Good blood glucose level is 90-140 mg/dL in fasting stage or before meal and 140-180 mg/dL in after meal.
Keeping your blood glucose as close to normal as possible can be a delicate balancing act. If you don't have a healthy diet, you eat too much and don't follow your meal and exercise plan, you can wind up with high blood sugar and risk complications. At the other end of the spectrum, your blood sugar can go too low and cause problems, even a life-threatening coma.
Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar)
What is hypoglycemia?
If your blood sugar drops too low, you can have a low blood sugar reaction called hypoglycemia. A low blood sugar reaction can come on fast. Generally, a level below about 60 mg/dl is called low blood sugar. It may occur once or twice a week if you have Type 1 diabetes. Hypoglycemia is much less common with Type 2 diabetes, but it can happen especially with some medications. People who have tight control of their diabetes are more at risk for low blood sugar and so are the elderly. Studies have shown that 50 percent of severe low blood sugars occur between midnight and 8 a.m. Talk to your diabetes educator about what to do.
What causes hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia can occur for a number of reasons:
- Delaying or skipping a meal
- Eating too little food at a meal
- Getting more exercise than usual
- Taking too much diabetes medicine, especially insulin, sulfonylureas, or meglitinides
- Drinking alcohol
What is it?
Too much sugar in the blood is called hyperglycemia. This is a problem that, left uncontrolled, can damage eyes, kidneys, heart, nerves and blood vessels. Causes include eating too much food, too little insulin or other medication, forgetting to take insulin or medication, skipping normal exercise, feeling sick or stressed.
What are the symptoms?
Often there are no signs with hyperglycemia. But if the blood sugar is extremely high, you may experience headache, blurry vision, thirst, hunger, frequent urination, dry skin, upset tummy or a fruity smell on the breath.
What is the treatment?
You should do as your doctor has advised you. You may be told to have an extra dose of short-acting insulin. If your blood glucose is over 240 mg/dl, you may test your urine for ketones, which are made when your body burns fat instead of glucose for energy. You should drink lots of fluids, check your glucose frequently and call a doctor or nurse. If your blood glucose is more than 500 mg/dl and there are signs of ketones in your urine, get to a hospital immediately.
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