Symptoms Of Low And High Blood Sugar

Low and High Blood Sugar Symptoms Can you tell whether your blood glucose (BG) is too high, too low, or okay without checking with your BG monitor? Some people have symptoms that give them clues. However, for many people, these symptoms do not appear until the blood glucose levels are quite far out of the target range. Keep in mind that blood glucose levels can change very rapidly under certain circumstances. Therefore, you may still be experiencing “hangover” symptoms from one extreme when you begin to experience the symptoms of the other extreme from overtreatment. 
Low Blood Sugar Classic symptoms of low blood sugar are as follows:
 - hunger - shakiness - headache - grumpy, irritable - perspiration without exertion - confusion - visual changes - dizziness, light-headedness - emotional outbursts (laughing, crying, angry for no particular reason or any reason at all) The scary part is that (if left unrecognized and untreated) these symptoms may progress to unconsciousness, then come, and then, even to death…all in a matter of hours. Pretty scary stuff, eh? Well, the good news is that most of the really dangerous symptoms can be prevented altogether if the earlier symptoms serve as an early warning system and the individual or a person nearby knows what to do before the situation worsens. The even better news is that most episodes of hypoglycemia can be completely avoided with a proper understanding of the balance needed between medications, food, and exercise. Your Diabetes Coach considers all the medications, your eating habits, and how active you are as part of the Initial Assessment. You will want to also report any episodes of low blood sugar to your diabetes coach and your doctor so that your plan of care can be evaluated and revised if necessary. High Blood Sugar Classic Symptoms of high blood glucose are as follows: - Extreme thirst - Extreme hunger - Frequent urination Other symptoms that are also quite a common include: - dry, itchy skin - blurry vision - chronic fatigue - an open sore that heals slowly - frequent infections - yeast or fungal infections that resist treatment - poor circulation in fingers, hands, toes, feet (cold hands, cold feet) If the blood glucose level climbs high enough without being treated, eventually the following are likely to occur: - nausea, with or without vomiting - dehydration - confusion, dazed, “out of it,” can’t do the math, can’t concentrate - extreme fatigue, muscle weakness - coma - if untreated, death (over several days or weeks) The good news: you can prevent all of these symptoms by keeping your blood glucose under control. If the BG level climbs beyond 140 mg/dl two hours after your last intake of calories, drink 32 ounces of water within 30 minutes and burn calories (exercise; be active) for at least 35 minutes. Cooldown about 15 minutes and recheck your blood glucose.