A diabetic, especially a Type 1 Diabetic may have erratic sugar levels. Sometimes a type 1 diabetic may have Hypoglycemia (an abnormally low blood glucose level) or Hyperglycemia (an abnornally high blood glucose level).

I am giving below a quick reference guide that should be printed and carried by the Type 1 Diabetic at all times. Particularly when the person is travelling or holidaying with friends, then his / her friends should be made aware of this printed sheet and also explained what they should do in an emergency. Below, I will use the feminine gender but it is equally applicable to the masculine gender also.

To Identify a Low Sugar

Even though the type 1 diabetic can identify a low sugar, but if it is a serious one and (s)he is not able to take action against it then these are the things to be done.

Symptoms of a Low Sugar:

1. Responses are very erratic
2. The person will look confused
3. She will be irritable and will easily snap at people
4. She will look tired/sleepy or completely drained out
5. Her hands will start shaking
6. She will prefer sitting down and not take part in anything

What to do when these symptoms occur:

1. Test her blood sugar immediately
2. Give her a teaspoonful of sugar
3. If she is not able to swallow solid sugar, then do not force her to swallow. Just put a sugar candy (make sure she carries it in her pocket) between her cheek/teeth and lay her on her side.
4. After a few minutes, give her a dose of Glucagon injection (It should be in her medical kit)
5. After 10 minutes, something solid should be given like bread, sweetened milk, chocolate or something which can be easily swallowed.

It would generally take upto an hour to recover from a serious low sugar. But after all the above mentioned steps are over, just give it time and everything will be alright.

In case, she has got convulsions due to a very low sugar:

1. Lay her on her side
2. Put a sugar candy between her cheek / teeth
3. Do not try to force open her mouth if she is biting her tongue
4. It wouldn’t be possible for her to choke on the candy as she is laying on her side. The might just flow out of her mouth with the saliva but it will not choke her.

To Identify a High Sugar

An insulin dose has to be administered in case of a high sugar. The dosage is selected according to the blood sugar level. Normally, she should be able to handle this condition herself. But, you have to administer the insulin only if she is not able to handle it on her own due to its seriousness.

Symptoms of a High Sugar Level:

1. Loss of Appetite
2. Excessive urination
3. Excessive intake of water
4. A characteristic sweet smell in the air (this is due to the increase in ketones in the body. While urinating, these ketones are discharged from the body)

If the sugar climbs to a very high level, then vomiting starts. In that case, insulin has to be administered immediately after checking the blood sugar level.

What to do when these symptoms occur:

1. Fluid intake should increase. Drink a lot of water if you become Ketotic
2. Take insulin as per dose given below:

How to select insulin dosage acccording to blook sugar reading:

This dosage will vary from person to person and during different situations.

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