HYPERGLYCAEMIA (High Blood Sugar)
Hyperglycaemia Can Be Caused By:
- too much food or
the wrong food
- too little or no
exercise
- too little diabetes
medication or not taking diabetes
medication as instructed
- too much stress
- infection or
illness
- diabetes medication
not being used properly by your body
- menstruation
Any one of these
things, or a combination of these factors, may cause high blood sugar.
The Warning Signs
The warning signs of
high blood sugar include:
- tiredness or
fatigue
- increased appetite
- increased thirst
- frequent urination
- blurred vision
- dry, itchy skin
- poor healing of
wounds
- flu-like achiness
- headaches
One or more of these
signs may warn you that you have high blood sugar. Warning signs can often
be very subtle or you might think they are caused by other conditions.
People sometimes ignore the warning signs of high blood sugar levels. If you
have warning signs of high blood sugar, even very subtle ones, do not ignore
them. The best way to know if your blood sugar
levels are within your target range is to test your blood. It is important
to keep your blood sugar level within your target range. If you discover
that your blood sugar level is too high, problem-solve by asking questions.
Think carefully about
the following:
- did you change your
meal plan?
- did you decrease or
skip your exercise?
- did you take enough
of your diabetes medication or insulin or did you not follow your normal
schedule?
- did you forget to
take your diabetes pills or insulin?
- were you stressed
about something?
- were you ill or did
you have an infection?
It is important to
answer these questions for yourself so you can avoid a high blood sugar
level in the future.
Prevention
You can prevent high
blood sugar by:
- taking your
diabetes medication as instructed
- carefully following
your meal plan
- following your
exercise plan
- decreasing the
stress in your life
- taking care of
illness or infection quickly
- testing blood
glucose often
