I didn’t know that, perhaps I should look up the rules in my country.
I wish there were smaller pens on the market. Most of the time I’m alone, so I want to be able to treat myself safely before I’m unconscious.
2 Likes
Another thing about this - paramedics will generally use IV dextrose instead of glucagon, because they don’t know what your liver has left to give!
1 Like
This is also the advice given by our Pediatric Endocrinologist. However, I believe the thinking here was that mini-doses were not going to be used but rather the entire Glucagon injection. On top of that, the entire injection would only be used when we were already in a very bad situation such that the hospital would be required not only for the resulting aftermath of the glucagon but the underlying reason we needed to administer it in the first place.
Mini-doses were definitely not part of that conversation. If we were able to get used to doing mini-doses, then based on Eric’s experience it sounds like it could potentially be used as just a normal everyday option.
2 Likes
Definitely could be used, except for the problem of eventually depleting all the liver glycogen and then it would do nothing. And the lack of stability with currently available glucagon. And the cost!
But yes, it would definitely be usable.
2 Likes
I am told, in all seriousness, that the medical staff (EMT level training) where I work are trained to administer glucose gel rectally if a patient is unconscious. They do not have and are not trained with glucagon. I was not consulted on this.
1 Like
Details … details.
lol
We would have to cross that big bridge of trying a mini-dose first.
1 Like
So glad you clarified. I looked in seven different dictionaries trying to figure out what you meant.
My parents bought glucagon once, and it was very expensive and it sat in the fridge till long after it had expired, so my dad said never (nver?) again. I bought glucagon once, and it was still very expensive and it still sat in the fridge till long after it had expired, so I too said nver again.
4 Likes
All kidding and obvious jokes aside (and there are many that come to mind), rectal glucose gel is probably the safest approach without knowing more about the patients condition.
1 Like
I hope they would at least be trained to take a fingerstick reading on a meter before jumping to any conclusions?
1 Like
The gel and tube is considered one-time use in that instance and should be discarded after use.
Thank God for that clarification !!!
3 Likes
Yeah, in fact the first fingerstick of my life was done by them…
Yeah, I suspect that following a glucagon shot, people might be at higher risk for future lows for a while if they don’t also reduce their basal doses, given that your basal is accounting for gradual liver release of glucose, which then may not be happening for a while if it is depleted. I find that if I have a longer lasting low that’s true for me anyway for that next day (which is why I suspect I do still have at least some liver responsiveness to hypos).
1 Like
I actually like that you can’t change edit the poll after there have been votes.
1 Like
I think that is likely it – the entry itself must not have had any votes.
It’s it bad enough I have already confessed to being in the minority of being a glucagon dependent, and now I am mocked for my typing.
Beacher is totally picking on me!
1 Like
What were the circumstances? Was that prior to diagnosis?
Yeah that was the day I figured it out… I wrote about it in “sam’s story”
Have you seen this post? A few details here:
expired-glucagon
I have done mini-doses of glucagon when running. It did not work! All my liver glycogen was gone. Mini-dosing is not very useful for exercise.
I also did a mini-dose a day after being fairly depleted, and it did not bring me up as much as it did on other days. I am not sure if that is in a different thread, but it is somewhere on FUD, I know for sure.
1 Like
@TiaG
Can you share your use story? If you don’t mind sharing it.
1 Like