August 17, 2004
Hyperglycemia and DKA, Other
Question from Griffin, Georgia, USA:
How long does it take for numbness and unusual taste sensations to subside after DKA? Is there anything that can speed the process? My husband had a bout of DKA 10 days ago that put him into the ICU for nearly a week. He had been sick with a tooth infection that spiraled into DKA with blood pH of 6, 106/40 BP, 157 pulse, 480 mg/dl [26.7 mmol/L]. Since then his “whole body feels numb;” mainly his face, hands, and feet. His taste buds are also “off” because any food other than oatmeal or grits tastes “puke sour, not lemon sour.” Oatmeal and grits are the only foods we’ve found that he can tolerate. His doctor could not say what was causing this, how long it would last, or what he can do to speed the healing process. My husband is extremely weak, almost bedridden, even though he was a healthy 33 year old before this. He is monitoring his sugar carefully, and it is relatively normal for him, despite his unusual diet.
Answer:
Has the infection resolved? The continued presence of an infection could give him systemic symptoms, a bad taste, and continued problems with his blood sugar. The bad taste you refer to is not a clear problem of DKA after the episode has resolved. I have had patients say that the process of being in the hospital has exhausted them and takes a week or so to recover.
JTL
