Type 2 Diabetes
High Blood Sugar/Hyperglycemia
What is hyperglycemia?
Hyperglycemia means there is too much sugar in the blood. The body needs insulin to move the sugar into the cells. In type 2 diabetes the pancreas doesn't produce enough usable insulin, making it difficult to move the sugar into the cells. That is why people with type 2 diabetes sometimes need pills and/or insulin. Over time, high blood sugars can lead to serious health problems.
Signs and Symptoms:
You may have one or more of these symptoms when you have a high blood sugar:
- Strong thirst
- Frequent urination
- Increased hunger
- Blurred vision
- Dry skin
- Drowsiness
- Decreased healing
Causes of high blood sugar:
- Not enough diabetes medication
- You forgot to take a dose of your pills or insulin
- You ate too much food (especially carbohydrates)
- You were less active
- You are stressed; either physical stress (illness, pain, etc) or emotional stress
What happens when the blood sugar stays high:
Research has shown that having a Hemoglobin above 7% and/or blood sugars over 140 greatly increases the chance of the complications of diabetes.
Things you can do to lower your blood sugar:
- Increase your activity. Activity lowers your insulin resistance and helps with weight loss which also lowers insulin resistance.
- Eat smaller portions.
- Ask your doctor if your medications for diabetes need to be:
- increased
- changed
- a second or third pill added
- you may need to go on insulin
