What to Do When Diabetic Sugar Numbers Are High?

For diabetics, keeping blood sugar in check is a vital component to maintaining good health. Prolonged high blood sugars can have a devastating effect, causing system-wide complications including damage to the kidneys and pancreas, and leading to related issues with the circulatory system and heart.

What Causes High Blood Sugar?

• Temporary spikes in blood sugars can be caused by a number of things, most frequently too large a meal or a meal laden with carbohydrates. If you know that you've eaten something you shouldn't, wait a few hours and test again.

  Another thing to consider is that some diabetes medications will cause dehydration. If that is the case, then drinking sugar-free liquids should help bring your blood sugar back down to normal. Other medicines you take for different conditions may also cause your blood sugar to rise, so make sure your doctor has all the information about your medicines, including supplements, even if he is not the prescribing doctor.

Prevention

• The best way to prevent sugar spikes is by eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, drinking lots of water or other sugar-free liquids, exercising at least 30 minutes a day, and getting enough sleep. Sleep is an important factor to maintaining good diabetic health. Eating smaller, more frequent meals is also a good idea to help keep blood sugar level.

When To Worry

• If your blood sugar remains higher than 240 for an extended period of time, you may be in danger. Symptoms of high blood sugar include extreme thirst, exhaustion, blurry vision, frequent urination, confusion, and you may feel sick to your stomach.

  Left untreated, your body can develop a condition called ketoacidosis, which can lead to a diabetic coma. This develops when there isn't enough insulin in your body. Without insulin, the body can't convert glucose to energy and begins to break down fats. During this process, byproducts called ketones are produced, and your body responds by trying to expel them through urine. If the body can't get rid of ketones in you blood fast enough, ketoacidosis occurs, and you can collapse into a coma.

  Symptoms of ketoacidosis are shortness of breath, a fruity smell to the breath, nausea and vomiting, and dry mouth. If you experience these symptoms, call your doctor right away.

  Exercising while there are ketones in your blood can be dangerous. Your blood sugar can go even higher as a result. You can buy testing strips at any pharmacy to test your urine for ketones. If your urine tests positive for ketones, work with your doctor and your dietitian to develop a way to bring your blood sugar down to a manageable level and keep it there.