When is glucose too high

Drinking a lot: Someone losing so much fluid from peeing that often can get very thirsty. Losing weight even though your appetite has stayed the same: If there isn't enough insulin to help the body use glucose, the body breaks down muscle and stored fat instead in an attempt to provide fuel to hungry cells. Feeling tired: Because the body can't use glucose for energy properly, a person may feel unusually tired. Reason for High Blood Sugar Level What to Do Not getting enough insulin or other diabetes medicine Make sure that you take the proper type of insulin and the correct dose at the right time.

Check that insulin is not expired. Make sure that all equipment pumps, meters, etc. Diabetes medicines may need to be changed or adjusted — check with your diabetes health care team.

Not following the meal plan like eating too much food on special occasions without adjusting medicines Work with a registered dietitian to make adjustments to your meal plan as needed. Not getting enough exercise Figure out a plan to make time for exercise. Adjust your medicines based on the diabetes health care team's instructions. Illness or stress Contact your diabetes health care team. Continue to take insulin the dose may need to be adjusted.

Check your blood sugar levels frequently. Use of other medicines that can increase blood sugar Contact your diabetes health care team if you start taking any other medicine.

Your insulin or pills may need to be adjusted while you take the medicine that's causing high blood sugar levels. People who have DKA may: feel really tired feel really thirsty or pee way more than usual have a dry mouth and signs of dehydration These symptoms are caused by the high blood sugar levels that usually happen before someone develops DKA. Avoiding High Blood Sugar and DKA No matter how well they take care of themselves, people with diabetes will sometimes have high blood sugar levels.

Here are some other tips for avoiding high blood sugar levels and preventing DKA: Try to eat all your meals and snacks on time and not skip any.

Take the right amount of insulin. Check your blood sugar levels regularly and your ketone levels when your diabetes management plan recommends it. Stick to your diabetes management plan. Make sure that you take the proper type of insulin and the correct dose at the right time. Not following the meal plan like eating too much food on special occasions without adjusting medicines.

Some healthcare providers may want to take a blood sample to test your blood sugar levels. They may also order an A1C test , which is a blood test that measures blood sugar levels over several months. Emergency rooms are equipped to handle high blood sugar levels and can administer treatments like insulin therapy and fluid or electrolyte replacement. Skip to main content Search for a topic or drug. What are normal blood glucose levels?

Learn the symptoms of high and low blood sugar here. Top Reads in Health Education. Diabetes and exercise Nov.

What is insulin resistance? Do coffee and diabetes mix? Having high blood sugar frequently and without treatment can raise the risk of diabetes-related health problems, including neuropathy and retinopathy. Talk to your doctor about your blood sugar levels and when you should seek emergency medical attention.

Sometimes, doctors recommend that a person maintains higher blood sugar goals than others. Read more about blood sugar monitoring here. Most people can manage their diabetes in a way that stops their blood sugar levels from ever getting too high. The following tips can help:.

Engage in physical activity that gets your heart pumping for at least 30 minutes a day, most days of the week. Read about how exercise can benefit people with diabetes. High stress levels can increase your blood sugar. Try out some relaxation methods to keep stress in check. These might include:. Read about ways to reduce stress and anxiety. Drink plenty of water. Avoid drinking too many sugary soft drinks or sugary juices as well.

Make sure you see your doctor to test your A1C levels at recommended intervals. This is a measure of how consistent your blood sugar is over a 3-month period.

Losing excess fat can reduce the amount of metabolically active tissue in your body. This makes blood sugar levels easier to maintain. Skipping a dose of medication or insulin can be harmful to your body and increase your blood sugar levels.

Healthful lifestyle habits can help people manage their blood sugar levels over the long term, such as eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, staying hydrated, and getting good sleep. Administering insulin and exercising are two of the most common ways to get blood sugar levels down. However, if someone has ketones in their urine or symptoms of excessively high blood sugar, they may need to go to the emergency room. Blood sugar spikes are when your blood sugar rises and then crashes after eating.

Some people will check their blood sugar daily or multiple times a day, sometimes using a continuous monitor that is worn on the body — particularly those who have type 1 diabetes or who have type 2 but take insulin.

The American Academy of Family Physicians is among the organizations advising that daily glucose self-testing has no benefit in patients with type 2 diabetes who are not on insulin or medications associated with hypoglycemia. Meanwhile, keep an eye out for these nine key warning signs and symptoms that blood sugar is too high — and talk to your doctor about whether you need to adjust your management plan. This is a common but not-so-obvious sign of blood sugar that is too high: feeling really thirsty and needing to drink more than usual.

You may become dehydrated and get dizzy. Fatigue and extreme tiredness are symptoms of uncontrolled blood sugar , the ADA says. Also, frequent urination can lead to dehydration , which Bandukwala identifies as another contributing factor to fatigue. High blood sugar levels can lead to swollen lenses in your eye from fluid leaking in, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.

This changes the shape of the lens, which makes it unable to properly focus, causing blurred vision. You may also find yourself struggling at work, having difficulty driving, and suffering from frequent headaches, Emanuele notes. Cuts, scrapes, bruises, and other wounds heal more slowly in the presence of uncontrolled blood sugar, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Even minor wounds are more prone to infections, which can become very serious and even result in amputations of the foot. You may notice drainage seeping onto your socks or an unpleasant smell if you develop a foot ulcer, notes the American Podiatric Medical Association.