High blood sugar, or being “high,” is something diabetics may hear a lot! Hyperglycemia means the same thing. Hyperglycemia is a big, fancy medical term for high blood sugar. In other words, there is more “sugar” or glucose [called a BG for blood glucose] in our blood than is healthy. So, we say it is high blood sugar.
When we eat, our food changes so our bodies use it for fuel. Some foods turn to sugars. Our bodies break down the sugars with a hormone called insulin. With diabetes, our bodies are special and don’t use or make enough insulin.
As a result, the numbers on our glucometer may show a high blood sugar which just means that we have more sugar in our blood stream than is healthy over time. That’s why those higher numbers on our glucometer gives us the information to help us know if may need to take more insulin through a shot or a pump.
We poke our fingers with a little machine that some people call a poker or a pricker. A drop of blood shows up, and we put a drop of blood on a test strip. Another little machine called a glucometer shows how much sugar is in our blood [BG] and how much insulin we need to take to help use up all the sugars.
How does high blood sugar feel?
Highs make you feel weird! I feel angry or cranky when my blood glucose numbers are high. Lots of things get on my nerves very easily when they might not bother me any other time. Sometimes my mind moves super fast, and it is hard to concentrate.
I also really want to move! I will ride my bike, play an active game, or run around a lot. My sister says that I get really picky and pesky.
Bringing high blood sugar down
My mom or my pump makes sure I have enough insulin to bring the high levels back to a BG level that’s lower. I always drink a bunch of water or water with a sugar free flavor in it to help my body deal with the extra sugar.
On rainy days, I use a really active video game that lets me dance or punch. Playing an active game makes me burn the extra glucose and get rid of some of the extra, angry energy I have. I also like to skateboard or run around outside. Doing something like walking really fast in place or having a pillow fight. can help burn off some sugar as well.
You can do whatever works best for you. Find something fun and save it for a treat when you have high blood sugar to burn off!
High blood sugar and DKA
In more serious cases diabetic keto acidosis, or DKA, can happen. DKA is when there is too much sugar in your blood without enough insulin. So, your body starts burning off fat instead of sugar. This makes ketones in your body that might make you sick, and you have to get those out. With insulin and lots of liquids we can sometimes pee them out.
I did not know I had Type one Diabetes until doctors found out I was going into DKA. My family thought I had a bad bladder infection. Signs of DKA that I had were peeing a lot, drinking a lot, being extremely tired, and having dry mouth.
I also had some more advanced signs like belly pain, feeling sick on my tummy, and throwing up. Some people have fruity smelling breath, trouble breathing, are confused, or even pass out.
If you ever feel this way, tell an adult. They will probably make you pee on a ketone strip. This helps the adults know how much insulin to give us or if we need extra help. Then, they will help you feel better. You might go home, to a doctor’s office, or even the hospital. There the doctors and nurses will check your sugar, and you may get an IV. [ I promise an IV sounds much worse than it is!! ] In the IV they will give you fluids and insulin to keep you from getting worse.
Don’t worry about DKA, but do try to make sure your BG numbers are not high all the time. Then play! Be healthy! Don’t let high blood sugar keep you from being awesome!!
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