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Mother Under Diabetic Coma, CAT Scan Showed Negative For Everything. Why Isn't She Waking Up?
My mother slipped into a diabetic coma , and was in that state for a while before anyone found her (perhaps about 12 hours). She s almost 60. She s been comatose for two days now. The doctors said if she doesn t improve in 24-48 hours, she might not improve at all. She received a CAT-scan, and allegedly scored negative for everything (no infarctions, hemorrhaging, etc.). But then why won t she wake up? Does structural integrity of the brain not guarantee functional integrity?
posted on
Sun, 26 Aug 2012
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 27 Aug 2012
Answered on
Tue, 28 Aug 2012
Last reviewed on
Hi Andrian,
By Diabetic coma do you mean she's comatose because of very high sugars or because of severe episode of hypoglycemia (low sugar)? This question of yours needs more of a neurologist's opinion. But knowing from what you have described here, prologed dehydration of the nervous system due to very high sugars is the reason for coma in case of very very high sugars. Or if she has had a sever hypoglycemic episode then deprivation of the brain from glucose for very long time is the reason for coma. When your doctor says she might not improve at all must be on the basis of her current condition- not only the sugar or intact brain tissues seen in the CAT scan. If she's lost consciousness for more than 12 hours before she was subjected to the intensive treatment, by that time because of temporary dysfunction of brain centres, other organs' functions get affected and she might have failed her kidneys, lungs or heart to some extent by then. So multi organ failure following prolonged state of unconsciousness can be the reason that your doctor has made that statement to you. Take care. Wish something magical for your mother and recovery. all the best.
By Diabetic coma do you mean she's comatose because of very high sugars or because of severe episode of hypoglycemia (low sugar)? This question of yours needs more of a neurologist's opinion. But knowing from what you have described here, prologed dehydration of the nervous system due to very high sugars is the reason for coma in case of very very high sugars. Or if she has had a sever hypoglycemic episode then deprivation of the brain from glucose for very long time is the reason for coma. When your doctor says she might not improve at all must be on the basis of her current condition- not only the sugar or intact brain tissues seen in the CAT scan. If she's lost consciousness for more than 12 hours before she was subjected to the intensive treatment, by that time because of temporary dysfunction of brain centres, other organs' functions get affected and she might have failed her kidneys, lungs or heart to some extent by then. So multi organ failure following prolonged state of unconsciousness can be the reason that your doctor has made that statement to you. Take care. Wish something magical for your mother and recovery. all the best.
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