Warning Signs Your Blood Sugar is “Dangerously High”

Blood sugar is a vital part of our overall well-being and when there’s an imbalance your health is at risk for serious complications like heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. “Simply put, it’s your body’s main source of energy. You can’t survive without it,”  Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, Urgent Care Medical Director and Physician, Carbon Health and Saint Mary’s Hospital tells us. The symptoms of high blood sugar can range from subtle to signs you can’t ignore and Dr. Curry-Winchell explains what to look out for and why. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Hyperglycemia, or high blood glucose, occurs when there is too much sugar in the blood. This happens when your body has too little insulin (the hormone that transports glucose into the blood), or if your body can’t use insulin properly. The condition is most often linked with diabetes.”

Dr. Curry-Winchell explains, “A blood sugar level (glucose) greater than 180, one to two hours after eating is considered too high. A number from 100 to 125 is considered too high if you haven’t eaten for at least 8 hours.”

According to Dr. Curry-Winchell, “Too much sugar in the bloodstream for an extended amount of time will damage your blood vessels responsible for delivering blood to organs such as your heart and kidney.”

Dr. Curry-Winchell tells us, “Not everyone will notice signs of high blood sugar. Some of the symptoms can be subtle such as fatigue or an increase in thirst can develop slowly.”

“Extra sugar (glucose) does not mean more energy,” Dr. Curry-Winchell emphasizes. “The body is not able to use the excess sugar to fuel what your body needs for extra activity.”

“The kidneys are unable to filter excess sugar in your blood and respond by attempting to remove it — which increases the amount of time/frequency you urinate and puts you at risk for dehydration,” says Dr. Curry-Winchell.

Dr. Curry-Winchell explains, “If you are losing weight (involuntarily), although your appetite has increased or stayed the same. This happens because there isn’t enough insulin to respond to excess glucose in the body. To supply your body with energy, the body uses stored fat and muscle.”

Dr. Curry-Winchell tells us, “Elevated glucose levels can increase the amount of blood vessels that form behind the eye (retina). The extra vessels are harmful and can lead to a risk of becoming blind.”

“Nerve damage also referred to as neuropathy can occur which can signal numbness or tingling in your fingers, toes, hands, and feet,” Dr. Curry-Winchell says.