nail polish/sweet smelling urine

Nail polish/sweet smelling urine, i am having, and my skin itches crazy!! HELP! my mom wont listen to me at all...and I am my school year ended today.  really confused and tired.....nauseas all the time. eat alot pee alot. My grandpa( on my moms Side) has type 2 diabetes and so did my grandma on my dads side. yes I am obese for my age and my waist is 42 in.

[RockRose]

tiger,  once you're at camp they'll probably send you to the camp nurse and deal with this.  

I can't understand why no one in your life is taking the reins and diagnosing you.  Once you are in the custody of the camp,  it's very likely they won't sit back and watch you go through these obvious symptoms of diabetes the way your family and doctor have.

Best wishes.

[caregiver222]

The fruity urine smell is caused by the presence of ketone bodies (that is the most likely etiology). When insulin is used up the body goes to an alternative method of lowering glucose levels - that produces the ketone bodies. Excessive urination generally goes with the syndrome. Yes - you have the a presentation that is typical of diabetes - and this can be confirmed through a test called an hba1c and a fasting glucose or an insulin clamp protocol. Often dermatological problems develop with "the package" and will diminish or disappear once you get your glucose levels under control  You also have to resolve to try to lose weight and exercise. I know this is hard.  Needless to say you require an appointment wih an endochronologist and a visit to a diabetic clinic where a professional (usually an R.N., but not necessarily) will read you the riot act and arrange for you to see a nutritionist or review what are acceptable meals.  Diabetes is a disease of the endochine system. Insulin is a hormone - a polypeptide. Endochronologists are the experts in this area, and I advise you so have at least one consult with such a person. You will be provided with a glucose meter and for a while have to take small blood samples until everything is under control. You will in all probability be provided with a prescription for an oral medication at first - most likely Metforman - and then a decision will be made whether or not to use additional oral meds or put you on insulin, generally Lantus for starters (a slow-acting 24 hour insulin). It is essential you get your blood sugars down to normal levels because the complications include blindness, kidney failure, and amputation of the extremeities. If you follow your physician's instructions the deisease may go into remission, but diabetes is usually a life-time problem. Medhelp has a diabetic section and Waverider and several others there have extensive experience in this area and will be happy to send you a private message if you contact them. Make an appointment with a physician to get a full evaluation of your status a top priority!

[FurballsMom]

I agree, and I am on your side.  The above comment is a great one.  Plus, good on you for continuing to reach out.  You're right and I know you are.

[Wenchpie]

Sweetie you need to see a Dr as soon as possible, the symptoms you are describing could possibly be symptoms of diabetes, it could be something else, either way you deserve to have your mind put at rest and to have treatment for any health condition.  The longer diabetes is left undiagnosed and untreated the worse the effect on your health.  If your mom refuses to take you can you make an appointment by yourself?  Good luck.

[tiger44]

my mom is going to pick up a container from the doc tomorrow so  we can take the sample to them.....should i send in my letter i wrote to my doc when we take in the sample?

[FurballsMom]

I would.  That sounds like a wise thing to do.  Your doctor will get to hear what you have to say from your own words.  I think that's a very good idea.

[caregiver222]

A single urine sample is not sufficient to make a diagnosis. You have a difficult time. You need to have a person-to-person meeting with the physician. As much as your mom cares for you it is inappropriate for her to act as a "go-between". The doctor needs to hear your "Chief Complaints" in your own words.

[FurballsMom]

I agree with caregiver222.  I think with your mother acting so much as a "go-between" that this is interfering with the care you clearly need from the doctor.  You really do need to see the doctor person-to-person.  However, just getting to the point where you can see the doctor, so you can have this discussion seems to be proving very difficult.  Your written note to your doctor can really only serve as a starting point to get you to the point of being able to see the doctor in person.  I definitely agree with caregiver222 that the "go between" stuff is inappropriate.

[tiger44]

even my doctor wont believe me!!!!!!ugh!!  she said that my urine looks fine...but she did a 24 hour thing and she hasn't called back.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
As Caregiver has explained strong fruity odor is due to uncontrolled diabetes. This can aggravate skin problems.
The other possibility is polycystic ovary in your case—obesity, impaired insulin function—resulting in diabetes etc are the after affects of it.
Talk to some one who is older to you—maybe school nurse or someone who can in turn talk to your parents. Take care!

[tiger44]

does dehindration cause tingling in the hands and back? and does it cause itchy breasts?

[tiger44]

I am getting weaker and weaker every day....there is no infection. releasing a lot of urine when I go, and i haven't been drinking very much water, but i am always very thirsty.

[tiger44]

I am getting weaker and weaker every day....there is no infection. releasing a lot of urine when I go, and i haven't been drinking very much water, but i am always very thirsty.

[tiger44]

I am getting weaker and weaker every day....there is no infection. releasing a lot of urine when I go, and i haven't been drinking very much water, but i am always very thirsty.

[FurballsMom]

That does sound like diabetes.  Find an adult who will listen to you and maybe even take you to the ER.  What I am concerned with is that you will have some kind of diabetic emergency worse than what you are feeling now, just because no one is listening to a 14 year old kid.  Your instincts are correct.  If you feel worse tomorrow, go ahead and call 911 if you have to.  Tell them you keep feeling weaker and weaker.  Then, when you are in the ER, tell them about all your other symptoms.

I understand you are scared, but I am more concerned that you could end up in a diabetic coma or that you could end up with diabetic ketoacidosis.  Both of these things can kill you.  You go ahead and call 911 and let the medics deal with your mother if she wants to start yelling at you.  The consequences of not taking care of this are too great and are worse than a tongue lashing by a mother who isn't listening to you.

[tiger44]

my adult friend is picking me up at five for my conformation rehersal. and i am home alone! and i am super tired. I will talk to my adult friend.

[tiger44]

im home now and i didn't talk to my adult friend....my dad is home......................but i cant flippin stand him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FurballsMom]

Keep trying to talk with an adult friend who will listen to you.

[tiger44]

thanks. ill try harder.

[tiger44]

for about a week my urine didn't  smell like anything...but now it smells sweet again! and it is a little darker. I know its not from something i ate or drank. My energy came back. but i am still going to the bathroom a lot. I still drink a lot....some water but mostly that 23 oz cans of AriZona green tea. I drink 2 of those a day. and  Power aid. I am trying to talk to some one will listen to me! But being a teen is hard! I am wondering if I should wait till i get to camp...??

[FurballsMom]

This really needs to be addressed.  I very much agree with how hard it is to be a teen, especially when the people who should be listening aren't listening.  Diabetes is a disease that very much needs to be controlled first by diet and exercise.  You may or may not need insulin, but if you can get a control of type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise before getting to the point of needing insulin, you will be way ahead of the game.  The thing of it is, you're very young and you need proper nutritional guidance in order to get control of the blood sugar levels.  The fact that you went a week without smelling the fruity smell in the urine doesn't negate the urgency of getting proper medical attention for what seems like a case of uncontrolled diabetes, as both the doctor and one other member have also stated.  Bottled and canned drinks have quite a bit of sugar in them.  So do milkshakes.  The thing of it is, though, sugar isn't the only thing that becomes sugar in the blood stream.  It seems like no one has addressed this critical information with you.  This is why diabetic nutritional counseling is critically important for you.  Getting a handle on this now will greatly improve the rest of your life on into adulthood.  

I don't know if waiting 'til you go to camp is the best idea or not.  It could be helpful if it's the only option, but getting control of your blood sugar is critical sooner rather than later.  Getting information on the right amounts of fats, sugar and carbohydrates is all very important for a diabetic or anyone trying to avoid type 2 diabetes.  Green vegetables and lean proteins are very important for helping to control appetite and for helping to regulate your blood sugar.

I would substitute healthy herbal teas without sweetening them for the canned and bottled beverages.  Don't use medicinal herbal teas, just the ones meant to be regular beverages.  The Arizona tea has quite a bit of sugar.  So does Power Aid.  There are many forms of sugar manufacturers use that can be deceptive if you don't know these words.  The worst form of sugar they use that's in most of the canned and bottled beverages is called High Fructose Corn Syrup.  The last thing you need right now is fructose.  The corn syrup tends to trick your brain into never feeling satiated.  It also makes you pack on the pounds.  There are many other forms of sugar made from corn, too.  Basically, anything on a label that ends with "ose" is a form of sugar.  Also, the maltodextrin, dextrin and other similar words are other types of corn sweeteners.  The thing with the Arizona Tea, or Snapple, or other brands is that it's the things added to the tea that make it bad for you.  It's deceptive advertising.  Tea is healthy, but these teas are not healthy with all the additives and sugar that are in them.  Do stay away from coffee, too, because coffee has enough caffeine in it to spike your blood sugar, then send it crashing.  No, that crash won't help diabetes.  It only hurts diabetics.  Keep in mind that three cups of black or green tea has the same amount of caffeine as one cup of coffee.  Tea is the better choice, just not the bottled and canned stuff.  The better choice is tea you brew yourself.

Something I believe you would actually enjoy as an iced tea substitute is sun tea made from dried hibiscus flowers.  For now, please don't sweeten it.  It sounds very much like your blood sugar is all over the map and has been rather high.  If you absolutely can't stand it unsweetened, the safest sweetener is stevia.  Stevia is an actual herb that does have the sweetness without the actual sugar and is not a chemical sweetener.  You aren't likely to be able to find it now, but when you have more choices in your life, you can find real stevia leaves at places that sell a lot of medicinal herbs in bulk.  This is actually the safest way to have stevia.  However, as this is not too likely for you at this point in your life, the white stevia powder that is now available in many grocery store chains is a safe choice without the scary chemicals.

You may hear a nutritionist say that artificial sweeteners are okay, or you may have heard some say this is okay for a diabetic.  Well, yes, and, no.  First, artificial sweeteners adds a lot of chemicals you shouldn't be adding to your body.  Second, artificial sweeteners trick your brain.  They are many times sweeter than real sugar.  Your brain recognizes the sweet, but it is looking for the calories to go with that sweet.  So, you end up with worse cravings than what you had to begin with that don't stop 'til the brain gets what it wants.  So, artificial sweeteners are actually a diet sabotager.

The other big deal is carbohydrates.  Potatoes are really not good for anyone, but they are especially bad for diabetics.  So, for now, potatoes are out.  Leave the white rice alone, because it's nothing but carbohydrate and has no fiber left on it that helps to control the appetite and the blood sugar.  Right now, aim for WHOLE grains.  No white bread, no pasta and no white rice.  Essentially, the same problem that potatoes pose for diabetics.  These foods are only empty calories that turn into sugar in the blood stream.  Go easy on carrots.  They are healthy, but they are high glycemic for diabetics.

Whole grain choices are whole grain rices (brown, red and black), whole wheat, whole grain oats, rye, barley, quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), amaranth, millet (It's available in bulk foods without the hulls for human consumption), buckwheat and kasha (toasted buckwheat), spelt and kamut.  I mentioned this, so you would realize that there are healthy food choices that taste good, so you're not stuck with just brown rice.

Things you can eat as much as you want are green leafy vegetables and things like broccoli.  You can also eat all the celery you want.  This does not mean drowning the vegetables in ranch dressing.  A better choice would be oil and vinegar.  The best way to do this is to measure out the olive oil in the bottom of the large salad bowl with a splash of apple cider vinegar, then place the lettuce and greens in the large salad bowl and use the salad tongs to gently but thoroughly "dress" the salad in order to coat the salad vegetables.  This gives you more control over accidentally using too much fat in the diet.  Then, you can still enjoy all the green vegetables you wish to have.  This is great for fiber and will help fill you up.  Extra virgin olive oil is best when using a raw salad oil, because raw extra virgin olive oil has heart and brain healthy omega 3 fatty acids.  It is also very good for all ages of people to eat in healthy amounts.  You have to have SOME fat in the diet.

I realize you may not be able to implement all of these suggestions, especially when you are still a kid and don't have full autonomy over your life and choices in your life.  After all, that seems to be why you're reaching out for help here, since no one at home is listening to you.  I remember not being listened to or heard.  It was a different reason, but it was just as important.  I know how it is when the adults brush you off and assume it's just typical teenage angst.  What you're talking about is not typical teenage angst.  Neither was what I was dealing with.  I know how lousy it is that the people who should be listening to you arent listening to you and give you the brush off just because you're a young teenager.

I gave you some dietary advice that I know is useful for all people, not just diabetics.  It is really important, because you need to get some control over this the best you can.  Especially if you're thinking that the camp counselors are more likely to hear you and you have to wait a while before you go off to camp.

[tiger44]

I don't leave for camp untile June 25 or the June 26.

[RockRose]

tiger,  once you're at camp they'll probably send you to the camp nurse and deal with this.  

I can't understand why no one in your life is taking the reins and diagnosing you.  Once you are in the custody of the camp,  it's very likely they won't sit back and watch you go through these obvious symptoms of diabetes the way your family and doctor have.

Best wishes.

[tiger44]

  Thank you and I will just stop posting and get back to living my life as is. And once i get to camp I will talk to them and tell them about what i have been going through. Thank you once again. In just a few I will delete my acount. and never come back to this site unless i have another serious question.

[FurballsMom]

Take care.  I hope you can implement a few of my suggestions.  My main concern was just keeping you from having a serious diabetic emergency before you will be able to get medical attention at camp.  Especially seeing as you said this wouldn't be for yet another month.  I don't expect you to do all of it, but a handful of those suggestions should help you out a little bit.  I'm with everyone else here, in that I don't understand why no one has been taking this seriously yet.  If I had a kid your age with these symptoms, I would definitely take this kind of thing seriously.  You are wise for being aware of what is going on with your health and trying to reach out.  I'm glad someone else thinks your idea of holding on 'til you get to camp is a good idea, too.

[tiger44]

Can you get glucometer with out insurance and with out a perscripttion?? And should i get one?

[FurballsMom]

If you can afford it, I believe you can get one without insurance and prescription, but the other big deal is understanding how to use it.  It wouldn't be bad to monitor what your glucose is doing for the next month, so that's not the issue.  There's nothing wrong with monitoring the blood sugar, but I do think affordability might be a big factor for you, especially since you likely don't have access to a lot of money at your age.  All the money you have at your age now has likely been given to you but is not a lot.

But, understanding which times you need to test and how to test are a big deal, too.  You will certainly understand this better once someone gets you started on proper care and monitoring.

In the beginning, once someone finally gets you started, too, there are free diabetic education classes people can go to, which are really good when just getting started.  They help people understand things like the right kinds of foods they should be eating to keep their blood sugar levels under control.  I don't know if they have education on how to use the different glucometers, since I have never been to such classes, but I do know those free classes do help people understand proper diet for diabetics.  I'm not sure where the classes are held, but many things of this nature are held at conference rooms inside a hospital or building that is on the main hospital campus.  They are like free seminars.  Sometimes they are required, too.  I know they are beneficial to people who really want to get control over diabetes before it ruins their lives, who want to follow the recommendations.  Controlled diabetes is a whole lot better to your quality of life.  Proper eating and nutrition really helps.

Also, sometimes people with diabetes only need to monitor their glucose levels but they don't necessarily have to take insulin.  Many can learn to control it through diet and exercise.  This is very good news for a young lady such as yourself.

[tiger44]

I can afford it. I talked to my mom again and she totally understands and believes me now! we haven't talked since, but I think she's gonna make an appointment for me to see my doctor.

[FurballsMom]

Wonderful news indeed!  I do think the sooner you can get some control over this, the better off you'll be.  I also believe a glucometer is a wise idea, even for people without an official diagnosis of diabetes but who still have a valid reason to monitor the blood sugar.  It definitely doesn't hurt to monitor glucose levels.  It won't harm you to know what is happening with your blood glucose levels.

[tiger44]

thank you. I will talk with my mom about getting one.

[tiger44]

my mom talked to my doctor and said that i should start a diabetic diet. should i still get the meter???

[FurballsMom]

I'm not sure if it's something you absolutely have to get, but I think it could help when first starting out with these dietary changes.  Don't expect immediate changes, but you should start feeling better after doing these dietary changes. You will later want to implement a little bit of light exercise.  But, don't start doing anything more than a walk in the neighborhood until you've talked to your doctor.  People who haven't been doing a lot of exercise should never start doing heavy exercise.  You have to do things slowly.  Oddly enough, you will still lose a bit of weight even if you don't get your heart rate up there if you haven't been doing a lot of exercise and your body isn't used to it.

I still don't think it would hurt to get the meter, but you might not have to get it right away.  You will have to learn to use it properly, and you will have to learn the correct times to test your blood sugar levels.  So, you might want to wait until you know someone will teach you the right times to test and how to use the meter.

[tiger44]

My mom and my doc. thinks that it's all in my head and its not real! I am so upset! well i'll wait till i get to camp and talk to them.

[tiger44]

I the meter and the reading was 15,
.

[RockRose]

Hi Tiger.

What does the instruction sheet say about the reading range?  I'm surprised to hear a reading like "15" - i was expecting a reading like what you get in the doctor's office.  100 is about average,  80 is pretty low,  150 is pretty high, etc.

Is your meter on a different scale than that?

[tiger44]

I'm sorry i ment 151...not 15. oops i miss typed it. I thought i had typed 151 but i forgot  the one wich made it 15!

[FurballsMom]

Yes, the best range for your glucose should be between 80-100.  So, 150 is pretty high.  Keep a diary of your readings and at what times of the day you're taking the readings, and whether it is before or after you eat.  You should take a reading before you eat and after you eat, so you can compare.