Managing High Blood Sugar

More about managing high blood sugar

What might be causing your high blood sugars when you’re unwell?

When you’re ill, your body releases stress hormones. These hormones can push your blood sugars up – even if you’re eating less than usual.

Other common causes of high blood sugars when you’re unwell include missing or reducing insulin or diabetes tablets, vomiting up your medication, not drinking enough fluids, infection, pain, or stress, not eating, vomiting, or diarrhoea that makes it tricky to dose insulin, issues with your pump or continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and steroid medicines (e.g. prednisolone).

Know the signs of an emergency: If you’re vomiting, your ketones are rising, or you can’t keep fluids down – get same-day, urgent help.

If it doesn’t appear to be urgent, you can take more steps yourself, use our handy sick day advice flowchart (below) to help adjust your insulin doses. Do not stop taking your insulin, your body still needs it when you are unwell. Check your blood sugars every 2–4 hours. If they carry on going up, get support immediately. If your glucose is 13 mmol/L or higher, see Q&A below about checking ketones. Drink small, regular sips of sugar-free liquid (aim for around 150ml each hour). If you can’t eat, drink fluids that contain carbohydrates. If you use a pump, check the set, the spot on your skin where it injects, and if the insulin is out-of-date. If you use a pump and your glucose stays high, think about changing your pump, or use an injection as a backup.

You can also create a plan for future sick days, with notes to yourself about doses, when to check ketones, when to call for help. Follow it next time you’re ill.

Contact our Diabetes Specialist Nursing team for support – we’ll help you understand your blood sugar levels, adjust your medication or insulin levels, and fix equipment issues.