blood sugar

Sugar is what gives us energy. Our bodies convert the carbohydrates we eat into sugar, which they send via the blood stream to every cell in the body.

For the cells to get the sugar from the blood they need to open a gate (so to speak). To do that, they use the services of a gatekeeper, i.e. insulin.

If the body does not have enough insulin, the sugar cannot be transmitted from the blood to individual cells, hence we do not have enough energy, and have all slew of other problems. This condition is called diabetes.

The state of having too much blood sugar (whether due to diabetes, or temporarily for eating too much sugar) is called hyperglycemia.

If we have too little blood sugar, the cells do not get enough energy either. This is called hypoglycemia.

Both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia can cause a coma and, if not treated, result in death.

Blood sugar can be measured quite easily with a glucometer, which only needs a drop of blood and about 45 seconds of time.

I have diabetes, so I have to measure my own blood sugar frequently. Every doctor and nurse tells me slightly different values of what is good.

But on the label of the vial that contains my test strips, the following control ranges are listed:

    HIGH              LOW              NORMAL

    264-337           41-58            84-126	MG/DL
   14.7-18.7         2.3-3.2          4.7-7.0   MMDL/L

The glucometer I use gives me the results in mg/dl, that is the first line above. Anything below 150 makes me happy, anything in two digits makes me ecstatic.

I too am diabetic. Have been for about 11 years now. I depend on a insuln shot twice a day. Not fun stuff. But since i have diabetes, something that can be a fairly lethal diesease if not treated, has changed my procepective of things. For one, I dont do drugs because of it(other than my required perscription) Diabetes can cause low and high blood sugar attacks which can be Very Strange! I have had low blood sugar that is like a really bad trip. It is quite scary if this happens when you are alone. These type of sympotoms are rare for low blood sugar the most common are:
Shakiness
Weakness
Dizziness
It also causes you not to think as straight or sometimes blank spots in your memory. Low blood sugar is anything usually under 80. Some say 70 but if i drop under 80 i get shakey.
But then of course you could get some High blood sugar. This is when you have too much sugar in your blood stream. Some of the symptoms are
Thirsty
Have to urinate a lot
Headache
Stomach problems
Also if you dont get help with your blood sugar you would eventually lose weight and get something known as Keytones in your urine which is burnt fat. Your body begins to eat the fat on your body to survive. It will weaken your immune system to where simple paper cuts would take weeks to heal. Because of this people have lost apendages from cuts and infections(not nessecerly paper cuts) and blindness.

Diabetes can be pretty frickin bad, but dont give up hope if you are one of the unlucky to contract this infection, there are treatments that can help you live a normal life. I have made it 11 years with very few problems and it has not been that tough. Just always keep fighting!