How to Manage Diabetes During Illness
Treating a cold, healing from injury, or having surgery is no fun for anyone. For people with diabetes, managing blood sugar (glucose) is an extra concern. The stress of illness or injury can cause blood sugar to rise. It can also make insulin work less well. This can lead to serious problems, including diabetic coma. That’s why it’s important to know what to do when illness strikes.
When you’re sick, your blood sugar can be high even if you’re not eating much. So you need to take your diabetes medicine on time. You might need to stop taking certain medicines and start an extra medicine. If you take diabetes pills, you may also need to take insulin until you’ve recovered. And if you already take insulin, you may need more than normal. Talk with your healthcare provider.
When you’re ill, check your blood sugar often. Have someone help you if you can’t do it. You may need to check ketones, too. Record the results in case you need to report them to your healthcare provider.
Watch food and fluids
Try to follow your diabetes meal plan. Drink plenty of calorie-free fluids, especially water, at least every 15 minutes. These help rid your body of extra glucose. And they prevent dehydration. If you can’t eat solid food, you may need to have some soup or drinks that contain sugar, such as apple juice. You could also try licking a soothing ice pop. Or eat small bits of saltine crackers. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have questions about what you should eat or drink.
Make a plan
The best way to cope with illness is to make a sick-day plan. Do this before you get sick. Work with your diabetes care team. Find out what type of diabetes medicine to take while sick and how much you will need. Ask how often you should check blood sugar and ketones. Check with your healthcare provider what sugar-free cold medicines are safe for you to take. Write down food and drink choices for when you can’t eat normally. Make sure to have some on hand in case you get sick. Write down the phone numbers of your diabetes care team so that you can reach them quickly if needed. When you're sick, some diabetes care teams want you to call every day for directions.
Some people with diabetes keep all of the above information in a special notebook, in a certain place. They let family members or close friends know where it is. This can be very helpful for caregivers (and yourself) to have during an illness. When you're sick, it can be hard to remember phone numbers, healthcare provider names, and what your provider has told you to do.
When to get help
According to the American Diabetes Association, you should call your healthcare provider right away if:
You feel sleepy and can't think clearly.
You can't eat for more than 6 hours and can't keep any food down.
You lose 5 or more pounds when you're not trying to lose weight.
You have other signs of dehydration, such as dry lips or tongue.
Your temperature increases to over 100.4°F (38°C), or as directed by your healthcare provider.
You feel sick or have fever for a few days and aren't getting better.
Your blood sugar stays over 240 mg/dL even with extra insulin.
You have trouble breathing.
You have diarrhea or vomiting for more than 6 hours.
You have ketones in your urine or your breath smells fruity.
With a written plan in place, you’ll have peace of mind the next time illness or injury hits.
Jinsi ya Kudhibiti Kisukari Wakati wa Ugonjwa Matibabu ya homa, uponyaji kutoka kwa jeraha, au upasuaji si ya kufurahisha kwa mtu yeyote. Kwa watu wenye kisukari, kudhibiti sukari ya damu (glukosi) ni jambo la ziada la kuhangaikia. Mkazo unaosababishwa na ugonjwa au jeraha waweza kusababisha sukari ya damu kuongezeka. Pia inaweza kufanya insulini ifanye kazi vibaya zaidi. Hilo laweza kusababisha matatizo mazito, kutia ndani kukosa fahamu kwa sababu ya kisukari. Hiyo ndiyo sababu ni muhimu kujua nini cha kufanya wakati ugonjwa unapotokea. Unapokuwa mgonjwa, sukari yako ya damu yaweza kuwa ya juu hata ikiwa hukula sana. Kwa hiyo, unapaswa kuchukua dawa za kisukari kwa wakati. Huenda ukahitaji kuacha kutumia dawa fulani na kuanza kutumia dawa nyingine. Ikiwa unachukua dawa za kisukari, huenda pia ukahitaji kuchukua insulini hadi upone. Ikiwa tayari unatumia insulini, huenda ukahitaji zaidi ya kawaida. Zungumza na mtoa huduma wako wa afya. Unapokuwa mgonjwa, angalia sukari yako ya damu mara nyingi. Msaada wa mtu kama huwezi kufanya hivyo. Unaweza kuhitaji kuangalia ketoni, pia. Angalia matokeo ya uchunguzi wako na uone kama una uwezo wa kuwahimiza waandike kwa mtoa huduma wako wa afya. Jitahidi kufuata mpango wako wa chakula cha kisukari. Kunywa maji mengi yasiyo na kalori, hasa maji, angalau kila baada ya dakika 15. Hizi husaidia kuondoa sukari ya ziada mwilini mwako. Na huzuia upungufu wa maji mwilini. Ikiwa huwezi kula chakula kigumu, huenda ukahitaji kunywa supu au vinywaji vyenye sukari, kama vile maji ya mtofaa. Unaweza pia kujaribu kunyonya barafu yenye kutuliza. Au kula vipande vidogo vya biskuti zenye chumvi. Zungumza na mtoa huduma wako wa afya ikiwa una maswali juu ya nini unapaswa kula au kunywa. Kufanya mpango: Njia bora ya kukabiliana na ugonjwa ni kupanga siku ya ugonjwa. Fanya hivyo kabla hujaugua. Fanya kazi na timu yako ya utunzaji wa kisukari. Jifunze aina ya dawa za kisukari za kuchukua wakati wa ugonjwa na ni kiasi gani utakachohitaji. Uliza ni mara ngapi unapaswa kupima sukari ya damu na ketoni. Jibu kwa daktari wako kuhusu dawa za baridi zisizo na sukari ambazo ni salama kwako. Andika vyakula na vinywaji unavyopenda wakati usipoweza kula kwa kawaida. Hakikisha una kiasi fulani mkononi ikiwa utaugua. Weka namba za simu za timu yako ya utunzaji wa kisukari ili uweze kuwasiliana nao haraka ikiwa unahitaji. Wakati unapokuwa mgonjwa, baadhi ya timu za utunzaji wa kisukari zinataka upigie simu kila siku kwa mwelekeo. Watu fulani walio na ugonjwa wa kisukari huhifadhi habari zote zilizotajwa hapo juu katika kitabu cha pekee, mahali fulani. Wawaambie watu wa familia au marafiki wa karibu mahali alipo. Hii inaweza kuwa na manufaa sana kwa watunzaji (na wewe mwenyewe) kuwa nayo wakati wa ugonjwa. Wakati wa ugonjwa, inaweza kuwa ngumu kukumbuka nambari za simu, majina ya mtoa huduma ya afya, na kile mtoa huduma wako amekuambia ufanye. Kulingana na Shirika la Kisukari la Amerika, unapaswa kupiga simu kwa mtoa huduma yako ya afya mara moja ikiwa unahisi usingizi na huwezi kufikiria wazi. Hawezi kula kwa zaidi ya saa sita na hawezi kuhifadhi chakula chochote. Unapoteza kilo 5 au zaidi wakati haujaribu kupoteza uzito. Kuna dalili nyingine za dehydration, kama vile midomo kavu au ulimi. Ikiwa joto la mwili linaongezeka hadi zaidi ya 38.4 ° F, au kama ilivyoelekezwa na mtoa huduma yako ya afya. Unahisi mgonjwa au una homa kwa siku chache na hauponi. Sukari yako ya damu inabaki juu ya 240 mg kwa dL hata na insulini ya ziada. Una tatizo la kupumua. Ugonjwa wa kuhara au kutapika kwa zaidi ya saa 6 Kuna ketoni katika mkojo wako au pumzi yako inakufua matunda. Ukiwa na mpango ulioandikwa, utakuwa na amani ya akili wakati mwingine ugonjwa au jeraha litakapotokea.