Just curious. What does it feel like to be in a diabetic coma?

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My blood sugar is usually about 70, but I'm overweight, so I'm concerned.
Diabetic coma is a medical emergency in which a person with diabetes mellitus is comatose (unconscious) because of one of the acute complications of diabetes:

1. Severe diabetic hypoglycemia (extremely low blood sugar)

2. Diabetic ketoacidosis advanced enough to result in unconsciousness from a combination of severe hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), dehydration and shock, and exhaustion

3. Hyperosmolar nonketotic coma in which extreme hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and dehydration alone are sufficient to cause unconsciousness.

I have been in several diabetic comas. Both from too low and too high (Diabetic ketoacidosis). The most severe happened several years ago. I was awake, (but disoriented) when my husband got home, but fell into a deep coma on the way to the hospital. I had been vomiting earlier in the day and felt weak as well. I was out completely (literally unconscious) for about 2-3 days. In my experience, I did not experience any pain. When I came out of the coma, I did not know how much time had passed and didn't remember anything from that time. I guess I can equate it to being simply asleep, but without dreams or any kind of awareness.

Sometimes diabetic comas can come on quickly and other times you may have warning signs. It affects the body chemistry (electrolytes) and sometimes it seriously affects major organs. It is also possible to die from a diabetic coma.  (+ info)

How low and how high does a diabetic's blood sugar have to be before going into a coma?

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It differs on the person, as well as how quickly their BG is dropping. Under 65 is low, under 50 is seriously low, under 40 is in danger of losing consciousness at any time.  (+ info)

What complications can arise during Diabetic coma?

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Some of ye mite have answered my question a few days ago..
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmX.6DRqNCTqCf3AdopSehggBgx.;_ylv=3?qid=20090404164144AA6pWj7

And what Im trying to find out now is what complications can arise while someone is in diabetic coma such as heart problems etc.?
Diabetic coma is a medical emergency in which a person with diabetes mellitus is comatose (unconscious) because of one of the acute complications of diabetes:

Severe diabetic hypoglycemia
Diabetic ketoacidosis advanced enough to result in unconsciousness from a combination of severe hyperglycemia, dehydration and shock, and exhaustion
Hyperosmolar nonketotic coma in which extreme hyperglycemia and dehydration alone are sufficient to cause unconsciousness.
In most medical contexts, the term diabetic coma refers to the diagnostical dilemma posed when a physician is confronted with an unconscious patient about whom nothing is known except that he has diabetes. An example might be a physician working in an emergency department who receives an unconscious patient wearing a medical identification tag saying DIABETIC. Paramedics may be called to rescue an unconscious person by friends who identify him as diabetic. Brief descriptions of the three major conditions are followed by a discussion of the diagnostic process used to distinguish among them, as well as a few other conditions which must be considered.

An estimated 2 to 15 percent of diabetics will suffer from at least one episode of diabetic coma in their lifetimes as a result of severe hypoglycemia  (+ info)

What is a Diabetic Coma like?

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Is a diabetic coma like a regular coma? Does it look like they just passed out?
The loss of consciousness occurs the same way. This is why the person needs to be taken to the emergency department so the doctors can determine the cause of the coma. Coma can be due to hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia and many other causes including electrolyte abnormalities, drug overdose, brain trauma and more.  (+ info)

I recently had a friend pass away form a diabetic coma. What is it and would the person suffer?

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I am very sorry for your loss. It's never easy to lose someone you care about. Your friend did not suffer, and I hope that does bring some comfort to you.

I had a coworker who once went into a diabetic coma for 2 weeks. His heart stopped once during that time. When he woke up, he had absolutely no memory whatsoever of anything that had happened during those 2 weeks. He didn't even know he had technically died. This was how he first learned he was diabetic! All he remembered was not feeling well that day, calling in sick for work, and then the rest was all blank. He simply fell to the floor and went unconcious.  (+ info)

How does one enter a diabetic coma? ?

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Is it from eating too much sugar, or not enough? What happens in each of these scenarios?
A true diabetic coma is caused by blood sugars too high -- really, really high! And it take a long time - like several days, maybe a couple of weeks, of really high blood sugar.

But you can also enter a coma from having blood sugar too low. Technically, this is a Hypoglycemic Coma, not a "diabetic" coma, but this often happens to diabetics who take their insulin but don't eat enough. It also happens to healthy teenagers (usually girls) who think they are "too fat" and so don't eat enough  (+ info)

My sugar is 571, will I go into a diabetic coma?

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Type 1 diabetic on the insulin pump. Tested my sugar and it was 571 but no ketones.
I caculated my correction bolus and took extra insulin for it so it should be going down. when I was diagnosed, it was 691 and I wasn't in a coma.
If you took the insulin to correct it, you should be fine in a few hours. I've had some high numbers due to faulty infusion sets and what not, but soon was back to normal. Keep testing to make sure it is actually going down.  (+ info)

There IS a difference b/ insulin shock & diabetic coma; one is too much insulin, one is not enough. Explain?

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It's a sorry state of affairs in the health care of this country when a fourth year medical student can't answer a basic question. I should have just asked a NURSE!
Neither one of these are the medical terms for the conditions. AND they bother me to no end.

"Insulin shock" is the pop culture reference to severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) that results in seizure or disorganized / combative actions. The treatment for this is sugar, administered by IV if the person happens to be in the hospital, or by mouth if they are still awake. OR glucagon injections can be given by non-medical bystanders if they have been shown what to do. Under no circumstances should a person who is passed out be given insulin by anyone other than a doctor who has already established that the person is NOT in "insulin shock" otherwise known as severe low blood sugar.

"Diabetic coma" is another term that irks me. it is the colloquial way to state that someone has gone into diabetic ketoacidosis, commonly referred to as DKA. This is from the person having not enough insulin in their body (and usually extremely high blood sugars as a result) The body starts releasing ketones in order to digest fat and protein for energy, because with no insulin the body is starving for fuel. Their blood becomes extremely acidic, and death can result. Insulin alone will not cure this, the person needs hospitalization to get their fluids and blood chemistry corrected.

I hope this info helps, but if you are a 4th year medical student please use the real words. Hypoglycemia and Diabetic ketoacidosis, NOT Insulin Shock and Diabetic Coma. You will be a doctor soon, and it is helpful for doctors to use the real names for things. This removes any confusion as to what you are talking about. All medical professionals should know these conditions, or at least be able to look them up in a reference book. You may need to translate for the patient and or their family, but YOU need to use the real words.  (+ info)

Need help understanding a diabetic coma?

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My mother in law, age 61 lapsed into a diabetic coma today, She is on a ventilater and has not woke up yet. My father in law spoke with the doctor, I am taking my 3 teenagers to visit tomorrow. All I know is her glucose dropped to 20 and she is dehydrated. It sounds scary to me... any information would be appreciated, as I am to emotional to research on my own right now. Thank you
If the sugar level is too high, you call it diabetic keto acidotic coma. If it is too low; i.e; below 40 or so, you call it hypoglycaemic coma, which may occur if one takes the drugs/insulin for diabetes but does not take food. If hypoglycaemia is not treated for prolonged time, permanent brain damage can also occur.Besides, in the elderly people, there can be other causes of coma also due to insufficient blood supply to parts of brain.The best solution for you is to take the help of local physician.In case of hypoglycaemic coma, you should immediately give any food available--sweets/glucose/sugar/chocolate etc or any food to raise the bllod sugar.But diabetic coma due to high blood sugar is better to be managed in a hospital or by a physician conversant with the condition.If your mother in law is in a hospital, there is nothing you can do yourself at the moment. However, stop worrying because you will not be able to manage the situation.  (+ info)

why is there more concern with insulin shock rather than diabetic coma?

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I agree with Nah Z. My daughter had a seizure when her sugar level plummeted to 27, just twenty-five minutes after I checked it and it was 113 ! But what's just as scary is that when your blood sugar is too high you have your faculties so you can help yourself. Once you're in a seizure your options have majorly diminished.  (+ info)

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