Type 2 Diabetes: Living With The Disease: When To Call A Doctor

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When to Call a Doctor

Call 911 or other emergency services immediately if you or your child is:

• Unconscious or becomes very sleepy unexpectedly. You or your child may have low blood sugar, called hypoglycemia. While you wait for emergency help, follow:
  • Emergency care for low blood sugar in people taking oral diabetes medicine.
  • Emergency care for low blood sugar.
  • Emergency care for low blood sugar in a child.
• Drowsy, confused, breathing fast, and your or your child’s breath smells fruity or like nail polish. You or your child may have high blood sugar, called hyperglycemia. A life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis could be present.

Call a doctor immediately if you or your child is vomiting and cannot keep down liquids and:

• Your blood sugar is 300 mg/dL or higher.
• Your child’s blood sugar is 250 mg/dL or higher.

Call a doctor if you or your child:

• Is sick for more than 2 days (unless it is a mild illness, such as a cold), and you or your child:
  • Has been vomiting or had diarrhea for more than 6 hours.
  • Has followed the doctor's advice but it has not worked. Learn what to do when you are sick and have diabetes.
  • Has blood sugar levels that are often above 300 mg/dL, and urine tests for ketones show more than 2+ or moderate or higher ketones.
• Has a blood sugar level that stays below the target range after you or your child eats some quick-sugar food.
• Has a blood sugar level that stays high after you or your child takes a missed dose of insulin or oral diabetes medicines or after you or your child takes an extra dose of insulin (if prescribed by the doctor).
• Has frequent problems with high or low blood sugar levels. The insulin dose or schedule may need to be changed.
• Is having difficulty knowing when blood sugar is low (hypoglycemia unawareness).
• Has problems following the meal plan or getting physical activity, and you want help.

Watchful Waiting

Watchful waiting is a period of time during which you and your health professional observe your symptoms or condition without changing your treatment plan. Watchful waiting is not appropriate if you:

• Are having high or low blood sugar levels frequently.
• Begin to notice symptoms of complications from diabetes. Early treatment of complications can prevent or delay worsening of the condition.

Who to See

Health professionals who may be involved in your treatment for type 2 diabetes include:

• A family medicine doctor, general practitioner, or internist.
• A certified diabetes educator (CDE).
• A registered dietitian.
• An endocrinologist.

If you have signs of diabetic complications, you may be referred to a specialist. For more information, see the topic Type 2 Diabetes: Living With Complications.

Last updated:	August 14, 2007
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine, Matthew I. Kim, MD - Endocrinology & Metabolism
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC