Managing Diabetes Treatment During Special Situations

Certain situations that break from your normal routine can complicate your diabetes treatment – especially your insulin needs.

Surgery
If you need surgery, for example, you won’t be able to eat from 8-12 hours before the procedure and may not be able to eat a normal diet afterwards. You may require careful adjustments to your insulin dosing.

Infections
Even mild infections such as a cold can raise your blood sugar levels, so be sure to check your blood sugar more frequently than normal if you are ill. As a precaution always call your primary care physician or healthcare provider for their input.

Traveling
Traveling can make insulin therapy challenging – especially if you are traveling across many different time zones. Your eating and exercise habits will likely change, so be sure to keep careful track of your blood sugar levels.

Eating Out
Something as small as eating out can be tricky for diabetics. Food prepared in restaurants tends to be higher in calories and fat than homemade food. Check the nutrition information from restaurants or a pocket-sized reference book to keep tabs on your diet, which will affect your insulin needs.

To avoid low blood sugar, test your blood sugar often, especially before, during, and after exercise, or if you have a change in your daily routine (like those discussed above). If you find that you have low blood sugar frequently, learn to count the carbs in the food you eat and match your pre-meal insulin dose to the carbohydrate levels and your current blood sugar value.

Remember: following an insulin treatment regiment takes a lot of planning and effort, but the time you spend will pay off. Maintaining your blood sugar levels helps you feel better and avoid complications so you can live a long and healthy life!

Need help managing your diabetes? Find a diabetes counselor near you!

Source: DiabetesNet.com