When you're ill and you have diabetes and high blood pressure, your body does even stranger things than usual. One of the things that happens to me is that I lose my appetite, yet get certain cravings. So for the past week I haven't been eating properly, and I've had a craving for ice cream (butter pecan).This is nobody's fault but my own, and may not even be my fault, who knows. The diabetes guidelines know all about this, but unless you're a true student of your disease, how would you even know about it. This is what you're supposed to know:
Food for sick days
If you are too sick to follow your meal plan, try to replace carbohydrates with liquids or soft foods. Carbohydrates provide sugar so that the body does not have to burn fat for energy. Burning fat produces ketones, which can be dangerous. Carbohydrates also prevent blood sugar from dropping too low.
Small, frequent feedings may be easier for you to tolerate during an illness, and help your digestive system provide energy to your cells more quickly.
Try to drink 4 ounces of clear liquids such as tea, apple juice, or diet soda every hour.
If you can keep food down, but still have no appetite, try l/2 cup cream soup, 1/2 cup cooked cereal, 1 cup plain yogurt, Jell-O, 1/2 banana, 1 scrambled egg, 1/2 cup custard, or l/2 cup sherbet. Once you're feeling better, try adding toast, vanilla wafers, and small amounts of food from your regular meal plan. Avoid spicy foods.
[Yogurt and banana worked pretty well, as did butter pecan ice cream.]
Diabetes :
Sick Day Management
(Your blood sugar may go up if you have a cold, flu or infection.)
1. Check blood sugar if you have these symptoms.
A. Symptoms
1. Fever
2. Loss of appetite
3. Nausea
4. Vomiting
5. Loose watery stools
6. Increase in thirst or hunger
7. Urinating causes pain
B. Monitor
1. Before breakfast
2. Before lunch
3. Before dinner
4. Bedtime
2. Always take your insulin or diabetes pill even if you cannot eat your regular foods
3. Drink plenty of fluids
A. Eight ounces of calorie free liquids every hour (noncaffeine)
1. Water
2. Bouillon
3. Canned clear soups
4. Tea or Diet soda
If you cannot tolerate liquids by mouth, see your doctor for antinausea medication or possible I.V. (in the vein) fluids.
B. If blood sugar level is equal to or greater than 250 to 300 before you meal, continue to drink calorie free liquids.
C. If blood sugar is 180-250 before your meal, eat one food choice equal to 15 grams of carbohydrate.
Each of the following foods and beverages contain approximately 15 grams of carbohydrates:
1/2 cup apple juice
1/3 cup frozen yogurt
1/2 -3/4 cup regular carbonated beverage (not diet)
1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream
3/4 of a double-stick popsicle
1 cup gatorade
3 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup sherbet
5 Lifesavers
1/4 cup regular pudding
1 slice dry toast
1/3 cup sweetened Jell-o gelatin
1 cup broth-based soup
6 saltines
D. If blood sugar is equal to or less than 180 before your meal or urine shows negative ketones and food is tolerated, eat your usual meal.
4. Check for ketones if blood sugar is equal to or greater than 240.
5. Please telephone your health care provider if you have any of these conditions.
A. Temperature equal to or greater than 101
B. Vomiting occurs more than once, CALL IMMEDIATELY
C. Breathing is difficult
D. Loose watery stools occur more than five times in a 24 hour period.
E. Blood glucose levels are higher than 300 after checking twice.
F. Urine ketones measure moderate or large.
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This is probably such good advice to someone who is clear headed and pain free and interested. But for someone who is hallucinating about wild cats, unable to find one single comfortable position, and trying very hard not to overdose on some very strong medication, those guidelines are written in hieroglyphics,
Diabetic people can't fast -they have to have something every 4 or 5 hours just to keep conscious. I remember having a banana sometime this morning. But now it was 4:30 and time for something else. A hot dog seemed quick and easy and so I asked about the possibility of a hot dog. I could have done it myself, but standing is still very very uncomfortable so I asked Dick if I could have one. This elicited some kind of a shouting tantrum beginning with NOW? You want a hot dog NOW? And something vague about how I'd thoughtlessly, impolitely slept through filet mignon and sweet corn last night, and so how could I possibly want hot dogs now when anyone could intuit that we were to have chateau briand and pate de foie gras in a mere 3 hours or so. Now I'm in hot water with Dick because I wanted a hot dog. I did get two lovely delicious hot dogs which I enjoyed and appreciated. But I have a feeling that Dick is not speaking to me at the moment. It's possible that sciatica lasts much too long to put up with, and that I would do everyone a favor by taking a week at a good hotel.
Pineapple juice is the answer. Or peanut butter crackers. Or keeping popped corn on hand. It really doesn't take much.
I just have to deal with it.
