Have you had your seasonal flu and H1N1 shots yet? It's best for everyone to get these, but if you have diabetes it is crucial.
The flu can actually cause changes in your blood sugar levels.
The flu mutates very quickly, which is why you need to get a flu shot every year.
Scientists start working on the next season's flu shot well before the season begins.
Fortunately, H1N1 has not yet mutated.
You don't want to get the flu.
It is a miserable experience.
It causes high fever, muscle pain, severe headache, sore throat, cough, and runny nose.
If you have the flu, you can expect to feel weak as a kitten.
Worse, the symptoms can linger for weeks.
If you are diabetic, you may not even have the option of taking most cold and flu medicines to try to feel better.
Liquid medicines often have a lot of sugar in them.
That would be bad under the best of circumstances, but when the flu is playing havoc with your blood sugar levels it can be especially dangerous.
Cough drops are no better.
Most are full of sugar.
Even sugar free ones are iffy, because eucalyptus can also affect your blood sugar levels.
If you do end up with the flu, you need to track your blood sugar very carefully.
When you are feeling so crummy already, it can be tough to know if your blood sugar is doing weird things.
It's a good idea to test more frequently during the day.
During a bout of the flu, you should check your sugar levels ever three to four hours and track ketones as well, according to the ADA.
If your sugar levels or ketones are off, go see your doctor or go to an emergency room.
Be careful about your diet also.
Having the flu can kill your appetite.
As a diabetic, though, you can't just not eat.
You need to eat your regular meals, but in smaller amounts.
Try to eat about fifteen grams of carbohydrates every hour.
That's not much food.
It's about one slice of toast, 3/4 of a cup of yogurt, or a cup of soup.
Take in plenty of fluids too.
This iis the best way to stay on track diet-wise, when you can't manage a full meal.