When us people with diabetes (PWD) get “real people sick”, such as a cold or flu or virus of some sort, having diabetes makes it much more complicated. Many PWD experience elevated blood sugar when they have some kind of illness. Even when not hungry enough to eat normally, the struggle to keep blood sugar in the “normal” range is exactly that. A struggle. And without the proper food intake plus high blood sugar, the possibility of ketones enters the picture. Ketones, for those who don’t know, are chemical substances produced when the body starts burning fat for energy instead of glucose. This can happen when the blood sugar is too high for the body to burn it properly. If severe enough, ketones become dangerous leading to possible coma or death. From just a cold or flu? Unfortunately, yes. Rare but it’s possible.

And then there is the opposite side of the spectrum. Not being able to eat and having low blood sugar. I think it’s common knowledge that to treat a low blood sugar, some kind of sugary or high carb food/drink is needed. Well when a PWD can’t eat or drink due to illness, that can lead to a situation needing medical attention.

Being sick flat out sucks for anyone. But it sucks for PWD just a wee bit more.

*Sorry for the bitter post …. but I’m currently sick in bed :p*