Sick Day Rules

Feeling under the weather? Follow these sick-day rules to help prevent dangerous blood glucose highs and diabetic ketoacidosis:

1. Check blood glucose every 2–3 hours.
2. Continue taking basal and bolus insulin. If you don’t feel like eating, try to drink your carbs so that you can prevent starvation ketones and continue to take mealtime insulin. If you can’t eat, skip the meal bolus and take the correction bolus if glucose is >200 mg/dL or >11.1 mmol/L.
3. Check blood or urine ketones frequently with a test strip. Have a plan in place with your provider or call your provider for what to do about any positive results.
4. Stay hydrated by drinking a cup of fluid every hour, keeping in mind that vomiting and diarrhea increase the risk of dehydration.