High blood sugar of 20mmol all day

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Becca77

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Type 2
Hi,
I’m new to Diabetes UK. Had type 2 Diabetes for about 5 or 6 years. I’ve said hello in newbie thread as well.
I controlled my diabetes more or less for 2 or 3 years on and off. The last 2 years I haven’t because of various things like mental health problems and alcoholism. I’m now no longer in denial and am in the process of getting starting to get it under control. It’s got bad. When I was first diagnosed the blood test they did, the results were in the 80s and now it’s over 90. They’ve put me on metformin. Only just started it again and on day 2. Day 4 of no alcohol. I do have broken ribs and a slightly inflamed liver which showed up on blood test. I also have a hiatus hernia. I’m on painkillers for my broken ribs and there is swelling around tummy liver and ribs and painkillers affecting my tummy, causing more swelling and pain, making pain and swelling around liver worse and when I first start metformin that also swells my tummy up so as you can imagine, I have a lot of pain and swelling. Ggrrrrrrrr. My concern is the swelling and pain around my liver has got worse and my sugar levels have been 20mmol all day. Is this as bad as I think? At what point with high blood sugar should you go to hospital? And at what sugar level should you go to hospital? I’m so sorry for the lengthy message. Thanks so much.
Becca
 
Becca77 said:
Hi,
I’m new to Diabetes UK. Had type 2 Diabetes for about 5 or 6 years. I’ve said hello in newbie thread as well.
I controlled my diabetes more or less for 2 or 3 years on and off. The last 2 years I haven’t because of various things like mental health problems and alcoholism. I’m now no longer in denial and am in the process of getting starting to get it under control. It’s got bad. When I was first diagnosed the blood test they did, the results were in the 80s and now it’s over 90. They’ve put me on metformin. Only just started it again and on day 2. Day 4 of no alcohol. I do have broken ribs and a slightly inflamed liver which showed up on blood test. I also have a hiatus hernia. I’m on painkillers for my broken ribs and there is swelling around tummy liver and ribs and painkillers affecting my tummy, causing more swelling and pain, making pain and swelling around liver worse and when I first start metformin that also swells my tummy up so as you can imagine, I have a lot of pain and swelling. Ggrrrrrrrr. My concern is the swelling and pain around my liver has got worse and my sugar levels have been 20mmol all day. Is this as bad as I think? At what point with high blood sugar should you go to hospital? And at what sugar level should you go to hospital? I’m so sorry for the lengthy message. Thanks so much.
Becca
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That is quite high blood glucose, do you have a means of testing for ketones, urine dip sticks as that would be a good idea. As you are also in pain I would call 111 and ask for advice.
Metformin can have an effect on the stomach giving the symptoms you mention so I assume you have started slowly with it.
 
Leadinglights said:
That is quite high blood glucose, do you have a means of testing for ketones, urine dip sticks as that would be a good idea. As you are also in pain I would call 111 and ask for advice.
Metformin can have an effect on the stomach giving the symptoms you mention so I assume you have started slowly with it.
Click to expand...
Hi. Yes started slowly. One 500mg slow release metformin a day then week 2 2 tablets. Only on day 2. I purchased some of the keto test strips. I have my period so wasn’t sure if that would stop it working? Also, is it true that if your sugar levels have been high for period of weeks that the strips won’t detect it?, thanks
 
Hi Becca and welcome.

Sorry to hear you are not feeling too well and in pain. Do you have any means of testing for ketones.... usually a pot of sticks that you dip in your urine? I know ketones are not common with Type 2 diabetes but with having high BG and abdominal pain then it would be useful to check for ketones.

I think it is probably a good idea to ring 111 for advice. A BG of 20 is high but not enough in itself to warrant going to hospital. If you have ketones along with a high BG then that would be dangerous and would be a 999 job. The abdominal pain is a concern if you don't have a means of testing for ketones so if that gets worse or you get no joy from 111, try 999.

In the meantime, drinking plenty of water should help to bring your levels down a bit. Avoid anything like fruit juice or milk as they will just push your levels higher. Plain water is best or low calorie drinks if you need to flavour it with something.

What have you eaten tonight? Not sure if you are aware but all carbohydrates are broken down into glucose in the digestive system and absorbed into the blood stream, not just sugar, so you need to reduce portion size of all carbs , not just cut back on sugar. As an example, I ate a large packet of Jacobs salt and vinegar crackers when I was newly diagnosed and they took my levels up to 27 and it took nearly a gallon of water and me sitting up all night drinking it and weeing it out to bring me down to 22 by the next morning. I was mortified that I might have landed myself in hospital just from being a glutton and eating the whole packet, so what you eat is massively important. The metformin will not bring your numbers down by much, but cutting your carb intake should make a significant difference unless you are no longer able to produce any insulin which is the worry with abdominal pain in that liver/pancreas area.

Please let us know how you get on?
 
rebrascora said:
Hi Becca and welcome.

Sorry to hear you are not feeling too well and in pain. Do you have any means of testing for ketones.... usually a pot of sticks that you dip in your urine? I know ketones are not common with Type 2 diabetes but with having high BG and abdominal pain then it would be useful to check for ketones.

I think it is probably a good idea to ring 111 for advice. A BG of 20 is high but not enough in itself to warrant going to hospital. If you have ketones along with a high BG then that would be dangerous and would be a 999 job. The abdominal pain is a concern if you don't have a means of testing for ketones so if that gets worse or you get no joy from 111, try 999.

In the meantime, drinking plenty of water should help to bring your levels down a bit. Avoid anything like fruit juice or milk as they will just push your levels higher. Plain water is best or low calorie drinks if you need to flavour it with something.

What have you eaten tonight? Not sure if you are aware but all carbohydrates are broken down into glucose in the digestive system and absorbed into the blood stream, not just sugar, so you need to reduce portion size of all carbs , not just cut back on sugar. As an example, I ate a large packet of Jacobs salt and vinegar crackers when I was newly diagnosed and they took my levels up to 27 and it took nearly a gallon of water and me sitting up all night drinking it and weeing it out to bring me down to 22 by the next morning. I was mortified that I might have landed myself in hospital just from being a glutton and eating the whole packet, so what you eat is massively important. The metformin will not bring your numbers down by much, but cutting your carb intake should make a significant difference unless you are no longer able to produce any insulin which is the worry with abdominal pain in that liver/pancreas area.

Please let us know how you get on?
Click to expand...
Hi,
Thanks so much for reply and info. I bought some of the keto test strips today. Haven’t used them yet as I have my period and thought it would stop them working? I have eating disorder and do binge and not eating healthily, especially when mental health is bad. For 2 years I’ve been eating all sorts of junk and wasn’t taking meds or checking sugar levels. So bad. I’ve abused my body and alcoholism on top of that. I have reduced the amount of crap I’m eating but today I had a doner kebab it’s my own fault. It’s the habit of doing that for 2 years but now I’m facing it and not ignoring it. I went for a walk an hour ago in the hope it would lower them. I just took my sugar levels again and they have come down to 17.9. I think I’ll do a keto test even though I have my period.
 
I know what it is like. I was a comfort eater and sugar addict at diagnosis. I went cold turkey with the sugar and gradually whittled the carbs down to almost nothing to get my levels down. Interestingly, the less carbs you eat, the less you crave them. When I occasionally have a doner kebab, I just have the meat and salad and garlic mayo and don't eat the pitta and that makes really quite low carb, so not a bad choice.
Well done you for taking control of things. You can't change the past but you can change the future. I feel so much healthier now for eating low carb and losing a bit of weight.

Great that you got out for a walk and brought your levels down that way. Hope you feel a little better for that. Well done! Try to collect some urine "mid stream" to test for ketones so less likely to be contaminated with blood.
 
rebrascora said:
I know what it is like. I was a comfort eater and sugar addict at diagnosis. I went cold turkey with the sugar and gradually whittled the carbs down to almost nothing to get my levels down. Interestingly, the less carbs you eat, the less you crave them. When I occasionally have a doner kebab, I just have the meat and salad and garlic mayo and don't eat the pitta and that makes really quite low carb, so not a bad choice.
Well done you for taking control of things. You can't change the past but you can change the future. I feel so much healthier now for eating low carb and losing a bit of weight.

Great that you got out for a walk and brought your levels down that way. Hope you feel a little better for that. Well done! Try to collect some urine "mid stream" to test for ketones so less likely to be contaminated with blood.
Click to expand...
Hi. I just did the keto test. It was 0.5 mmol/traces. Is that ok? It was the lowest one down. Which is bad? The lowest one/lightest or highest one/darkest? I’m confused lol
 
Becca77 said:
Hi. I just did the keto test. It was 0.5 mmol/traces. Is that ok? It was the lowest one down. Which is bad? The lowest one/lightest or highest one/darkest? I’m confused lol
Click to expand...
For Dr Google
lower than 0.6mmol/L is a normal reading. 0.6 to 1.5mmol/L means you're at a slightly increased risk of DKA and you should test again in 2 hours. 1.6 to 2.9mmol/L means you're at an increased risk of DKA and should contact your diabetes team or GP as soon as possible.
Worth keeping an eye on especially if your blood glucose level goes higher again.
 
Leadinglights said:
For Dr Google
lower than 0.6mmol/L is a normal reading. 0.6 to 1.5mmol/L means you're at a slightly increased risk of DKA and you should test again in 2 hours. 1.6 to 2.9mmol/L means you're at an increased risk of DKA and should contact your diabetes team or GP as soon as possible.
Worth keeping an eye on especially if your blood glucose level goes higher again.
Click to expand...
Ok thanks. So if I got a result of 0.5 mmol that’s good then. That’s a relief. I will test every time if my sugar levels go this high again. Thanks
 
Becca77 said:
Hi,
Thanks so much for reply and info. I bought some of the keto test strips today. Haven’t used them yet as I have my period and thought it would stop them working? I have eating disorder and do binge and not eating healthily, especially when mental health is bad. For 2 years I’ve been eating all sorts of junk and wasn’t taking meds or checking sugar levels. So bad. I’ve abused my body and alcoholism on top of that. I have reduced the amount of crap I’m eating but today I had a doner kebab it’s my own fault. It’s the habit of doing that for 2 years but now I’m facing it and not ignoring it. I went for a walk an hour ago in the hope it would lower them. I just took my sugar levels again and they have come down to 17.9. I think I’ll do a keto test even though I have my period.
Click to expand...

Are you getting additional help and support these days @Becca77 - mental health challenges, addiction, and disordered eating is a really tough and complex set of challenges alongside diabetes, so it might really help if you were able to access some specialist referrals for things like disordered eating in a diabetes context?

It’s great to hear that you are wanting to get to grips with your diabetes management afresh.

Hope the forum provides a useful sounding board, and source of encouragement.

Hope you can gradually bring your high BGs down - infection and illness are well known to play havoc with BG levels. :(
 
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