Diabetes and the Flu

People with diabetes who come down with the flu could become very sick and are at risk for complications. Being sick by itself can raise your blood glucose. Moreover, illness can prevent you from eating properly, which further affects blood glucose.

Guidelines for people with diabetes that have the flu

• People with diabetes who contract the flu should follow the following guidelines:

• Be sure to continue taking your diabetes pills or insulin. Don’t stop taking them even if you can’t eat. Your health care provider may even advise you to take more insulin during sickness.
• Test your blood glucose every four hours, and keep track of the results.
• Drink extra (calorie-free) liquids, and try to eat as you normally would. If you can’t, try to have soft foods and liquids containing the equivalent amount of carbohydrates that you usually consume.
• Weigh yourself every day. Losing weight without trying is a sign of high blood glucose.

When to contact a health care provider

• People with diabetes who contract the flu should call their health care provider or go to an emergency room if they experience any of the following:

• You feel too sick to eat normally and are unable to keep down food for more than 6 hours.
• You're having severe diarrhea.
• You lose 5 pounds or more.
• Your temperature is over 101 degrees F.
• Your blood glucose is lower than 60 mg/dL or remains over 300 mg/dL.
• You have moderate or large amounts of ketones in your urine.
• You're having trouble breathing.
• You feel sleepy or can't think clearly.

• Treatment with antiviral drugs could be particularly important for people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, or heart or lung disease. This season, antiviral drugs are being prioritized for hospitalized patients (including children) and high risk patients who are sick with the flu. More on Antivirals.
• If you have diabetes and you develop flu-like symptoms, contact your health care provider or seek medical care and follow these steps for all people with health conditions.

2009-2010 Season

You need two vaccines to be fully protected during the 2009-2010 flu season. Everyone with diabetes aged 6 months and older should get the H1N1 flu shot and the seasonal flu shot. Close household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of people with diabetes should also get the vaccines. People can receive both flu shots at the same time (see flu shot locator).

Other Information

• For the 2010-2011 flu season, which begins in the fall of 2010, the seasonal flu vaccine will include protection against the 2009 H1N1 virus. That means that, barring some unforeseen circumstance, this fall, most Americans will be able to return to having one flu vaccine to protect them against the major circulating flu viruses. As is always the case with seasonal vaccine, younger children who have never had a seasonal vaccine will still need two doses.
• Pneumonia is a possible flu complication. Therefore, a pneumonia (pneumococcal) vaccine also is recommended for people with diabetes and should be part of a diabetes management plan.