What Are The Consequences Of Having A Blood Sugar Level Over 300?
Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is now regarded as a global health problem and can say this is a pandemic of human faces. This is especially true in the treatment of both in terms of number of users and sick, and the complications experienced by people with the disease. What is the danger? A large part of medical research has shown that diabetes have blood glucose dangerous areas. That's when your blood sugar is too low or too high. Low blood glucose above 60 mg / dl can lead to coma and even death higher blood glucose level 180mg / dl can be more damage to the vital organs of the body such as the heart, blood vessels, cause eyes, kidneys and nerves. On average there are 10 persons 8 persons with diabetes, heart disease and up to 75% of deaths in patients with type 2 diabetes are related to cardiovascular diseases, mainly as a result of myocardial infarction and cerebral stroke. Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of end-stage renal failure and diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness. Dangerous areas of diabetes as a concept is not new to doctors but also patients with diabetes are a lot of people do not know or have known, but did not understand the importance and significance of this concept. The biggest obstacle in the successful treatment of diabetes today is not due to lack of equipment, drugs, lack of processors or the lack of specialist that the subjective and lack of understanding of the disease. There are many people in spite of warning, but still have not seen all the dangers of diabetes as "not found" no complications. Therefore, they are less concerned had their blood sugar, need to change the lifestyle of how the disease under control. As a result of ignorance about the disease, so this little visit and test artery, perhaps 2-3 months Continue reading >>
Why Do Blood Glucose Levels Sometimes Go Up After Physical Activity?
When you exercise your muscles need more glucose to supply energy. In response, your liver increases the amount of glucose it releases into your bloodstream. Remember, however, that the glucose needs insulin in order to be used by your muscles. So if you do not have enough insulin available, your blood glucose levels can actually increase right after exercise. Basically, stimulated by the demand from your exercising muscles, your body is pouring glucose into your bloodstream. If you do not have enough insulin available to "unlock the door" to your muscles, the glucose cannot get into your muscles to provide needed energy. The end result is that glucose backs-up in your bloodstream, causing higher blood glucose readings. Here are some tips to safely exercise: Consult your doctor before starting an exercise program. If you are over the age of 35 you may need a stress test. Pick an exercise that you enjoy. Check your blood sugar before and after exercise. Do not exercise if your blood sugar is over 250 mg/dl and you have ketones. If your blood sugar is over 250 but no ketones are present, follow these guidelines: Type 1: If blood sugars are 300 or more, test within 5-10 minutes of begining exercise. If your blood sugar is dropping, you may continue. If it is not dropping, stop exercising. Type 2: Do Not exercise if blood sugars are 400 or more Plan exercise to prevent low blood sugar reactions. Exercise 1 to 1 ½ hours after eating. Always carry a carbohydrate snack (juice, glucose tablets, etc.) with you. Drink plenty of fluids. Wear shoes and equipment that fit well. Find more information about physical activity and diabetes in Staying Healthy with Diabetes – Physical Activity & Fitness available from the Joslin Online Store. Continue reading >>
How To Lower Your Blood Sugar When It's Really High
This article is written for type 2 diabetics who need help coming down from a very high blood sugar during a single, isolated high blood sugar event. If you want to try an stabilize your baseline, consider signing up for my Baseline Blood Sugar Challenge course. THIS ARTICLE IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR REAL MEDICAL ADVICE. If you're a type 2 diabetic and your blood sugar is high right now (greater than 300mg/dL for at least 6 hours), the first thing you should do is call your doctor. So, if you haven't called anyone for help yet, please stop reading this article and call your doctor. If your doctor is able to help, then you need not read on. Also, if you are having symptoms of Diabetic Ketoacidosis, stop reading this article and go to the hospital immediately. Diabetic Ketoacidosis can kill you if left untreated. But. If you're in a situation where your blood sugar has been high for an extended period of time, you could perhaps consider taking the following steps to solve your blood sugar problem. Disclaimer: This is friendly, non-medical advice from a random diabetic person you don't even know, which is a very (very) poor substitute for real, actual medical advice. Use at your own risk. First, you should try and lower your blood sugar without injectable insulin by completing the following steps: 1. Check your blood sugar. Write down the time and your blood sugar level. 2. Drink water (this doesn't actually lower blood sugar, but it helps flush sugar and ketones from your body, if you have them). Continue drinking water, but please don't make yourself sick. 3. Move. As in, walk. Walk around the block or walk in place or haul your ass up and down the stairs for 30-60 minutes. Walking helps your cells become less insulin resistant, which is what you need right now. Do N Continue reading >>
Questions And Answers - Blood Sugar
Use the chart below to help understand how different test results can indicate pre-diabetes or diabetes Fasting Blood Glucose Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) Random Blood Sugar (taken any time of day with or without fasting) A1C Ideal Result Less than 100mg/dl Less than 140 mg/dl Less than 140 (even after eating a large meal) Less than 5.7% Pre-diabetes 100-125mg/dl 140-199mg/dl 140-200 5.7% to 6.4% Diabetes 126mg/dl and greater 200 mg/dl and greater 200 or greater 6.5% or more Q: I have been told that I have diabetes, or "pre-diabetes", or that I am in the "honeymoon period" . My readings are all over the place: sometimes in the 120's, others in the 90's, sometimes, but rarely in the 150-170's. My doctor does not want to put me on medication yet. I exercise regularly and am not overweight though my diet is variable. I certainly like sweets, pizza, and pasta. What is the long term effect of these continued high blood sugar levels? A: Firstly, kudos for your physician for giving diet/lifestyle changes a chance to work. Reduction of body fat often is the first best start. This may or may not be true in your case but certainly sweets, pizza, etc. are affecting your numbers. If you can discipline yourself at this time to eat unrefined foods and be more active, your beta cells that produce insulin may get the rest they need to become efficient again. Our diabetes management booklet has many referenced foods/supplements that may help to stabilize your glucose levels. In time, your favorite foods may be reintroduced in moderate amounts. You appear to be more in the pre-diabetes range at this time. Complications are a long process. If your daytime levels stay under 120-140, that is good. Fasting levels are higher due to hormonal activity nighttime; these levels are a much sl Continue reading >>
Hyperglycemia: Treat It Early
Hyperglycemia is when your blood glucose level goes too high; it is high blood sugar. Part of managing diabetes (either type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes) on a daily basis is learning how to avoid hyperglycemia. Being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia early is helpful. If your blood sugar shoots up too high, it can be dangerous—and it can possibly land you in the hospital, especially if it leads to diabetic ketoacidosis. Also, if your blood sugar is continually in the high range, your likelihood of developing long-term diabetes complications such as nerve damage, kidney failure, and heart disease rises dramatically. So it is important to detect when your blood glucose reaches unacceptable levels. Early Signs and Symptoms of Hyperglycemia The best defensive tactic for identifying elevated blood glucose is testing with a glucose meter. Your doctor will advise you how frequently you should test and what levels you should be aiming for. However, your body can also let you know when there is too much glucose circulating in your blood. It may prompt you with: thirst dry mouth blurry vision fatigue If you experience these symptoms, check your blood glucose right away. Hyperglycemia Treatments If your blood glucose is high (based on the target levels your doctor said you should be aiming for), it is time to act. Your physician and diabetes educator have likely taught you how to treat high blood glucose levels—how to bring them back to a target range. Some possible ideas for treating hyperglycemia: Exercise: Exercise can help your body use the extra glucose, whether you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes. But please note, if your blood glucose level is above 250 mg/dL and you have type 1 diabetes, you’ll need to check for ketones before exerci Continue reading >>
High Blood Sugar Symptoms
If you’ve had diabetes for any length of time at all, you’ve probably seen lists of the signs and symptoms of high blood glucose dozens of times. Doctors and diabetes educators hand them out. Hundreds of websites reprint them. Most diabetes books list them. You likely know some of the items on the list by heart: thirst, frequent urination, blurry vision, slow healing of cuts, and more. But have you ever stopped to wonder why these symptoms occur? How does high blood glucose cause frequent urination, make your vision go blurry, or cause all of those other things to happen? Here are some answers to explain what’s going on in your body when you have high blood glucose. Setting the stage for high blood glucose High blood glucose (called hyperglycemia by medical professionals) is the defining characteristic of all types of diabetes. It happens when the body can no longer maintain a normal blood glucose level, either because the pancreas is no longer making enough insulin, or because the body’s cells have become so resistant to insulin that the pancreas cannot keep up, and glucose is accumulating in the bloodstream rather than being moved into the cells. What is high blood sugar? Blood glucose is commonly considered too high if it is higher than 130 mg/dl before a meal or higher than 180 mg/dl two hours after the first bite of a meal. However, most of the signs and symptoms of high blood glucose don’t appear until the blood glucose level is higher than 250 mg/dl. Some of the symptoms have a rapid onset, while others require a long period of high blood glucose to set in. It’s important to note that individuals differ in their sensitivity to the effects of high blood glucose: Some people feel symptoms more quickly or more strongly than others. But each sign or sympt Continue reading >>
Hyperglycemia (high Blood Sugar)
Review your blood sugar logs to look for patterns of BG over 140-150 mg/dL. A very high BG is anything over 300 mg/dL. One very high blood sugar number, as long as you feel okay, is not an immediate cause of concern. 2 or more very high blood sugar numbers means you need to start figuring out why your number is so high. Test for ketones when you have more than two very high blood sugar numbers in a row. In general, any level over 140-150 mg/dL is a high level. You do not necessarily need to do anything about this level beyond watching to make sure that a pattern of levels at or above this range doesnt develop. If you notice that your BG levels are rising, you can call the diabetes clinic for some help in making changes to fix these levels. At some point everyone with diabetes will have a very high blood sugar level. We define very high as any level over 300 mg/dL. One very high blood sugar level is not a cause for panic. Rather, it should serve as an alarm signaling the need for additional blood glucose monitoring and depending upon how you treat your diabetes; it may also mean that you need to take some extra insulin. Very high blood sugar levels mean that the body does not have enough insulin around to use sugar as energy. Even though the level of sugar in the blood stream is very high, the body cells may be sending out the alarm that they are starving. In this case, the body will switch to burning fat as an energy source. This is a problem because excess burning creates byproducts such as ketones and acids. After several hours the blood can become too acidic for the body organs to work right. This leads to a life-threatening diabetes emergency called Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). Full-blown DKA must be treated in a hospital, often in the Intensive Care Unit. It is im Continue reading >>
What Are The Ideal Levels Of Blood Sugar?
A blood sugar or blood glucose chart identifies ideal blood sugar levels throughout the day, including before and after meals. Doctors use blood sugar charts to set target goals and monitor diabetes treatment plans. Blood sugar charts also help those with diabetes assess and self-monitor blood sugar test results. What is a blood sugar chart? Blood sugar charts act as a reference guide for blood sugar test results. As such, blood sugar charts are important tools for diabetes management. Most diabetes treatment plans involve keeping blood sugar levels as close to normal or target goals as possible. This requires frequent at-home and doctor-ordered testing, along with an understanding of how results compare to target levels. To help interpret and assess blood sugar results, the charts outline normal and abnormal blood sugar levels for those with and without diabetes. In the United States, blood sugar charts typically report sugar levels in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). In the United Kingdom and many other countries, blood sugar is reported in millimoles per liter (mmol/L). A1C blood sugar recommendations are frequently included in blood sugar charts. A1C results are often described as both a percentage and an average blood sugar level in mg/dL. An A1C test measures the average sugar levels over a 3-month period, which gives a wider insight into a person's overall management of their blood sugar levels. Blood sugar chart guidelines Appropriate blood sugar levels vary throughout the day and from person to person. Blood sugars are often lowest before breakfast and in the lead up to meals. Blood sugars are often highest in the hours following meals. People with diabetes will often have higher blood sugar targets or acceptable ranges than those without the condition. These Continue reading >>
Why Are My Morning Sugars Over 300?
Q: I am 23 years old and I have had insulin dependent diabetes for 9 years. My blood sugars during the day are generally under 150 mg/dl, but no matter what I do my fasting blood sugar before breakfast is always high, often over 300. What is going on? A: The problem described above, fasting hyperglycemia (high blood sugar before breakfast), is a common complaint that vexes both patient and physician. Consistently elevated fasting blood sugars are generally due to one of the following: 1. Insufficient insulin taken the night before. 2. Somogyl Phenomenon: with this theory, it is thought that too much insulin is taken in the evening leading to unrecognized hypoglycemia in the middle of the night. The low blood sugar triggers the release of the counter-regulatory hormones (adrenaline, growth hormone, glucagon, cortisol) that increase blood sugar levels. Paradoxically, high doses of insulin taken at night lead to higher glucoses in the morning and lower doses lead to lower blood sugar levels. Although this theory had been accepted for years, currently it is controversial. Several studies have shown that lower glucoses in the middle of the night are actually associated with low glucoses in the morning and the “rebound” described above rarely occurs. This is important in that “normal” fasting glucoses may be at the expense of unrecognized hypoglycemia which can be potentially dangerous. 3. Insulin Waning: in this situation, the insulin taken the evening before has run out by morning, leading to elevated glucoses. This occurs most commonly when NPH is taken in the early evening, at 5-6 pm. This waning is the reason it is often suggested that the evening NPH be taken later at night, generally around 10 pm. 4. Dawn Phenomenon: in this situation, a predawn surge in growth Continue reading >>
High Blood Sugar (hyperglycemia) In Diabetes
What is high blood sugar? High blood sugar means that the level of sugar in your blood is higher than recommended for you. If you don’t keep your blood sugar at a normal, healthy level most of the time, you will increase your risk of heart and blood vessel disease, stroke, kidney problems, and loss of vision. The medical term for high blood sugar is hyperglycemia. Blood sugar is also called blood glucose. What is the cause? Blood sugar that stays high is the main problem of diabetes. Your body breaks down some of the foods you eat into sugar. Normally the hormone insulin moves this sugar into your cells, where your body uses it for energy. In diabetes the insulin is not moving the sugar into the cells, so it builds up in the bloodstream and starts to cause problems. Sometimes you may have high blood sugar even though you are taking diabetes medicine. This can happen for many reasons but it always means that your diabetes is not in good control. Some reasons why your sugar might go too high are: Skipping your diabetes medicine Not taking the right amount of diabetes medicine Taking certain medicines that increase your blood sugar or make your blood sugar medicines work less well Taking in too many calories by eating large portions of food, choosing too many high-calorie foods, or drinking too many high-sugar beverages Eating too many carbohydrates, such as foods made mainly with sugar, white flour (in bread, biscuits, pancakes, for example), white potatoes, or white rice Not getting enough physical activity (exercise lowers your blood sugar) Having increased emotional or physical stress Being sick, including colds, flu, an infected tooth, or a urinary tract infection, especially if you have a fever If you are using insulin, having a problem with your insulin (for examp Continue reading >>
Signs Of High And Low Blood Sugar
One of the challenges of managing diabetes is maintaining consistent blood sugar (glucose) levels. Even with diligence, some situations can cause high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, while others can bring on low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. So it’s important to know the signs of both high and low levels, and what actions to take to bring them back within a desired range. Monitoring your blood sugar levels with a glucose meter will do a lot to help you keep those levels steady and avoid the complications that can come with diabetes. According to the Mayo Clinic, how often you check your blood sugar level depends on many factors, including your age, the type and severity of your diabetes, the length of time that you've had the condition, and the presence of any diabetes-related complications. About High Blood Sugar (Hyperglycemia) Common signs of high blood sugar include frequent urination, fatigue, dry or itchy skin, feeling thirsty, more frequent infections, and eating more food but not gaining as much weight as usual, says Athena Philis-Tsimikas, MD of the Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute in San Diego, California. A blood sugar reading above 180 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) is considered above normal and can bring on these symptoms, although it’s possible to have high blood sugar without any symptoms, Dr. Philis-Tsimikas says. A reading above 300 mg/dL is considered severe. If your blood sugar is above 250 mg/dL for two days, Philis-Tsimikas advises informing your doctor and asking for specific treatment recommendations. Blood sugar levels above 300 mg/dL can cause nausea, drowsiness, blurred vision, confusion, and dizziness, especially when standing up from a sitting or lying position. Ways to treat high blood sugar include: Taking your prescribed medicati Continue reading >>
Hyperglycemia And Type 2 Diabetes
Part 1 of 6 Highlights High blood glucose, or hyperglycemia, primarily affects those with diabetes. If left untreated it can lead to chronic complications, such as kidney disease or nerve damage. Good diabetes management and careful blood glucose monitoring are both effective ways of preventing hyperglycemia. High blood glucose, or hyperglycemia, can cause major health complications in people with diabetes over time. Several factors can contribute to hyperglycemia, including eating more carbohydrates than normal and being less physically active than normal. Regular blood sugar testing is crucial for people with diabetes, because many people do not feel the symptoms of high blood sugar. Part 2 of 6 Short-term symptoms of high blood sugar include: excessive thirst excessive urination increased urination at night blurry vision sores that won’t heal fatigue If you experience symptoms of hyperglycemia, it’s important that you check your blood glucose levels. Untreated high blood sugar can lead to chronic complications, such as eye, kidney, or heart disease or nerve damage. The symptoms listed above can develop over several days or weeks. The longer the condition is left untreated, the more severe the problem may become. Generally, blood glucose levels greater than 180 mg/dL after meals — or over 130 mg/dL before eating — are considered high. Be sure to check with your doctor to learn your blood sugar targets. Part 3 of 6 A number of conditions or factors can contribute to hyperglycemia, including: eating more carbohydrates than usual being less physically active than usual being ill or having an infection experiencing high levels of stress not getting the right dosage of glucose-lowering medication Part 4 of 6 There are several treatment methods available for hypergl Continue reading >>
Diabetic Coma
Print Overview A diabetic coma is a life-threatening diabetes complication that causes unconsciousness. If you have diabetes, dangerously high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can lead to a diabetic coma. If you lapse into a diabetic coma, you're alive — but you can't awaken or respond purposefully to sights, sounds or other types of stimulation. Left untreated, a diabetic coma can be fatal. The prospect of a diabetic coma is scary, but fortunately you can take steps to help prevent it. Start by following your diabetes treatment plan. Symptoms Before developing a diabetic coma, you'll usually experience signs and symptoms of high blood sugar or low blood sugar. High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) If your blood sugar level is too high, you may experience: Increased thirst Frequent urination Fatigue Nausea and vomiting Shortness of breath Stomach pain Fruity breath odor A very dry mouth A rapid heartbeat Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) Signs and symptoms of a low blood sugar level may include: Shakiness or nervousness Anxiety Fatigue Weakness Sweating Hunger Nausea Dizziness or light-headedness Difficulty speaking Confusion Some people, especially those who've had diabetes for a long time, develop a condition known as hypoglycemia unawareness and won't have the warning signs that signal a drop in blood sugar. If you experience any symptoms of high or low blood sugar, test your blood sugar and follow your diabetes treatment plan based on the test results. If you don't start to feel better quickly, or you start to feel worse, call for emergency help. When to see a doctor A diabetic coma is a medical emergency. If you feel extreme high or low blood sugar signs or symptoms and think you might pass out, call 911 or your local emergency nu Continue reading >>
Proven Tips & Strategies To Bring High Blood Sugar Down (quickly)
Untreated, high blood sugar can cause many problems and future complications. Recognizing signs of high blood sugar levels and knowing how to lower them can help you prevent these complications and increase the quality and length of your life. Topics covered (click to jump to specific section) High blood sugar level symptoms and signs Symptoms of high blood sugar include: Increased thirst Tired all the time Irritability Increased hunger Urinating a lot Dry mouth Blurred vision Severe high blood sugar can lead to nausea and fruity smelling breath The signs and symptoms for high blood sugar are the same for both type 1 and type 2. Signs usually show up quicker in those who have type 1 because of the nature of their diabetes. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to stop making insulin altogether. Type 2 is caused by lifestyle factors when the body eventually stops responding to insulin, which causes the sugar to increase slowly. People with type 2 can live longer without any symptoms creeping because their body is still making enough insulin to help control it a little bit. What causes the blood sugar levels go to high? Our bodies need sugar to make energy for the cells. Without it, we cannot do basic functions. When we eat foods with glucose, insulin pairs with it to allow it to enter into the cell wall. If the insulin is not there, then the glucose molecule can’t get through the wall and cannot be used. The extra glucose hangs out in the bloodstream which is literally high blood sugar. The lack of insulin can be caused by two different things. First, you can have decreased insulin resistance which means that your insulin doesn’t react the way that it is supposed to. It doesn’t partner with glucose to be used as fuel. Secondly, you can have no insuli Continue reading >>
When Your Blood Sugar Is Too High Or Too Low
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to keep your blood sugar in the range your doctor has advised, it can be too high or too low. Blood sugar that is too high or too low can make you very sick. Here's how to handle these emergencies. What You Need to Know about High Blood Sugar If your blood sugar stays over 240, it is too high. High blood sugar usually comes on slowly. It happens when you don't have enough insulin in your body. High blood sugar can happen if you miss taking your diabetes medicine, eat too much, or don't get enough exercise. Sometimes, medicines you take for other problems may cause high blood sugar. Be sure to tell your doctor about other medicines you take. This chart shows the ranges of blood sugar. Having an infection or being sick or under stress can also make your blood sugar too high. That is why it is very important to test your blood and keep taking your medicine (insulin or diabetes pills) when you have an infection or are sick. Your blood sugar may be too high if you are very thirsty and tired, have blurry vision, are losing weight fast, and have to go to the bathroom often. Very high blood sugar may make you feel sick to your stomach, faint, or throw up. It can cause you to lose too much fluid from your body. Testing your blood sugar often, especially when you are sick, will warn you that your blood sugar may be rising too high. If your blood sugar stays over 300 when you check it two times in a row, call your doctor. You may need a change in your insulin shots or diabetes pills, or a change in your meal plan. *CGM-based treatment requires fingersticks for calibration, if patient is taking acetaminophen, or if symptoms/expectations do not match CGM readings, and if not performed, may result in hypoglycemia. Please see important risk and sa Continue reading >>
