2006-06-12 05:47:10 · 9 answers · asked by krishnamurtifan 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Diabetes
What my doctors have told me from day 1 (I have had diabetes for 39 years) is that the blood glucose levels should be between 80 and 120 before meals. If the levels are 120 or below before exercise, something such as carbs and protein should be eaten as exercise will lower the blood sugar. If it is after eating, the levels shouldn't get above 180 1 hour after and 160 2 hours after.
As for having high blood sugars (above 130 or 140), she will need to take a little extra insulin to bring it down, and drink water, which seems to also help. If her blood sugars go above 250, DON'T let her exercise or it will raise the blood sugar even more.
As for lows (below 80), have her have a glass of orange juice or glucose tablets to bring it up, check the blood sugar in 15 minutes to see if it is above 80. If not, then she needs more sugar and do the same thing with checking it again. Once it is up where it belongs, if a meal is going to be a couple hours or more away, she needs to eat something to keep her from dropping low again (carbs and protein). If a meal is going to be within the next half hour, then she can wait until meal time to eat.
I have had blood sugars as low as 20s and 30s and never had to go to the hospital (my doctor doesn't even want me to waste my time and money going there if I can take care of it at home) and I have had it as high as 600 without going to the hospital. When it has gotten that high, I do absolutely NO exercise (walking, etc), drink tons of water, and have extra insulin. Each person will be different, each person tolerance levels will be different. Some need to go to the hospital when they are at about 40 or below or 300 or above.
Your daughter's doctor should have given you a formula of some sort to figure out how much insulin to give for high blood sugars, etc. It would probably be a good idea to have your daughter see a diabetic specialist, if she isn't seeing one already. They know more about diabetes than a regular doctor/pediatrician and can help with many things you and your daughter will need help with. Ask your daughters doctor for a referral.
I wish you luck. It is a huge change for the whole family and it will take some getting used to. And since your daughter is a teen, expect some rebellion about doing what she has to do. I did that, even though I was diagnosed at 2 1/2, as I didn't want to be different than everyone else. I have paid for it in the long run, tho. I am now blind in one eye and have a little vision problem in the other one. I have had to have 13 laser and cryo (freezing) surgeries on my eyes, as well as cataract surgery on them. And all of this is when I was only 21!! I am lucky to have any sight at all.
Oh, and you may want to find a local support group for both of you. You can both meet others with the disease and you can both get some tips on things to do to help your daughter.
I commend you for this huge task you have ahead of you: teaching your daughter the things she needs to do to take care of herself for the rest of her life.
Good luck!
2006-06-12 07:47:21 · answer #1 · answered by honey 6 · 7⤊ 3⤋
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2016-05-20 02:09:20 · answer #2 · answered by Stuart 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-09-20 00:13:11 · answer #3 · answered by Delbert 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Generally speaking, glucose levels should be from 80 mg/dL (normal low) to 200 mg/dL (normal high). If levels are below 120 mg/dL before exercise/activity, a snack should be eaten and a snack is given at bedtime to prevent an overnight drop in levels. Your daughter's health care provider whould have given you this information. Because the provider may have a narrower range that she/he would like to see for your daughter, I strongly advise you to contact the provider and ask. While you're on the phone, request that both you and your daughter be scheduled to meet with a Diabetic educator. Diabetes is nothing to fool around with and while Yahoo! Answers is helpful in many cases, I don't think it's the appropriate place to ask your question.
2006-06-12 06:28:56 · answer #4 · answered by TweetyBird 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on when you are testing as to what her levels should be (before a meal, after a meal, etc.). The basic guide that I give to my clients is that anything over 250 warrants a trip to the ER. The same goes for anything under 80. Your daughter may be able to have these readings and feel fine, so remember to test often.
2006-06-12 06:39:22 · answer #5 · answered by lindsey_osborne 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Normal is considered to be between 80 and 120, but it isn't as though 121 would be 'unsafe' or anything. The range is just a guideline.
2006-06-12 08:07:54 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
80-180. Usually it's 80-120 but you're just starting out so it's 80-180. Didn't your doctor tell you this?
2006-06-13 04:28:22 · answer #7 · answered by chick-a-dee 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i'm sorry- but shouldn't you know that if you have a diabeteic child for a month by now!? what have you been doing so far? just deciding if you like the number or not???
2006-06-12 13:02:30 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
go to webmd one of the good sites info there.
2006-06-12 06:11:31 · answer #9 · answered by retired_afmil 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋