If your glucose levels get out of control, it can lead to serious diabetes problems. Knowing the signs of these diabetes conditions can help you take quick action to resolve them.
Diabetes complications can occur if you don't regulate your blood sugar (glucose) levels properly. Blood sugar is produced in your liver and muscles, and most of the food you eat is converted into blood sugar. This is your body's source of energy, but when your blood sugar gets too high, diabetes is the result.
Your pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which then carries
blood sugar into your cells, where it’s stored and used for energy. When
you develop insulin resistance, high levels of sugar build up in your
blood instead of your cells and you start to experience signs and
symptoms of diabetes. You may notice fatigue, hunger, increased thirst,
blurred vision, infections that are slow to heal, pain and numbness in
your feet or hands, and increased urination. For awhile, your pancreas
will work to keep up with your body’s sugar demand by producing more
insulin, but eventually it loses the ability to compensate and serious diabetes complications — including blindness, kidney failure, loss of circulation in your lower extremities, and heart disease — can develop.
For most people with diabetes, the target blood sugar level is 70
to 130 mg/dL, but your doctor will work with you to pinpoint your
individual target range. Your doctor can also help you learn what to eat and how to keep your blood sugar within a healthy range.
Joel Zonszein, MD, director of clinical diabetes at Montefiore
Medical Center in New York City, says it’s very important to work with
and see your doctor regularly and to consult a diabetes educator. If
your diabetes is well-controlled and you're monitoring your blood sugar
level at least once or twice a day, seeing your doctor four times a year
should be sufficient to maintain good diabetes control.
Four Signs of Diabetes Complications
One of the main reasons monitoring your blood sugar level
is so important is that it can change quickly and unpredictably. The
sooner you detect any changes, the sooner you can catch early signs of
diabetes complications. Be aware of these four specific diabetes
problems:
Hyperglycemia. The most common cause of diabetes
complications is hyperglycemia, or when your blood sugar level rises
above 180. This kind of spike indicates that either there isn’t enough
insulin in your body or that insulin isn’t being properly used. You can
experience high blood sugar from overeating, medication deficiency, or
as a reaction to new medication. Signs of hyperglycemia include being
very thirsty, experiencing extreme fatigue, having blurry vision,
needing to urinate a lot, and feeling sick to your stomach. Although
regular exercise may help stabilize your blood sugar level, it’s
important to contact your doctor because your meal plan, your
medication, or both may need to be adjusted. If left untreated,
hyperglycemia can become a life-threatening condition.
Hypoglycemia. A quick drop in your blood sugar
level is called hypoglycemia. Blood sugar levels below 70 are
dangerously low and can be caused by missing or delaying a meal,
exercising too much, or taking too much medication. Hypoglycemia may
cause feelings of weakness, confusion, irritability, shakiness, hunger,
and fatigue. You can prevent passing out or having a seizure from
hypoglycemia by eating regular meals, taking your diabetes medication,
and checking your blood sugar level often. When your blood sugar begin
to drop, you should drink fruit juice or regular soda, take glucose
tablets, eat a spoonful of sugar or honey, or eat five or six pieces of
hard candy to stabilize your blood sugar. If you experience
hypoglycemia, contact your doctor as soon as possible. Until your blood
sugar level has stabilized, repeat the sugary drink or food every 15
minutes. Always carry food with you for this reason.
Diabetic ketoacidosis. When there isn’t enough
insulin or sugar for fuel, your body starts breaking down fats for
energy instead. As a result, your body produces ketones, which are waste
products found in the blood. Because your body can’t tolerate high
levels of ketones, your system will try to eliminate them through your
urine. If ketones build up in the blood, a life-threatening condition
called diabetic ketoacidosis can poison your body and lead to a coma or
death. Early symptoms include thirst, dry mouth, shortness of breath,
fruity smelling breath, frequent urination, fatigue, dry skin, nausea,
vomiting, abdominal pain, confusion, high blood sugar, and high levels
of ketones in your urine. You can check your ketone levels with a simple
drugstore urine test. Diabetic ketoacidosis, which is relatively rare
with type 2 diabetes, can be prevented by regularly checking for
ketones, particularly when you're sick. Symptoms of diabetic
ketoacidosis develop slowly, increase quickly, and can create an urgent
medical situation. If you suspect you have diabetic ketoacidosis, call
your doctor immediately and go directly to the emergency room.
Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketonic syndrome (HHNS).
HHNS occurs you’re your blood sugar level is extremely high — greater
than 600 mg/dL. It’s most common in older people with type 2 diabetes
and develops over days or weeks, especially after an illness or
infection. The high level of sugar in your blood makes it thick and
syrupy, and your body will work to rid itself of excess sugar by passing
it through your urine. If you don’t drink enough liquid, you run the
risk of dehydration, and HHNS can also lead to a seizure, a coma, or
death. Warning signs of HHNS include a dry mouth, extreme thirst, a
fever greater than 101° F, drowsiness, confusion, vision loss,
hallucinations, weakness on one side of your body, and dark urine. The
best way to prevent HHNS is to check your blood sugar level regularly,
and more often when you’re sick. If warning signs begin to appear, drink
liquids at least every hour and call your doctor.
Follow your doctor's recommendations about how often to check your
blood sugar level. In general, Melissa Li-Ng, MD, an endocrinologist at
the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, advises people who take diabetes
medication to check their blood sugar once a day, and if you're on
insulin, check it three times a day before each meal. Monitoring your
blood sugar closely can help you prevent serious diabetes complications
from developing.
Source: Everyday Health
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