Oral Glucose without taking a BGL

[musicislife]

For some reason, they taught me in my first responder class to administer oral glucose but didn't teach us about taking a blood glucose level. That being said, when should I administer it without a confirmed level? Are there any key signs to hypoglycemia?

ignore this, my question has been answered

[Chief1C]

I can tell you, as a diabetic myself, that oral glucose doesn't contain enough of a powerful punch to do much harm...whether they need it or not. If they're profoundly hypoglycemic, oral glucose isn't going to be enough to do the trick. If they're hyperglycemic, it won't kill them.

[DwayneEMTP]

...ignore this, my question has been answered

Hey, can I ask how your question was answered?

Not a trick question, or trying to set you up for anything, I swear. I'm just curious if someone answered in PM, and if so, why they cheated the rest of the group out of the answer?

Curiosity only.

Good to have you here my friend..

Dwayne

[craig]

probably read his protocol book Dwayne...................

[Just Plain Ruff]

I as a diabetic as well, agree that instaglucose won't do much to cause harm.

AS a matter of fact, over all this hullaballoo this past couple of days I had a round of a low sugar. Now my lows are in the 70s and the only thiing I had on hand was a tube of instaglucose. I was in my car.

I was feeling funny, not like before with a low, so I pulled over, yanked out my kit that has all my diabetic testing stuff, insulin and all that and I tested my sugar. it was 73. I opened the tube of instaglucose and emptied it. Damn that stuff tasted nasty.

I waited 10 minutes before calling 911 which I didn't have to. My sugar jumped to 185 and I was able to drive 5 miles to the next exit and get to the mcdonalds and have lunch which is why I was low because I didn't get a chance to have lunch yet.

This was my first experience with having a low that affected me like this.

So I don't think that giving instaglucose without a blood sugar reading will really do much damage at all. I think that if they are profoundly hypoglycemic that they would not be eligible for that anyway, they should be unconscious.

And before anyone jumps on me, Had I have felt worse than I did, I would have called 911 before I took the instaglucose.

[paramedicmike]

I believe someone mentioned he got his answer while in chat.

[Arctickat]

I believe someone mentioned he got his answer while in chat.

Which is why I wonder why he even bothered to complete the post and start this thread in the first place. It wasn't edited after the fact to let us know he got his answer which means he posted this thread after he'd already gotten his answer in the first place.

Just like it shows below.

Edited May 23, 2012 by Arctickat