Learn the causes and treatments for nausea triggered by diabetes
Diabetes can often cause nausea and vomiting.
These symptoms may be related to blood sugar, diabetes treatments, or complications related to your condition.
Even some diabetes medications can have these same effects.
Verywell / Jessica Olah
Verywell / Jessica Olah
Most of these conditions can be managed with self-monitoring or guidance from your healthcare provider.
However, some conditions like diabetic ketoacidosis or extremely low blood sugar that is untreated can lead to hospitalization.
What Is Nausea?
Nausea may seem self-explanatory, but you might feel it in different ways.
It is basically feeling sick to your stomach and like you’re going to vomit.
The feeling may be mild or severe.
Is Nausea a Symptom of Diabetes?
Often, when you experience low blood sugar, you will need to take action to fix it quickly.
This usually happens when the body has too little insulin or cant use the insulin properly.
This a serious condition and requires emergency care.Left untreated, diabetic ketoacidosis can cause a coma or death.
Pancreatitis can begin with pain in your upper abdomen that might spread to the back.
This can be mild or severe and cause nausea and vomiting.
This may be due in part to a delay in gastric emptying.
Other injectable medications likeOzempic (semaglutide)andMounjaro (tirzepatide)may also cause nausea or vomiting.
With some medications, you may alsoexperience diarrhea.
Do not discontinue your medication without speaking to your healthcare provider.
Your healthcare provider has determined that the benefits of your medication outweigh the side effects.
However, if you have any concerns, talk to your healthcare provider or diabetes care team.
To treathigh blood sugar,increasing your water intake and exercise may help.
If ketones are present, do not exercise, as this can make your blood sugar rise even higher.
Xylitol and other artificial sweeteners can cause nausea and other gastric symptoms like diarrhea.
These symptoms may be amplified with increased consumption.
Instead, good idea to follow the 15-15 rule:
Treatment forpancreatitisdepends on severity.
To managegastroparesis,you may try eating five or six small meals a day instead of three large ones.
Avoid alcohol and carbonated beverages, and try not to lay down for two hours after a meal.
Managing your diabetes can help keep symptoms like nausea and vomiting under control.
Hyperglycemia, high blood sugar, can cause nausea.
This can also cause nausea and vomiting along with other symptoms.
Gestational diabetes doesnt usually cause noticeable symptoms.
A glucose test can confirm whether you have gestational diabetes so you might get proper treatment.
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