|
[ Diabetes Archive ] [ Main Archives Page ] [ Glossary/Index ] [ FAQ ] [ Recommended Books ] [ Bulletin Board ] |
Search this site! | |
walt
my husband has profuse sweating and has an odor of alcohol. Can this be a symptom of diabetes? His mother and sister are diabetics.
In Reply to: diabetes and alcohol odor posted by susan miller on May 03, 2001 at 09:47:39:
Hi - Do you mean the odor of alcohol as in liquor? Their breath, if the diabetes in not controlled, has an odd, fruity-like smell, which perhaps could be mistaken for alcohol. But I have never heard of a diabetics sweat smelling like alcohol. Certainly, if he has family members who have diabetes he should have his blood sugar checked everytime he has a checkup, and definitely now to rule it out. My son has had diabetes since he was a child, and I do not recall ever thinking he smelled of alcohol, although that doesn't mean he didn't. What I am saying is that your husband should have his blood sugar tested as quickly as possible because if it is diabetes he could go into a coma, and that would be very sad when it could have been prevented by acting now. Good luck!
In Reply to: Re: diabetes and alcohol odor posted by Raisa on May 03, 2001 at 12:01:44:
thanks for the info. Yes, I was talking about alcohol as in liquor. His breath does have a fruity smell. The reason I asked is because i have noticed this before and i know he hasn't touched alcohol in six years. Any additional info will be appreciated
In Reply to: Re: diabetes and alcohol odor posted by Raisa on May 03, 2001 at 12:01:44:
thanks for the info. Yes, I was talking about alcohol as in liquor. His breath does have a fruity smell. The reason I asked is because i have noticed this before and i know he hasn't touched alcohol in six years. Any additional info will be appreciated
In Reply to: Re: diabetes and alcohol odor posted by susan miller on May 03, 2001 at 17:35:25:
The only way to tell for sure (or almost sure) is to either test his urine or take a blood test. They have both kits at pharmacies, but, of course, he has to be willing to do it.
What does HE think? I know from experience with family members (father, sister, brother) that people with an alcohol problem hide it very, very easily, especially when they know someone doesn't approve of their drinking. This is not at all to say that your husband has gone back to drinking. But, at least if he is willing to give you a urine sample to test with Clinitest tablets (found at the pharmacy) if he is not willing to go to a doctor's office to be tested (which, of course, is better) that will be a positive indication of what is or isn't happening.
In Reply to: diabetes and alcohol odor posted by susan miller on May 03, 2001 at 09:47:39:
Hi, Susan.
Listen to Raisa, she knows what she is talking about (Thanks, Raisa!)
He cannot hide from this diagnosis just by refusing to be checked. He will eventually be so sick that they will find out at the hospital emergency room. For his breath to smell fruity this has to be pretty far advanced already.
There are plenty of stories (before breathalysers) of policemen who have thought the person was a drunk driver because his driving was so impaired AND his breath smelled like this upon being stopped--only to find out later that the impaired driver was a severe uncontrolled diabetic .
Let us know what you learn.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: diabetes and alcohol odor *(Archive.) posted by Walt Stoll on May 05, 2001 at 08:04:08:
The hsp did a blood alcohol on my husband. They said his BAC was 86.1!!! Now that I think back---it was very hot that day and he works with formaldehyde and methanol--which are absorbed thru the skin. Could this be why his level was so high? Then again I have never heard of anyone with a level that high. I do know that at .5 you are dead.
In Reply to: Re: diabetes and alcohol odor *(Archive.) posted by Walt Stoll on May 05, 2001 at 08:04:08:
The hsp did a blood alcohol on my husband. They said his BAC was 86.1!!! Now that I think back---it was very hot that day and he works with formaldehyde and methanol--which are absorbed thru the skin. Could this be why his level was so high? Then again I have never heard of anyone with a level that high. I do know that at .5 you are dead.
In Reply to: Re: diabetes and alcohol odor *(Archive.) posted by susan miller on May 20, 2001 at 10:41:22:
Hello, Susan - I'm not sure, but I don't think methy alcohol
and formaldehyde absorbed through the skin would cause a body and breath odor the same as ethyl alcohol (or fruity). Are you still wondering whether your husband has diabetes? Did they take a blood sugar reading when he was in the hospital? What did the doctor say would have caused his count to be that high? Is he still having the same symptoms? Sure is confusing, huh? Or, maybe Dr. Stoll can explain it when he answers your post. Raisa
l
In Reply to: Re: diabetes and alcohol odor *(Archive.) posted by Raisa on May 20, 2001 at 13:25:16:
Thanks for the info Raisa--at this point anything will be appreciated. The drs. said that he was inebriated. One even said that he could smell it when he entered his room--my husbands boss was there with me and we couldn't smell anything---then again we are use to the smell of the chemicals. They even searched his truck for signs of him drinking---they came up empty handed. He swears that he was not drinking--I really do believe him. We had to get a lawyer on this case. I dont want him to be charged with something that he is not quilty of. One of the drs even said that there was no iv started----that was started in the squad at the scene---and also that there was no blood on the examination finger (rectal exam)----I'm glad since he didnt do a rectal exam!!!! He also stated that both eyes were reactive to light and normal in size. I have found a lot of info on the net--I'm taking material on methanol to his surgeon and our family dr. One of the symptoms of methanol is inebriation.
In Reply to: Re: diabetes and alcohol odor *(Archive.) posted by susan miller on May 20, 2001 at 21:40:29:
Hi, Susan - I'm a little confused because you mentioned "the squad at the scene". Was he in an accident or something which caused him to go to the hospital?
Methanol is odorless, I believe. I do know how much you want to believe that he was not drinking! I went through that so many times with my sister. She would insist that she had not been drinking, thinking that no one can smell Vodka, but her body would smell like alcohol (ethyl alcohol). She would go to AA meetings, and they said she was inebriated--she would tell me this and act furious that they would say that. My father and brother were different--they were binge drinkers. My brother told my husband that he had to hide his bottles because my sister-in-law refused to let him even have one drink at home. He was a wonderful person and a good husband and father, but he had that one weakness. As I said before, Susan, this may not at all be the problem with your husband, but since he has had the problem in the past, you must consider this as a possibility, especially since the doctors at the hospital thought so. Of course you want desperately to believe your husband. Sometimes it takes others to make us see what we want so much to deny to ourselves. You didn't say whether they tested his blood for sugar. Did they? Raisa
In Reply to: Re: diabetes and alcohol odor *(Archive.) posted by susan miller on May 20, 2001 at 10:32:42:
Hi, Susan.
Yes.
Either that or their machine was broken. ANY competent technician should have caught this.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: diabetes and alcohol odor *(Archive.) posted by susan miller on May 20, 2001 at 21:40:29:
Hi, Susan - After I saw Dr. Stoll's answer to you, I looked up Methanol on the internet (should have done that in the first place!) I am wondering if you saw the article on Methanol saying that giving folic acid can help with methanol toxicity? You told them about your husband's exposure and his symptoms--did they test for methanol poisoning? It didn't sound like they did--only alcohol. Actually, they really didn't do ANYTHING to help him. You must be so worried!! Apparently, methanol poisoning can be very dangerous if not treated.
Sorry if you think I jumped to the conclusion that he was inebriated--I've just had so many experiences with that type of personality that I guess I always think of it if a person has had a past history of drinking heavily. Good luck!! Raisa
|
[ Diabetes Archive ] [ Main Archives Page ] [ Glossary/Index ] [ FAQ ] [ Recommended Books ] [ Bulletin Board ] |
Search this site! | |