Blood sugar levels high what to do

Having high blood sugar levels can be discomforting and many people wish to know what they can do to help to bring down high blood glucose levels.

We look at some of the options for lowering blood glucose in the short term.

High blood sugar is commonly known as hyperglycemia.

What are the signs of high blood sugar?

The classic symptoms of high blood glucose levels are:

• Feeling very thirsty
• Needing to go the toilet often
• Having a dry mouth
• Feeling tired/lethargic
• Feeling uncomfortable and irritable

Check your blood sugar

If you take medication that may cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), it’s highly advisable to check your blood sugar levels before you try to bring your sugar levels down.

This is just in case your blood sugar is normal or low, which can be the case in some situations.

• What should my blood glucose levels be?

Testing of blood sugar before bringing your levels down is particularly important if you take insulin.

When to call for medical advice

It is important to note that very high blood glucose levels can be dangerous and it is important to be aware of the symptoms and risk factors of the following conditions:

• Diabetic ketoacidosis – a short term complication most commonly associated with type 1 diabetes
• Hyperosmolar Hyperglycaemic State – a short term complication most commonly associated with type 2 diabetes

If you are struggling to keep your blood glucose levels under control, speak to your GP or consultant who can advise you or refer you onto a diabetes education course.

Correcting high blood sugar levels with insulin

If you take insulin, one way to reduce blood sugar is to inject insulin.

However, be careful as insulin can take 4 hours or longer to be fully absorbed, so you need to make sure you take into account how much insulin you may already have in your body that is yet to be absorbed by the blood. Insulin that is yet to be absorbed by the blood is called ‘active insulin’.

If you decide to correct with insulin, watch you don’t over correct as this can lead to hypoglycemia and can be dangerous, particularly so before bed.

Walking

Exercise can help to lower blood sugar and walking is a good way of achieving this.

It might make sense that exercising harder would have a better effect on lowering blood sugar therefore but this is not always the case as strenuous exercise can produce a stress response which causes the body to raise blood glucose levels. This response does tend to vary from person.

Drinking more water

When your blood sugar levels are running high, your body will try to flush excess sugar out of your blood through the urine. As a result, your body will need more fluids to rehydrate itself. Drinking water can help the body with flushing out some of the glucose in the blood.

Just a word of caution to be sensible with drinking water; water intoxication (which can result in death) is possible if a number of litres water are drunk in a short space of time. This is rare and quite difficult to manage but it pays to be aware of this.

Reflect on the amount of sugar in your diet

Hyperglycemia occurs when there is too much glucose in the blood.

• Low-carb diet for 12 weeks put type 2 diabetes into remission
• Low carb in type 1 diabetes improves glucose level variability, new study shows

Therefore, one way of reducing your blood glucose levels is reflecting on where sugar may be consumed in the diet. Think about any refined and processed foods that may be in your diet as these are often high in sugar. This can be achieved through a low carbohydrate diet.

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Hyperglycemia is the technical term for high blood glucose (blood sugar). High blood glucose happens when the body has too little insulin or when the body can't use insulin properly.

What causes hyperglycemia?

A number of things can cause hyperglycemia:

• If you have type 1, you may not have given yourself enough insulin.
• If you have type 2, your body may have enough insulin, but it is not as effective as it should be.
• You ate more than planned or exercised less than planned.
• You have stress from an illness, such as a cold or flu.
• You have other stress, such as family conflicts or school or dating problems.
• You may have experienced the dawn phenomenon (a surge of hormones that the body produces daily around 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.).

What are the symptoms of hyperglycemia?

The signs and symptoms include the following:

• High blood glucose
• High levels of glucose in the urine
• Frequent urination
• Increased thirst

Part of managing your diabetes is checking your blood glucose often. Ask your doctor how often you should check and what your glucose sugar levels should be. Checking your blood and then treating high blood glucose early will help you avoid problems associated with hyperglycemia.

How do I treat hyperglycemia?

You can often lower your blood glucose level by exercising. However, if your blood glucose is above 240 mg/dl, check your urine for ketones. If you have ketones, do not exercise.

Exercising when ketones are present may make your blood glucose level go even higher. You'll need to work with your doctor to find the safest way for you to lower your blood glucose level.

Cutting down on the amount of food you eat might also help. Work with your dietitian to make changes in your meal plan. If exercise and changes in your diet don't work, your doctor may change the amount of your medication or insulin or possibly the timing of when you take it.

What if it goes untreated?

Hyperglycemia can be a serious problem if you don't treat it, so it's important to treat as soon as you detect it. If you fail to treat hyperglycemia, a condition called ketoacidosis (diabetic coma) could occur. Ketoacidosis develops when your body doesn't have enough insulin. Without insulin, your body can't use glucose for fuel, so your body breaks down fats to use for energy.

When your body breaks down fats, waste products called ketones are produced. Your body cannot tolerate large amounts of ketones and will try to get rid of them through the urine. Unfortunately, the body cannot release all the ketones and they build up in your blood, which can lead to ketoacidosis.

Ketoacidosis is life-threatening and needs immediate treatment. Symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Breath that smells fruity
• Nausea and vomiting
• Very dry mouth

Talk to your doctor about how to handle this condition.

Medical IDs

Many people with diabetes, particularly those who use insulin, should have a medical ID with them at all times.

In the event of a severe hypoglycemic episode, a car accident, or other emergency, the medical ID can provide critical information about the person's health status, such as the fact that they have diabetes, whether or not they use insulin, whether they have any allergies, etc. Emergency medical personnel are trained to look for a medical ID when they are caring for someone who can't speak for themselves.

Medical IDs are usually worn as a bracelet or a necklace. Traditional IDs are etched with basic, key health information about the person, and some IDs now include compact USB drives that can carry a person's full medical record for use in an emergency.

How can I prevent hyperglycemia?

Your best bet is to practice good diabetes management and learn to detect hyperglycemia so you can treat it early—before it gets worse.

If you're new to type 2 diabetes, join our free Living With Type 2 Diabetes program to get help and support during your first year.