Tips To Bring High Blood Sugar Down Fast

One of the parameters that have the power to seriously affect not only the immediate aspects of daily life but lead to several long-term consequences is – blood sugar levels. Diabetes is a very common condition in India and we have seen the prevalence rise dramatically in recent years. The most common types are - Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, Gestational Diabetes, and Prediabetes. The essence of all 4 of these conditions would be the improper, complete lack of or insufficient functioning of the pancreas. Islet cells in the pancreas produce a hormone – insulin. Because of the pancreatic dysfunction, these islet cells are unable to do their job accurately resulting in a lower (or no) production of insulin. This results in high blood sugar levels. Know about diabetes treatment in pregnancy.

It is first important to understand why high blood sugars are harmful. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you know how it feels to have higher blood sugars. The feeling is not very comfortable. A person would feel super tired and lethargic, would crave a lot of water due to a parched throat, could have some trouble breathing, would feel like eating a lot even though it is unhealthy, might have blurry vision, etc. And these are just the immediate symptoms. The long-term effects of constant high blood sugar levels could be – damage to certain organs, heart-related issues, problems with electrolytes and kidneys, etc. Also know about pre diabetes levels.

Lower Blood Sugar Immediately

Now that you understand why it is important to keep the blood sugars under control, the next step would be to identify how to keep them in check. Diabetes is such a condition wherein there can be rapid and dramatic rise and falls of sugars. Sometimes the causes are known such as incorrect carb counting, eating high-sugar foods, stress, sick days, etc. At other times, you may not know why your sugars are rising or falling and this may cause a lot of frustration. You must be aware of the fatal effects of hypoglycemia or low blood sugars, however, longer spans of high blood glucose levels can also be detrimental. As fast as you need to be able to raise the levels in case of hypoglycemia, it is equally important to be able to lower the levels rapidly.

1. If you take insulin

One of the primary ways of bringing down blood sugar levels is by taking insulin. So, if you are wondering that “my blood sugar is 250 what should I do”? most often than not the right response would be to take extra insulin. The basic physiology around this is that your bloodstream needs more insulin to be able to bring the effects of glucose down. This external insulin would help with that. If you are on the insulin pump, all you need to do is simply put in the number and take the dose. If you are on the pen, you will have to inject a few units on your preferred site.

2. First, check your ketones

Many people with diabetes, discount the effect that ketones can have on the body. Especially if the blood sugars are more than 250 mg/dL, the chances of development of ketones in the body are much higher. Excessive ketone levels can lead to a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Using urine ketone testing strips, ensure to keep a check on the levels. In the case of a moderate or large level of ketones, simply the pump or an injection dose may not suffice. Taking IV fluids or specialized care under your doctor would be necessary. Also know about sugar in urine test.

3. Take a correction dose

Your diagnosis of diabetes teaches you a lot in terms of the management of sugar levels. It is usually a trial-and-error method and it might take a few tries for you to get it right. Originally, a question that arises in the minds of newly diagnosed individuals would be “my blood sugar is 250 what should I do?''250 is a huge number. Injecting any fast-acting insulin that you have been prescribed would qualify as a correction dose. Remember to understand your correction factor before you inject yourself. Also, remember to not inject too much insulin too fast as it takes about 3-4 hours for it to work.

Take an “intramuscular” injection

Insulin usually needs to be injected into the body fat – abdomen or thighs. In case of higher blood sugars, injecting it into the muscles may be of greater help due to the higher absorption rates. Ensure that you are doing this under the guidance of your doctor as too much intramuscular injection can lead to bruising.

Consider using Afrezza

Revolutionizing the lives of people with diabetes, T1D or T2D diagnosed people can now lower their blood sugars using insulin that can be inhaled. It may not be supremely effective in terms of taking care of all the needs, however, it can help at least bring the levels under control. You can use it in addition to the correction dose.

4. Other things you can do

There are several things that you can engage in while attempting to lower your blood sugar levels in case they rise above 250 mg/dL. At times, especially if you are out and are on the injection and you have not carried it with you, you can use some techniques to bring the levels to a healthier range.

Also read about sugar level in urine

Bottomline

Yes, high blood sugar levels are undesirable and yes, people don’t often give it much consideration as they may not be fatal immediately. But it is important to not neglect its effects and ensure that the range of sugars is more or less within normal. It is natural that as a person with diabetes you may experience ups and downs, the faster you can learn to manage it, the better. Do not feel dejected if it takes time for you to learn or if some things don’t work the way you would like them to. Diabetes is not an easy condition to uncover. Read more about what causes low blood sugar.

FAQs

Can oral medication help with high blood sugar?

People with T2D are often prescribed oral medications to take for the effective management of their blood sugar levels. However, it is not something that you can take as an extra dose to lower the levels. An untimely dose is only advised in case it slipped your mind to take the medication when you are supposed to. All of this, again, should be checked with your doctor to avoid any habits that may be unhealthy.

When to go to the ER

It would be of utmost importance to go to the ER if your sugars have constantly been on the higher side and you have large levels of ketones in your urine. Even after correction doses, if the sugar levels are not subsiding, you might need an intravenous method to inject it for faster absorption in the bloodstream. Going to the ER will also ensure that the other parameters like sodium, magnesium, and potassium levels are in check. This is because there is usually an imbalance of electrolytes during high ketones.

Which foods can lower blood sugar quickly?

Spiking blood sugar levels can have serious complications therefore one needs to consider the following techniques to quickly lower the blood sugar level. 

1. Increase the insulin supply – Taking extra insulin would bring down the effect of rising glucose in your body.
2. Keep an eye on ketones – High sugar levels can produce ketones in the body that can cause diabetic ketoacidosis in a person. If your body produces too many ketones then take IV fluids to manage the condition and immediately consider going through a checkup.
3. Having high sugar levels, one must take the prescribed correction doses and indulge in other activities like walking, drinking enough water, and avoid sugary foods, which can help to bring down the blood sugar levels. Also know about fasting blood sugar levels.

Can drinking water lower blood sugar levels?

Hydrating your body by consuming an ample amount of water can prove to be helpful to lower blood sugar levels. Drinking water can make you urinate frequently which would help to manage the ketone levels of the body, eventually having a good impact on your blood sugar levels. Also know about normal blood sugar levels chart.