• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

HI bg levels

Hrw1959

Well-Known Member
Messages
51
Location
Leeds, England
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Insulin
My bg readings have been all over the place for the last month or so. I have had no help from the diabetes nurse at my doctors surgery and had to insist on a telephone appointment from one of the doctors. He decided that I had to be seen that day as my reading had gone up to 28.6. After examining me he said that I had an infection and a chest infection so put me on more antibiotics. I had only just finished antibiotics and steroids the week before.

Can anyone tell me at what number does your meter show the word "HI" instead of a number? This happened to me 3 times yesterday. I have the freestyle insulinx meter.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Hi

If you are getting constantly high readings, it could be that your infection is contributing to that. However, in view of such high readings you may need some extra assistance in getting them down at this time. You might want to get to A & E when your reading is showing Hi on your meter and they should be able to help.

Hope this helps

Doug
 
With readings running high like that you would need to also be checked for ketones. If your doctor isn't helping, contact your diabetic nurse, failing that a trip to A&E might be in order. Hope you feel better soon.
 
Thanks so much for your help. I have tried to contact my diabetic nurse but can never get to speak to her. Now that I have finished the antibiotics I am going to try and get a doctors appointment again. Yesterday I woke up to a hypo, reading of 3.2 and by lunchtime it was 8.6. All I had to eat was Rice Krispies, cup of tea and glass of very weak barley water. By the time it got to 6 pm and just before my main meal, it was up to 24.8. I had a ham sandwich on white bread, a banana, tea and juice for lunch and a yoghurt and tea and juice for mid afternoon snack. I really don't know what else to do. If it happens again today I will go to A & E. I have tested for keystones and it shows none. So frustrated [FLUSHED FACE]


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Juice and Barley water would create spikes in blood sugar readings. Maybe avoiding these for now might help along with higher fibre foods? I'm no expert though.
 
I've not taken them myself, but other people have posted on here about steroids causing high BGs.
 
A reading of HI varies depending on the meter, but most of them it's a reading of 33.3. I think mine is 32 or something.

Are you going low as well? Or just high? I double the insulin I take when I'm ill and fighting an infection.

Although you may want to go to A and E, I have found my local A and E to be useless, so I deal with it myself, with the help of my husband. I test every half hour, and I allow myself to drink water. I was told its most dangerous when you start throwing up, because that's when you lose fluid too quickly. So I only go in if I'm doing that, which is so rare.

But the way, though, one thing to watch because it catches me out. If you test at, say, 12 and you have a reading of, say, 26, and you do your correction dose, done be surprised if its still 26 2 hours later. That's normal. Don't give yourself more insulin. It will start to go down after 2 hours.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Thanks so much again for all your help. I cannot have any fibre in my diet as I have no large bowel, so I am on a no fibre diet. I also am not on insulin and that's why I am so worried. I have finally managed to talk to my diabetic nurse, it only took three and a half weeks, and she was very concerned. She as managed to book me in with my doctor for an emergency appointment and I will see what he says tonight. I have been told to drink 3 litres of water today. I feel so tired and not my normal self. Will let you know how things go.



Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Are you type 2 then? Is there any chance you've developed type 1? I think they will prob put you on insulin.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…