If you have diabetes, even if your blood sugars are in good control, and are sick with flu-like illness, you should follow these additional steps.image of someone in bed sick
-Be sure to continue taking your diabetes pills or insulin. Don’t stop taking them even if you can’t eat. Your health care provider may even advise you to take more insulin during sickness.
-Test your blood glucose every four hours, and keep track of the results.
-Drink extra (calorie-free) liquids, and try to eat as you normally would. If you can’t, try to have soft foods and liquids containing the equivalent amount of carbohydrates that you usually consume.
-Weigh yourself every day. Losing weight without trying is a sign of high blood glucose.
-Check your temperature every morning and evening. A fever may be a sign of infection.
Call your health care provider or go to an emergency room if any of the following happen to you:
You feel too sick to eat normally and are unable to keep down food for more than 6 hours.
You’re having severe diarrhea.
You lose 5 pounds or more.
Your temperature is over 101 degrees F.
Your blood glucose is lower than 60 mg/dL or remains over 250 mg/dL on 2 checks.
You have moderate or large amounts of ketones in your urine.
You’re having trouble breathing.
You feel sleepy or can’t think clearly.
Also see Take Charge of Your Diabetes: Taking Care of Yourself When You Are Sick
Symptoms of Flu
fever
cough
sore throat
runny or stuffy nose
body aches
headache
chills
fatigue
some people may also have vomiting and diarrhea.
People may be infected with the flu and have some symptoms without a fever.
How does diabetes affect how I respond to a cold or flu?
Being sick can cause changes in your blood sugars. Also, illness can prevent you from eating properly, which further affects blood glucose. In addition, sometimes diabetes can make it more difficult for you to handle an infection like the flu. People with diabetes who come down with the flu may become very sick and may even have to go to a hospital. You can help keep yourself from getting the flu by getting a flu shot every year. Everyone with diabetes (type 1 OR type 2)—even pregnant women—should get a yearly flu shot. The best time to get one is now. The flu season often doesn’t peak until February or even later. It takes several weeks for the shot offers its best protection, so don’t delay . . . get your flu shot now!
Cynthia, I’d recommend that you give it another shot (pun intended!) The time you felt ill after getting a flu shot may have been a coincidence and may have had nothing at all to do with the flu shot. (I’m sure you’ve already considered this…)
I suspect you’d be undertaking a much smaller risk by getting a flu shot than you’d incur by, say, treating a malignancy with CBD and/or THC, or by substituting cinnamon and/or essential oils for your insulin
i work with snotty kids and teenagers for most of the day so i always get it. the only bad bit is the sore arm for a couple of days from when the nurse jabs it in my arm. one time i had a nursing student do it a couple of years ago and she was so careful or maybe just good at it that i didnt have a sore arm. or maybe my regular nurse just sucks at it.
I’m not a doctor or medical professional, nor are eggs one of my food allergies, but according to the CDC (link at the end of this post, since I can’t figure out how to do a direct link from my phone), people with egg allergies can safely get the flu vaccine. They do suggest staying an extra half-hour if there’s a history of severe reactions to eggs just in case there’s a reaction, but note that even people who have had anaphylaxis to eggs very rarely have a reaction to the vaccine.
So I agree with @rgcainmd: unless you had an actual allergic reaction to the shot, I’d try it again. It may have been a fluke.
(Interesting statistic: I read on the AAAAI page about egg allergies and the flu vaccine that 0.2% of adults are allergic to eggs.)
Thank you for the birthday wishes. I got snow for my birthday this year. I love snow, since it so rarely snows here. Although today on the way to work I did hate the ice (but I didn’t slip, just walked very carefully!).
Never get it. The one and only time I got it. I got so sick right afterwards I almost died. Never was told what caused it and will never get one again as it was recommended I don’t because I don’t have a egg allergy but I may have been allergic to something else in it. I haven’t been sick either with the flu. Stomach bug yes, flu no.
I always get one and have for years. The sooner the better for my tastes. I am on a high priority list because of RA and type 1. I love that I have not had the flu since starting over 20 years ago.
Always get it, for reasons succinctly stated by others above, plus one more: if I get the shot at Safeway, they give a coupon worth 10% off on your next grocery order.
In addition, I always ask if I can have a discount for doing it myself. They always refuse. Sigh.
I am now sold on the shot! Thanks everyone for your insights and medical guidance, but @David_dns had me at 10%! [quote=“David_dns, post:18, topic:57800”]
Always get it, for reasons succinctly stated by others above, plus one more: if I get the shot at Safeway, they give a coupon worth 10% off on your next grocery order.
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And Safeway is now owned by Albertsons (of Boise ), so I don’t know whether that policy will be discontinued, or spread to other divisions. One can certainly hope.
When I worked in a High School, I did get the flu shot every year - and its protection was, as expected, marginal - I usually got the flu at least once every three years during that time. What I also got, though, was a bad reaction to the shot every year. I tried the subcutaneous injection, when it was offered and found my reaction to that even WORSE…
For me, it’s always been a very unpleasant experience and only helped sometimes, so since I’m no longer working with kids, I have not been getting the shot the past 2-3 years. The rest of my family does not have nearly as bad a reaction to the shot and gets it (except my dad who has never been willing to get a flu shot…)
I love snow, since it so rarely snows here. Although today on the way to work I did hate the ice (but I didn’t slip, just walked very carefully!).
Glad to hear your day was nice!
), so I don’t know whether that policy will be discontinued, or spread to other divisions. One can certainly hope.