brain damage?

[JDRF-Team-wak]

I am not a physician, but the mom of a type one diabetic.   Unfortunately I do not have any experience to help yo9u out with this.  I would suggest that you call your endo and explain the situation and that you want to see him ASAP.

If this happens again I would not only call 911 but also call my endo so that he can meet you at the hospital and get to the bottom of why this is happening.

Also is your husband on the pump. Minimed, has a pump with a continuous monitor attached which might help your husband you might want to check this out. It might help your husband.

[quatlox]

I have had some of the worst HYPO's there are.  Once I thought I was fighting pirates (5 Firemen and 2 Police men).  What a nightmare for you and your husband.

I have always come around after they give me glucose.  

Does your husband check his blood sugar before he goes to bed?  Des he eat a snack before he goes to bed.  He probably needs less of a night time dose of insulin.  The insulin is what is giving him the HYPO's.

Here is my theory on insulin and HYPO's.  It is better to have high blood sugars and die 10 years before your time from complications from diabetes than to DIE TODAY from a HYPO.  Why die today at 48 because of a HYPO when I can die at 62 from diabetic complications.

Yes, Hypo's can and will KILL.  I am sorry to come down so hard, but I think too many diabetics die from HYPO's and it is not recorded in the medical literiture, but recorded as diabetic complications (died of natural causes).

If your husband is not checking his bloodsugar before going to bed, this should scare the helll out of him to do so.

Bob

[dawnshusband]

Hi,
That sounds pretty scary, my wife hasn't had any of those night time seizures in many years. She is now on a pump. If your endo doesn't seem to be of real help, you might look into the "DO IT" program at the joslin center in Boston, we were just there, it's the largest dedicated diabetes center in the world. We learned more in a few days then my wife had in 23 years of being a type 1 and 17 years of being an RN.

Best of Luck
Brac

[JDRF Team SGG]

If your husband is taking Lantus and Humalog or Novalog, he may want to talk to his endo about switching the time of the dose of Lantus. For people with night lows, taking the Lantus in the morning is the safest way to take this particular type of insulin, for it DOES have a slight peak action about 4 hours after injection, and for people taking it at night, the peak is while they sleep. If he takes it in the morning, this peak happens right before lunch, when he is awake, and the total dose peters out while he sleeps so a severe night low is pretty much impossible. I used to have occasional very severe night lows, and when I started taking Lantus and Humalog/Novalog, I tried taking the Lantus in the morning at the recommendation of an excellent endo. It solved the problem for me.

Even if he tests before he goes to bed, a lot can change in the 8 hours while we sleep. Going high and getting complications is a miserable alternative and it is NOT necessary. With the right timing of medication, tight control can be maintained without fear of dying in our sleep. I wish your husband the very best.