"Diabetes DKA - ambulance to hospital admission"

I attended pharmacy as knew I was entering into DKA and had no more test strips. The pharmacist and rest of the team at the pharmacy were good, really helpful and called for ambulance given I had tested ketones before this and they were 1.6, my sugars were 21.

When the first responder arrived, I had no energy, I had no voice and they kept telling me to calm down, that I was hyperventilating and it was mental health, not something I needed to go to hospital with. They were friendly but from their actions and attitude it felt like they had a wise up approach to me. The pharmacist was still in the room and the first responders were saying they didn’t know why they had been contacted and the pharmacist was not medically trained. I was able to communicate non verbally with them.

I was given an inhaler by the pharmacist, which the first responder said was making me worse, and told they had no way of testing ketones, I would have to wait on the ambulance and paramedics. I was told that sugars of 21 was not high enough for DKA. This is not something I needed to hear at this time or could process. I felt there was no empathy and minimal sympathy for me, my condition or the situation. After some time the paramedics arrived brought me to the hospital (I don’t know how this was decided).

Outside the hospital, we were having to wait for space in A&E. My symptoms were getting worse and I was starting to display more typical signs of DKA. I had experienced DKA both worse and better than this – I told them that at the pharmacy. I was still being told by ambulance staff to calm down – that’s all I needed to do. I remember thinking at this time, I’m going to die in this ambulance. I could feel how unwell I was and I felt like I wasn’t going to be brought in and admitted. I felt like they were going to take me home without me seeing a specialist and being admitted. I knew from experience, I was going to need an admission.

I was then left alone in the ambulance. I don’t know for how long but it felt like about half an hour. I don’t know where they went. I remembered I had 1 ketone strip left and tested – my ketones were 5.9 and I had done my sugars with the same blood. They were 27. I was told 5.9 was not bad and not in DKA by the ambulance staff. I tried to argue that I was getting worse but I had no energy. I asked for a 3rd opinion, I knew I needed someone else there. I wasn’t asking for a doctor, I could hear people outside the ambulance (I don’t know who) but at this time I just wanted a 3rd person. When the paramedic asked for someone , I heard them say to them I thought I was in WKD or something.

The next thing I knew there was a team of about 6 bringing me into the hospital. I spent 2 days as an inpatient, something that may have been avoided if the first responder had of tested my ketones and treated me appropriately. I won’t ever know, but I may have managed this without a hospital stay.

I am hurt and disgusted by the way I was treated by the ambulance service staff. I was vulnerable. I couldn’t fight for myself but I have had diabetes for 18 years and knew myself. I wish they had understood diabetes a little better to be able to treat this situation, but also wish they had been less prejudicial and judgemental, regardless of the condition they had come across. I don’t want anyone else feeling like the don’t matter.

Once I entered A&E and spoke to the doctor, I had instant relief. The doctor heard my ketone level and understood instantly what I needed and it started to happen. They heard me and seen the situation in front of me. They said it was great that I had got myself here and I felt relief that the pharmacist had phoned for an ambulance, regardless of the treatment they and I received in the interim.