Illness and Injury

Managing your diabetes on a daily basis can be a challenge, but experiencing illness or an injury can add additional stress to your maintenance. Dealing with sick days, hospital stays and wound care can be easier if you are armed with the right information.

Sick Day Plans
When people with diabetes are sick with a cold, flu, or other infection, it can cause blood glucose levels to climb. It is important to have a sick day plan worked out with your medical team before you become sick. Taking your medications, testing your blood glucose levels, and staying hydrated are all parts of managing your diabetes while you are sick.

Wound Care
People who have diabetes are vulnerable to nerve and vascular damage that can result in loss of protective sensation in the feet, poor circulation, and poor healing of foot ulcers. Careful attention needs to be paid to any abrasion or wound to ensure the quickest healing possible. It is important for people with diabetes to routinely inspect their feet, in particular, to check for any issues.

Diabetes Care in the Hospital
A hospital stay is stressful in and of itself, so it is important to make sure your diabetes management doesn’t further contribute to the stress. It is important to remain vigilant in your diabetes care throughout your stay at the hospital.

Read dLife expert columnist Theresa Garnero's column on voicing your concerns about your diabetes management while hospitalized. Check out dLife expert columnist Kelly Close’s column dealing with monitoring and maintaining your blood glucose levels during your hospital stay.