High Sugar: Treatment, Procedure, Cost And Side Effects

Hyperglycemia is a condition that is caused due to high glucose levels in blood and which can lead to diagnosis of diabetes. Hyperglycemia is defined by certain high levels of blood glucose like fasting levels above 7.0 mmol/L or 126 mg/dL and two hours postprandial levels greater than 11.0 mmol/L or 200 mg/dL. The symptoms of high sugar or hyperglycemia are thirst, vision problems, stomach pain, increased hunger, nausea, drowsiness, lethargy, exhaustion, sweating, confusion, vomiting, inability to concentrate, weight loss that leads to coma and frequent urination.

High sugar or hyperglycemia can occur due to a number of causes. They are eating more with less or no exercise, insulin resistance in Type-2 diabetes, onset of illnesses like flu, emotional and psychological stress, insufficient amount of insulin treatment and early morning hormone surge which is also known as dawn phenomenon or dawn effect. Some of the other physical manifestations that a person may experience if he/she has high blood sugar are: vaginal and skin infections, stomach and intestinal problems like diarrhea and constipation and nerve damage which can result in cold and insensitive feet, loss of hair and erectile dysfunction.

There are a number of home treatments that a person can undertake to address hyperglycemia. They are exercising regularly, taking recommended medication, adhering to the eating plan set by the doctor, adjusting insulin dosage to check hyperglycemia and monitoring blood sugar levels regularly. Treatment for severe hyperglycemia involves fluid replacement, electrolyte replacement and insulin therapy.

There can be different approaches to treat high sugar on the basis of the amount of blood sugar present in blood. If blood test shows that the sugar levels are slightly above normal, a person should exercise regularly, drink more water or sugar-free drinks, regularly monitor blood sugar levels and also consider injecting additional insulin if it has been recommended by the doctor.

If the blood sugar levels are moderately high, a person should abstain from any strenuous activity, avoid drinks which contain sugar, inject additional insulin, chart blood-glucose test results, regularly monitor blood sugar levels and also try to find out the root cause for increase in blood glucose levels.

If blood sugar levels are alarmingly high, a doctor should be immediately consulted. A person should adhere to the rest of the guidelines that he/she followed when he/she has moderately high blood sugar levels. However, ketone levels are to be tested if recommended by a doctor.

If a person is suffering from severe hyperglycemia, there are a few treatments that may help to address this condition. Firstly, there is the fluid replacement therapy whereby a person receives fluid, either orally or intravenously until he/she is rehydrated. A person may lose excess fluid due to frequent urination and so this loss is compensated with the help of fluid replacement therapy. This procedure also helps to dilute the excess sugar in the blood. Lower levels of insulin in people with hyperglycemia lower the levels of several electrolytes. Thus the electrolyte replacement therapy provides electrolytes through the veins so as to keep the heart, muscles and nerve cells healthy. Insulin therapy involves the administration of insulin through the veins. This reverses the processes that result in the build-up of ketones in the body.

A person is eligible for treatment of high sugar or hyperglycemia if he has been diagnosed by a registered medical practitioner and/or has exhibited some of the symptoms associated with this condition. There are two methods by which it can be understood whether a person has high sugar or not. One is the fasting hyperglycemia blood test and the other is the post-prandial or after-meal hyperglycemia blood test. The symptoms that a person suffering from high sugar include increased thirst, frequent urination, blood sugar level more than 180 mg/dL , weight loss, fatigue, headaches and vision problems.

A person who has not been properly diagnosed as suffering from high sugar and who does not experience symptoms associated with this condition are not eligible for treatment. Home-based treatment requires a person to exercise regularly. But if a person is physically invalid, he/she cannot opt for home treatment. A person with kidney problems should consult a doctor before going for fluid replacement therapy.

The side-effects of insulin therapy are as follows: headache, hunger, sweating, tremor, weakness, fast heartbeat accompanied with rapid breathing and fainting or seizure. Electrolyte replacement therapy can cause too much sodium to appear in blood. Excess sodium may cause convulsions, dizziness, high blood pressure, irritability, restlessness, muscle twitching, weakness and swelling of feet or lower legs. The side effects of Fluid replacement therapy include hypernatremia or high levels of sodium, high blood pressure, heart failure, injection site reactions and electrolyte abnormalities.

There are a few post-treatment guidelines that a person will need to adhere to in order to keep high sugar levels in check. A person taking insulin or oral diabetes medication has to be consistent about the amount and timing of his/her meals. The food must be balanced with the insulin working in your body. Person will have to regularly monitor his/her blood sugar levels and report to the doctor immediately if there are any anomalies. A person with high sugar levels is supposed to exercise. But if he/she is not being able to adhere to the workout plan, he/she should consult a doctor and get the medications altered. Furthermore, it is of paramount importance that a person take the prescribed medicines regularly.

High sugar or hyperglycemia can be a serious condition and it can lead to diabetes in the long run. The treatment for hyperglycemia involves some home remedies such as shifting to a healthy diet, exercising and also monitoring the blood glucose levels. So, a person may require a long time to get his blood sugar levels in check as he/she would have to adhere to strict guidelines recommended by a physician. Use of electrolyte replacement, insulin therapy and fluid replacement may help to bring down the high blood sugar levels. But to maintain the low levels and to prevent it from flaring up again may require a person to undergo treatment for a lot of time.

Insulin therapy may cost between Rs 14, 500 to Rs 47,000 for a year. Blood sugar checking machines are available between Rs 750 and Rs 2200 in India. The cost of a check-up will depend on which place the patient is going for the check-up and also on the individual doctor. Government hospitals generally provide free check-ups for the poor and also provide some free medicine. Intravenous fluids are available between Rs 22 and Rs 200.

No, the results are not permanent. Home remedies like healthier lifestyle, exercising, medication as well as fluid replacement and insulin therapies helps to control the high blood glucose levels in blood. However, due to multiple reasons, a person may suffer from hyperglycemia again. A person may again suffer from high sugar if he/she leads an unhealthy lifestyle, has an infection or under too much stress. Thus it is imperative to continue the treatment for high sugar for a long period of time.