When you’re sick with diabetes

When you’re sick, your body releases hormones to fight the illness — and those hormones can raise your blood sugar. That’s why it’s especially important to stay on top of your diabetes when you aren’t feeling well.

Having a plan for those sick days will help you manage your care and get back on your feet faster.

Planning ahead

Talk to your care team about how to manage your diabetes when you’re sick. Keep your plan handy so you can easily refer to it when you need it.

At a minimum, you’ll need to plan for:

• How often to check your blood sugar. You’ll likely want to check it every 3 to 4 hours when you’re sick.
• Whether you should check for ketones in your urine. If your ketone levels are above normal, you may need to call your doctor.
• When to contact your doctor or care team. Keep the number for your Care Manager and doctor’s office in an easy to find place.

Taking care of yourself when you’re sick

Keep taking your medicine

Take your diabetes pills or insulin, even if you can’t eat. Your doctor may tell you to take more insulin when you’re sick or stop taking metformin if you’re dehydrated. Talk to your doctor before making any changes.

Keep checking your blood sugar

Check often and keep a record of your results. If your blood sugar is above your target range, drink lots of water and sugar-free liquids. If your blood sugar is low, you may need more carbs.

Keep eating at regular times

Try to eat the same amount of carbohydrates as usual, spreading them out equally throughout the day.

When you’re sick, you may have trouble keeping your usual foods down. If you’re not eating enough, your blood sugar may drop. To prevent low blood sugar, try a serving (15 grams of carbs) of any of the following foods:

• Applesauce
• Saltine crackers
• Toast
• Popsicle
• Soup
• Gelatin
• Milk

Keep hydrated

Try to drink a cup of water (or other noncaffeinated calorie-free liquid) every hour while you’re awake.

Keep yourself rested

Your body needs all the rest it can get to fight off the illness. Take it easy!

When to get care

As a Kaiser Permanente member, you have many convenient ways to get care — when and where you need it.

When you’re sick, keep a close eye on your health. The following signs may indicate that it’s time to talk to a doctor.

• Blood sugar levels above 240
• Elevated urine ketone levels
• Vomiting more than once
• Diarrhea for more than 6 hours
• Having trouble breathing
• Having a high fever
• Having trouble thinking clearly