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How To Check Low Blood Sugar

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Your Diabetes Devices And Hypoglycemia

Checking Blood Sugar (Glucose) Level | How to Use a Glucometer (Glucose Meter)

Several insulin pumps are now available that make managing blood sugar levels easier, particularly when connected to a glucose meter or a CGM.

Some of the most important advantages of CGM devices are the improved insulin control and the ability to detect trends and lows early. With improved technology, it is now possible for parents to track blood sugar trends in their kids even when they are hundreds of miles apart .

In addition, automated insulin delivery systems, also known an artificial pancreas or a hybrid closed-loop system, will automatically adjust insulin to match your bodys need to help you spend more time in your target range.

Resources that provide people with T1D and their families with more detailed information about pumps and CGM devices are available through JDRF here. For people looking for a deeper understanding of technology that helps people with T1D better manage their blood sugar, JDRF resources are available here.

Check Your Blood Sugar Often

Talk with your provider about when you should check your blood sugar every day. People who have low blood sugar need to check their blood sugar more often.

The most common causes of low blood sugar are:

  • Taking your insulin or diabetes medicine at the wrong time
  • Taking too much insulin or diabetes medicine
  • Taking insulin to correct high blood sugar without eating any food
  • Not eating enough during meals or snacks after you have taken insulin or diabetes medicine
  • Waiting too long after taking your medicine to eat your meals
  • Exercising a lot or at a time that is unusual for you
  • Not checking your blood sugar or not adjusting your insulin dose before exercising
  • Drinking alcohol

Why Do I Need To Know My Blood Sugar Numbers

Your blood sugar numbers show how well your diabetes is managed. And managing your diabetes means that you have less chance of having serious health problems, such as kidney disease and vision loss.

As you check your blood sugar, you can see what makes your numbers go up and down. For example, you may see that when you are stressed or eat certain foods, your numbers go up. And, you may see that when you take your medicine and are active, your numbers go down. This information lets you know what is working for you and what needs to change.

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How Common Is Low Blood Glucose

Low blood glucose is common among people with type 1 diabetes and among people with type 2 diabetes who take insulin or some other diabetes medicines. In a large global study of people with diabetes who take insulin, 4 in 5 people with type 1 diabetes and nearly half of those with type 2 diabetes reported a low blood sugar event at least once over a 4-week period.2

Severely low blood glucose, defined as when your blood glucose level drops so low you cant treat it yourself, is less common. Among U.S. adults with diabetes who take insulin or some diabetes medicines that help the pancreas release insulin into the blood, 2 in 100 may develop severely low blood glucose each year.3

What Should A Normal Blood Sugar Level Be One Hour After Eating

How To Help Low Blood Sugar

You should always consult with your doctor about what your target blood sugar levels should be, as its not always the same for everyone. If youre looking for a standard benchmark, the American Diabetes Association recommends a target of below 180 mg/dL one to two hours after you eat. For people without diabetes, you should aim for a target below 140 mg/dL.

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Dont Get Tricked While Treating

A big part of managing diabetes is maintaining stable blood sugar levels. While consuming sugary treats once in a while can be perfectly fine, over consumption can destabilise your blood sugar levels.

Finding a good balance to control overconsumption is the key. Its always best to feed your children some complex carbohydrates like fruits or whole grain snacks before going trick-or-treating, said Dr El-Refee.

This way, there will be less of an urge to consume the treats in one go, or when walking from door-to-door. Accompany toddlers while they are trick-or-treating to help avoid overconsumption. If you have a teenager or a slightly older child, have a direct conversation with them on why they need to monitor their own consumption levels.

Seeking Treatment For Low Blood Sugar

Since the condition can quickly lead to serious complications, dogs with suspected hypoglycemia should be taken to a vet as soon as possible. Once there, a doctor will perform a physical examination and take note of your dogs symptoms. The next step will be to determine, and ultimately stabilize, your dogs blood sugar levels. This testing is usually done with an instrument called a glucometer, like the FreeStyle Libre.

In some cases, your dogs vet may give your dog glucose or corn syrup orally. For more severe symptoms, dogs may require an intravenous injection of concentrated dextrose, a simple syrup made from corn or wheat. They may also perform further diagnostic tests to monitor your pet for liver disease and check on other organs. Both the length of your dogs stay at the vet clinic and the treatment options available to them will depend on the underlying cause of their condition.

In general, dogs respond quickly to treatment. If overexertion is the cause of their low blood sugar, they may simply need to rest. Getting your dog proper nutrition can also help turn things around. In some cases, though, like with excess insulin in diabetic dogs, an ongoing management plan must be created.

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Treating Low Blood Glucose If You Take Medicines That Slow Down Digestion

Some diabetes medicines slow down the digestion of carbohydrates to keep blood glucose levels from rising too high after you eat. If you develop low blood glucose while taking these medicines, you will need to take glucose tablets or glucose gel right away. Eating or drinking other sources of carbohydrates wont raise your blood glucose level quickly enough.

Low Blood Sugar: Warning Signs Ways To Treat And When To Call The Doctor

Do This And Bring Your Blood Sugar Down Quickly

Physicians explain how to tell when your blood sugar is dangerously low, and how to take action to prevent complications.

KJ Callihan

KJ Callihan is a freelance writer with a background in mental health and education. Her writing often covers product reviews and lists, animals and pet care, food and hospitality, health, wellness, and culture. When she isn’t crafting the perfect sentence, you may find her bingeing true crime documentaries, browsing mid-Michigan farmer’s markets, and tasting her son’s latest homemade cuisine

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2020 National Diabetes Statistics Report, 34 million people living in the United States had diabetes in 2018 — and amazingly, 21% of adults with diabetes did not even know they had it. The scariest part is that, if left untreated, diabetes can be deadly. In fact, it was the seventh leading cause of death in the year 2017.

And while normally associated with high blood sugar , diabetic folks can also experience hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, alongside its own bevy of problems — including more severe and/or long-term effects like seizures, loss of consciousness, dementia and even death. Further, according to the Mayo Clinic, hypoglycemia can also cause low blood sugar in folks without diabetes due to a variety of conditions and medications.

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What Happens When Blood Sugar Drops Too Fast

Having too high or low of a level of blood sugar or blood glucoseblood sugar imbalance avoid excessive drops or increases in your blood sugar.. what can a person do when you dont get warning signs until blood sugar half or fourths-too fast and too much of a my blood sugar drops alot to.my.. Hypoglycemia is the bodys inability to properly regulate blood sugar levels, causing the level of sugar in the blood to be too low or to fall too rapidly. blood sugar, in the form of glucose, is the basic fuel for all brain operation and physical activity, including muscular.. Another way to consider normal and abnormal blood sugar levels is to look at a blood test blood sugar levels from rising too the drop in blood sugar. heres what happens in your body when you assault it with a coke: within the first 10 minutes, 10 teaspoons of sugar hit within 20 minutes, your blood sugar..

Low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia, can be a dangerous condition. low blood sugar can happen in people with diabetes who take medications that increase insulin levels in the body.. taking.

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What Is The Fastest Way To Lower Blood Sugar

When your blood sugar level gets too high known as hyperglycemia or high blood glucose the quickest way to reduce it is to take fast-acting insulin. Exercising is another fast, effective way to lower blood sugar.Eat a consistent diet

  • A very dry mouth.

Can a diabetic have high blood sugar at night?

With the many factors that can affect your glucose levels, nighttime can be a challenge. Some people with diabetes experience high overnight levels while others fear or experience a glucose drop during sleep.

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Hangry No More: Heres How To Keep Your Blood Sugar Balanced Throughout The Day

You can avoid premeal grouchiness and post-meal crashes by keeping your blood sugar levels steady.

Mercey Livingston

CNET Contributor

Mercey Livingston is a health and wellness writer and certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Shes written about fitness and wellness for Well+Good, Womens Health, Business Insider, and Prevention.com among others. When not writing, she enjoys reading and trying out workout classes all over New York City.

People often think of blood sugar solely in the context of diabetes or pregnancy, but its important for everyone to pay attention to it. Avoiding high blood sugar and low blood sugar can help you feel your best and keep up steady energy throughout the day.

Balancing your blood sugar helps to keep your energy even, keeps you more focused, balances out your hormones, prevents excessive hunger, helps with weight loss and overall maintains optimal health and wellbeing, says Amy Shapiro, a registered dietician and founder of Real Nutrition NYC.

Your blood sugar could be all over the place if you feel hungry all the time, even if youre eating frequently. Ideally, when you eat you feel steady energy for several hours and dont get hangry easily. When your blood sugar is balanced you find you think less about food and more about all the things that you can do, says Shapiro.

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When Blood Sugar Levels Drop Too Low Its Called Hypoglycemia Hypoglycemia Can Happen To Anyone Who Has Diabetes Or Not Symptoms Of Blood Sugar

Lowering Blood Sugar Without Medication

When blood sugar levels drop too low, its called hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia can happen to anyone who has diabetes or not. Symptoms of blood sugar being too low can be different for each person and can range from mild to severe. The most common symptoms are listed below. If you have any of these symptoms, check your blood sugar level immediately.

Feeling shaky

Irritability or mood changes

If you have severe hypoglycemia and cannot eat or drink, you may need an injection of glucagon. Glucagon is a hormone that raises blood sugar levels quickly. It is essential to always have glucagon with you in case of severe hypoglycemia. If you have questions about how to use glucagon, talk to your healthcare team.

Shaking is the most prevalent symptom of hypoglycemia, followed by perspiration, anxiety, heart palpitations, and feeling either too hot or too cold. In addition to them, additional symptoms may include a headache, hazy vision, nausea, weakness, and difficulty concentrating. Seizures, unconsciousness, and even death have been linked to hypoglycemia in its most severe forms.

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When Should I Check My Blood Sugar

How often you check your blood sugar depends on the type of diabetes you have and if you take any diabetes medicines.

Typical times to check your blood sugar include:

  • When you first wake up, before you eat or drink anything.
  • Two hours after a meal.

If you have type 1 diabetes, have type 2 diabetes and take insulin, or often have low blood sugar, your doctor may want you to check your blood sugar more often, such as before and after youre physically active.

What Causes Low Blood Sugar

Low blood sugar has many causes, including missing a meal, taking too much insulin, taking other diabetes medicines, exercising more than normal, and drinking alcohol. Blood sugar below 70 mg/dL is considered low.

Signs of low blood sugar are different for everyone. Common symptoms include:

Know what your individual symptoms are so you can catch low blood sugar early and treat it. If you think you may have low blood sugar, check it even if you dont have symptoms. Low blood sugar can be dangerous and should be treated as soon as possible.

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When Should I Check My Childs Blood Sugar

The diabetes care team will tell you when to check your childs blood sugar. Most kids and teens need to test:

  • before each meal
  • before, during, and after exercise

Sometimes you may need to test more often, even while your child sleeps. For example, if:

  • Your child was recently diagnosed with diabetes.
  • Your child is sick.
  • Your child is having a lot of high or low blood sugars.
  • There are changes in your childs diabetes treatment or daily habits.

Diabetes Testing And Monitoring

How to test your blood glucose (sugar) levels

If you have diabetes, blood glucose monitoring can help you keep your glucose levels within a target range by balancing food, exercise and insulin, reducing your chances of diabetes complications. A range of testing and monitoring equipment is available to help people manage their diabetes. Your doctor or diabetes nurse or educator can advise you on the most appropriate equipment for you and your situation.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners recommends that if you have type 2 diabetes and take oral medication only, you should talk to your doctor or specialist about the need to test your blood sugar levels at home, as most people in this situation do not need to do this type of monitoring. For further information, visit the Choosing Wisely Australia website.

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What Causes A Low Blood Sugar Level

In people with diabetes, the main causes of a low blood sugar level are:

  • the effects of medicine especially taking too much insulin, medicines called sulfonylureas , medicines called glinides , or some antiviral medicines to treat hepatitis C
  • skipping or delaying a meal
  • not eating enough carbohydrate foods in your last meal, such as bread, cereals, pasta, potatoes and fruit
  • exercise, especially if it’s intense or unplanned
  • drinking alcohol

Sometimes there’s no obvious reason why a low blood sugar level happens.

Very occasionally, it can happen in people who do not have diabetes.

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Best Times Of Day To Check Your Blood Sugar

Your blood sugar can change constantly throughout the day. Checking your blood sugar with test-strips or an FBGM several times throughout the day is just as important as taking your medications.

For example, checking your blood sugar before breakfast tells you how well your body is managing during the 8 hours you were asleep, but it doesnt tell you how well your body handles meals.

Here, well look at the best times to check your blood sugar for the most information about your diabetes management!

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When It’s Time To Call A Doctor

How to fix low Blood Sugar

If any of the symptoms mentioned have begun to impact your life, such as fatigue so severe you can’t stay awake through the day, it’s a good idea to consult your physician. Dr. Fruge warns that “unstable blood sugar levels could put you at higher risk of heart disease and stroke and it is a red flag for serious health issues” — so blood sugar issues should be taken seriously.

You should also see a doctor if you’re experiencing symptoms of hypoglycemia and haven’t been diagnosed with diabetes or any other underlying condition.

If you do have diabetes and your hypoglycemia isn’t responding to the treatments described above, that’s another good cue to call your health care provider.

If testing reveals you have Type 1 diabetes, you’ll need to continue to test your blood sugar levels as often as instructed by your physician, take insulin regularly and participate in regular exercise. This may mean you will need a new glucose monitoring system, so ask your doctor what they recommend. If you’re diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, you’ll most likely need to do the same as for Type 1, as well as working with health care professionals to make lifestyle changes such as improving nutrition and planning workouts. Medication may be necessary as well.

Healthy eating, regular exercise and other lifestyle changes can help alleviate symptoms and possibly even reverse prediabetes.

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