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What
is a good blood sugar level?
Everyone has some
sugar in their blood. The normal amount of sugar in the blood
ranges from about 70 to about 120 in people who don't have diabetes.
Blood sugar goes up after eating, but returns to the normal range
in 1 or 2 hours.
A good blood sugar
range for most people with diabetes is from about 70 to 150. This
is before a meal--like before breakfast or 4 to 5 hours after
you last meal. Your blood sugar should be less than 200 about
2 hours after your last meal.
Remember: Everyone
is different. A good blood sugar range for someone else may not
be the best for you. For example, a blood sugar of 80 may be too
low for some people. Ask you doctor what the best range of blood
sugar is for you.
What
you need to know about high blood sugar.
If your blood sugar
stays over 240, it is too high. High blood sugar usually
comes on slowly. It happens when you don't have enough insulin
in your body. High blood sugar can happen if you miss taking your
diabetes medicine, eat too much, or don't get enough exercise.
Sometimes, medicines you take for other problems may cause high
blood sugar. Be sure to tell your doctor about other medicines
you take.
Having an infection
or being sick or under stress can also make your blood sugar too
high. That is why it is very important to test your blood and
keep taking your medicine (insulin or diabetes pills) when you
have an infection or are sick.
Your blood sugar may
be too high if you are very thirsty and tired, have blurry vision,
are losing weight fast, and have to go to the bathroom often.
Very high blood sugar may make you feel sick to your stomach,
faint, or throw up. It can cause you to lose too much fluid from
your body. Testing
your blood sugar often, especially when you are sick, will warn
you that your blood sugar may be rising too high. If your blood
sugar stays over 300 when you check it two times in a row, call
your doctor. You may need a change in your insulin shots or
diabetes pills, or a change in your meal plan. If you are not
sick and do not have ketones in your urine, going for a slow walk
or some other easy exercise may lower your blood sugar.
What
you need to know about low blood sugar.
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.
It is caused by taking too much insulin, missing a meal, delaying
a meal, exercising too much, or drinking too much alcohol. Sometimes,
medicines you take for other health problems can cause blood sugar
to drop.
A low blood sugar reaction
can make you feel shaky, mixed up, unhappy, hungry, or tired. You
may sweat a lot or get a headache. Your legs may shake. If your
blood sugar drops lower, you can get very confused, sleepy, or irritable,
or you may pass out or have a seizure.
Treat low blood sugar
quickly. If you have signs of low blood sugar, eat or drink something
that has sugar in it. Some things you can eat are hard candy, sugar-sweetened
soda, orange juice, or a glass of milk. Special tablets or gel made
of glucose (a form of sugar) can be used to treat low blood sugar.
You can buy these in a drug store. Always have some of these items
handy at home or with you when you go out in case your blood sugar
drops too low. After treating a low blood sugar reaction, eat a
small snack like half a sandwich, a glass of milk, or some crackers
if your next meal is more than 30 minutes away.
In case of a medical emergency,
be sure that you carry medical identification (a tag or card) that
says you have diabetes and lists the medicines you take. It should
also give the name and telephone number of your doctor. Tell your
family, friends, teachers, or other people you see often about the
signs of low blood sugar. Explain how to treat it. You may need
their help some day.
You can prevent most
low blood sugar reactions by eating your meals on time, taking
your diabetes medicine, and testing your blood sugar often. Testing
your blood will show if your sugar level is going down. You can
then take steps, like eating some fruit, crackers, or other snack,
to raise your blood sugar level.
Action
Steps:
If you USE insulin
- Tell your doctor
if you have low blood sugar reactions often, especially if they
happen at the same time of day or night.
- Tell your doctor
if you have passed out from low blood sugar or if you ever needed
someone's help.
- Ask your doctor
about "glucagon." Glucagon is a medicine to raise blood sugar.
If you pass out from low blood sugar, someone should call "911"
emergency and give you a glucagon shot.
If you DON'T USE insulin
- Be sure to tell
your doctor about other medicines you may be taking.
- If you take diabetes
pills you can also have low blood sugar reactions. The doctor
may need to make a change in your medicine or eating plan. (If
you don't take pills or insulin, you don't have to worry about
low blood sugar reactions.)
Always be prepared
for a low blood sugar reaction. Keep a snack handy. Ask your doctor
or diabetes educator for a list of snacks to treat low blood sugar.
This
information was provided by The
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
This material is not copyrighted, and can be used, and is encouraged
for public use.
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