Okay, the question about the likelihood of falling into a coma must cross every diabetics mind. The good news is, you are not very likely to fall into a coma. The bad news is, there is a realistic possibility of such an occurrence coming about.

Unfortunately, the blood sugar of a diabetic is not as normalized as that of a non-diabetic person, so there is the possibility of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia taking effect. In subsequent paragraphs, we’ll talk about a few symptoms that will give you advance warning as to whether a coma may be in your near future.

Since diabetic comas can be fatal, this information is worth paying attention to.

What is a diabetic coma? It is a reversible form of unconsciousness found in people with diabetes. It is classed as a medical emergency brought on by hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.

1. Hypoglycemia is a state in which your blood sugar is too low. When it gets beyond a certain threshold, you lose consciousness and cannot be reawakened without medical treatment. Falling into a diabetic coma can actually kill you, especially if your blood sugar is critically low. Essentially, your cells need nourishment that they aren’t receiving, so they can’t function. Imagine eating plenty of food, but still essentially starving.

Some of the symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

• being confused
• having a racing heartbeat
• being irritable, hostile or aggressive
• nauseousness
• hunger
• sweating
• fatigue, and
• nervousness, possibly to the point of shaking

These symptoms need to be dealt with by eating something sweet, or by following the plan your doctor gives you for dealing with such a situation.

2. Hyperglycemia is when you have too much sugar in your blood. When you have too much sugar in there, your body becomes dehydrated and can’t function properly. That is why the number one symptom of high blood sugar is having way more thirst than you ought to. Since what goes in must come out, this thirst leads to an above average frequency of urination. Hyperglycemia also leads to:

• fatigue
• feeling nauseous and even vomiting
• being short of breath with no apparent reason for it
• having an elevated heart rate for no apparent reason
• a pain in your stomach, and
• a breath odor that smells like fruit

If you begin to feel any of the above symptoms, test your blood sugar immediately. If it’s not where it ought to be (based on your personal insight and your doctor’s decisions), follow your treatment plan. This might involve injecting some insulin, or eating something sweet, or a host of other things you might need to do. Basically, you have a very low chance of falling into a diabetic coma if you keep your doctor knowledgeable about what’s going on, then follow the instruction he or she gives you.

If you just trust your health to chance, however, chance will do with you whatever it likes and a diabetic coma could occur.