HealthInfo Canterbury
Managing diabetes when you are sick
Te whakarauora mate huka ina kua māuiui koe
If you're sick, you may need to change your normal diabetes routine.
When you're unwell, your body releases hormones that can increase your blood glucose (sugar) levels. Diabetes tablets can also have unwanted side effects when you're sick.
Important
See your doctor urgently if:
- you're vomiting a lot or constantly
- you can't keep your blood glucose levels above 4 mmol/l
- your blood glucose levels remain high
- you have type 1 diabetes and your blood glucose levels remain above 15 mmol/l after two extra doses of rapid-acting insulin (if you've been prescribed it) or if ketones are increasing or stay high
- you get worse or develop new symptoms.
If you take:
- metformin and get very sick, especially with vomiting and diarrhoea, stop taking your tablets and talk to your doctor
- sulphonylureas (glipizide or glibenclamide) and get very sick, stop taking your tablets and talk to your doctor
- empagliflozin and get very sick, especially with vomiting and diarrhoea, stop taking your tablets and talk to your doctor
- insulin, you'll need to test your blood glucose levels more often. You may need to adjust your usual dosage. For more information, see managing insulin when you are sick.
Self-care when you are sick
If you're unwell:
- drink plenty of fluids to avoid getting dehydrated
- make sure you still eat well
- if you have testing strips, check your blood glucose more often (every two hours if you take insulin).
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed November 2022.
SourcesReview key: HIDIA-21832
