Page 4

Chapter 4: Hyperglycemia / Hypoglycemia

You may feel that maintaining your energy level is one of the hardest parts about managing your diabetes. Some days you may wake up and not feel well or not feel strong. Fatigue can be a sign of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. Hyper means high and hypo means low.

Keeping a routine with your meals can help you keep your blood sugar in control:

• Always eat three meals each day at the same times of about the same size.
• Take your medicines at the same time everyday.
• Check your blood glucose and write it down in your log book.
• If your blood sugar is high, write it in your log book with what you ate so you and your doctor can figure out what made your numbers go up.

Hyperglycemia is when your blood sugar is too high. Here are the symptoms:

• Extreme thirst
• Frequent urination
• Dry skin
• Hunger
• Blurred vision
• Drowsiness
• Nausea

If your blood sugar is too high for several tests, you should call your doctor. It’s normal for your blood sugar to rise after you eat. But it shouldn’t go above a certain number and stay high. Every diabetic has different blood sugar goals. Talk to your diabetes care team and find out where your danger zone is. If your blood sugar is over that number for several glucometer tests, call your doctor. If you cannot reach your doctor, come to the emergency room so someone can help you get your blood sugar back in control.

Hypoglycemia is when your blood sugar is too low. Here are the symptoms:

• Shaking
• Fast heartbeat
• Sweating
• Anxiety
• Dizziness
• Hunger
• Impaired vision
• Weakness or fatigue
• Headache
  
• Irritability, like feeling nervous or angry

If you experience symptoms of hypoglycemia, you should do one of these things:

• Drink half a glass of juice or regular soda (four ounces)
• Eat several hard candies or four glucose tablets
• Test your blood glucose

Remember the 15-15 rule to raise your blood sugar. Eat or drink 15 grams of carbohydrate. Then, wait 15 minutes and test your blood sugar to see what happened.

If this works and your symptoms go away, you may want to eat a light meal if it’s time for a meal, or a sustaining snack until it’s time for your next meal.

If your blood sugar is still too low, drink or eat one of these choices again, wait 15 minutes, and test your blood sugar. If you try this three times and it doesn’t work, three strikes you’re out. Call your doctor or go to the ER so someone can help you get your blood sugar back in control. If you’re sick and having difficulty eating, call your doctor or go to the ER.

If you’ve had diabetes for a while, your body can be used to having high blood sugar and you may feel strange when the numbers go lower, even if the numbers are still higher than the normal range of 70 to 140. You may want to make a plan with your doctor to lower your blood sugar more slowly, so your body can readjust to the new levels. Make changes at your own pace to get your blood sugar in a better range to avoid long-term complications of diabetes.