People with diabetes are three times more likely to be hospitalized for flu and related complications, such as pneumonia, than people who don’t have the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As the U.S. struggles through a particularly nasty flu season, public health authorities remind people with diabetes, whether it’s Type 1 or Type 2 that they need to take special precautions to protect themselves from the flu. For the latest state-by-state flu case numbers and other flu-related information, visit www.flu.gov.
In December, 4 percent of Americans reported being sick with the flu or a flu-like illness, according to Gallup. That’s one of the highest rates for December since 2008. The all-time high was in January 2013, when 4.7 percent of Americans reported having a flu-like illness.
There are several ways to protect yourself from the flu.
First, the CDC recommends, everyone 6 months and older, diabetic or not, should get a flu shot. The injectable flu vaccine has a long track record of safety for people with diabetes, and it’s the best defense against the flu virus. The nasal spray flu vaccine, FluMist, is a popular choice for many, but its safety hasn’t been confirmed in people with diabetes, according to the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This year, the CDC has said, the vaccine isn’t a great match against the A-strain of flu circulating, but it still offers good protection against the B strain. The H3N2 strain circulating is especially concerning to health officials because it’s associated with higher mortality and hospitalizations.
In addition to protecting people who get the shot, flu vaccine also prevents recipients from spreading the virus if they’re exposed to it.
People with diabetes are at greater risk for developing pneumonia, so it’s recommended that they also get the pneumonia vaccine.
Other standard precautions also apply: Wash your hands frequently, avoid crowded places, cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough, get plenty of rest, drink extra water and follow a healthy diet.
If you’re diabetic and you get the flu, the CDC recommends contacting your physician about getting one of the antiviral medications that help shorten the duration of flu symptoms. The drugs aren’t a cure, but they will reduce the severity of symptoms and you won’t be sick as long, which reduces your risk of pneumonia and other complications. One caveat: The drugs have to taken within 48 hours of flu symptoms starting to be effective.
People with diabetes need to follow special “sick day” guidelines when they get the flu or other illnesses. Here are the CDC’s recommendations:
- Keep taking your insulin and other diabetes medications, even if you can’t eat. Your physician may recommend upping your insulin dosage.
- Check your blood sugar every four hours and keep track of the results. If it’s spiking or dipping more than normal, call your doctor.
- Drink extra calorie-free liquids, such as water or diet soda. Eat as you normally would. If solid foods are bothering you, eat soft foods that have the calorie and carbohydrate equivalent of your normal diabetic diet.
- Weigh yourself regularly. Losing weight when you’re not trying to is a sign your blood sugar might be too high.
- Check your temperature every morning and before you go to bed. Fever could be a sign you have pneumonia or another infection.
If you have any of the following symptoms, call your doctor or get to an emergency room:
- You feel too sick to eat normally and are unable to keep down food for more than six hours.
- You’re having severe diarrhea.
- You lose five pounds or more.
- Your temperature is over 101 degrees F.
- Your blood glucose is lower than 60 mg/dL or remains over 250 mg/dL on two checks.
- You have moderate or large amounts of ketones in your urine.
- You’re having trouble breathing.
- You feel sleepy or can’t think clearly.
