How important is Blood Glucose Monitoring and Control?

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• IN DIABETES                

A person when diagnosed with diabetes initially suffers disbelief and as an after effect of that shock tries to take precautions and follows extra measures to control blood glucose. But as the time elapses the precautions might become slack leading to poor control over blood glucose. Various studies indicate that a diabetic with good control over blood glucose with proper diet and regular glucose monitoring has lesser hospital trips and suffers lesser diabetes related complications. Lots of complications have been attached with poor blood glucose management amongst diabetics. These complications can be life threatening and can also decrease the quality of life of a person. Awareness about the complications and their symptoms can prevent the condition from taking a deadly shape.

• Nephropathy: Diabetic nephropathy is kidney damage which results as a complication of uncontrolled diabetes in combination with high blood pressure. High blood glucose over a long period of time can damage the structural units of kidneys, nephrons leading to the symptoms like: frothing of urine, protein in urine, generalized itching, swollen legs, poor appetite, etc. Best way to prevent or control kidney damage is to control BP and blood glucose. A low protein diet is recommended in advanced cases.
• Neuropathy: Nerves are damaged as a result of high blood sugar levels and this damage is more likely if the blood sugar is not controlled. Approximately 50% of people with diabetes eventually develop nerve damage. The symptoms of neuropathy are seen in all the systems of body like constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing, deep pain, most commonly in the feet and legs, muscle cramps, numbness, tingling or burning sensation in the extremities (particularly the feet), drooping eyelids, light-headedness when standing up, etc. The symptoms vary depending on the nerve which is affected. After initial symptoms develop it is important to control the blood glucose to prevent worsening of symptoms e.g. loss of sensation can push you towards other complications as diabetic foot.
• Hypoglycaemia: It is also known as low blood glucose. It occurs when blood glucose level drops too low to provide enough energy for body’s activities. The symptoms include: hunger, nervousness, shakiness, perspiration, light-headedness, sleepiness, anxiety, weakness, etc. Hypoglycemia can be caused when meals taken are too smaller than required, delayed or skipped. Even when a person accidentally takes excessive dose of insulin or some diabetes medications, or does extra physical activity than usual.

What to do in Hypoglycemia: In case of above symptoms, use a blood glucose meter to check the glucose level. If it is 70 mg/dL or below, have either of these foods to raise your blood glucose: 2-3 teaspoon glucose, ½ cup fruit juice, 5-6 pieces of hard candies, 1-2 teaspoon sugar or honey. Check your blood glucose again after 15 minutes, if it is still low have another serving of the above mentioned foods till the blood glucose reaches 70mg/ dL. Thus, if you are on insulin or any diabetes medications always carry one of the above mentioned foods with you.