# Someone stole my friend's insulin **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 17, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451 "2005-02-17T00:33:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mississippienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mississippienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mississippienne)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/1 "2005-02-17T00:33:01Z")
No doubt whoever broke into my buddy R.R.'s hotel room thought they’d hit the jackpot: 3 syringes filled to the brim. They must’ve thought so, because the thief made off with all R.R’s insulin. He’s a diabetic, obviously, and takes syringes with him wherever he goes. Just a few weeks ago he got pulled over for a traffic stop, and the cops started squirting the insulin out of the syringes, trying to figure out what it was. I guess if anyone O.D’s on insulin in the next few days, we’ll know who the thief was. Can a non-diabetic die if they shoot up 3 syringes of insulin? Doesn’t sound like a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/2 "2005-02-17T00:35:47Z")
Most importantly you friend can pick up some more no prob right? ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/3 "2005-02-17T00:37:37Z")
> [@Mississippienne](#): > > . > > I guess if anyone O.D’s on insulin in the next few days, we’ll know who the thief was. Can a non-diabetic die if they shoot up 3 syringes of insulin? Doesn’t sound like a good idea. Short answer: YES. Longer answer: depends on the type of insulin, but any type is bound to cause major hypoglycemia, possible coma, and death. You don’t OD so much as lose your blood sugar entirely. I have seen blood sugars as low as 19 (normal is 60-100)–but that pt died. Survival also depends on prompt diagnosis and treatment of the hypoglycemia. Nimrod–(the thief). I hope your friend has access to more while travelling. ---
**Author:** ![ninetypercent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@ninetypercent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninetypercent)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/4 "2005-02-17T00:40:50Z")
Nah, they won’t die. They’ll be brain-damaged and unable to remember much of their past, for a few weeks. Pyschiatrists used insulin shock to treat patients; loss of memory was usually a result. Similar to ECT. Insulin is sometimes abused, too. ---
**Author:** ![Mississippienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mississippienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mississippienne)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/5 "2005-02-17T00:44:54Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Most importantly you friend can pick up some more no prob right? Oh yeah, no problem, his daughter drove up and brought some more insulin for him. R.R. will be fine. Whoever’s got 3 syringes of insulin, well, hopefully the brain damage won’t be permanent. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/6 "2005-02-17T00:46:45Z")
> [@ninetypercent](#): > > Nah, they won’t die. Gotta disagree with the above. **elanorigby** has it right. Death is a definite possibility when abusing insulin. Many mechanisms come into play: Brain death from starvation (those neurons gotta eat regularly!), followed by bodily death; fatal arrhythmia due to low blood sugar (usually on the basis of low serum potassium); seizure causing respiratory arrest and death; and _other_. QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/7 "2005-02-17T00:50:12Z")
_other_? \ Oh well, don’t go around stealing syringes and injecting unknown substances into yourself, and voila, no brain death, body death, or _other_. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/8 "2005-02-17T00:51:11Z")
> [@ninetypercent](#): > > Pyschiatrists used insulin shock to treat patients; loss of memory was usually a result. In addition to what the experts have said, note that psychiatric insulin “therapy” had a mortality rate of up to 10%. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/9 "2005-02-17T00:52:21Z")
How many units? And what type of insulin? Is this that pre-loaded insulin pen type of syringe? What a doofus. Anyway, I’m glad your bud was able to procure more. Sucks to get burgled, no matter what was taken. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/10 "2005-02-17T00:52:42Z")
But the _other_ is what makes it fun! ---
**Author:** ![ninetypercent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@ninetypercent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninetypercent)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/11 "2005-02-17T00:56:53Z")
> [@Mississippienne](#): > > Oh yeah, no problem, his daughter drove up and brought some more insulin for him. R.R. will be fine. Whoever’s got 3 syringes of insulin, well, hopefully the brain damage won’t be permanent. IMO, the loss of memory is the thereaputic “benefit” of insulin shock. That is directly linked to destruction of hippocampal neurons. Luckily(for the thief), those are the brain cells that are most likely to regenerate. Unluckily, an overdose of insulin is a systemic poison. Some damage would be permanent. ---
**Author:** ![ninetypercent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@ninetypercent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninetypercent)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/12 "2005-02-17T01:00:05Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > In addition to what the experts have said, note that psychiatric insulin “therapy” had a mortality rate of up to 10%. er, not quite. Got no cite, but I’ve read a lot about it. 1% at most. Death from insulin overdose is a rarity. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/13 "2005-02-17T01:01:58Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > Gotta disagree with the above. **elanorigby** has it right. > > Death is a definite possibility when abusing insulin. > QtM, MD Thank you, kind sir! I did not know you were an MD. eleanorigby RN \ Qadgop the Mercotan\* Plus, I have treated pts with sugars as low as 23 that DID survive w/o brain damage–but they were hospitalized and treatment was immediate and repeated. Don’t ever mess with insulin–it is not a forgiving drug. \ \*not to hijack, but what does that name mean? ---
**Author:** ![ninetypercent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@ninetypercent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninetypercent)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/14 "2005-02-17T01:11:39Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > Gotta disagree with the above. **elanorigby** has it right. > > Death is a definite possibility when abusing insulin. Many mechanisms come into play: Brain death from starvation (those neurons gotta eat regularly!), followed by bodily death; fatal arrhythmia due to low blood sugar (usually on the basis of low serum potassium); seizure causing respiratory arrest and death; and _other_. > > QtM, MD well, _other_ would be the most deadly 😉 hopefully the thief will not be doing any driving. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/15 "2005-02-17T01:12:21Z")
> [@ninetypercent](#): > > er, not quite. Got no cite, but I’ve read a lot about it. 1% at most. Death from insulin overdose is a rarity. Maybe it was that low in the later years, but I doubt it was that low in the 20’s when it was introduced. I would have a paper cite, but I just moved and all my books are packed away. ☹ In the meantime, this [PBS](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/nash/filmmore/ps_ict.html) page says it was 1-10% (probably varied with the date). ---
**Author:** ![Mississippienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mississippienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mississippienne)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/16 "2005-02-17T01:16:20Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Oh well, don’t go around stealing syringes and injecting unknown substances into yourself, and voila, no brain death, body death, or _other_. Ya know, **World Eater** , that’s excellent advice, just in general. One day when I have children, I’ll set 'em down and give them some good life advice. It’ll include: 1. Play nicely with the other kids. 2. Share your toys. 3. Don’t steal syringes and inject unknown substances into yourself. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/17 "2005-02-17T01:17:45Z")
> [@](#): > > Just a few weeks ago he got pulled over for a traffic stop, and the cops started squirting the insulin out of the syringes, trying to figure out what it was. Dumb question maybe, but what were the circumstances surrounding this? Were the cops searching his car for some other reason and came across his syringes? Were they filled and unrefrigerated sitting on the seat? I’m trying to imagine this scene and just can’t. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/18 "2005-02-17T01:18:11Z")
😃 that made me laugh…thanks I would add: share, nice folks share their toys, but don’t share your needles. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/19 "2005-02-17T01:20:46Z")
> [@ninetypercent](#): > > er, not quite. Got no cite, but I’ve read a lot about it. 1% at most. Death from insulin overdose is a rarity. Not rare. Every doc or nurse sees it a few times in their career. _Rare_ is a term reserved for Eosinophilic fasciitis, or Carbuncular Trollopsy, which most practitioners will never encounter. And the reason death was so uncommon in the Insulin “shock” therapy treatments was generally because they had IV access and an amp of D50 ready to push! The good practitioners did, anyway. Those that didn’t take such precautions had mortality rates around 10% or higher. (I currently practice at what was formerly the “Central State Hospital for the Criminally Insane”. Neat place. I got a tour of the former lobotomy rooms, the ECT rooms, and the insulin shock wing. Also the guy who inspired “Psycho”, “Silence of the Lambs”, and “The Texas Chain Saw Massecre”'s old room.) I recently had a patient who tried to suicide by giving himself about 1000 units of Lantus. That stuff lasts for 24 hours! **elanorigby** , if you hunt around at the SDMB, you can find what my name means. Its A Riddle Wrapped In a Mystery Inside an Enigma. A neutronium-plated Enigma! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451/20 "2005-02-17T01:28:34Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > **elanorigby** , if you hunt around at the SDMB, you can find what my name means. Its A Riddle Wrapped In a Mystery Inside an Enigma. A neutronium-plated Enigma! 😃 Wait a minute. **Not** unobtanium-plated? You are in _sooo_ much trouble next time I see _you_! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-stole-my-friends-insulin/290451.md?page=2)