Sick Days
What You Should Know About Sick Care
When you are sick your body responds in a variety of ways that can cause your blood sugar to rise. You may not feel like eating the same foods. You may be less active. You may have vomiting or diarrhea and can’t eat.
Some medicines that you might take for colds, coughs or pain may cause your blood sugar to go up. Be sure to discuss all medicines…even those you can get without a prescription…with your medical provider or pharmacist.
Preventing Illness
Staying healthy and preventing illness such as flu and pneumonia are especially important if you have diabetes. Pneumonia or the flu can be serious. Getting a flu shot and a pneumonia vaccine can help prevent these illnesses.
Flu
The flu shot is safe. It cannot give you the flu. Your family should also get a flu shot to protect you and them. You need to get a new flu shot every year. Flu shots are covered by Medicare, Part B and many insurance companies. There are many flu shot clinics all over the state for high risk people (that includes people with diabetes).
Pneumonia
The pneumonia vaccine is given by a shot. It cannot give you pneumonia. You may have very mild side effects, such as redness or pain where the shot was given. Most people need to get the shot only one time. Some people who get the shot when they are under age 65 will need to get a second shot five years or longer after the first shot. The pneumonia shot can be given any time during the year.
What To Do/Sick Care
- Take your usual diabetes medicines.
- Eat if you can.
- Drink plenty of sugar-free fluid (no caffeine) every hour. Bouillon or canned clear soups can also be good.
- Check your blood sugar more often.
- Take your temperature.
- If you have type 1 diabetes, check the ketones in your urine.
- Be in touch with your medical provider. They can help you manage your blood sugar during this time.
GET HELP IF:
- You can’t eat or keep food down (if you vomit more than once).
- You have diarrhea more than 5 times or for more than 6 hours.
- Your blood sugar is very low or very high.
- You have moderate or large amounts of ketones in your urine.
- You are having trouble breathing.
- You are confused.
- You feel sleepier than usual.
Tips
Plan ahead…things to do before you get sick:
- Talk to your dietitian about foods that are good to eat if you are sick and don’t feel like eating.
- Talk to your medical provider to figure out the best kind of medicine to take for:
- headaches.
- stuffy nose.
- stomach sickness.
- coughs.
- Talk to your medical provider to find out:
- when you should call them if you are sick.
- when you should get help right away.
- Write all these things down.
- Keep sick day supplies on hand.