These tips can help people with diabetes prepare for getting sick and take care of themselves if they do become ill. Like everyone, people with diabetes can get sick even when trying their best to prevent it. So being prepared and knowing what to do if you get sick is very important. There are several things you can do now, but also talk to your doctor about the best way to handle being sick if it happens. Visit these pages for more information:
These tips can help you take care of yourself if you get sick. Prepare Now Before Getting SickMake sure you have insulin, other diabetes medicines, and easy-to-fix foods in your home, enough for several weeks or longer:
If you can’t eat meals, you will need to eat or drink about 50 grams of carbohydrates every 4 hours, such as 1½ cup of unsweetened applesauce or 1½ cup of fruit juice. If You Get SickIf you do get sick, your blood sugar can be hard to manage. You may not be able to eat or drink as much as usual, which can affect blood sugar levels. Your doctor may ask you to test your blood sugar more often when you’re sick. That’s because when your body releases hormones to fight the illness, those hormones can also raise your blood sugar levels and increase how much insulin you need. This is especially important for people with type 1 diabetes since they depend on insulin to live. When your body doesn’t have enough insulin, it starts breaking down fat as fuel, which produces ketones. When too many ketones are produced too fast, they can cause diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA. DKA is very serious and can cause a coma or even death. If you think you may have DKA, use an over-the-counter kit to test your urine for ketones. If ketones are present, call your doctor right away. You’ll probably need to go to the hospital for treatment. Follow these additional steps when you’re sick even if your blood sugar is within your target range:
*Drink plenty of fluids – 4 to 6 ounces every half-hour – to prevent dehydration. You may also need to drink beverages with sugar if you cannot get 50 grams of carbohydrates every 4 hours from other food choices. Drink small portions of these sweet beverages to keep your blood sugar from getting too high. Go to an emergency room if any of the following occurs:
Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which your immune system destroys insulin-making cells in your pancreas. These are called beta cells. The condition is usually diagnosed in children and young people, so it used to be called juvenile diabetes. A condition called secondary diabetes is like type 1, but your beta cells are wiped out by something else, like a disease or an injury to your pancreas, rather than by your immune system. Both of these are different from type 2 diabetes, in which your body doesn’t respond to insulin the way it should. Signs are often subtle, but they can become severe. They include: Signs of an emergency with type 1 diabetes include:
Insulin is a hormone that helps move sugar, or glucose, into your body's tissues. Your cells use it as fuel. Damage to beta cells from type 1 diabetes throws the process off. Glucose doesn’t move into your cells because insulin isn’t there to do the job. Instead, it builds up in your blood, and your cells starve. This causes high blood sugar, which can lead to:
There’s no way to prevent type 1 diabetes. Doctors don't know all the things that cause it. But they know that your genes play a role. They also know that you can get type 1 diabetes when something around you, like a virus, tells your immune system to go after your pancreas. Most people with type 1 diabetes have signs of this attack, called autoantibodies. They’re there in almost everyone who has the condition when their blood sugar is high. Type 1 diabetes can happen along with other autoimmune diseases, like Graves’ disease or vitiligo. Only about 5% of people with diabetes have type 1. It affects males and females equally. You’re at higher risk of getting it if you:
If your doctor thinks you have type 1 diabetes, they’ll check your blood sugar levels. They may test your urine for glucose or chemicals your body makes when you don’t have enough insulin. People who have type 1 diabetes can live long, healthy lives. You’ll need to keep a close eye on your blood sugar levels. Your doctor will give you a range that the numbers should stay within. Adjust your insulin, food, and activities as necessary. Everyone with type 1 diabetes needs to use insulin shots to control their blood sugar. When your doctor talks about insulin, they’ll mention three main things:
Several types of insulin are available.
Your doctor may start you out with two injections a day of two types of insulin. Later, you might need more shots. Most insulin comes in a small glass bottle called a vial. You draw it out with a syringe that has a needle on the end and give yourself the shot. Some kinds come in a prefilled pen. Another kind is inhaled. You can also get it from a pump, a device you wear that sends it into your body through a small tube. Your doctor will help you pick the type and the delivery method that’s best for you. Exercise is an important part of treating type 1. But it isn’t as simple as going for a run. Exercise affects your blood sugar levels. So you have to balance your insulin dose and the food you eat with any activity, even simple tasks around the house or yard. Knowledge is power. Check your blood sugar before, during, and after an activity to find out how it affects you. Some things will make your levels go up; others won't. You can lower your insulin or have a snack with carbs to keep it from dropping too low. If your blood sugar is high -- above 240 mg/dL -- test for ketones, the acids that can result from high sugar levels. If they’re OK, you should be good to go. If they’re high, skip the workout. You’ll also need to understand how food affects your blood sugar. Once you know the roles that carbs, fats, and protein play, you can build a healthy eating plan that helps keep your levels where they should be. A diabetes educator or registered dietitian can help you get started. Type 1 diabetes can lead to other problems, especially if it isn’t well-controlled. Complications include:
You can take steps to keep from getting complications.
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