Diabetes: Living Well with Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic (lifelong) condition that prevents the body from lowering blood sugar (glucose). Over time, high amounts of sugar in the blood can harm the body. This handout explains diabetes self-care and the daily activities that can help you stay safe and feel your best.
What is diabetes self-care?
Diabetes self-care is a set of activities you do every day to keep your blood sugar controlled. Your health care team may also call this diabetes self-management. Work with your health care team to make a self-care plan that you can stick with.
What do I need to do to stay safe at home?
Know who to call for help
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Keep all appointments
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Name: ________________________________
Phone number: _________________________
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Appointment is with: ___________________________
Date and time: _______________________________
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Take medications as prescribed
- Be sure you understand when and how you should take your medicines
- Talk to your doctor if you have trouble getting your medicine for any reason
Check your blood sugar
- Check your blood sugar 2 – 4 times a day, usually before meals and at bedtime
- Check your blood sugar anytime you think it might be too low or too high
- Goal blood sugar at home is usually 90 - 130
- Keep a record of your blood sugars to take to your doctor
Treat low and high blood sugar
If your blood sugar is low
- Signs of low blood sugar are feeling sweaty, grouchy, shaky, dizzy, clammy, hungry, having a headache or being confusion.
- If you have these signs or your blood sugar is less than 70, take one of these:
- 4 glucose tablets
- ½ cup fruit juice or 1 juice box
- ½ cup regular soda
- 1 packet or 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- Chewable candy: 3 soft peppermints or 15 jelly beans or 15 skittles
- Then check your blood sugar again in 15 minutes. If it is still less than 70, repeat above
- If it is not time for a meal, eat a snack
- Call your doctor's office - If less than 70, two or more times in a day or in a week
- Call 911 - If less than 30, at any time. Next, treat the low blood sugar with one of the food or drink items listed above
If your blood sugar is high
- Signs of high blood sugar are feeling thirsty, sleepy, needing to pass urine more than usual, very hungry, or have blurry vision
- If greater than 180, check your blood sugar more often, drink lots of sugar-free, caffeine-free liquids, and keep taking your medicine
- Call your doctor's office - If greater than 240, two or more times in a day or in a week
- Call 911 - If greater than 400, at any time
What other self-care activities do I need to do?
- Make healthy food choices
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- Have a plan for when you get sick
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- Ask your family for support
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To learn more about these activities:
- Talk with your health care team at every doctor’s appointment.
- Find experts in your community who can help such as your local health department.
- Visit www.diabetes.org.
Why is it important that I do this?
Practicing self-care activities is the best way to protect your health and wellness. Over time, uncontrolled blood sugar can lead to serious health problems such as:
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- Complications in pregnancy
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