Your Diabetes Sick-Day Plan
When you’re sick, even with just a cold, your blood glucose level may rise. Knowing what to do if you get sick, talking to your care team and having the right supplies on hand are important. Not sure what your sick-day plan is? Be sure to talk to your diabetes provider.
Your Sick-Day Plan
Follow these important rules whenever you’re not feeling well.
- Continue taking diabetes medication unless your care team instructs otherwise.
- Don’t take over-the-counter cold or flu remedies without asking your care team.
- Stick to your normal meal plan. If you can’t stomach eating, instead try fruit juice, regular gelatin or frozen juice bars. Do your best to eat or drink carbohydrates every three to four hours.
- Drink plenty of water and/or other sugar-free liquids to avoid getting dehydrated. If you can only tolerate liquids, drink eight ounces every hour while awake, alternating sugar-containing liquids one hour with sugar-free liquids the next.
- Check your blood glucose as often as suggested by your sick-day plan.
- Ask your care team if it’s okay to take sugar-free cough drops and syrups.
- If you use insulin, adjust the dosage according to your sick-day plan. Don’t skip insulin. You need insulin even if you can’t eat your normal meals. If you take pills, take the normally prescribed dosage unless your care team instructs you to stop.
- Make sure someone checks in with you several times a day.
Should I Call My Diabetes Provider?
If you experience any of the below, it’s best to talk to your doctor’s office for guidance.
- Unable to hold down food or fluids or have persistent diarrhea for several hours
- Experiencing abdominal pain for several hours
- Urine ketones measure above trace
- Blood glucose levels are above target range after taking extra insulin (if recommended in your sick-day plan)
- Taking oral medication for diabetes and your blood glucose remains above target range before a meal and stays high for more than 24 hours
Supplies for Your Sick-Day Plan
Make sure you have insulin, other diabetes medicines/supplies and easy-to-fix foods in your home, enough for several weeks or longer:
- Fruit juice
- Regular gelatin
- Frozen juice bars
- Sugar-containing liquids
- Sugar-free liquids
- Sports drinks
- Juice boxes
- Canned soup
- Instant cooked cereals
- Crackers
- Instant pudding
- Unsweetened applesauce
Need Emergency Care?
If you experience the following, head to the emergency room.
- Trouble breathing
- Unable to keep any liquids down for more than four hours
- Lose five pounds or more during the illness
- Blood sugar is lower than 60 mg/dl
- Too sick to eat normally and are unable to keep down food for more than 24 hours
- Vomiting and/or severe diarrhea for more than six hours
- Temperature is over 101 F for 24 hour
- Feel sleepy or can’t think clearly
