Type 2 Diabetes: Recently Diagnosed: 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 waiting for emergency help, follow:
  • Emergency care for low blood sugar in people taking oral diabetes medicine.
  • Emergency care for low blood sugar for people taking insulin.
  • Emergency care for low blood sugar in a child who takes insulin.
• 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 eating some quick-sugar food.
• Has a blood sugar level that stays high after taking a missed dose of insulin or oral diabetes medicines or after taking 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.

Who to See

Health professionals who may be involved in your diabetes care include:

• A family medicine doctor.
• A general practitioner.
• A nurse practitioner.
• A physician assistant.
• An internist.
• A certified diabetes educator (CDE).
• A registered dietitian. All people newly diagnosed with diabetes should see a dietitian for help in choosing healthy foods.
• An endocrinologist.

If you have signs that a complication of diabetes may be developing or has developed, you may be referred to a specialist.

Last updated:	June 16, 2008
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