Hyperglycemia
Some signs of hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) include:
- Extreme thirst and hunger
- Need to urinate often
- Dry skin and mouth
- Blurry vision
- Drowsiness
- Slow healing wounds or infections
- Weight loss
Some Causes: Too much food, too little insulin or missed or skipped doses of diabetes pills, illness, or stress.
Onset: Often gradual.
If your blood glucose gets too high, ask:
Did I miss my insulin dose or my diabetes pills?
Did I eat more than usual?
Did I forget to exercise?
Am I feeling sick?
Am I under stress?
What can you do?
The best way to avoid high blood glucose problems is to follow your diabetes-care plan. Check your blood glucose. If it is very high or higher than your goal for 3 days in a row and you don't know why, call your healthcare provider.
High blood glucose with ketones can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), This is a serious medical condition that must be treated immediately. Although it often develops slowly, when vomiting occurs, life-threatening ketoacidosis can develop within a matter of a few hours. If you have any symptoms of ketoacidosis, check for ketones, and call your healthcare provider right away or go to the closest hospital emergency room.
DKA is caused by the production of ketones when the body does not have enough insulin. A positive blood or urine ketone test means that your body is using body fat for energy instead of glucose.
Ketones are more likely to occur in people with type 1 diabetes. Check for ketones if your blood glucose is over 240 mg/dL, and also whenever you are sick. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a positive ketone test result and don't know what to do.
Drink plenty of water, check your blood glucose more often, check your urine or blood for ketones and call your healthcare provider if your blood glucose levels do not go down.
“Every time I have to take exams in school, my blood sugar gets crazy. Even if I am careful about what I eat and take my insulin, it gets really high. My doctor explained that stress can make blood sugar go up. He told me to try to relax as much as I could, and he taught me to take deep breaths before an exam. Sometimes my body acts like it has a mind of its own!” — M.F. 15 years old
