An illness such as the flu, fever, cold, nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, or an infection might cause your blood sugar to
go up. To stay out of the hospital, you need to take special care
of yourself. Follow these guidelines when you are sick:
Check your blood sugar every four hours.
Do not stop taking your diabetes pills and/or insulin, even if
you cannot eat.
Make sure you are drinking liquids. If you are unable to keep
down solid food, drink 1 cup of water every hour and have one
serving (15 grams) of a carbohydrate every hour you are awake.
Examples of carbohydrate fluids are:
- ½ cup juice
- ½ cup regular, caffeine-free soft drink (not diet)
- 1 cup sports drink
- 1 cup broth-based soup
- ½ cup regular gelatin
- 1 double-stick Popsicle®
If you are able to keep down solid food, eat your regular meal
plan and drink 1 cup of calorie-free fluid every hour. Examples of
fluids are:
- Water
- Caffeine-free diet soft drinks
- Plain tea
- Bouillon
Take your temperature.
Check your urine for ketones* using special ketone strips. Do
this every four hours when:
- Your blood sugar level is higher than 250 mg/dl
- Your blood sugar level is higher than 250 mg/dl
- You are vomiting
- You have diarrhea*If your body is not able to use sugar for
energy, it will break down its own fat for energy. When fat is
used, ketones can appear in your urine. Ketones in your urine can
be dangerous.
If you need an over thee-counter medicine, ask your doctor or
pharmacist for a list of sugar-free products.
Call your doctor if:
- Your blood sugar is higher than 250 mg/dl or lower than 70
mg/dl two times in a row.
- There are ketones in your urine.
- Your blood sugar level is higher than 250 mg/dl
- You have a fever (temperature above 100.3 degrees F or 37.9
degrees C)
- You have vomited more than once
- You have diarrhea more than five times or longer than 24
hours
- You have other signs of infection, including:
- Sweats or chills
- Pain, tenderness, redness, or swelling
- A wound or cut that will not heal
- A red, warm, or draining sore
- Sore throat, scratchy throat, or pain when swallowing
- Sinus draining, nasal congestion, headaches, or tenderness
along your upper cheekbones
- Persistent dry or moist cough that lasts for more than two
days
- White patches in your mouth or on your tongue
- Flu-like symptoms (chills, aches, headache, and fatigue)
- Vaginal itching
- Trouble urinating; pain or burning, constant urge, or frequent
urination, bloody, cloudy or foul-smelling urine