People with type 2 diabetes can often keep their blood sugar levels under control with diet, exercise, and medicine. But unless you check your blood sugar level every day with a meter, you won’t have the most accurate results. Any person with diabetes can benefit from checking their blood sugar. And when you track your results in a log, your doctor can tell how well you’re responding to your treatment plan over time.
YOU’RE THIRSTY, AND YOU HAVE TO GO
Thirst and frequent urination are two classic diabetes signs caused by too much sugar in your blood. As your kidneys work harder to filter out the sugar, they also pull more fluids from your tissues, which is why you have to go to the bathroom more often than usual. Thirst is your body’s way of telling you it needs to replenish the liquids it’s losing. If you don’t drink more fluids, you can dehydrate.
quickly enough, a condition called gastroparesis, you may deal with unpleasant abdominal problems like nausea, vomiting, bloating, heartburn, or feelings of fullness right after you start to eat or a long time afterwards. Gastroparesis also can make it harder to control your diabetes.
YOU’RE LOSING YOUR SIGHT
High blood sugar and high blood pressure both can damage the sensitive structures in your eyes and threaten your vision. Diabetic retinopathy — caused by damage to the blood vessels in the eye — is one of the biggest cause of blindness in adults. Blurred vision, spots, lines, or flashing lights are signs of a retinal bleed, a medical emergency. Get your eyes checked now, before your vision has a chance to deteriorate.
YOU’RE LOSING WEIGHT
Losing unwanted pounds is always a good idea to manage type 2 diabetes. But if you’re losing weight quickly, without trying, or without doing anything different, it may be a sign that your blood sugar is too high. When your glucose is high, it gets flushed out of the body in urine, taking the calories and fluids you consume with it.
YOU HAVE RECURRING INFECTIONS
Frequent or recurring infections are sometimes a sign of high blood sugar. You might experience gum disease, urinary tract infections, bacterial or fungal infections of the skin, or, if you’re a woman, yeast infections. Other infections might include pneumonia and respiratory infections, kidney and gallbladder infections, and severe bacterial middle ear and fungal sinus infections.
CUTS AND BRUISES WON’T HEAL
If your blood sugar isn’t well controlled, you might find that cuts and bruises are slow to heal. Tending to injuries, however small, is important because it reduces the risk of infections in people with diabetes. Infections themselves can also worsen blood sugars, which makes it even harder for your immune system to fight off the infection.
KEEP CONTROL
Don’t panic about diabetes complications — try to avoid them by carefully following your doctor’s treatment plan. Take your medicine, eat a healthy diet, and exercise to keep your blood sugar levels in check. Use your meter to test your blood sugar so you know that it’s staying in the recommended range. An A1C test at least twice a year will give you a good snapshot of your blood sugar control over time.
WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR
Any new or unusual symptoms are worth making a call to your doctor. Call if you feel dizzy or your blood sugar drops or if you have severe symptoms like uncontrolled vomiting, numbness or tingling, or blurred or double vision. Also call if you’re having trouble controlling your blood pressure with your current treatment.
