H1N1 Diabetes Guide If you have diabetes, take steps during flu season to reduce your risk of infection.
Protect yourself and others • Avoid close contact. • If you can, stay away from crowds or crowded places. • Wash your hands often with soap and water. When you don’t have soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner. • Keep your hands away from your eyes, face or mouth. • If you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. Then throw the tissue away. • If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow. • Take your temperature if you feel like you may have a fever. • Drink lots of calorie-free fluids. • Keep taking your diabetes meds or insulin, as your doctor tells you to. • Test your glucose every four hours and write down your results. • Eat your normal diet. But, if you can’t, eat soups and soft foods that have the same amount of carbs on your food plan. • Weigh each day. • Call your doctor if you have: – a fever
– a cough
– chills and fatigue
– a sore throat
– vomiting
– diarrhea
– body aches
– a headache
– a runny or stuffy nose
compliments of Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. Bringing Patients & Health Together ®
• Atlanta, GA • 800-241-4925 • www.p-h.com
Copyright © 2009 Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE.
H1N1 Diabetes Guide Be prepared • Keep a record with you of your:
Get medical help right away if you: • have severe diarrhea
– doctor’s contact information
• lose 5 pounds or more in less than a week
– condition(s) and treatment(s)
• have a fever over 101°F (38.4°C)
• Ask your doctor if you should get the flu shot. • Keep a 2 week supply of: – alcohol wipes – alcohol-based hand cleaner – soups, soft foods and other liquids
• feel too sick to eat and can’t keep food down for over 6 hours • have a blood glucose reading lower than 60 mg/dL or over 300 mg/dL • have moderate to large amounts of ketones in your urine • have trouble breathing • feel really sleepy or have trouble thinking
– tissues – your diabetes testing supplies – your medicine • Keep a medicine chart of all the meds you take and share this with a loved one.
compliments of Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. Bringing Patients & Health Together ®
• Atlanta, GA • 800-241-4925 • www.p-h.com
Copyright © 2009 Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE.