Friday, January 19, 2007

Test Before You Drive

This story from my local paper shot up some mental red flags.

Be careful out there...I know I don't always test before I get in the car, but maybe it's something more of us should think about before your local paper needs to run a story saying your accident was caused by "complications of Diabetes Type 1".

I think that's a very strange way to put things. Was her accident caused by passing out from high or low bloodsugar? Did something else happen, like a seizure? Would this have been preventable if she had some glucose tabs or took some insulin?

Normally, when I think of someone who has died from diabetes complications, I think of heart or kidney disease. A coma induced by ketoacidosis...

I guess the lesson we should all learn here is just do a test before you get in the car, especially if you feel like your body is trying to tell you something. It's 5, maybe 10 seconds of your time that will save your car and also possibly your life.

What are YOUR thoughts?

6 comments:

  1. Testing before - and during -driving is a good habit, but it's an expensive one! I check if I'm nearing a meal time. But these days I feel my lows when I'm in the 70's... if/when I experience hypoglycemic unawareness I up the number of tests.

    I wonder how they determined that diabetes played a role? If she was speeding and lost control, she might just have been driving like a teenager...

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  2. What are my thought - very definitely - ALWAYS check bg value before driving! Always. No buts....

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  3. I test every time I drive, and on long trips, every hour at least. No exceptions. I agree that it is expensive, but I think it's a necessary expense.

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  4. Absolutely, you MUST test before you drive. And then every hour, at LEAST. I even under bolus on long drives, because I would rather run a little higher than have it be the one time I am sensitive to that bolus. After being a diabetic for 15 years, I must say that you never know when that one time will come along (and it will!) that you don't feel your blood sugar go low. Eventually it happens, and you DON'T want it to happen when you are driving!

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  5. I also test every time I get in the driver's seat and every hour to 90 minutes after that. I also underbolus or overeat a little. Perhaps my anxiety is partly because I am a new driver but after 20 years of diabetes I have had plenty of unexpected lows. The last place I wouyld want a low to sneak up on me is behind the wheel!

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  6. Scary or what? My diabetic daughter is just learning to drive - so maybe I'll gently reminder to ALWAYS test before her lessons.

    Thanks for the reminder that testing is so important.

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