hi im Julie..im 48..iv been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes..i had a heart attack 2 years ago and they said my blood levels were 30..in the beginning I was prescribed metformin which didn't suit me as it gave me horrendous stomach pains and some other side effects which were awful..iliterally had to run to the toilet after taking them and this would happen at night too with no warnings!..(sorry)..anyway im now on Humulin injections..my readings are very high..sometimes 35 plus..the nurse said to inject 40 morning and night...iv got no appetite im only eating one meal a day..usually an omelette or something simple like cheese on toast..i drink a lot of coffee but don't add sugar..iv only got one kidney so im worried it might end up damaged?..also I just cant lose weight!..i haven't been able to be monitored by the diabetic nurse what with the current situation..so im sort of stuck as to what happens next! ..im scared that if my sugars go too high I might die! I hope you don't think im being over dramatic but that's really how I feel!..some nights im scared to go to bed!...well anyway thanks for reading x
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high sugars
- Thread starter julesob
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Inka
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Hi @julesob
No wonder you’re feeling rough with high sugars like that. Do you have a phone number for your diabetes nurse? 30/35 is very high and it could be you need more insulin or, indeed, a different insulin regime that would allow you to correct any high sugars - ie a basal/bolus regime.
You say about trying to lose weight. Are you very overweight? Are you able to exercise?
If you cant get hold of your nurse, can you phone your GP?
No wonder you’re feeling rough with high sugars like that. Do you have a phone number for your diabetes nurse? 30/35 is very high and it could be you need more insulin or, indeed, a different insulin regime that would allow you to correct any high sugars - ie a basal/bolus regime.
You say about trying to lose weight. Are you very overweight? Are you able to exercise?
If you cant get hold of your nurse, can you phone your GP?
hi inka..ive put on about 3 stone in the same number of years..im approx. 12 stone..really its mainly on my tum as I don't have big hips thighs bum!..i don't get any exercise as I suffer from mental health problems..anxiety etc..i don't go out a lot usually once in a blue moon for shopping and im self isolating..i think I will try to get in touch with a gp tomorrow..its that sickly feeling I hate and im getting up multiple times a night for the loo!
Inka
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As you probably know, tummy weight is ‘worse’ than thigh/bum weight as it’s more likely to cause insulin resistance. So it then becomes a bit of a vicious circle - the insulin resistance makes it harder to lose weight and easier to put weight on, then the more weight you put on, the more the insulin resistance increases.
Sorry to hear you have mental health issues. That must make it extra-hard. I think you’re wise trying to stay at home as much as possible. If you’re up to it, you could try some basic exercises at home eg from YouTube videos or simply walking or jogging on the spot when you watch TV.
However, the most important thing is to get your blood sugars down. Only a change to your insulin can help you do that initially, I’d think. Obviously diet and exercise can help too, but with sugars that high you need to speak to someone and get help.
A final thought - if you’re on any other medication, could that be causing your weight gain or making it harder for you to lose weight? It might be worth asking (if you are).
Please let us know how you get on. It’s horrible having high sugars and makes you feel awful, so I really sympathise. Take care and good luck when you speak to your GP. Please don’t be put off by any receptionist or any recorded message. You do need some medical advice and you do need that help as soon as possible.
Sorry to hear you have mental health issues. That must make it extra-hard. I think you’re wise trying to stay at home as much as possible. If you’re up to it, you could try some basic exercises at home eg from YouTube videos or simply walking or jogging on the spot when you watch TV.
However, the most important thing is to get your blood sugars down. Only a change to your insulin can help you do that initially, I’d think. Obviously diet and exercise can help too, but with sugars that high you need to speak to someone and get help.
A final thought - if you’re on any other medication, could that be causing your weight gain or making it harder for you to lose weight? It might be worth asking (if you are).
Please let us know how you get on. It’s horrible having high sugars and makes you feel awful, so I really sympathise. Take care and good luck when you speak to your GP. Please don’t be put off by any receptionist or any recorded message. You do need some medical advice and you do need that help as soon as possible.
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Welcome to the forum @julesob
Sorry to hear about the problems you are facing, and your high BG levels sound like they are making you feel pretty grim
I think speaking to your gp is a really good idea.
I wonder if it might be worth asking about a ‘basal bolus’ MDI insulin regime, which might offer you more flexibility with your occasional meals.
Sorry to hear about the problems you are facing, and your high BG levels sound like they are making you feel pretty grim
I think speaking to your gp is a really good idea.
I wonder if it might be worth asking about a ‘basal bolus’ MDI insulin regime, which might offer you more flexibility with your occasional meals.
rebrascora
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I wonder is some slow release Metformin might help to make the insulin you have more effective without the stomach upset. The Metformin side effects you describe are not uncommon but most people tolerate the Slow Release version much better. It is also really important to take Metformin in the middle of a substantial meal to limit the side effects. I appreciate that you will be reluctant to try Metformin again but it can aid weight loss as well as making your existing insulin work better, but your really need medical advice with levels that high and if you can't contact your GP or DSN then ring 111.
As regards exercise, how about putting on some of your favourite music and singing and dancing along to it. If you are isolating then it doesn't matter if you can't sing or dance well, just get into the music and have fun. It always makes me feel better mentally and I have struggled with mental health issues for many years so I don't say that lightly.
Good luck getting some help to lower those levels
As regards exercise, how about putting on some of your favourite music and singing and dancing along to it. If you are isolating then it doesn't matter if you can't sing or dance well, just get into the music and have fun. It always makes me feel better mentally and I have struggled with mental health issues for many years so I don't say that lightly.
Good luck getting some help to lower those levels
trophywench
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I'm a bit concerned about you feeling sicky with the high blood sugar julesob. For me, that's a sign of ketones in my blood! You absolutely do not want them, any time. You do need to contact medical help as soon as you can for that reason. Why the heck do these things always arise on a flippin Friday?
thanks for the replies guys! yes I forgot today is Saturday! ..when I was on metformin it was the slow release one..honestly it made me feel ill!..the doctor said it wasn't an option to try it again..i was admitted to hospital last week with really bad chest pains and they said I had a high temp too..hospital said it was a bad chest infection..i feel much better now but im finding this diabetes thing really hard..just wish the numbers would come down a bit!..enjoy your weekend everyone and thank you again!
Hi and I'm sorry to hear of the problems you are having. As has been suggested you might want to ask the GP to change to the Basal/Bolus regime which uses two different insulin types. It does involve 4 to 5 injections per day but gives better control. What sort of diet are you having? Are you keeping the carbs perhaps below 100gm/day to try to help with weight reduction? When taking insulin with excess weight it can result in a vicious circle due to insulin resistance. I hope things are improving but do call 111 or get to A&E if the blood sugars go back into the 30s.
im terribly thirsty all the time..i dont know if I should be drinking milk but I do..up and down all night for the toilet..my mouth feels dry and blurred vision..i did try to make an appt at the opticians before lockdown but they wouldn't entertain me because of my high levels and said to come back when theyre more stable
rebrascora
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Avoid drinking milk as it contains lactose which is a sugar so it will make things worse. Stick with plain water if you can and yes drink plenty of it. At least 100mls every hour but more if you can manage it or feel you need it.
see when I asked my gp abut milk she said its ok...im not drinking a huge amount just the odd glass here and there to quench my thirst ..can I ask a question please? is no added sugar the same as sugar free? sorry if I sound ignorant! the reason im asking is my friend bought me some cordial and its no added sugar
rebrascora
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Don't apologise for not knowing something. It is really important to ask questions and other people can benefit from them as well as yourself.
No they are not the same thing. For instance milk has no added sugar but it still contains natural sugar (lactose) which is an integral part of the product as it comes out of the cow. With something like a cordial made from fruit, it will contain natural sugars from the fruit (fructose) but during the manufacturing process extra sugar is often added to make it taste sweet. "No Added Sugar" products have not had that extra sugar added but may have artificial sweeteners to make it taste sweet/less sour. They will still contain the natural sugars from the other ingredients like fruit.
You need to look at the nutritional information on the labels of food, usually on the back in very small print. It is the carbohydrate content of a product which is important to us diabetics not just the sugar. Carbohydrates are both starches and sugars and our bodies break down all of them to produce glucose which is absorbed into our blood stream. High carbohydrate foods are things made from grains or grain flour ... so bread, pasta, rice, couscous, pastry, breakfast cereals, even porridge, and root vegetables like potatoes. Fruit is also high in carbohydrates as well as the obvious sweet foods made with sugar and flour like cakes and biscuits and scones and sweets and chocolate of course. As diabetics these foods will all cause out blood glucose to rise and cause us problems, so limiting these foods is important.
A small glass of milk occasionally (no more than once a day but better to make it just a once a week treat) if your BG levels are in range might not cause too much of a problem, but when your Blood Glucose levels are already at high or very dangerous levels, then milk is only going to make them worse and could be the last straw to making you very ill, so avoid drinking milk or cordial altogether when your levels are high and limit it when you eventually get your levels under control. Also steer clear of fruit juice as that will put your levels through the roof.
Does that make sense?
Some of us don't eat bread, pasta, potatoes or rice at all as well as avoiding cakes and biscuits and sweets in order to keep our diabetes under control and just have a few berries (which are some of the lowest carb fruits) as our daily portion of fruit... Other people manage on reduced portion size. Cutting down on all these things really helps you lose weight as well and that makes you more responsive the insulin. With you being on insulin, you need to be very careful about reducing your carbohydrate intake slowly because otherwise you could go too low and be ill with a hypo, but at the moment when your BG levels are very high, eating or drinking extra carbs is not a good idea. Drinking water will help to flush the surplus glucose in your blood out through your kidneys in your urine.
It may be that you still have an infection in your body and that is making your levels unusually high as the liver releases glucose into the blood stream when you are unwell.... or if they have given you steroids for your chest infection then that medication will cause your BG to be too high and you would normally need to temporarily increase your insulin to cope with these things, but speaking to a health care professional about increasing doses of insulin is very important unless you have had instruction or been on a course and taught how to do it safely.
If you don't understand anything I have said, please ask.
No they are not the same thing. For instance milk has no added sugar but it still contains natural sugar (lactose) which is an integral part of the product as it comes out of the cow. With something like a cordial made from fruit, it will contain natural sugars from the fruit (fructose) but during the manufacturing process extra sugar is often added to make it taste sweet. "No Added Sugar" products have not had that extra sugar added but may have artificial sweeteners to make it taste sweet/less sour. They will still contain the natural sugars from the other ingredients like fruit.
You need to look at the nutritional information on the labels of food, usually on the back in very small print. It is the carbohydrate content of a product which is important to us diabetics not just the sugar. Carbohydrates are both starches and sugars and our bodies break down all of them to produce glucose which is absorbed into our blood stream. High carbohydrate foods are things made from grains or grain flour ... so bread, pasta, rice, couscous, pastry, breakfast cereals, even porridge, and root vegetables like potatoes. Fruit is also high in carbohydrates as well as the obvious sweet foods made with sugar and flour like cakes and biscuits and scones and sweets and chocolate of course. As diabetics these foods will all cause out blood glucose to rise and cause us problems, so limiting these foods is important.
A small glass of milk occasionally (no more than once a day but better to make it just a once a week treat) if your BG levels are in range might not cause too much of a problem, but when your Blood Glucose levels are already at high or very dangerous levels, then milk is only going to make them worse and could be the last straw to making you very ill, so avoid drinking milk or cordial altogether when your levels are high and limit it when you eventually get your levels under control. Also steer clear of fruit juice as that will put your levels through the roof.
Does that make sense?
Some of us don't eat bread, pasta, potatoes or rice at all as well as avoiding cakes and biscuits and sweets in order to keep our diabetes under control and just have a few berries (which are some of the lowest carb fruits) as our daily portion of fruit... Other people manage on reduced portion size. Cutting down on all these things really helps you lose weight as well and that makes you more responsive the insulin. With you being on insulin, you need to be very careful about reducing your carbohydrate intake slowly because otherwise you could go too low and be ill with a hypo, but at the moment when your BG levels are very high, eating or drinking extra carbs is not a good idea. Drinking water will help to flush the surplus glucose in your blood out through your kidneys in your urine.
It may be that you still have an infection in your body and that is making your levels unusually high as the liver releases glucose into the blood stream when you are unwell.... or if they have given you steroids for your chest infection then that medication will cause your BG to be too high and you would normally need to temporarily increase your insulin to cope with these things, but speaking to a health care professional about increasing doses of insulin is very important unless you have had instruction or been on a course and taught how to do it safely.
If you don't understand anything I have said, please ask.
aww thanks for that reply..it all makes sense..as I said before im going to try to contact my gps surgery on Monday to see if I can have a telephone appt hopefully with the nurse regarding my high levels..youve all been very helpful and I thank you!
rebrascora
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Good luck getting an appointment. I hope they are able to help you get those levels down and please seek emergency advice via 111 if they go up to 30 again as that really is a dangerous level.
Stay safe and let us know how you get on and if you have any more questions please ask... it is the way we all learn.
Stay safe and let us know how you get on and if you have any more questions please ask... it is the way we all learn.
Inka
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rebrascora
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Jules if you are getting a reading of "HI" (you should always double check a very high reading in case you have something sticky on your fingers which compromised the test ie a tiny smear of jam or fruit juice and it doesn't correspond to eating something naughty, then please don't ignore it or think it will be OK. High BG levels like that can suddenly make you very ill indeed (they are poisoning your body) and possibly making you unable to think straight or be rational. The highest I ever recorded was 27 but I had eaten almost a whole packet of Jacobs salt and vinegar crackers, so I only had myself to blame and it came down the next day but I was up drinking and weeing all night and never repeated the experiment.
If you are going too high for your meter to read and you haven't eaten something to cause that then you need help urgently.
If you are going too high for your meter to read and you haven't eaten something to cause that then you need help urgently.
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