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What is causing my husband's bloat & discomfort?

Sent to Health Experts September 11 08:04 PM

He is an insulin dependent diabetic.
Has regular bowel movements.
Multiple episodes of hypoglycemia mostly in the early morning hours before dawn.

 

Optional Information:
Male, Age: 57, Alabama

Already Tried:
smaller meals

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Status:  Closed   Value: $9
Info Request
September 11 8:23 PM (18 minutes and 54 seconds later)
         

Hello,

Does your husband eat a bedtime snack?

 



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Schuyler_ANP -- Nurse -- 100% Positive Feedback on 5172 Health Accepts
Board Certified Nurse Practitioner, MS, RN. Private practice and hospitalist experience.
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September 11 11:12 PM (2 hours and 48 minutes and 59 seconds later)
         
He usually doesn't but last night I encouraged him to eat a bedtime snack to avoid the hypoglycemia. But his choice of a snack wasn't the best. He chose a small amount of no sugar added fruit cocktail and 2 chocolate & vanilla cookies. I told him that would probably cause his blood sugar to spike and then fall but did he listen to me? No he didn't. At about 4A.M. his blood sugar was 50. He then ate some glucose tablets, his blood sugar this morning at 7A.M. 250.
Annaben
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
September 12 11:24 PM (1 day later)
         
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Schuyler_ANP -- Nurse -- 100% Positive Feedback on 5172 Health Accepts
Board Certified Nurse Practitioner, MS, RN. Private practice and hospitalist experience.
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September 13 12:54 AM (1 hour and 29 minutes and 29 seconds later)
         
Relist: I still need help.
My question's subject was the bloat. What could be causing this. He now suffers loss of appetite,has had vomiting and diarrhea of which has abated at this time.
                  Annaben
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
September 13 12:04 PM (11 hours and 10 minutes and 42 seconds later)
         
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Hello,

There are many, many things that can cause the digestive problems. With your husband's history, diabetic gastroparesis would certainly have to be ruled out. Gastroparesis is slow stomach emptying. With high blood sugar the system that sends messages between the brain and the body can become damaged over time. One form this can take is slow stomach emptying which leads to bloating and other digestive problems. Any mild gastric upset or viral gastroenteritis on top of diabetes can result in worsening symptoms. Here is some more information on gastroparesis.

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gastroparesis/

http://www.healthtouch.com/bin/EContent_HT/cnoteShowLfts.asp?fname=00519&title=DIABETIC+GASTROPARESIS+&cid=HTHLTH

 



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Schuyler_ANP -- Nurse -- 100% Positive Feedback on 5172 Health Accepts
Board Certified Nurse Practitioner, MS, RN. Private practice and hospitalist experience.
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September 28 4:22 PM (15 days and 4 hours later)
         
Thank you for your answer. Right after I received the first answer and sent the "more info needed" I experienced an email "BLACK OUT". Until today I couldn't get any emails or view them or anything, I thought I had lost my $9.00. As it turns out I had already determined that it was not Gastroparesis as I am an LPN but on the 17th of Sept. my husband woke up and couldn't breathe. I took him to the Dr. first because he wouldn't go to the ER but we still had to go the ER and we found out he was dropping protien in his urine. Since then, he has been to a Nephrologist, he (my husband) is in kidney failure and may have 3 yrs. before kidney dialysis. The Dr. gave him a diuretic, encouraged him to watch his fluid intake at night after the evening meal and continue to get his A1c down even further than his 7.8 A1c is now. Again Thank you, annaben
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
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