Who keeps the glucagon in college??

I'm posting for a friend, whose son just left for college several states away. The issue is no one at the school wants to take responsibility for the glucagon kit. His roommate is from China and knows very little english, so he doesn't want to "overwhelm" him with information and responsibility. The RA's say they can't be responsible either. And he can't inject himself in case of emergency.

What are your experiences with this issue? I'll pass along your wisdom.

 

No real advice, just questions but it will be interesting to see the replies. I have some time before I have to deal with this but I still like planning ahead.

I question the RA's responsibilities. So if there was a medical emergency, would they also not be responsible to call 911? It sounds like your friend should have explored this issue ahead of time with the school administration. At least that is what I would have done. But look at me, I am thinking about this topic and Danielle is only 13...

 

Hopefully the RA would call 911. I feel sorry for the students who need an EPI pen and go to that school.

 

Different country here, but nobody could be trained on glucagon at school or college. They'd just have to call emergency services..

 

You might suggest asking to switch roommates to one your child is comfortable asking to be his backup.

Ironically, I was one such roommate in University and it is through that experience where I learned about diabetes long before my son was born and subsequently diagnosed. I was able to pick up the signs for my sons dx early due to the knowledge gained and think if it as my good karma for volunteering to room with him and keep an eye out for lows.

My university roommate didn't carry glucagon. Was it even an option in 1984? There were a few times where I had to force feed him sugar and once where I called 911.

 

My college roommates were trained about the symptoms of low blood sugar and told to call 911 if I was unconscious or unable to eat. I didn't train them in glucagon because I thought calling 911 would be faster and less intimidating.

I currently live with a doctor and a pharmacist, both of whom are competent in glucagon administration

 

I've fortunately never had to use glucacon, but this is a good point.

I have a practice glucagon, kinda like the practice epipens. The "needle" retracts so you can practice stab people.

I've trained a few close friends and people I've lived with over the years with the practice glucagon. I've told them that they should call the paramedics first if I need it. It took me a while to find people on campus that I was comfortable with since I didn't know anyone here when I came to uni.

 

Molly has showed her roommate where the kit is kept and how to give it. Her RA is involved with the school's EMT group and has given glucagon before. All her friends know that she is Type 1. My feeling is that, though it's a comfort to have, once 911 is called, those guys are there within minutes and are putting in an IV like lightening. On the other hand, when she was on a 4 day backpack away from civilization I was more than thrilled to know that her two student leaders had mountain rescue and EMT experience between the two of them and could use the kit with no problem.

 

I have a suggestion on where to keep it in a dorm... but no thoughts on who to ask to use it if that is needed...
As far as where to keep it... if you have the modular dorm furniture or whatever... take masking tape (won't damage furniture, walls, etc.) and tape that sucker to the bedpost / bed rail... then it's in a convenient location where people can easily tear it off the furniture if it's needed... always there, etc.
As far as who... until the student gets to know people and trust people and then decides if they can trust someone with glucagon training and administration, I'd say just emphasize 911 for emergencies / unconsciousness / combative lows, etc.

 

I was told by a respectable endo, after he very carefully educated me on the use of the glucagon kit, that I would almost certainly never use it.

I tend to believe he is correct EXCEPT for the use of the mini-glucagon use.

Our nurse has trained everyone from the lawn maintenance personnel, the coaches, teachers and the bus drivers and, to be honest, I would be amazed if any one of them actually injected my child with glucagon.

911 FIRST.

It would have to be a particularly exceptional college roommate to assess the situation and administer glucagon ... in my opinion.

That having been said, I would spend as much time as possible to teach my son's roommate on the technique.

 

We did not send a glucagon kit with our son for any of the four years of college. He simply instructed his room mates that if he was unresponsive to call 911. He taught his room mates the signs of a low and they know that if in doubt to give him sugar and call for help if he doesn't respond. I would NEVER expect anyone outside our family to give glucagon(or insulin for that matter) as it not their responsibility to take on that part of our son's care. What I want is people who are comfortable in calling 911 for help if they think it is needed -The response time is very fast and is more likely to end up with a positive outcome.

 

Glucagon

My ds is just 14 so we have a few years until college but I do think about it often. Glucagon did likely save his life once we when he to give it so have strong feeling about it being available. We have a friend in his 20's who was assigend a room in college with someone who is D. Our friend wanted to be able to help but says he just couldn't handle giving Glucagon. He passes out around needles and honestly couldn't inject if he had to. D person did go low after a football practice, had a seizure so friend called 911 and started knocking or doors until found someone willing to give it. Ended up to be another D person in the same dorm so after that it was the plan they would help each other as able or go knocking until someone would help. Seems it would be good if people in the room or the dorm at least know where the Glucagon is kept. P.S. I think it depends where you live but in our town we found 911 emergency responders to have very little D response training. Bless them for what they do but D is not well understood.

 

So far nobody I've tried to interest in glucagon has retained the information, however I keep the glucagon with me in case I want to try a miniglucagon dose (mostly for if I'm sick).

 

Research leading me here

All of this info is both helpful and alarming! It is great advice to carry the Glucagon for mini shots when high! I actually prefill syringes with a few units for my daughter when she goes to overnights or will be far from home in case of a pump issue. Now she will be starting college in the fall and I am very aprehensive. I will talk to the administrators etc re who may be eligible to use the glucagon in an ER but I do take comfort that her University is minutes from 2 top hospitals in the State. Thanks for all in put!

 

I find it interesting that an endo would tell you that you will most likely never have to use glucagon. Though I never thought I would have to use it either, I am certainly glad I had it when my son came home and was below 40 and had been for hours and was unable to treat his low, my only resolution besides calling 911 was to use the glucagon and I'm glad I did. Now I don't know if anyone at college will be able to administer it, but he will have a kit with him in case he ever gets that low again and unable to keep anything down and able to administer it himself.

 

This makes no sense whatsoever. Glucagon is for lows, very lows, unconcious lows or stubborn lows as with a sickness when you might use a mini dose. Glucagon even with a prescription for me is very costly so I can't imagine mixing it and filling syringes as it must be used immediately.

Am I missing something?

 

Yeah... I'm confused too.

 

Wow!! Sorry, I meant to say along with regular insulin for Pump issues!! Yes it is costly and must be pre mixed!! When em has STUBBORN LOWS we have to mix for mini dose. We get 2 at a time from insurance co and we refill as soon as we use. I will Pre mix and pre fill mini doses for over nights for stubborn lows i meant to say

 

Glucagon premixed for mini doses only lasts 12 hours in the fridge. Did your endo tell you that? We never premix any because of the cost plus this is a rare thing you should have to use. ALmost all lows can be handled with juice, glucose tablets and/or reduced basal on pump. In 12 years have only used mini dose once.

 

Regarding the life span of glucagon in solution, the team at Boston University working on a dual-hormonal artificial pancreas (one pump with insulin, one pump with glucagon) has shown that glucagon in solution, in a pump, on the backs of pigs, works for around seven days.

I believe I first saw this reported at the Diabetes Technology Meeting in 2006 (http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/dtm2006/). I also recall a representative from one of the companies that makes glucagon respond that such use was very off label and not supported by the company.

As a parent, the take away for me was this -- if you're going away for a vacation for a week or so and leaving your child with diabetes in the care of someone else, you could mix up glucagon and fill several insulin syringes with varying doses, leaving all in the refrigerator. The glucagon would surely still be helpful even after many days.

Again, this is off label, but then again, life is pretty much off label.