MovieChat Forums > Silent Witness (1996) Discussion > Series 20 ep 09 diabetes trope spoiler

Series 20 ep 09 diabetes trope spoiler

posted 8 years ago by lancer165
3 replies | jump to latest

Nikki has spotted the marks of a diabetic using his abdomen for insulin jabs. For me it is the area to easily accept the little needle painlessly. And ON A HEAVILY TATTOOED man. David runs off to find GLUCAGON. A highly concentrated sugar? based injection to bring the sugar level back up. Used by a relative when their diabetic seems to be non responsive. I have seen glucose injected in fairly large amounts with a slow result. David spots a sugared cola type drink and rushes back to our this down the throat of a man who Nikki said was in a COMA. Good idea. But the response even before the liquid could be processed was amazing. Maybe it should be made in an injection format. Then we have a conversation about the need for insulin at least twice a day. More nonsense.

The diabetic here should not have had a problem as I am sure that he had been given a few tortilla or tacos burritos and fajitas, which would have raised his sugar [WELL]above the conking out phase. Insulin he does not need urgently. Insulin on a low sugar could kill quite quickly and is some killers drug of choice in normal people. Sugar can kill as well but in normal day to day eating takes a bit of time in which eyesight might go, limbs might have to be amputated and heart muscle can be affected. But many type 2 live with this for years and years before death. Type One fails to produce insulin so food intake will be accumulative in sugar levels. Small amounts of food with as little carbohydrate will allow him to be released OKAY and back into the big wide world where I am sure his self care is perfect. Remember the suggestion that he enjoys zonking with other other substances anyway. Good idea for an insulin dependent diabetic to be a drug user. Given normal food for a couple of days and no insulin will not immediately endanger him. After all how was he prior to his diagnosis? I have met type one diagnosed in their early 20s. Perhaps it is a good job that Nikki looks after the dead because it looks as though she was capable of creating a few of that number. OKAY dramatic licence but it does not educate when we tell that INSULIN is needed. Here a good slap up meal of chip butties and a battered fish would do more good when he wakes up. Yes the whole disorder does have many differences but the way it is always played out for the dramatic effect educates little.

[–] lancer165 8 years ago

Could the nonsense get worse. Hell yes. Nikki in a crude attempt to get information threatens the diabetic prisoner. Well if the syringe content is indeed insulin he will die. In some shots like the liquid level in drinks glasses the amount varies. Just look at the plunger in the syringe barrel. My insulin comes with pre-loaded insulin. One syringe with 3mls will last me about 7-10 days giving me three-four shots per day. Another used at night time will give me also about 7 days worth that dose not adjustable. In this syringe Nikki is holding it is about 10 or 20 mls. In some shots the level is about 2-5 ml and in the other shots about 5 or 10ml. 10 ml of course for me will be about a months worth going in on one dose. Our tattooed man did not make any comment as to how much he could see was going in. But we did have a minimal conversation about food intake and the insulin shot. We were however left with no insulin being given. I have looked after an insulin user who pretended that he was going into a coma. We did the arm hand drop onto face test, it always missed so we would give him sterile water in the buttock while having a conversation around him about it being glucose. Amazing to see him come around pretending to be surprised. No doubt we infringed on his human rights by carrying out a cruel punishment. If that was insulin it was fatal dose being given.

[–] Ozzymarc 8 years ago

Wow! Get over it, it's drama! Viewers don't spend time analysing what real life would do..... Oh wait, you did! ?????

[–] lilactime2014 8 years ago

I'm with the OP on this one, no need to be so rude.

It highlights just one element where the standards of this show have dropped significantly over the last few years. I have just re-watched Series 12 and Series 14 and it was head and shoulders above Series 17, 18, 19 & 20.

The stories are still, by and large, entertaining, but the guts of the show have been ripped out and stomped on. Nikki is doing the job of a Detective, when in reality she would not have the time and IF she did the things she did she would be put on a disciplinary. The Lyell centre needs to make money and it can't if your only senior pathologist is never around to actually do her job.

ALSO, looking at series 12 and 14, there were many other people around. remember Zack? The lab techs, the trainees, the interns....all gone. It's just Clarissa, Jack and Nikki and the poor mans Leo, Thomas. Who doesn't seem to do anything.

So, Nikki completely getting the issue of Diabetes so very wrong is a key element of the slide the show has been making over the last few years. It's still entertaining, but it is now entertaining rubbish, rather than entertainingly excellent.

The last episode irritated the carp out of me.

'tler