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As part of your diabetes care plan, it’s important to know what to do if your blood sugar goes too high or too low. Blood sugar that’s too high or too low can cause symptoms that can be mistaken for other problems. That’s why it’s important for you to always wear your medical ID. The ID should show that you have diabetes and should tell others what you might need in an emergency.
Knowing when your blood sugar is high
High blood sugar (also called hyperglycemia) is when there is too much sugar in your blood.
Over time, it can cause serious health problems. High blood sugar can happen if you:
If your blood sugar is too high, you may:
High blood sugar and DKA
High blood sugar can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA. DKA is a buildup of ketones in the blood. Ketones are produced when the body uses fat for energy instead of sugar. This can happen when you don’t have enough insulin and sugar is not getting into your cells to be used for energy.
DKA is mainly a problem for people with type 1 diabetes. Regular checks of your urine or blood for ketones can help prevent this serious problem. Ketones in your urine or blood are a sign that your insulin level is too low.
What to do about high blood sugar
If you have signs or symptoms of high blood sugar, check your blood sugar level. Check your ketones too. If your blood sugar is high and you don’t have ketones, you can help lower your blood sugar if you:
Call your diabetes care team if:
Recognizing low blood sugar
You might get low blood sugar (also called hypoglycemia) if you:
When your blood sugar gets too low, you may feel: