Emergency Response for Hypo and Hyperglycemia at Home

Let’s be honest, caring for a parent with diabetes can feel like walking a tightrope in the dark. One wrong step, one missed sign, and suddenly you’re staring at a situation you weren’t ready for. I’ve sat in living rooms with caregivers who keep juice boxes in their nightstands, glucose tablets in the car, and insulin pens tucked into kitchen drawers like fire extinguishers. They’re doing their best, often with very little sleep, and the fear never fully goes away.

So, let’s talk straight. Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, low and high blood sugar, are the emergencies that sneak up on families at home. They look different, they feel different, and the way you respond can change everything.

Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar)

This one tends to come fast. Your mom might be sitting on the couch one minute and suddenly look pale, shaky, or confused the next. Sometimes it’s subtle, sweating even though the AC is blasting, snapping at you for no reason, or just staring past you like she’s not fully there. According to Mayo Clinic, symptoms often include sweating, shakiness, dizziness, confusion, hunger, and, in severe cases, seizures or loss of consciousness (Mayo Clinic – Hypoglycemia).

What to do right away:

• If she’s awake and can swallow, give 15 grams of fast-acting carbs: half a cup of juice, a small regular (not diet) soda, a tablespoon of honey, or glucose tablets if you’ve got them.

• Wait 15 minutes. Check again. If she’s still not right, repeat.

• Once she’s stable, give her something more substantial, a sandwich, some fruit with peanut butter, a small meal. Otherwise, the blood sugar will crash again.

• If she’s unconscious, do not try to feed her or pour liquid into her mouth. Call emergency services immediately. If you’ve been prescribed a glucagon kit (some families are), this is the time to use it.

  
  

Hyperglycemia (High Blood Sugar)

This one can creep up slower. Sometimes you’ll notice she’s drinking water nonstop, running to the bathroom every hour, or just plain exhausted. The breath might smell fruity. Skin might feel dry. And the mood, irritable, drained, almost foggy. If left unchecked, high blood sugar can tip into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which is life-threatening and needs a hospital, not home care (CDC – DKA).

At home:

• First, check the blood sugar if you can. Don’t guess. Numbers matter.

• Encourage water, hydration helps flush extra glucose through urine.

• Light movement, if she’s able, can sometimes help bring sugar down.

• If the numbers stay high (say, consistently over 250 mg/dL with ketones, or over 300 without improvement), call the doctor or head to urgent care.

• If you see nausea, vomiting, confusion, or that fruity breath smell, don’t wait. That’s DKA knocking. Call emergency services.

  
  

The Caregiver Side

Now here’s the part no one puts in the pamphlets: the guilt. The constant “what if.” The way you beat yourself up for missing a sign, even though you can’t watch someone 24/7. Listen to me, this is hard. It’s messy. And sometimes the sugar goes out of range no matter how well you plan meals or adjust meds. Diabetes doesn’t always play fair.

What helps? Routine. Supplies ready in every corner of the house. Writing down blood sugar trends instead of relying on memory. Having that glucagon kit (and knowing how to use it) tucked where you can grab it in seconds. And maybe most importantly, forgiving yourself when things don’t go perfectly.