My father is approaching 89 years of age. His blood glucose levels have been running in the 200 mg/dl [11.1 mmol/L] or more range and, much of the time, 250 mg/dl [13.9 mmol/L] or more at a fasting level. His mental capacity of understanding what you are saying and desire to move physically are beginning to show dramatically. He also does not have much desire to eat, so, is eating very little. Will high glucose levels over a period of time cause such reactions?

The blood sugars you are describing are fairly high. Undoubtedly, they are causing some symptoms and could not but cause him to feel less healthy than he might otherwise feel. There are many things that can be inferred from your description of your father. Long-term high blood sugars are a risk for cardiovascular disease, including stroke, in addition to the eyes, kidneys, and nerves being involved. Sometimes, patients have had small strokes that cause dulling of their intellect and make them less responsive to their environment. I don’t know if that fits your father or not. Just having the high sugars puts him at more risk for pneumonia, skin infection, urinary tract problems, and many other infection-related problems. If possible, I would speak with his physician about additional therapy to address the high sugars.

JTL