Hypoglycemia and Diabetes
Hypoglycemia Prevention for Those With Diabetes
If you have diabetes, ways you can prevent hypoglycemia include:
- Follow your meal plan.
- Eat at least three evenly spaced meals each day with between-meal snacks as prescribed.
- Plan your meals no more than four to five hours apart.
- Exercise 1/2 to one hour after meals.
- Double-check your insulin and dose of diabetes medicine before taking it.
- Know when your medicine is at its peak level.
- Carry a sugar source with you at all times. It is important to keep a sugar and protein and carbohydrate source in your car for emergencies.
- Test your blood sugar as often as directed by your health care provider.
- Ensure a family member or friend knows how to administer a glucagon injection in severe cases of hypoglycemia when you may be unconscious.
Prolonged or frequent episodes of low blood sugar present a risk to your health. It is very important to recognize the warning signs of low blood sugar and treat it promptly.
Talk with your health care provider if you have more than one unexplained low blood sugar reaction in the same week.
Wear a medical identification tag (for example, MedicAlert) and/or carry an identification card that states that you have diabetes.
WebMD Medical Reference
Is This Normal? Get the Facts Fast!
Answer:
0-69
70-130
131+
Your level is currently
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Congratulations on taking steps to manage your health.
However, it's important to continue to track your numbers so that you can make lifestyle changes if needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your level is high if this reading was taken before eating. Aim for 70-130 before meals and less than 180 two hours after meals.
Even if your number is high, it's not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar.
One of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Did You Know Your Lifestyle Choices
Affect Your Blood Sugar?
Use the Blood Glucose Tracker to monitor
how well you manage your blood sugar over time.
This tool is not intended for women who are pregnant.
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