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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffBefore developing a diabetic coma, you'll usually experience signs and symptoms of high blood sugar or low blood sugar.
High blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
If your blood sugar level is too high, you may experience:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Stomach pain
- Fruity breath odor
- A very dry mouth
- A rapid heartbeat
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
Signs and symptoms of blood sugar level may include:
- Shakiness or nervousness
- Fatigue
- Sweating
- Hunger
- Nausea
- Irritability
- An irregular or racing heartbeat
- Difficulty speaking
- Confusion
Some people develop a condition known as hypoglycemia unawareness and won't have the warning signs that signal a drop in blood sugar.
If you experience any symptoms of high or low blood sugar, test your blood sugar and follow your diabetes treatment plan based on the test results. If you don't start to feel better quickly, or you start to feel worse, call for emergency help.
When to see a doctor
A diabetic coma is a medical emergency. If you feel extreme high or low blood sugar symptoms and think you might pass out, call 911 or your local emergency number. If you're with someone with diabetes who has passed out, call for emergency help, and be sure to let the emergency personnel know that the unconscious person has diabetes.
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- Hypoglycemia. National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/hypoglycemia/. Accessed March 8, 2012.
- Disadvantages of using an insulin pump. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/medication/insulin/disadvantages-of-using-an.html. Accessed March 11, 2012.
- Diabulimia. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=107141. Accessed March 11, 2012.
- Lee P, et al. Recreational drug use in type 1 diabetes: An invisible accomplice to poor glycaemic control? Internal Medicine Journal. 2012;42:198.
- Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose). American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose-control/hypoglycemia-low-blood.html. Accessed March 8, 2012.
- Continuous glucose monitoring. National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/glucosemonitor/. Accessed March 11, 2012.
- Collazo-Clavell ML (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 15, 2012.
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