When you are ill, diabetes is harder to control. High blood sugar, along with sweating, vomiting or diarrhea, can lead to extra fluid loss and dehydration.
Your body is also under stress, so it releases hormones that help it fight the disease. These hormones, however, raise blood sugar levels and can interfere with your diabetes treatments.
Pay special attention to the following guidelines if you become ill.
- Continue taking your usual insulin shots or pills. DO NOT STOP TAKING INSULIN OR PILLS unless instructed to do so by your doctor.
- Continue following your usual meal plan as closely as you can.
- If you are unable to eat, drink liquids that contain carbohydrates. Aim for 50g of carbs every 3-4 hours.
- Continue to drink liquids without sugar, at least 8 ounces each hour, to prevent dehydration.
- Test your blood sugar often. This should be every two to four hours if blood glucose level is high (more than 240 mg/dl).
- If your blood glucose level is more than 240 mg/dl, test for ketones, especially if you have type 1 diabetes.
- Call your doctor or nurse if your blood glucose level remains high, you are unable to keep food, liquid or medications down, you have ketones, or if you have a fever greater than 100 degrees F for more than 24 hours.
- Rest as much as possible!
If you are unable to eat as you usually do, replace carbohydrates with the following options. Each item contains 10-15 grams of carbohydrate.
- 3/4 cup regular ginger ale
- 1 cup Gatorade®
- 1/2 cup 7-UP® regular soda
- 5 vanilla wafers
- 3 graham crackers
- 1/2 cup apple or orange juice
- 1 slice of dry toast (not light bread)
- Popsicle® (1 single or 1/2 twin)
- 1 cup cream or noodle soup
- 1/2 cup cooked cereal
- 1/4 cup regular pudding
- 1/2 cup regular JELL-O®
- 1/4 cup sherbet
- 1/2 cup ice cream
- 1 cup milk