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Has your diabetes care provider ever discussed with you how to manage T1D while you have a cold or flu?
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To be fair I have never asked.
I have had most all of my Endos discuss this and the temporary basal rates needed. The possibility that my BG goes low instead of high has been brought up a few times.
When it comes to “how to manage,” I am usually the provider, counselor, educator and the diabetes care person listens. Eagerly! ā Isn’t it surprising how much you can learn when listening? į(`āæĀ“)į
Iāve never felt a need for me to ask or for my care provider to discuss.
I have read everything I can about T1D, lived with it for 22 years, and even took a class with a workbook that I still consult. For sick days, it is keep fluids going, know your numbers, take tylenol or certain cold flu medicines, take insulin but adjust to correct numbers, eat what you can tolerate and pray you will feel better soon. Clear liquids are a good place to start and hope they stay down.
I have a sick day basal rate that I use when inactive due to illness. My endocrinologist was impressed. She usually doesnāt question what I do to stay in range.
Found out the hard way!
Totally agree with Ahh Life -I, over course of 60 year affair with T1d, have learned what to do. Only problem comes when I canāt keep liquids down. Then electrolytes get out of balance and all bets are off. I keep rx for nausea in my purse, and diabetes go bag at all times. Probably kept me out of ER twice.
I never asked. As always, be careful and watchful. If ill, be more so.
Not lately. She asked me what I typically do for sick day management as part of her intake assessment when I started seeing her about 16 years. It’s never come up again because she knows I know what to do to take of myself with colds or flu. If I need to consult her about anything that comes up clinically she is just an email, phone call or text message away.
because this is one of the extreme basics of Need to Know stuff, it has been covered by most new providers. From time to time i have asked a CDE for an update just because I don’t get sick often and tend to forget. To all those who have said No, and especially those who commented “I never asked”, this is something a diabetes specialist absolutely should cover, and I might question one who doesn’t have it on a checklist of things to make sure you know when you are a new patient to them. After 58 years I have often asked for an educator appointment every few years just to make sure I have the basics still in mind. I was never one that was on top of all the newest stuff, though that is less so with the advent of the internet, but I tend not to give credence to most things I hear from those online who think they know it all….. usually they know all about their diabetes and body, at best.
Covered in DAPHNE – I had the pumpers variant – a useful addition – plus it is useful to have it written down so that someone else an take over adjusting rates, etc, should I be incapacitated (must admit,I forsaw this as needful for holidays on remote islands, not for plague).
Like a few others have said (as usual I can only see five comments), I havenāt, but I know what to do by now. My endo asks if Iāve been sick since my last appointment and asks how my diabetes was, but thatās about it. Iāve been seeing him for quite a while. Heās not concerned about me not knowing how my body is when Iām sick.