If you are ill

Diabetes does not mean that you will get more illnesses than your friends; but coughs, colds and flu or infections may affect your blood glucose control and make it difficult to eat normally. Just before or during illness you may Be more thirsty Go to the toilet more often - perhaps late at night Have ketones in your urine Have tummy ache/sickness Suffer from tiredness/drowsiness
If this is the case NEVER STOP YOUR INSULIN INJECTIONS
	Always have your insulin at the usual times - blood glucose usually rises if you are ill. Blood glucose may be low at first, then high; or be low if you have vomiting and diarrhoea. Your insulin doses may need to be increased and extra insulin may also be required (clear, fast-acting insulin should be kept in the fridge for such emergencies - check expiry date regularly).
BLOOD TESTS
You may need to increase fingerprick tests to see if your treatment has worked - sometimes 1-2 hourly.
URINE TESTS
If your blood glucose is 13mmol/L or more, then test your urine for ketones. A positive ketone test usually means that more insulin is needed fairly quickly. If you are unsure or would like to discuss this first, please contact one of the Diabetes Team. You may be able to test for ketones by doing a blood test