Severe Hyperglycemia: Causes, Risks, and What to Do Now

When your blood sugar climbs past 250 mg/dL and keeps rising, you’re facing severe hyperglycemia, a dangerous condition where the body can’t use glucose for energy, leading to toxic buildup in the blood. Also known as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) when ketones are present, this isn’t just a number on a meter—it’s a medical emergency that can knock you out, damage organs, or even kill if ignored. It doesn’t happen overnight. It builds when insulin is missing, misused, or overwhelmed—by missed doses, illness, stress, or eating too many carbs without enough medication.

People with type 1 diabetes are most at risk, but type 2 patients can slip into severe hyperglycemia too, especially when they’re sick, taking steroids, or not monitoring their levels. Insulin resistance, when cells stop responding to insulin, forcing the pancreas to overwork plays a big role. And blood glucose levels, the real-time measure of sugar in your bloodstream are your only warning system. If you’re checking your sugar and it’s over 300 mg/dL for hours, or you feel nauseous, dizzy, or breathless, don’t wait. Drink water, check for ketones, and call your doctor. Delaying can turn a bad day into a hospital stay.

What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t just theory—it’s real-world advice from people who’ve been there. You’ll see how metoclopramide helps with nausea from high sugar, how atorvastatin fits into long-term diabetes care, and why traveling with meds like sevelamer or glucophage needs extra planning. Some posts dig into how supplements affect blood sugar, how antibiotics interact with glucose control, and what to do when stress or illness spikes your levels. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all guide. It’s a collection of practical fixes, warnings, and comparisons that help you act fast, stay safe, and avoid the worst outcomes.