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Symptoms and signs of high blood sugar and how to treat it.

tired woman
Learn about what signs may be telling you that you have high blood sugar (hyperglycemia)

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Upon my diabetes diagnosis, I exhibited symptoms and signs of high blood sugar that I wasn’t necessarily aware were caused by high blood sugar.

At the time, I wasn’t aware of what they were, but looking back every single symptom made sense and was being caused by my hyperglycemia.

Hyperglycemia is a condition where blood sugar levels are too high.

This article will discuss hyperglycemia, along with the different symptoms and treatments to help you understand hyperglycemia better.

What is hyperglycemia?

Blood sugar can be measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

Normal blood glucose levels range from 70 mg/dL to 99 mg/dL, which is considered “normal.”

When your blood sugar levels are higher than 160 mg/dL means that you have hyperglycemia. You may not feel symptoms until your blood sugars are around the 200 mg/dL mark.

Hyperglycemia can be caused by eating a high amount of carbohydrates, an infection or another illness, taking certain medications, not having enough insulin in your body, or having some other medical disorder.

Here are some of the symptoms and signs of high blood sugar

  • Blurry vision
  • Extreme thirst
  • Frequent urination
  • Overall Fatigue (weakness, sleepiness, feeling tired)
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Weight loss
  • A blood sugar higher than 180 mg/dL

If you are aware of any of these symptoms, it’s very important that you visit you doctor and make them aware, so that they can test your blood sugar levels and A1C if needed. 

Advanced symptoms of hyperglycemia:

The following are signs and symptoms that indicate a more serious hyperglycemic state. These should all be taken seriously, including any one of them. Seek medical help if you have been experiencing these:

– Blurred vision

– Severe thirst

– Unexplained weight loss

– Drowsiness or lethargy (fatigue)

-Fruity breath

-Ketone presence

– Impaired judgment or confusion

– Unusual behavior such as agitation or irritability

– Poor coordination (ataxia)

There are also several reasons you may have high blood sugar

  • You had too many carbohydrates
  • You have an infection
  • Are under stress
  • You’re sick or have a cold
  • You didn’t get enough sleep
  • Take part in strenuous activities. 
  • Honestly, many, many things 

What can you do to lower your blood sugar?

Your doctor will recommend changes to your routine. Some of the natural things you can do to lower your blood sugar are: 

Drink more water. Water is incredibly important to your body, and it helps you remove excess sugar from your blood through urine and keeps you completely hydrated.

I aim to drink half of my body weight of water in ounces every day. That doesn’t include coffee, tea, or any other beverages. Just straight water. 

Exercise more. Working out can help lower your blood sugar. But for some people, workouts can actually spike your blood glucose.

Talk to your doctor about what’s right for you, and make an effort to monitor your blood sugar before and after exercise. 

Change your eating habits. Watch those carbs. Carbohydrates and sugar will always spike your blood sugar.

Eat a balanced diet with protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Additionally, seek help from a registered dietitian about what might be good for your diet. 

Your medicine may be at play: Track the times you’re taking medicine, as well as when you eat along with your blood sugar.

This will help your doctor determine the times and doses for you. 

But it’s important to keep track of what your body is doing and make sure to take care.

If you recognize the symptoms and signs of high blood sugar, you can certainly make changes to get back into normal ranges. 

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5 Responses

  1. Half your body weight in water seems high, I am not an expert but the kidneys can only process so much water in a day.

  2. After reading your blog post, I just wanted to say thank you for sharing. Oftentimes we overlook high blood sugar because we may not feel the subtle symptoms. Thanks for this!

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Symptoms and signs of high blood sugar and how to treat it.

Learn about what signs may be telling you that you have high blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
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Mila Clarke, MS, NBC-HWC

Mila Clarke is a Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, an author, self-taught cook, nutritionist and Integrative Nutrition Diabetes Health Coach, diabetes advocate and founder of Hangry Woman and The Glucose Guide App. Hangry Woman aims to take away the shame and stigma that comes with a diabetes diagnosis and covers topics like diabetes management, cooking, and self-care from the perspective of someone living with the chronic condition. Her book –– The Diabetes Food Journal –– Is one of the most sought after diabetes self-management tools for patients. Her online community – Glucose Guide – offers affordable health coaching, hundreds of diabetes-friendly recipes and community peer support. Mila has been featured by CNN, The New York Times, Eat This Not That, USA Today, Good Housekeeping and WebMD. She contributes to Healthline, The Washington Post, DiaTribe, and EatingWell Magazine. Mila lives in Houston, Texas with her Miniature Poodle, Noodle.

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