Treating The Common Cold And Type 2 Diabetes
It is that time of year again and as a Pharmacist/Certified Diabetes Educator one of the most common questions over the fall, the holiday’s and winter months is “What do you have to treat my cold?” or simply “Can you make me feel better?” Well there is no cure and we cannot wave our “therapeutic” wand and make symptoms disappear but there are a variety of products to help with the symptoms of cough and cold. If the patient is relatively healthy it may be a bit of a hit or miss scenario but usually the product will ease the symptoms until the cold runs its course over 7 to 10 days. The picture becomes less clear when the patient is taking other medications, has medical conditions such as kidney disease, blood pressure, or they have diabetes. Assisting our patient choose an appropriate product that will not worsen their existing medical conditions, and lessen the symptoms that make them feel miserable is key. Diabetes is a condition that requires some adjusting to choose the right product. It is not always a “Sugar free”, “Natural”, or alternative product that is best, as active ingredients may have issues. These include raising blood sugars, raising blood pressure or stressing the kidneys (common issues with diabetes). Usually after a brief discussion to educate the patient, a product can be chosen to help both their symptoms and minimally impact their diabetes and blood sugars. The discussion that follows is a practical approach on how to decide what a person with diabetes can use so that they understand why we avoid certain classes of products due to a their existing medical conditions. Blood Sugars Can Rise when Ill It is important to realize that when a person with diabetes is “fighting” a cold it produces stresses on the body as a whole and Continue reading >>
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Why Does It Take Longer For Wounds To Heal In Diabetic People?
Diabetes makes it harder to heal wound for several reasons. Poor Circulation (peripheral vascular diseases) due to fatty deposits in the arteries slows down blood flow, thereby limiting the amount of oxygen, antibiotics and healing nutrients that reach the wound. Delayed and inefficient immune system response is seen in diabetes. High blood sugar impairs enzyme activity, leukocyte adherence, bactericidal activity and phagocytosis (the process by which our immune cell engulfs the bacteria). High blood sugar diminishes the movement of white blood cells to site of injury to help fight infection and causes defective diapedesis (passage of while cells, through intact capillary walls to the site of tissue damage. There is delay in formation of mature granulation tissue due to altered protein and lipid metabolism and parallel reduction in wound tensile strength. Microangiopathy (damage to small blood vessels) due to diabetes, results in impaired tissue perfusion which delays healing. Smoking, alcohol abuse, malnutrition, dehydration, vascular insufficiency and neuropathy are the other factors associated with delayed healing in diabetics. When wounds remain open and healing is delayed, it further increases the risk of recurrent fungal and bacterial infections. In diabetes, the wound not only heals slowly but can worsen rapidly, requiring early treatment and close monitoring. Continue reading >>
What’s The Connection Between Diabetes And Wound Healing?
Diabetes is a result of your body’s inability to produce or use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that allows your body to turn glucose, or sugar, into energy. If your body has difficulty metabolizing glucose, it can lead to high blood sugar levels. This can affect your body’s ability to heal wounds. In people with diabetes, wounds tend to heal more slowly and progress more quickly, so it’s important to know what to look out for. Although cuts, grazes, scratches, and blisters can occur anywhere on the body, the feet are one of the most common places of injury. A small wound on the foot can quickly develop into a foot ulcer. Foot ulcers can become serious if left untreated. Between 14 and 24 percent of people who have diabetes and develop an ulcer will end up having a lower limb amputation. For this reason, it’s crucial that you do regular self-checks and closely monitor any wounds closely. Catching wounds early is the only way to reduce your risk of complications. Keep reading to learn more about the healing process, ways to speed the healing process along, and how to improve your body’s healing powers long-term. When you have diabetes, a number of factors can affect your body’s ability to heal wounds. High blood sugar levels Your blood sugar level is the main factor in how quickly your wound will heal. When your blood sugar level is higher than normal, it: prevents nutrients and oxygen from energizing cells prevents your immune system from functioning efficiently increases inflammation in the body’s cells These effects slow down wound healing. Neuropathy Peripheral neuropathy can also result from having blood sugar levels that are consistently higher than normal. Over time, damage occurs to the nerves and vessels. This can cause the affected areas to lose sen Continue reading >>
Flu And People With Diabetes
People with diabetes (type 1 or type 2), even when well-managed, are at high risk of serious flu complications, often resulting in hospitalization and sometimes even death. Pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections are examples of flu-related complications. The flu also can make chronic health problems, like diabetes, worse. This is because diabetes can make the immune system less able to fight infections. In addition, illness can make it harder to control your blood sugar. The illness might raise your sugar but sometimes people don’t feel like eating when they are sick, and this can cause blood sugar levels to fall. So it is important to follow the sick day guidelines for people with diabetes. Vaccination is the Best Protection against Flu CDC recommends that all people who are 6 months and older get a flu vaccine. It is especially important for people with diabetes to get a flu vaccine. Flu shots are approved for use in people with diabetes and other health conditions. The flu shot has a long, established safety record in people with diabetes. People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of developing pneumococcal pneumonia because of the flu, so being up to date with pneumococcal vaccination is also recommended. Pneumococcal vaccination should be part of a diabetes management plan. Talk to your doctor to find out which pneumococcal vaccines are recommended for you. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and throw the tissue away after using it; Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing; Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth (germs are spread that way); and Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care. If you are sick with flu-like symptoms you should sta Continue reading >>
Diabetes-related High And Low Blood Sugar Levels [en Español]
Topic Overview When you have diabetes , you may have high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) or low blood sugar levels ( hypoglycemia ) from time to time. A cold, the flu, or other sudden illness can cause high blood sugar levels. You will learn to recognize the symptoms and distinguish between high and low blood sugar levels. Insulin and some types of diabetes medicines can cause low blood sugar levels. Learn how to recognize and manage high and low blood sugar levels to help you avoid levels that can lead to medical emergencies, such as diabetic ketoacidosis or dehydration from high blood sugar levels or loss of consciousness from severe low blood sugar levels. Most high or low blood sugar problems can be managed at home by following your doctor's instructions. You can help avoid blood sugar problems by following your doctor's instructions on the use of insulin or diabetes medicines, diet, and exercise. Home blood sugar testing will help you determine whether your blood sugar is within your target range . If you have had very low blood sugar, you may be tempted to let your sugar level run high so that you do not have another low blood sugar problem. But it is most important that you keep your blood sugar in your target range. You can do this by following your treatment plan and checking your blood sugar regularly. Sometimes a pregnant woman can get diabetes during her pregnancy. This is called gestational diabetes . Blood sugar levels are checked regularly during the pregnancy to keep levels within a target range. Children who have diabetes need their parents' help to keep their blood sugar levels in a target range and to exercise safely. Be sure that children learn the symptoms of both high and low blood sugar so they can tell others when they need help. There are ma Continue reading >>
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Handling Diabetes When You're Sick
Whether your head feels like it's stuffed with cotton because you have a cold or you're spending a lot of time on the toilet because of a stomach bug, being sick is no fun for anyone. For people with diabetes, being sick can also affect blood sugar levels. The good news is that taking a few extra precautions can help you keep your blood sugar levels under control. When you get sick whether it's a minor illness like a sore throat or cold or a bigger problem like dehydration or surgery the body perceives the illness as stress. To relieve the stress, the body fights the illness. This process requires more energy than the body normally uses. On one hand, this is good because it helps supply the extra fuel the body needs. On the other hand, in a person with diabetes, this can lead to high blood sugar levels. Some illnesses cause the opposite problem, though. If you don't feel like eating or have nausea or vomiting, and you're taking the same amount of insulin you normally do, you can develop blood sugar levels that are too low. Blood sugar levels can be very unpredictable when you're sick. Because you can't be sure how the illness will affect your blood sugar levels, it's important to check blood sugar levels often on sick days and adjust your insulin doses as needed. Your diabetes management plan will help you know what to do when you're sick. The plan might tell you: how to monitor your blood glucose levels and ketones when you're sick what changes you might make to your food and drink and diabetes medications In addition, people with diabetes should get the pneumococcal vaccine, which protects against some serious infections. You should also get a flu shot every year. These vaccines may help you keep your diabetes under better control and cut down on the number of sick d Continue reading >>
3 Reasons Diabetic Wounds Are Slow To Heal
Blood sugar affects more than your meter When you have diabetes, your body doesn’t produce insulin or doesn’t use it properly. This makes it more difficult to control and manage your blood sugar. But there are a number of related health issues to watch out for, too. Diabetes makes it harder for your body to heal itself, even with small wounds. This puts diabetic patients at risk for complications such as infections, which can require emergency medical treatment and, in severe cases, amputation. Usually, the most troublesome wounds for diabetic patients are on the feet, because these injuries can go undetected for a while. “Managing your diabetes means much more than just exercising and watching what you eat,” explained Dr. Edward Batzel, director of vascular surgery and medical director of Geisinger Community Medical Center’s Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine. “Patients need to monitor their bodies for wounds and be sure they’re treated properly. Because of the effects of high blood glucose levels, diabetes patients are at risk for serious complications, even from small issues. Those with diabetes should make it a practice to inspect their shoes and feet every day; this can prevent future complications from diabetic wounds. If you notice any wounds that are getting worse or showing signs of infection, talk with a doctor immediately.” Here are three reasons why diabetic wounds are slow to heal: High blood sugar Blood sugar is more than just a number on your glucose meter. It plays a part in your energy level, medical needs and also your body’s ability to heal injuries. “The amount of glucose, or sugar, in your blood affects the body in many ways,” said Dr. Batzel. “High glucose levels can stiffen the blood vessels, making it harder Continue reading >>
Your Health Care Team
If your deductible reset on January 1, there are new programs to help you afford your insulin prescription| Learn more It may surprise you to learn that you are the most important member of your diabetes care team. After all, you are the one who has diabetes and who lives with it every day. Only you know how you feel and what you are willing and able to do. When and how you take medicine or inject insulin, if prescribed. When you check your blood glucose (blood sugar) and how you track the results. And, of course, you are the first to notice any problems. Your diabetes care team depends on you to tell the truth about how you feel. You may work with many different kinds of healthcare providers who are part of your diabetes care team. These can include: Primary Care Provider: This doctor (MD or DO), nurse practitioner (NP), or physician assistant (PA) gives you routine medical care, including physical exams, lab tests, and prescriptions for medication. Endocrinologist: This doctor (MD or DO) specializes in diabetes and other diseases of the endocrine system (the system that produces hormones such as insulin). Ophthalmologist: This doctor (MD or DO), also known as an eye doctor, diagnoses and treats eye diseases and eye disorders. Podiatrist (DPM): This doctor, also known as a foot doctor, is trained to treat feet and lower leg problems. Pharmacist (PharmD): This professional knows about medicines, whats in them, and how they interact with each other. Dentist (DMD or DDS): This doctor knows about oral care and is trained to take care of your teeth and gums. Registered Nurse/Nurse Navigator (RN): A nurse working in your doctors office who helps coordinate your healthcare needs. Registered Dietitian (RD or RDN): A dietitian is an expert in nutrition (what food your particul Continue reading >>
What Should A Person With Diabetes Do If They Get Sick With Flu Or Cold?
There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. Flu spreads mainly person-to-person through the coughing or sneezing of infected people. If you get sick, the CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. 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 300 mg/dL. You have moderate or large amounts of ketones in your urine. You're having trouble breathing. You feel sleepy or can't think clearly. For more information, see: Continue reading >>
Flu And Sick Days | Living With Diabetes | Diabetes | Cdc
Like everyone, people with diabetes get the flu and get sick sometimes, even when you try your best to prevent it. So being prepared and knowing what to do when you get sick is important. There are several things you can do now to prepare for sick days. But also talk to your doctor and health care team about the best way to handle sick days when they occur. The single best way to protect yourself against the flu is to get the flu shot every year. People with diabeteseven pregnant womenshould get a flu shot. Make sure you get the flu shot injection, not the nasal spray type of vaccine. The vaccine is safe and effective. It has been given safely to hundreds of millions of people. You cannot get the flu from the flu shot. Visit Flu and People with Diabetes for more information. One possible complication of flu can be pneumonia. Pneumococcal (pneumonia) vaccine is recommended for people with diabetes, and should be part of your diabetes management plan. Talk to your health care provider for more information on getting both vaccines. Ask your doctor how to reach him or her quickly by telephone if you think you have the flu. *It is also possible to have the flu and some of the symptoms listed above, without having a fever. If you get the flu Diabetes can make it more difficult for you to handle an infection like the flu. You could become very sick and may even have to go to a hospital. If you get sick, prescription flu medicine can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. The medicine can help keep you from getting serious health problems that can happen after getting the flu. Flu medicine works best when started within 2 days of getting sick, so call your doctor as soon as you begin getting flu symptoms. So, if you get sick or the flu, follow the sick day g Continue reading >>
How Diabetes Affects Wound Healing
Diabetes is a condition in which the body does not effectively use sugar. It is estimated that there are nearly 18 million Americans with diabetes, and approximately 15 percent of diabetics will develop a foot ulcer at some point. Foot ulcers are the most common wounds for this patient population. Wound healing can be slowed when the patient is diabetic. An important point to remember about a diabetic patient wound is that it heals slowly and can worsen rapidly, so requires close monitoring. There are several factors that influence wound healing in a diabetic patient, and may include: Blood Glucose Levels It all starts here. An elevated blood sugar level stiffens the arteries and causes narrowing of the blood vessels. The effects of this are far-reaching and include the origin of wounds as well as risk factors to proper wound healing. Poor Circulation Narrowed blood vessels lead to decreased blood flow and oxygen to a wound. An elevated blood sugar level decreases the function of red blood cells that carry nutrients to the tissue. This lowers the efficiency of the white blood cells that fight infection. Without sufficient nutrients and oxygen, a wound heals slowly. Diabetic Neuropathy When blood glucose levels are uncontrolled, nerves in the body are affected and patients can develop a loss of sensation. This is called diabetic neuropathy. When there is a loss of sensation, patients cannot feel a developing blister, infection or surgical wound problem. Because a diabetic patient may not be able to feel a change in the status of a wound or the actual wound, the severity can progress and there may be complications with healing. Immune System Deficiency Diabetes lowers the efficiency of the immune system, the body's defense system against infection. A high glucose level ca Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Food Poisoning: What You Need To Know
No one wants to get sick from their food. Foodborne illness, commonly known as “food poisoning,” is caused by foods or beverages that are contaminated by bacteria, viruses or parasites. Although it is unpleasant, for most people foodborne illness is more of a nuisance than anything else. However, for people with diabetes, foodborne illness can be very serious. And while food poisoning is not something anyone wants to think or worry about, being aware of the causes and the symptoms can help ensure that you seek treatment as soon as possible. Causes of Food Poisoning Food poisoning can affect just one person or many people at the same time. You might get ill after going to a picnic, eating in a restaurant, going on a cruise or even eating at an amusement park. You can even get ill after eating at home. Food can become contaminated by: Meat, poultry or fish that comes in contact with bacteria Water that contains animal or human waste Unsafe handling during preparation in a restaurant, a grocery store or at home Risk Factors Eating or drinking the following can greatly increase your risk of getting food poisoning: Food prepared by someone who has not washed their hands Food prepared with utensils, pans, cutting boards or other tools that haven’t been properly cleaned Refrigerated foods that have not been stored or cooked at the right temperature Undercooked meat, poultry, fish or eggs Raw fish or shellfish Raw fruit or vegetables that haven’t been washed well Raw (unpasteurized) milk Contaminated water Symptoms of Food Poisoning The symptoms of food poisoning can vary, depending on the cause. However, symptoms generally tend to appear within 2 to 6 hours of consuming the tainted food or beverage, although they can appear days or even weeks later. Typical symptoms in Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Being Ill - Diabetes And Illness
Tweet Having an illness or infection can make it particularly hard to control blood sugar levels. A little knowledge of how illnesses affect diabetes can go a long way towards helping you through. It’s hard to go a year without catching a cold, virus, flu or stomach bug so it pays to be prepared as to how to manage during periods of sickness. How does illness affect diabetes? During an illness or infection the body will release extra glucose into your blood stream in a bid to help combat the illness. In people without diabetes, this is an effective strategy as their pancreas will release extra insulin to cope with the extra blood glucose. In people with diabetes, though, the release of glucose presents an unwanted extra difficulty in managing the rise in blood glucose levels - in addition to feeling less than 100%. Illness and very high blood sugar levels The NHS recommends that people with diabetes with a sugar level over 28 mmols/L should seek emergency advice from their healthcare team or, during out-of-hours times, contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647. Coping with diabetes and illness To keep a track of how much your sugar levels are rising, it’s recommended to test your blood more often than usual. Test for ketones If you have type 1 diabetes, it is advisable to follow up any high blood sugar readings with a test for ketones. Read: Testing for ketones Keep hydrated Keep yourself well hydrated. High blood glucose levels can lead to dehydration so make sure you are regularly drinking fluids to stay hydrated. Keep eating It may be tempting to not eat whilst unwell but this could lead to more ketones as the body may need to break down fat to make fuel. If eating is difficult, or if you are vomiting and cannot keep food down, it is advisable to have drinks with carbohydr Continue reading >>
Planning Ahead For Sick Days
Having a bad cold or the flu can make anyone want to crawl into bed and stay there until it’s over. But when you have diabetes, hiding under the covers and sleeping until you feel better isn’t the best option (although getting plenty of rest is still a good idea). That’s because any illness or infection can make your blood glucose more difficult to control, which increases the risk of serious acute complications. So just when you’re feeling your worst is when it’s most important to stay vigilant about your diabetes care and to take good care of yourself to help your body heal. What happens when you’re sick Your body may know it’s sick even before you feel any symptoms, and a good clue can be an unexplained steady rise in blood glucose. Everybody has a high release of stress hormones when they’re battling or about to battle an illness. Typically, stress hormones cause a rise in blood glucose level because they cause the liver to release more glucose than normal into the bloodstream. People who don’t have diabetes can compensate by releasing more insulin, but people who have diabetes may produce no insulin, or their bodies may not use insulin efficiently, so blood glucose levels stay high unless something is done (such as taking insulin) to lower them. The release of stress hormones and consequent rise in blood glucose level is why people with diabetes are advised to continue taking their diabetes medicines (insulin or oral medicines) when they are sick, even if they’re vomiting. Monitoring blood glucose levels every 2–4 hours and sipping liquids every 15 minutes to stay hydrated are also important. Not taking diabetes medicines during an illness raises the risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a medical emergency characterized by high bloo Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Wound Healing
Diabetes can cause wounds to heal more slowly. This raises the risk that someone with diabetes will develop infections and other complications. A person who manages their diabetes well can improve wound healing and reduce the chances of developing a serious infection. Those with diabetes may find that different types of wounds are slow to heal. Minor wounds, cuts, and burns are a part of life, but for people with diabetes, they can cause serious health issues. Many people with diabetes develop wounds that are slow to heal or never heal. Wounds that do not heal well can become infected. An infection can spread locally, to surrounding tissue and bone, or to further away areas of the body. In some cases, they may even be fatal. Diabetic foot ulcers affect 15 percent of people with diabetes . These are painful sores that can ultimately lead to foot amputation. Even when a wound does not become infected, it can affect a person's health and quality of life. Cuts or injuries on the feet or legs can make it difficult to walk or exercise without pain. Keeping diabetes under control can reduce the risk of slow-healing wounds and complications, including foot ulcers. A 2013 study found a clear correlation between blood glucose and wound healing. People undergoing surgery for chronic diabetes wounds were more likely to fully heal if their blood glucose was well-controlled at the time of surgery. Diabetes makes it more difficult for the body to manage blood glucose levels. When blood glucose remains chronically high, it impairs the function of white blood cells, resulting in an inability to fight bacteria. Diabetes, particularly if uncontrolled, is also associated with poor circulation. As circulation slows, red blood cells move more slowly. This makes it more difficult for the bod Continue reading >>
