Diagnosis Of Diabetes
What is diabetes? Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. People with diabetes have problems converting food to energy. After a meal, food is broken down into a sugar called glucose, which is carried by the blood to cells throughout the body. Cells use insulin, a hormone made in the pancreas, to help them convert blood glucose into energy. People develop diabetes because the pancreas does not make enough insulin or because the cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not use insulin properly, or both. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood increases while the cells are starved of energy. Over the years, high blood glucose, also called hyperglycemia, damages nerves and blood vessels, which can lead to complications such as heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve problems, gum infections, and amputation. Types of Diabetes The three main types of diabetes are type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, formerly called juvenile diabetes, is usually first diagnosed in children, teenagers, or young adults. In this form of diabetes, the beta cells of the pancreas no longer make insulin because the body's immune system has attacked and destroyed them. Type 2 diabetes, formerly called adult-onset diabetes, is the most common form. People can develop it at any age, even during childhood. This form of diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which muscle, liver, and fat cells do not use insulin properly. At first, the pancreas keeps up with the added demand by producing more insulin. In time, however, it loses the ability to secrete enough insulin in response to meals. Gestational diabetes develops in some women during the late stages of pregnancy. Although this form of diabetes usually Continue reading >>
How To Lower Your Blood Sugar Fast
If you find yourself in a situation where you can't get to a doctor or administer your insulin, here are two ways to lower your blood sugar quickly and naturally. 1. Flush Out the Sugar With Water Drink two glasses (8 oz.) of water quickly. Wait for five minutes and drink a third glass. Urinate as soon as possible. Water dilutes the blood and flushes out the sugar from your bloodstream. 2. Burn Off the Sugar With Exercise Use up the glucose in your bloodstream with physical movement. Jog, if you can. Ride on a stationary bicycle or do some calisthenics like jumping jacks. If you are confined to a wheelchair, swing your arms in circular movements. You could also try taking a brisk walk. Keep up the activity for at least five minutes. Do be careful not to overdo it as overexercise can prompt the liver to release more glucose. Test your blood sugar after five minutes of movement. According to the American Diabetes Association, if you have type 1 diabetes and your blood sugar is over 240 mg/dl or higher, check your urine for ketone presence first. If you have ketones, do not exercise and seek emergency treatment. When to See a Doctor According to the Mayo Clinic guidelines for hyperglycemia, you should call 911 or get emergency medical help if: You're sick and can't keep any food or fluids down Your blood glucose levels remain above 240 mg/dL after attempting to reduce them and you have ketones in your urine Make an appointment with your doctor if: You experience ongoing diarrhea or vomiting, but you're able to take some foods or drinks You have a fever that lasts over 24 hours Your blood glucose is over 240 mg/dL (13 mmol/L) even if you've taken your diabetes medication You can't keep your blood glucose within the desired range Symptoms That Require Emergency Room Treatmen Continue reading >>
Blood Sugar Too High? Blood Sugar Too Low?
If you have diabetes, your blood sugar doesn't call your cell phone and say, "My readings are too high right now." Instead, blood sugar rises slowly and gradually, causing complications that may damage your organs -- heart, eyes, kidneys, nerves, feet, and even skin are at risk. Sometimes you wonder, "Is my blood sugar too high? Too low?" because "normal" levels are so important. "Diabetes is not a 'one-size-fits-all' condition, and neither are blood sugar readings. Different targets are established for different populations," says Amber Taylor, M.D., director of the Diabetes Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Targets may vary depending on a person's age, whether they have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and for how long, what medications they're taking, whether they have complications, and, if the patient is a female, whether she is pregnant. "Patients on insulin may need to test more frequently than someone on oral agents," says Taylor. "Those with type 1 diabetes always require insulin, but many with type 2 diabetes also need it." Target Blood Sugar Levels If you have diabetes, these are target "control" blood glucose levels, using a rating of milligrams to deciliter, or mg/dl: Blood sugar levels before meals (preprandial): 70 to 130 mg/dL Blood sugar levels one to two hours after the start of a meal (postprandial): less than 180 mg/dL Blood sugar levels indicating hypoglycemia or low blood glucose: 70 or below mg/dL Types of Blood Sugar Tests Blood glucose testing can screen, diagnose, and monitor. Glucose is measured either after fasting for eight to ten hours, at a random time, following a meal (postprandial), or as part of an oral glucose challenge or tolerance test. You can compare your levels to these results for specific tests, based on clinical Continue reading >>
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Is High Blood Sugar Damaging And Aging Your Body Prematurely?
You don’t have to be a diabetic to suffer the damaging effects of high blood sugar. New research has shown that blood sugar much lower than that officially labelled diabetic still significantly harms your body and shortens your lifespan. Your doctor may have told you that your blood sugar is normal, but it could still be putting your health at risk. The incidence of diabetes is rising rapidly in every country on the planet. It is estimated there are currently more than 285 million people in the world with diabetes. By 2030 this figure is expected to leap to 439 million. Some researchers think this is quite a conservative estimate and in reality the figures will be much worse. It is also estimated that only around half of the people in the world with diabetes are diagnosed. You are probably well aware of the health consequences associated with diabetes: increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, blindness, kidney damage, nerve and blood vessel damage, dementia and others. However, you don’t have to be a diabetic to develop these diseases; they are all very common degenerative diseases that people associate with aging. What if your “normal” blood sugar isn’t so normal? If you have ever had a fasting blood sugar test, you may know that the so called normal reference range is 65 – 97 mg/dL (3.6 – 5.4 mmol/L). If your fasting blood sugar is 99 mg/dL (5.5 mmol/L) or higher, you are said to have insulin resistance (also called pre-diabetes, syndrome X or metabolic syndrome). Your doctor would probably not mention that because most doctors consider it unimportant and not serious. You would probably be told you are fine and healthy. You would only be diagnosed as a diabetic if your fasting blood sugar reached 125 mg/dL (6.9 mmol/L) or higher. Interestingly, resea Continue reading >>
6 Diabetes Mistakes And How To Avoid Them
It takes work to manage your type 2 diabetes. That includes the little things you do every day, such as what you eat and how active you are. Start by avoiding these common mistakes. Your medical team is essential. But you're not in the doctor's office every day. “You are your own doctor 99.9% of the time,” says Andrew Ahmann, MD. He's director of the Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center at Oregon Health & Science University. You’re the one in charge, so it’s up to you to watch your diet, exercise, and take your medication on schedule. You can make better decisions about how to track and manage your diabetes by understanding how the disease works. Sign up for a class or a support group on managing diabetes. “Not enough patients seek them out, and not enough doctors send their patients to them," Ahmann says. "Not only do these resources offer essential information, but they also bring together people who have the same challenges, giving them a place to meet and talk with each other." It's a big step to shift your eating and exercise habits. You need to give it time to see results and for it to feel permanent. “Most people expect something dramatic is going to happen right away,” says UCLA endocrinologist Preethi Srikanthan, MD. “But it has taken them a decade or two to get to this point, and it will take a while for them to even get to that initial 5% to 10% reduction in weight.” To make a lasting change, take small steps, Ahmann says. If you try to do more than you can handle, you might quit. Before you start a new exercise program, talk with your doctor, especially if you aren’t active now. They can help you set goals and plan a routine that’s safe and effective. Continue reading >>
Blood - Sugar Chart
Blood Sugar-Conversion Blood Sugar Chart Diabetes Risk Assessment Calculator Glycemic Index Calculator HbA1c or A1c Calculator for Blood Glucose View all Adult Height Potential Height and Weight for Children Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Calculator Development Milestone Immunisation View All Check Your Prostate Gland Drugs and Sexual Problem Calculator Depression Calculator Preventive Health - Screening Tests & Charts Sexual Symptoms (Undesirable) and Drugs Calculator View All Multiple Pregnancy Calculator Ovulation Calculator / Ovulation Calendar / Ovulation Chart Pregnancy Due Date Calculator Pregnancy Confirmation Calculator Virginity Calculator View All Frame Size Calculator Height and Weight for Children Height and Weight by Body Frame for Adults Ideal Baby Weight Ideal Body Weight - Adults View All Alzheimer's Risk Assessment Calculator Dementia Risk Calculator Weight Loss Calculator Adult ADHD Screening Calculator Age for Marriage License View All Heart Attack Risk Calculator Cholesterol Risk Calculator Diabetes Risk Assessment Calculator Osteoporosis Risk Chart Stroke Risk Calculator View All Daily Calorie Requirements Daily Calorie Requirement for Age and Lifestyle Recommended Intake of Minerals Vitamins and Minerals in Food Items Daily Calorie Counter for Indian Food View All Activity Calorie Calculator Blood Pressure Calculator Blood Pressure Chart Breath Calculator Cardiac Risk or Risk of Heart Attack View All Continue reading >>
Blood Sugar Level 250-400 M/dl After Eating
Ok, you ran diabetes test and you got blood sugar level 250-400 mg/dl after eating ranging 251, 252, 253 ,254 ,255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, ,395, 396, 397, 398, 399. This is considered as mild to moderate Diabetes. While giving more info, I have decided to share with you some of problems my daily patients online and offline have, with appropriate advice and caring tips. Hope you will understand if I let them anonymous to respect their privacy (most of these patients are from my offline clinic). I wish the advice would be helpful for you too. If you have your own concern, do not hesitate to write me back. No Charge Glucose Meter - OneTouch Verio Flex® Meter Ad Compact Design to Track Your Glucose On-the-Go. Get It At No Charge. OneTouch Learn more Why getting blood sugar levels 250-400 mg/dl after eating? After eating, the intake of carbohydrates we take with food increases the levels of glucose in our bloodstream. So, there is a peak of hyperglycemia after we eat. In normal people, the body increases the levels of insulin in order to neutralize the increased glucose levels. In diabetic people, this compensatory Continue reading >>
12 Types Of High Blood Sugars
The following is an excerpt from Laura Kronen’s book on living with diabetes: “Too Sweet: The Not-So-Serious Side to Diabetes.” What goes up, must come down. The only thing I hope for when my blood sugar is high is for it to decline, pronto! Our pancreases are broken. Because of this, we have blood sugars that are less than perfect. Many times our readings are much too high. The technical name for this is hyperglycemia. Sometimes the amount of glucose in your blood can even skyrocket to dangerous levels. The sad fact is that every person with diabetes has experienced highs more times than he or she would probably care to admit. Highs are frustrating and time consuming—they slow you down, depress you, and can make you feel defeated. Plus they are dangerous and can do all sorts of torturous things to your body. When you first realize you have high blood sugar, you know that it’s not going to be an easy fix. Highs can take hours to come down. If you eat or drink anything it will just drag out the process longer. This is one of the most frustrating things about being a diabetic. I like an instant solution, and that’s why lows are so much more appealing to me. I’ll take a 58 over a 258 any day of the week. Highs result in psychotic repeated glucose testing to see if the numbers are starting a downward trend. It is impossible to put your high sugar level out of your mind; it’s a recurring thought that will not take a back seat to any other thought in your head. Everything slows down when you get a high. Reflexes are sluggish, your mind is drowsy, and you feel that overall you are in a sugar-induced fog. Many times all you want to do is nap, but you can’t. Unfortunately, life does not come to a halt just because your blood sugar is high. I have a love/hate re Continue reading >>
Ask The Diabetes Team
Question: From Long Island, New York, USA: I am not sure what to do next with my two and a half-year-old daughter. About a week ago, she spent the day urinating in her pants, every 15 to 20 minutes. She is toilet trained so I just thought she was regressing. Then, two days later, it started again and even the babysitter observed it, frequent urination in potty and/or in her pants. My friend, who's young daughter has type 1, came over and tested her. My daughter's blood sugar was 315 mg/dl [17.5 mmol/L], although she had eaten a bowl of ice cream 20 minutes earlier. Forty-five minutes after the ice cream she was 285 mg/dl [15.8 mmol/L]. By the time we got to the doctor's office, her blood sugar was down to 145 mg/dl [8.0 mmol/L]. He sent us to Emergency Room where her blood sugar was normal. By then, she had not eaten for six or seven hours. I fed her turkey, cheese and pudding. She ate and the doctor said to go home. I asked for one more check before we left and she was 155 mg/dl [8.5 mmol/L], about 25 or 30 minutes after eating. The doctor was cautious but sent us home. The next day, upon waking, my daughter's blood sugar was 185 mg/dl [10.3 mmol/L]. One hour after eating cereal, it was 211 mg/dl [11.7 mmol/L]. Later in the day, after an apple and some hot chocolate, she was 173 mg/dl [9.6 mmol/L]. That night she was VERY hungry and ate spaghetti. Afterwards, she was 109 mg/dl [6.1 mmol/L]. She went to bed, but woke up vomiting at midnight. She was 132 mg/dl [7.3 mmol/L] at that time. She vomited all night and her numbers went up to 142 mg/dl [7.9 mmol/L] and 207 mg/dl [11.5 mmol/L]. By 8:00 a.m., she was 122 mg/dl [6.8 mmol/L] with no food in her belly since 6:30 p.m. the night before. At 2:00 p.m., she was 84 mg/dl [4.7 mmol/L], still no food. Two hours later, she ha Continue reading >>
Doctors Overlook Leading Cause Of Premature Death
Diabetes is defined as a disease in which a person has high blood sugar. The problem is that physicians are failing to determine how low blood glucose needs to be to protect against dreaded diabetic complications. In a series of published studies, the definition of what constitutes diabetes, (or said differently, a person with high blood sugar) is about to be turned upside down. This is not a trivial matter. The term "diabetic complications" encompasses the most common diseases of aging, ranging from kidney failure1-3 and blindness,4-6 to heart disease,7-12 stroke,13,14 neuropathy,15,16 and even cancer.17-22 This means that most degenerative disease can be traced back to undiagnosed glucose control problems, which we assert will soon become the new definition of diabetes. High blood sugar appears to be the leading killer today, yet the medical mainstream is not properly diagnosing or treating it. The tragic result is an epidemic of diabetic complications that cripple and kill millions of Americans because simple steps are not being taken to suppress after-meal glucose spikes. As you are about to learn, it is not just elevated fasting glucose that creates diabetic complications. Excess after-meal glucose surges have turned into a silent diabetes plague, thus mandating new steps be taken to protect against what may be the leading cause of premature death. Fasting Glucose Is a Delayed Marker of Diabetes When people take blood tests to measure glucose levels, they are asked to fast for 8 to 12 hours. Doctors ask for this 8-12 hour fast because they want a consistent baseline to measure glucose and lipids in comparison with the general population. There is one problem with this. A person who suffers from dangerously high blood sugar several hours following a typical meal may Continue reading >>
My Glucose Readings Have Been 189 To 285 In The Morning And As High As 370. Take 2000 Mg Medformin?
My glucose readings have been 189 to 285 in the morning and as high as 370. Take 2000 mg medformin? Take 3 tablets of Glyberide as well. I don't feel very well. I also take high blood pressure medication, colestrol and a water pill. Sould I be worried. Are you sure you want to delete this answer? Best Answer: Yes, I'm afraid you should be worried. You need to speak with your doctor about having your medication reviewed. All the time your blood sugar levels are higher than 'normal' there's microvascular and macrovascular (blood vessel) damage being done. You don't indicate anything else, apart from your blood sugar (glucose) readings, so it's difficult to ascertain whether or not you're watching your diet, or taking enough exercise. Both of these, of course, can help to lower your blood sugar readings. Dinner tends to be the heaviest meal consumed so all you have to do is journal about what you've eaten and once you fully see a pattern, speak with your doctor about adjusting your insulin levels. But to be honest with you, your after dinner readings are not excessively high. Those numbers seem to be a bit normal post-dinner. Something as simple as having a glass of juice can spike up your levels really fast after or during a meal. Having any kind of desert will definitely require an insulin adjustment. I drink water when I know that I will have a meal that will definitely raise my glucose levels. Your liver might have been affected by your drinking. That should be checked out. You just want to be safe and congrats on the two years. Take care and good luck to you! You need to meet with your doctor and let him know, if he can't get figure out a way through dieting and medications you should see an endocrinologist who would be a bit more specialized than your primary care p Continue reading >>
Breakthrough In Regulating Glucose: How I Reduced My Blood Sugar From 329 To 88
Introduction To the best of my knowledge, much of what you’re about to read has not been published or discussed anywhere. It’s based on my own personal research and experiences. I’m about to describe some serious failings in how we currently approach regulation of glucose levels and management of diabetes. This article is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure. Contact your healthcare provider before making any significant changes to your exercise or diet. Most Glucose Readings are Inaccurate People interested in tracking their blood glucose levels, who have experimented a bit, know that two readings taken at the same time can sometimes be as much 30 points apart. That’s a huge difference. It’s usually because of errors in how the testing is done. However, if you get two readings that are very similar, there’s a likelihood that the average of those two is close to accurate. It may take as many as three readings to know you have an accurate number. At a cost of up to $1.40 per test strip, most people check their glucose once per day, in the morning, and get only one (probably inaccurate) data point for a 24-hour period. They are left not knowing if their blood glucose increases during the day, or if the morning reading is the highest level for the day. Having an accurate reading at night and in the morning can help identify conditions such as “The Dawn Phenomenon” and “The Somogyi Effect.” (source) With only a single morning reading, there’s no awareness about the actual glucose impact of different foods eaten, and no knowledge of how different exercises during the day impact blood sugar levels. Despite the life saving insight that even just two samples per day could provide, for some reason, insurance companies only pay for one test strip per day. G Continue reading >>
Controlling Blood Sugar In Diabetes: How Low Should You Go?
Diabetes is an ancient disease, but the first effective drug therapy was not available until 1922, when insulin revolutionized the management of the disorder. Insulin is administered by injection, but treatment took another great leap forward in 1956, when the first oral diabetic drug was introduced. Since then, dozens of new medications have been developed, but scientists are still learning how best to use them. And new studies are prompting doctors to re-examine a fundamental therapeutic question: what level of blood sugar is best? Normal metabolism To understand diabetes, you should first understand how your body handles glucose, the sugar that fuels your metabolism. After you eat, your digestive tract breaks down carbohydrates into simple sugars that are small enough to be absorbed into your bloodstream. Glucose is far and away the most important of these sugars, and it's an indispensable source of energy for your body's cells. But to provide that energy, it must travel from your blood into your cells. Insulin is the hormone that unlocks the door to your cells. When your blood glucose levels rise after a meal, the beta cells of your pancreas spring into action, pouring insulin into your blood. If you produce enough insulin and your cells respond normally, your blood sugar level drops as glucose enters the cells, where it is burned for energy or stored for future use in your liver as glycogen. Insulin also helps your body turn amino acids into proteins and fatty acids into body fat. The net effect is to allow your body to turn food into energy and to store excess energy to keep your engine running if fuel becomes scarce in the future. A diabetes primer Diabetes is a single name for a group of disorders. All forms of the disease develop when the pancreas is unable to Continue reading >>
Blood Sugar 285 Mg/dl - Good Or Bad? - Bloodsugareasy.com
Nerve damage, nerve pain and numbness or tingling in the extremities (peripheral neuropathy) Individuals with diabetes are not able to convert blood sugar into energy either because on insufficient levels of insulin or because their insulin is simply not functioning correctly. This means that glucose stays in the bloodstream, resulting in high blood sugar levels. Diabetes takes two distinct forms: Type 1 and type 2. Diagnosing hyperglycemia is done by assessing symptoms and performing a simple blood glucose test. Depending on the severity of the condition and which type of diabetes the patient is diagnosed with, insulin and a variety of medication may be prescribed to help the person keep their blood sugar under control. Insulin comes in short, long and fast-acting forms, and a person suffering from type 1 diabetes is likely to be prescribed some combination of these. Individuals who are either diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or are considered at risk for the disease are recommended to make alterations to their diet, lifestyle habits and exercise routine in order to lower blood sugar and keep it under control. These changes generally help to improve blood glucose control, individuals with type 2 diabetes may require medication eventually. These can include glitazones, acarbose, glucophage or sulphonylureas. Continue reading >>
My Blood Sugar Was 285 What Should I Do
Experience: Board Certified NP, MS, RN. 25 years private practice & hospitalist Welcome to Just Answer and thanks for your question. If this was a fasting blood sugar, your provider would probably put you on oral medication and advise you about diabetic diets and exercise. For people with a confirmed diagnosis of diabetes, blood glucose should not be more than 140-180 mg/dL even after meals. Please see your primary provider or an endocrinologist for treatment. Experience: Board Certified NP, MS, RN. 25 years private practice & hospitalist A new question is answered every 9 seconds Ask an ExpertExperts are full of valuable knowledge and are ready to help with any question. Credentials confirmed by a Fortune 500 verification firm. Get a Professional AnswerVia email, text message, or notification as you wait on our site. Ask follow up questions if you need to. 100% Satisfaction GuaranteeRate the answer you receive. Ask-a-doc Web sites: If you've got a quick question, you can try to get an answer from sites that say they have various specialists on hand to give quick answers... Justanswer.com. JustAnswer.com...has seen a spike since October in legal questions from readers about layoffs, unemployment and severance. Traffic on JustAnswer rose 14 percent...and had nearly 400,000 page views in 30 days...inquiries related to stress, high blood pressure, drinking and heart pain jumped 33 percent. Tory Johnson, GMA Workplace Contributor, discusses work-from-home jobs, such as JustAnswer in which verified Experts answer peoples questions. I will tell you that...the things you have to go through to be an Expert are quite rigorous. I can go as far as to say it could have resulted in saving my sons life and our entire family now knows what bipolar is and how to assist and understand Continue reading >>
