If their census is low they may opt to keep patients that may not really need to stay longer.
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Just a quick FYI to hospital stays. They are looking into clinical trials using CGMs in hospitals for people with diabetes. Just think how much easier that one would be for all medical professionals having to trained on using them for inpatient use. No more questions! And I would hope everyone would have access to the device, whether tests or surgery or whatever has us admitted to the hospital.
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I seriously doubt that would occur at all hospitals and cover all nurses and doctors!
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When I was in DKA and vacationed in the ICU, they had me on an insulin drip which was far more effective in controlling my blood sugars. When I wanted to restart my pump, I had to sign a document saying I was now in control. I agreed with their process and procedures as it makes total sense. Obviously the hospital wants to know, if not manage, everything that goes in your body and has a certain liability there.
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Interesting. Where the heck was that? If you dont mind me asking. IV insulin pretty cool.
Intensive care unit at the hospital. I had a bad infusion site and it all went sideways on me in a hurry.
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If the hospital provides a pump while you are a patient who would control it. Isnât that the biggest fear, giving up control of your insulin.
The hospital I HAVE to use (HMO) requires that I âsurrenderâ ,y pump, CGM and meter! So, I am never gonna be admitted there if I have any control over the situation. And that policy was written by their Endo dept. The typical 4 fingersticks a day donât cut it with me. Pre-CGM I was 10-15 fingersticks a day, aggressively micro-managing by T1D. I also have to add that I have noticed that the Endo dept has a very low opinion of patients and our capabilities. One time they handed me a policy statement implying they cold take my pump from me if I didnât follow their rules (they prefer an A1C of 7.5 at the time!) I told them no they couldnât - they could call Tandem and see that I paid out of pocket for my pump. It was mine.
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Artwoman, that is just horrible. I hope that you never have to go there.
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I could go on for pagers! I try very hard to have labs in the âI donât have any medical issuesâ range. T1D kinda suits me, I am anal retentive, detail oriented, math comes easy and as a former ballet dancer - very disciplined. My A1Câs are in the 5.4-5.7 range. I tell you this - not to boast - but to lay the setting. One Endo (endork) said it was ââŚimpossible for someone like you (referring to me) to have such good labsâŚâ I was floored. I told him I would bring my MENSA card to the next appt (I donât have one, but my mother did, I would borrow it). Of course there was no next appt. Fortunately I had the print outs from my Dexcom. He refused to believe my A1C wasnât an average of extreme lows and extreme highs. Since the HMO didnât cover CGM, I paid out of pocket (thank goodness) that print out took the wind out of his sails.
This same Endo took my pump - to download the data - returned it to me. I couldnât get below a bg of 150 for a couple days. Did the usual changed site etc. I checked the settings. He had changed them! Needless to say I never went to see him again. Since I had to use this particular Endo practice, he glowered at me if he saw me.
I do have good Rx coverage, so I just nod and go about doing things my way. I have finally gotten them to agree to a phone appt once a year to keep my pump and CGM Rx current. That makes sense to me. I am doing well, I donât need to spend the time for a 10 minute in office appt (it takes 2 hours to go to the appt, wait etc) If more people like me could have an annual appt the time wasted on us could then e given to people with issues or newly Dxâd - a better use of health care resources.
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ah, I see I wasnât the only patient to have an endo from hell. Yours sounds far worse though. My fingers would wear out before I could type out all the stories. Glad u no longer go to him.
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They have my medical history and know that I was born with poor kidney function. And when I reminded him of my motivation to have non-D labs, his response? ââŚdialysis isnât that badâ. I really wanted to ask him to show me his shunt!
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How awful that he would say that!
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He soon retired, I donât know if he was tired of it all or he finally realized he chose the wrong career.
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One of my worst endos switched to a different medical specialty long after I left him. His temperament was infectiously depressing.
Based on my experience and what I have read online, hospital issues occur more often than not â even really bad issues.
In my first bad experience, I was in really bad pain but still able to insist they not remove my pump. I had to bluntly remind them that I could legally deny any medical treatment, and I was in no uncertain terms denying any treatment that constituted removal of my pump. I assured them the basal rates on my pump were very good, and letting it do its thing in the background was in the best interest of my health.
I even got in trouble once for treating a BG of 55 myself in the emergency room. I told them I had bolusâd but had vomited my food, so would be going real low real soon. They soon measured by BG at 58, but did nothing about it but offer me a cracker! Fortunately, my wife was present and had stashed a can of pop in her purse!
I has always wondered why my BG was so high after surgery. I have since learned they put glucose in the IV, despite my assurance by basal rate is fine and that I have purposefully prepared for surgery with a slightly elevated BG level.
So, my practice now is that I inform them about my T1D and how it needs to be managed. If there is any push back (many times there is not), I then more aggressively demand that my BG management will be on my terms.
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In my experience, itâs up to your assigned doctor. If they feel comfortable with it, they leave it to you. Oterwise they can try to match the equivalent lantus/bolus but risk hypoglycemic events as it canât meet the same customized delivery. Majority of time they wonât. But that isnât to say that they wont want to stop it for various reasons.
3 years ago in hospital for a heart bi-pass my pump was taken away and I nearly died. They put me on the old style insulin by injection. They lost control of my blood glucose. I went to over 550 and endo wrote in his notes what to do but not on the nurses orders. Endo said my internal organs were shocked. I was put on a ventilator and they couldnât get off for 5 days. Doctors didnât know what to do. My wife called people for prayer. The next day when she came in I was sitting up eating breakfast. I wonât let them take my pump away again.
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That is just a horrible and scary story Dave. It just doesnât seem right that you had to go through that. I am so glad that you made it.
I have had that mess up with doctors not writing stuff down for nurses and it makes me angry. My issues are fairly trivial too. I donât like that they have taken my insulin this time. I had said I would never let that happen.
Was that in the US?