Why would my mother's sugar levels rise so high?

Question

My mother went into the hospital last night and I informed this morning. She's had diabetes since she was 7, so she knows how to manage it. My stepfather arrived at the house yesturday and found her passed out, he's had to deal with insuline reactions befor,we both had, so it's nothing new. They went to the hospital and her blood sugar was 1023! We can't figure out what would cause it to get that high,can anybody suggest any causes? She still has yet to fully be coherent and conscious. She's opened her eyes about 5 times like she was blinking and she squeezed my handacouple of times, she's still not awake. She has no control of her left side and no feeling in it. Can anybody tell me what to expect? Any help would be much appriciated. Thanks.

Answer 1

A couple of reasons

1. She stopped or forgot to take her insulin
2. She ate way too much
3. The insulin she was taking was not working properly (deactivated by heat or expired)
4. She has a bad infection

My sugar was that high once when I quit taking my insulin as a suicide attempt

Answer 2

I agree with Cate but I will add that there is a multitude of medication that can cause a rise in blood sugar, some really significantly. Steroids of any kind can really raise your blood sugar. They can be taken as pills, injected into the back or elsewhere for pain control and they can be in inhalers, if she has lung problems and uses them....Also stroke is a MAJOR stress on the body and could cause her sugar to go up significantly. I hope she recovers, but in the meantime gather up all her medication and take to the pharmacy and see which ones alter the blood sugar or give false readings.......take her prescription creams because they could be the culprit as well . Hope this ;helps....

Answer 3

This sounds like she might have DKA (diabetic keto-acidosis)
Infection or other acute illness can lead to this but it sounds like she may have had a stroke.

Treatment for DKA is simple, intravenous rehydration and insulin, Her blood sugars should stabilise quickly. If the doctors suspect a stroke they have probably asked for a CT scan of her brain.
I think they are the people you should be talking to; they will work out what is wrong with her and will tell you what to expect once they know for sure.

Hope she gets better soon

Answer 4

Agree with cate. Sounds like something acute or a stroke. Don't know if a stroke affects the blood sugar or not. The doctors are the ones to talk to. Try to be there when the doctor makes rounds. Talk to him. He will take time to talk to you and answer your questions--if he knows the answers or when he finds out the answers. Good luck to you and especially your mother.

Answer 5

Not only can an unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle contribute to hight blood sugar, stress could as well. Also, if there's is something else wrong with her physical health...i.e. a simple cold could cause a rise in blood sugar. I've never heard of a sugar being that high before.