Try to stay close to your usual schedule of eating, activity, and medicine. If you’re late getting a meal or if you’re more active than usual, you may need an extra snack. Keeping track of your blood glucose is a good way to know when it tends to run low. Show your logbook or record sheet to your health care providers. Be sure to let them know if you’re having a number of low glucose readings a week.To be safe, always check your glucose before doing any of these things:
- Driving a vehicle.
- Using heavy equipment.
- Being very physically active.
- Being active for a long time.
Ask your health care team whether you should test your glucose before (or during) any other activities Always carry some type of carbohydrate sugar food or drink with you so you’ll be ready at any time to treat a low glucose level. Always wear something (like an identification bracelet) that says you have diabetes. Carry a card in your wallet that says you have diabetes and tells if you use medicine to treat it.
Problems with High Blood Glucose
For most people, blood glucose levels that stay higher than 140 mg/dL (before meals) are too high. Talk with your health care team about the glucose range that is best for you. Eating too much food, being less active than usual, or taking too little diabetes medicine are some common reasons for high blood glucose (or hyperglycemia). Your blood glucose can also go up when you’re sick or under stress. Over time, high blood glucose can damage body organs.
Signs of High Blood Glucose
Some common signs of high blood glucose are having a dry mouth, being thirsty, and urinating often. Other signs include feeling tired, having blurred vision, and losing weight without trying. If your glucose is very high, you may have stomach pain, feel sick to your stomach, or even throw up. This is an emergency and you need to go to the hospital right away.
Preventing High Blood Glucose
Try to stay with your food and activity plan as much as you can. Drink water. Take your diabetes medicine about the same time each day. Work with your health care team to set goals for weight, blood glucose level, and activity. Keep track of your blood glucose and go over your records often. You’ll learn how certain foods or activities affect your glucose. Show your records to your health care team.