Yup another hypo. Normally they allow to to sign a release form but this time being I couldn't answer some rather simple questions do to being buzzy they insisted I go to the hospital. I told them it was 100% my sugar and because I couldn't think clearly to answer they made me go. I told them I didn't have insurance and they said I could actually sign a release form when I arrived but after the Doc came in and was still groggy from the glucose low and afterward spike he said they needed to run some tests to be safe before releasing me. Now I am going to assume this bill will be in the thousands of dollars despite all they did was test a few things,,, EKG, blood cell count, blood pressure, kidney function. I am beyond livid that I will be responsible to pay this when I knew it was my sugar. The ER doctor was very nice and I explained to him my problem with my sugar levels. He said he's never heard of a level of 185 which was where my sugar was impairing anyones thought process so to be safe insisted to run further tests. This is the icing on the cake, If someone doesn't figure out how, why and find a solution to the nasty symptoms I experience of sugars post 100 feeling much higher then that I don't see myself being around much longer. Had my mom again not heard me fall I would have been a goner.
Yikes Gary! I'm sorry to hear about that! I was able to elude the hospital last time but the paramedics found an "off" EKG and I had a bunch of tests, stopping only when I asked the endo "is it possible that the arrhythmia was because I was zonked out of my gourd on insulin?" and she said "well...maybe, I'd still go see the cardiologist though..." which I blew off. To get out of the ER at 185 is pretty good though, they like to run me up to 250-300 most of the time?
I was actually 210 when I walked out the door and on top of that he is insisting that a 180 is perfectly normal just being slightly high and I should have no confusion what so ever at that level. He asked me what year it was and I drew a blank. He also asked my who was president and after about 30 sec I said Obama. I obviously wasn't clear but I find it completely unfair knowing I have no insurance to kind of force me to stay. I will try to negotiate the bill but depending on how much it is it could still be a huge amount even with a discount. I am in the position to pay it but I am extremely aggravated. The real problem still lies in my glucose sensitivity. I had another reading of 116 last night about 2hrs past my meal and shot and felt much higher. I ended up correcting with two units and went down to 50 but overall was much more comfortable. Ironically when the paramedics came their meter read 51 and I was unconscious. My guess is was was probably lower then that. I generally have no problem functioning with levels in the mid 50's. Also when I left the office I was 210 and really didn't feel that bad. From my experice what the paramedics use to raise my sugar doesn't seem to make me near as bothered as when I eat and my sugar rises. That in itself is very strange.
I would not admit that you are in a position to pay it. I don't recall which state you are in but, if you don't have insurance, you should "punt" and tell the billing department that you don't any money and make them a conservative offer, maybe like 1/3 of the bill, tell them you'd have refused most of the tests. Sometimes (e.g. Medicare...) most of what they cover is the "doctor's bill" rather than all the other crap. That would probably be less than a third of it and might also be a good place to start. If you put some money on the table, you might be able to get out for quite a bit less than the whole thing as, if will probably cost them a couple of thousand bucks to sue you to "force" you to pay a bill that wouldn't be a whole lot more than that? Hospital billing is wierd but I suspect you could reduce your bill if you 1) act tough 2) act destitute and 3) act CRAZY!! heh heh heh...
I already spoke to a friend of my moms who used to work for humana. She said uninsured hospital claims are usually negotiable but again depending on how much the bill is would be critical. If my hospital stay was say $2k and I have to pay like $1200 to $1400 that is reasonable but if I get a bill for like $10k which I find out of control for what they did its still going to be a lot of money.
Based on past experience, these bills are negotiable. Most hospitals write off a significant amount of "uncompensated care" for folks who are either uninsured or underinsured. Talk to the billing department when you receive the bill.
Have you been able to get in your states high-risk pool for the uninsured? Please look into that or Medicaid. The eligibility requirements vary and some states have options for coverage. You may qualify for something.
Gary I feel awful if my bloodsugar is below 100 or above 140 and I asked my PCP why this is as fluctuating bloodsugars did not always bother me, now I can barely function or think. She stated that the longer we have diabetes and trying to obtain good bloodsugar readings the more our body rebels against anything but normal readings. I know it sucks as I am miserable after consuming any food and my bloodsugars fluctuate. More and more I am realizing less is best when it comes to carbs/insulin consumption. Also since my head injury I am very dizzy, so now I don't know if it post concussion or bloodsugars, I am a crazy mess.
Did they give you glucagon? I know many people get nauseous with glucagon. Do you think it's possible you have some sort of food allergy or sensitivity? Just throwing that out there. Since you seem to have issues when your BG goes higher (presumably after you eat) is it maybe something in the food you're eating that makes you feel bad and not your BG?
The problem is I have a decent amount of cash in investments and in my bank account because I live with my folks. I can't cry poverty just yet but It took many many years of hard work with living very cautiously to save the money I have and certainly I would be devastated using it for medical expenses. The cost of living is so expensive in general and without my savings after a few years I'd be broke.
The last couple of times I "checked out" I was fortunate enough to get IV dextrose, I dunno if that's an "across the board" new thing or if I got lucky but I was pleased w/ the results and didn't have the pounding headaches I recalled from glucagon?
Karen,
I just don't know If I buy that. True our bodies can never get used to any level because we are constantly fluctuating but most of the forum members here and other diabetics I've spoken to are not dealing with what me and you are. I don't know what kind of symptoms you get but are extremely destructive to my overall physical and emotional well being. From my experience I seem to feel the best by far at 80=90 range although I am getting more and more used to being even lower. If I am still around in the next few years I have no choice but to demand to get into some human trial that may effectively combat this condition. It's my life we are talking about and my problem to me is just as serious as someone with hypo unawareness and even secondary complications. Today I was somewhat not released in the hospital before treatment because I was kind of lathergic going from probably under 50 to 185 but the physician insisted that a 185 sugar is only slightly high and I should have no side effects to effect my thinking clearly. As nice as he was he had no right to insist that when I go through this crap on a regualar basis. I guess I could have insisted dismisal but I just didn't think they would have let me go. Now I am going to incur a possible ridiculous bill.
I had a very bad low a few nights ago and I have spent alot of time in the Er from lows but about 3 years ago (or more) my dr started prescribing me the gluagon kits to take if I ever fell low or started to seize from low bs's. My dr & I agreedthat since I had had D for so long that I would know whart to do with them and he gave my hubby & kids a quick lesson in how to use them. Cut waaaaay down on the Er visits.
Gary,
I get it and it sucks especially when medical professionals don't understand. I feel awful as my bloodsugars fluctuate and I don't think there is an answer except for not eating or moving. I hate it as well, as I also suffer from hypo unawareness. I test and correct a lot and it is maddening, but we don't have a lot of options, even though just today my sister said why don't you see someone else for your diabetes, oy vey. I have been through a lot of endos and they don't get this disease either. I think a lot of our issue too Gary is our reactions to how we feel, but that is not an easy fix either as the low bloodsugars make me very emotional and the highs exhaust me and make me crabby. If the insulin we took fixed the issue immediately I think we could be in a better place emotionally and physically
true, an ER doc is not going to know too much about blood sugars, they typically see (in the ER) folks presenting with extremely high blood sugars so 180 to them won't seem high and none of them know, unless they have this stupid disease, what it 'feels' like. I'm sorry to hear Karen and Gary, you're both feeling badly. There is a huge emotional component to this too. Sometimes an antidepressant can help with some of this stuff.
...or extremely low blood sugars?
Ive seen these only in one guy i knew,his a type 1 diabetic and experiances hypo-symptoms when he goes under 200 and collapses at 100,this is an extremly rare type(like 1:10000 type 1 diabetics).I dont think it even has a medical name for it.Gary what kind of symptoms do you get exatly between 100-200?
I think that this discussion is not active,,toomanyneedles.
Correct me if I am wrong, admnistrators, but I believe that the OP, Gary, is no longer a member of Tudiabetes.
God Bless
Brunetta
Yes, unfortunately, Gary is no longer a member of our community.
Was that by choice, Brian? (If you are free to answer that question)
When members leave, it is a private matter and we do not speak or speculate on the reasons. Personally, I consider all those who have left to still be a part of our community.