She was an obese woman, receiving treatment for both a mental illness and diabetes. Recently, her family brought her to the psychiatric clinic due to a significant change in her behavior. That change included picking threads off the clothes she was wearing, unclear speech, and an inability to recognize family members. It was this change in behavior that prompted her family to bring the woman to the clinic.
The psychiatrist immediately referred her for a laboratory test to check her blood sugar level. The lab report clearly showed that her blood sugar level was dangerously low. The doctor promptly initiated the necessary remedies. Had she been brought to the clinic any later, there was a high likelihood she would have passed away. The psychiatrist must have been happy that day to have saved another patient’s life.
Her story clearly illustrates that a reduction in blood sugar level can also impact behavior. When sugar levels drop, it can cause not only common symptoms like sweating, but also behavioral changes like the ones she exhibited. It makes one wonder how many such patients could be saved if the difficult task of implementing a system for routine blood tests every time a patient attends a monthly clinic appointment could be achieved in hospitals across the country.
The doctor stressed that if a patient is taking insulin, it is crucial to check their blood sugar level frequently, either at a laboratory or at home. Furthermore, he mentioned that it is not necessary for a person suffering from diabetes to maintain the exact same blood sugar level as a person without diabetes. He stated that maintaining a slightly elevated level is not a major issue. If the level is kept at the average non-diabetic range, it can drop dangerously low after taking insulin.
