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- 10 Tips to Treating High Glucose Readings
- 1. Do NOT Panic
- 2. Do NOT blow it off
- 3. DO retest
- 4. DO record your reading and watch for trends
- 5. DO take insulin or medication if you are required
- 6. DO go for a walk
- 7. DO drink water
- 8. Do NOT eat stuff
- 9. DO seek medical attention if your glucose is over 400
- 10. Do NOT become discouraged
Have you ever checked your blood sugar and found it to be 50 (2.8 mmol/l) or more points higher than you’d expected?
Say it normally runs in the low 100s (5.6-7). Suddenly you see a reading of 215 (11.9-12)!
What do you do?!?
Is there anything you CAN do?
It might not be possible to solve this problem as quickly or as easily as you would like. However, there are some definite steps you can take toward preventing this situation in the future and also improving the outcomes.
10 Tips to Treating High Glucose Readings
Here are a few “Do’s” and “Don’ts” to keep in mind when you experience high blood sugar readings:
1. Do NOT Panic
This is extremely important!
Remember what we said about stress? What does it do to your blood sugar? That’s right! Stress raises it.
Becoming scared or worried about your reading does not help lower it. This can actually make it worse. The best thing to do is remain calm, take a deep breath and don’t just avoid it.
2. Do NOT blow it off
On the other hand, it may be natural for you to think it’s no big deal. Remember, chronically elevated blood glucose will lead to many long term complications.
Some long term complications could be: foot problems, vision loss, heart and kidney disease, neuropathy, sexual problems and more. None of these are worth avoiding having to deal with high blood glucose.
Think of a high reading or a spike as a red flag. It’s your personal warning to get back on track to prevent any health concerns.
3. DO retest
Remember important monitoring steps. Meters can be off by as much as 20% and still fall within FDA acceptable accuracy ranges. It’s also possible that your meter is incorrect.
Each meter should come with calibrating solutions and instructions. Follow the instructions to ensure it is reading accurately. It’s also possible there was residue of some sort on your hands that threw the meter off. It is important to wash them before you retest.
Finally, it is possible that it was just a fluke. Therefore, make sure you retest.
4. DO record your reading and watch for trends
If you haven’t done anything different with your diet or lifestyle, plus all other previous and consequent readings are in range, most likely it was a fluke.
However, if you decided to splurge on an Italian buffet of pasta with bread sticks, the end result could surely be a spike in your blood sugar. Take time to learn how diet impacts your readings in order to make some wiser choices in the future.
If they continue to trend high despite your best efforts with diet and exercise, it is time to consult a dietitian or nutritionist. They will be able to provide an individualized plan or a possible need for a change in medical treatment.
5. DO take insulin or medication if you are required
If your blood sugar is high, what you ultimately need is sufficient insulin and the body’s ability to use it, helping to bring it back down. Some people are unable to control their blood sugar without insulin or medication.
If you are on a sliding scale dose, be sure to check your scale. Then administer insulin appropriately. If you missed taking the required medication, contact your pharmacy for getting back on track.
6. DO go for a walk
Low to moderate exercise will increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin, thereby bringing glucose from the blood into the cells and lowering your blood sugar levels. Regular exercise over time is one of the most effective means of reducing morning highs.
Use caution because high intensity exercise (80-90% maximum heart rate) can actually raise blood sugar.
7. DO drink water
This may help to dilute the glucose from your system allowing excretion from the kidneys via urination.
But remember this is still not a healthy, long term solution. Making poor dietary choices and trying to make up for it by drinking excessive amounts of water isn’t a great idea.
So while drinking water is important. When you drink water excessively this process still stresses the kidneys leading to damage over time.
8. Do NOT eat stuff
I’ve heard it all! Everything from pickles, turkey slices, peanut butter to vinegar. While certain foods will not elevate your sugar as much as others (ie: protein, fat, non-starchy vegetables), nothing you ingest is going to lower an already high blood sugar.
One of the symptoms of high blood sugar can be increased hunger. If this is the case, be sure your snack is something free of carbs. Things like a handful of nuts, some tuna or a hard boiled egg are good choices.
But just remember, none of these foods will lower your blood sugar. Only time and insulin will do that.
9. DO seek medical attention if your glucose is over 400
Your glucose should not register above 400 (22.2 mmol/l) unless your physician has advised you otherwise or has not specified. Above this level you are in a serious danger zone.
Once blood glucose values climb this high, a cascade of metabolic events leading to higher and higher sugars (called HHS or DKA) may not be within your control. You may be very ill or have an underlying infection; both can and do raise blood glucose. This requires immediate medical attention.
10. Do NOT become discouraged
Remember type 2 diabetes is a journey and a learning process. It is not a destination or a death sentence. For some individuals diabetes has been reversed, for others it stops in its tracks.
Every blood glucose reading is just another piece of data that you can use as helpful information in solving the puzzle of your condition. Remember, you aren’t in this alone! There are all kinds of resources and support available for you, this site being one of them. :-)
Knowing your blood sugar levels is extremely important. Download our blood sugar charts to help eliminate any confusion. They contain both mg/dl and mmol/l, along with appropriate A1C levels.
It’s a great resource to have on hand, plus there are some tips on how to deal with high readings.
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Hi Elizabeth,
I could write forever, but I’ll summarize best I can!
My boyfriend (63) is T2. Diagnosed in Aug of 2009 with no diagnosis prior to Diabetes. Symptoms but they mimicked outside work in the heat, drinking lots thus lots of bathroom trips, etc.
His BS Reading was 1260 and he spent 3 days in a coma. We have been through so much since then! He has had readings of 40’s to 500’s at some point! By the grace of God, he’s averaging 140’s-upper 200’s!!
So..after insulin, pens, meds, diets, drs, so on & so on..he now is on Trulicity 1Xweek.
I do my best to limit carbs but he does have a sweet tooth.
So, question (finally)..he has a dexcomg6 device but I feel he’s obsessing! His readings don’t always “make sense” and he constantly is asking why. I know it’s frustrating for both of us but I’ve tried everything! He can eat healthy and get a 210 reading; eat ice cream and get a 140! Constant spikes and lowerings! No meds for the type2. Please help!! (Sorry, I didn’t summarize well! 😬)
Thank you! PS I think maybe Reactive Hyperglycemia but no clue!!
Connie
Having a Dexcom G6 is a great step – it can help you and your boyfriend start to notice patterns that are specific to HIS body. As far as readings not making sense: First, he should still have a meter handy to verify the Dexcom reading. If he feels shaky and sweaty and thinks he’s low, but Dexcom isn’t saying that, then check with your meter. Dexcom readings can be off, at times. Secondly, remember that while food plays the biggest role in our blood sugar readings, there are MANY other factors that include exercise and stress level to name a few. Is there a possibility that he went for a walk in the morning, and then had ice cream? Maybe that is why his sugar wasn’t as high as you expected. And thirdly, sometimes foods we eat earlier in the day, don’t have a full effect on blood sugar until hours later. For example, when you say he ate a “healthy meal”, what did he eat for breakfast that day? Maybe it isn’t the food he ate immediately before that, but instead something he had hours ago that is still having residual effects.
Undoubtedly, diabetes is so overwhelming at first. Be patient and do your best to take note of these patterns so that in the future you do it better. Work together to limit sweets as much as possible. Keep reading the blog to empower yourself with knowledge and let us know if you have any more questions.
Hello. I am a type 2 diabetic and have been faithfully doing a Keto Diet for 2 months now. At first my blood sugar came down very well and also dropped 13 lbs. Not taking any medications. All of a sudden my blood sugars starting going back up?? This morning my ketones checked 1.1 and my blood sugar checked 183 before breakfast and after 16 hour fast which I do 3-4 days a week. I was shocked. What happened? I had not eaten anything different than I had been eating! Has anyone else had this happen? What can I do? Please help me with this problem if you can?
Don’t panic Linda. Due to metabolic changes, especially in terms of liver glucose production and insulin, this can be normal as your body adapts to keto. You may see this number become the highest of the day. We do not specialize in keto here, rather low carb. If you search online you can find info about this.
Hi my name is Barry I’m trying various non insulin doses ranging from mango leaves crushed and taken each morning toNicentix 85 with NO Success
Any suggestions for non insulin reamidies
You’ve come to the right place, Barry. We have written several articles on ways to control your blood sugar without medication. First, diet and exercise need to be your main focus. We encourage a low carb diet based on the latest science and research- you can find more information about diet over here.
Assuming you have already addressed those pieces, then check out this article about some other supplements for balancing blood sugar.
My blood sugar spiked from 6.1 to 6.6, I’m reading a lot today about antidepressants and spikes in glucose. Is there an antidepressant that works well with prediabetes? This sudden spike in a couple of months has me very worried as I’m getting close to Type 1. My GP is wonderful, I’m making an appt to talk to him about these results. Can you suggest an antidepressant? Thank you!
Don’t panic over one spike Marge but keep testing and be sure you speak to your doctor about your numbers. If the medication doesn’t suit, they need to be informed so they can switch you to another medication.
Hi I am Rahul in month of May my HbA1c was 6.5 and today it was 7.2. Between these two tests I missed my routine walk but my diet was maintained. Although I had only one change I had stopped my morning medicine but continued with night dose. Can you please suggest how to overcome this high rise. I have restarted walk in morning and cycling in evening.
Rahul, I think you answered your own question! Exercise and medication are both tools that work with diet to help improve blood sugar levels. You need to follow your doctor’s advise for stopping/resuming any medication.
For the time being, continue cycling and walking. Try to build up to walking 5-6x/week as able. Exercise and diet alone may be able to reduce your A1c level, but you may also find it’s necessary to resume your morning dose as well. Alternatively, you could explore the use of some of the supplements in conjunction with your medication, but again, you need to check with your doctor for any potential interactions.
My blood sugar is 22.2 .I’m due to eat now. Do I still eat with my incelin or just not eat till they come back to a normal level?
My bloods have never spiked this hight. I’m normally between 4-8 . I’m freaking out
In case this ever happens again: anytime your blood sugar is above 22.2 mmol/l (400 mg/dL) you need to seek medical advice from your physician. Eating additional food will only raise your blood sugar further. You doctor will give you specifics regarding how often to check your sugar until it comes within normal range, insulin/medication dosing, checking for ketones (to check for diabetic ketoacidosis), and when it is safe for you to resume your normal meal/insulin routine. Not to mention, you’ll want to trouble shoot with him or her to prevent a reading like that from reoccurring.
Is it required to change needles every time you inject insulin??
Yes! That is very important. New needle every time. Once a needle has been used it is no longer sterile and can become infected. If you inject again you can risk infection as well as needle dulling which can make injections increasingly painful over time.
Elizabeth;
hi,i am new to your dmp website,i have had type 2 diabetes since January 2012 and even though I work on trying to keep my blood sugar under control it is still a challenge to keep it in the normal range,which stresses out out and sometimes I get discouraged by my diabetes symptoms.i follow my doctors and the diabetic team’s instructions,i eat as healthy as I can even though I am on aish disability,i go on daily walks weather permitting,i go swimming with family and friends,i do my blood sugar reading tests 4 times a day plus a bit more the more sports I do.
when I am sick which is a lot because of my weak and compromised immunity from me being born 3 months early 51 years ago,and I am partially sighted with limited vision from birth.
I used both left and right hands to check my blood sugar,which I get different readings on my old meter that still works.
why do I get different blood sugar readings?
I am going to try your dmp recipes soon,my birthday is coming up on april 1st and I will be 52,i love chocolate,like chocolate cake,pudding,milkshakes,healthy smoothies that I got from healthy headquarters.i have had to turn down a lot of sweet treats since I became a diabetic.i found your chocolate milkshake recipe that I copied down this evening that I am going to make soon.
I am getting portion control meals down pat on my own,i live at home with my family.
please reply to my letter when you are not busy.easter is coming up for my young niece and nephew so that means sugary sweet treats will be in the house when easter arrives which is a stressful time for me because it is a temptation for me.
kim
Hi Kim–great to hear from you. Sounds like you’re doing an excellent job of taking the reins and working at lifestyle changes from multiple fronts. One link you may want to check out is this one on blood sugar control. I’m not sure how different your readings are, but if they are only a few points off remember that the meters are not 100% accurate, but have a 20 point window of variation. That means that if your glucose is truly 100, it can read anywhere from 90-110 and still be considered precise enough for FDA. If it’s more than that, it may need to be calibrated. Check your kit for control solution and make sure it is running correctly. Also be sure you are using the tips of your fingers, not hands, arms, palms etc which aren’t good testing sites.
Have you seen our recipe for low carb chocolate cake? It’s available here. One thing you could consider modifying your traditions a bit. What I mean is having special things you do together that don’t revolve around food…or at least sweets. Easter is about celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…how that evolved into bunnies, candy and chocolate I have no idea. But perhaps you have a scavenger hunt for the kids or an egg hunt and hide other goodies, play special games and have a very nice meal consisting of meat, vegetables and small amount of healthy starch. I wrote more about holiday eating strategies here and here.
I am currently 115KG and desperately trying to lose weight but very slow my goal is 110 then 100, I am walking around 30KM a week and cannot run.
My sugar levels are too high usually 9-10 my goal is 6-7, my diet I believe is under control using a recommended dietician.
What impact will the loss of 10-15kg have on my readings
Peter
Hi Peter, you can read some info on weight loss influence on results here, here and here. The short of it is that it’s hard to give an exact number on how much it will influence your readings as it always differs depending on the person. Weight loss has no direct connection to blood sugar but weight loss decreases inflammation, increases insulin sensitivity and improves other biomarkers, which tends to have a snowball effect that influences glucose and A1C results. To directly lower blood sugar, the key is often carbs. Decreasing carbs consistently shows lower results because although the type of carb is important, the amount of carbs is the one thing that influences blood sugar the most. Of course, other factors such as sleep, stress, and lifestyle are areas that can help too.
Hey Elizabeth,
I was wondering what your opinion is about low carb diets for better glucose control?
Hi Elziree, we encourage a lower carb diet here as research shows it provides better outcomes for blood sugar, A1C, weight loss, cholesterol, reducing meds and improving overall health. Read this, this, this and this. Hope you find those helpful.
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