Illness and diabetes

Managing when you’re ill

Here are the basic points to remember when you’re unwell:

• Test blood glucose levels more often - at least four times a day and four times a night.
• With Type 1 diabetes, if blood glucose levels are over 15mmol/l or more, test blood or urine for ketones.
• Continue to take insulin or diabetes medication and adjust the dose in response to test results. For advice on how to do this, contact your doctor or healthcare team.
• Drink plenty of sugar free drinks.
• If being sick, take carbohydrate containing drinks such as milk and other milky drinks, fruit juice or sugary drinks such as Lucozade, ordinary cola or lemonade.
• If able to eat but have no appetite, eat little and often, taking carbohydrate containing drinks, as above, and snacks such as toast, biscuits and cereal.
• Contact your doctor or healthcare team if any of the following apply: blood glucose levels are continuously high, ketones in blood or urine, vomiting, diarrhoea or if you are unsure what to do.