The first step is to check your glucose levels at least every four hours. Do it more frequently if you feel any signs of high or low blood sugar. If you find your blood sugar above 240 mg/dl (13.3 mmol/L), test for ketones in the urine. If you find ketones, get hold of your doctor immediately. These are byproducts caused by your body burning fatty acids instead of glucose. This may mean that your insulin levels are dangerously low due to the illness or another underlying infection. It is a well known fact that is essential to get medical help as soon as possible since it can also lead to ketoacidosis in people with Type two Diabetes and in some cases to a diabetic coma.

Take your temperature regularly as well. This can also show if an infection is lying in there. Drink alot of fluids throughout the day. If you have nausea, attempt to keep down water. If you can’t hold down water or food, consult your medico immediately. You might need to go to the emergency room before severe dehydration hits. If you are taking insulin injections, do not stop them. It is also critical to keep your blood sugar readings in check. Drinking something with sugar will help keep your glucose in normal ranges if you cannot keep down solids. Consult with your doctor about any over the counter medications you might take. Some contain high levels of sugar and that is not good for people with type 2 diabetes. There are versions available that are not though.

Call your doctor if you have any nausea or vomiting. Call your medical team if you have a fever higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 degrees Celsius). Call your doctor if you cannot keep fluids or solids down. Call your doctor if your glucose goes above 180 mg/dL (10 mmol/L) or falls below 70 mg/dL (3.8 mmol/l). Call your doctor if you develop ketones in your urine. Monitoring your health is very important when you are sick and have Type 2 Diabetes as well.

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Sick Day Advice In Type 2 Diabetes ! Why Should I Listen ?

Technorati Tags: diabetes, Sick Day Advice, Type 2

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Everyone is prone to tooth and gum problems. There are many causes. Heredity plays an important role as does dental hygiene. Smoking also contributes to tooth and gum problems. But the diabetic has more of a chance of developing tooth and gum disease than the average person. If a diabetic allows his or her blood glucose level to remain high, it has a severe impact on their teeth. This is particularly true if the person with diabetes is older than 45, an age when many people begin experiencing problems with their teeth.

High blood glucose levels make one more prone to infection. Periodontitis is an infection that affects both the gums and bones in the mouth. People with this condition often have receding gums that make their teeth look larger than they are. A person with diabetes must make certain that he or she receives a dental exam periodically to make certain that they do not acquire this infection of the gums and bones. If left untreated, Periodontitis can cause someone to lose their teeth.

It usually begins with a buildup of germs in the teeth that are helped along with the high blood glucose. One of the problems with having glycemia is that it enables germs to grow faster than they would on someone without this condition. As the germs begin to build up on the teeth and gums, the gums begin to get red and sore and swell. In many times, a person can see that they have gum disease when they brush their teeth and the gums begin to bleed. This is the time you want to call your dentist.

If untreated, the gum disease can lead to the infection of Periodontitis that can become so severe that it causes one to lose their teeth. Many people with diabetes as well as those with compromised immune disorders risk acquiring this disease. This is why it is so important to have your teeth examined by a dentist on a regular basis.

Teeth complications of diabetes do not have to cause one to lose their teeth. If caught early, there are many procedures a dentist can perform to stave off infection and save the teeth. In addition, a person with diabetes can help eliminate teeth complications of diabetes by following the advice of their physician when it comes to controlling their disease. Use the Glycemic Index to understand which foods to avoid that will raise your glucose levels. Exercise and maintain a healthy weight. Do not smoke. Avoid alcohol and take any medication or insulin as prescribed. In addition, it is imperative for a person with diabetes to monitor his or her blood glucose levels periodically throughout the day and keep an accurate record of their readings. This information should be presented to the physician at each visit so he or she knows if your medications need to be changed.

By managing the care of your diabetes, you can avoid many of the complications that accompany this disease. By seeing your dentist on a regular basis and informing him or her of your condition, they can help you with a regiment that will enable you to maintain healthy gums, avoid infection and allow you to keep your teeth.

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Diabetes and Your Teeth

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If you have just been recently diagnosed, then there is much to learn. Be careful where you get your information. The doctor should be your first source. Your doctor should prepare you with literature and other teaching material, as well as give you referrals to help groups. Being a diabetic doesn’t mean your life is going to change. It does mean that you will have to make important decisions about your health maintenance. If your diagnoses requires that you take oral hypoglycemics then you need to know how they work, when to take them, and the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. For those who are required to take injections of insulin, they must learn how to give themselves injections, and take their blood glucose level. The best idea is to take it slow. All of this information may seem overwhelming at the beginning. No one expects you to know everything. Most of all be patient with yourself.

It is important to understand why you have diabetes. Diabetes whether Type I or Type II has been determined to have certain genetic links. Genetically speaking, Type I Diabetes risk to offspring from the mother is 1%-3%, risk to offspring of diabetic fathers is 4 %-6%, with identical twin concordance between 30%-50%. (1) In regards to Type II Diabetes the genetic predisposition of risk to first degree relatives is 10%-15% and identical twin concordance can exceed 90%. (1)

In Type I Diabetes the autoimmune system of the individual gradually destroys the beta cells within the pancreas. Signs and symptoms of diabetes do not begin to manifest until 80%-90% of the beta cells are destroyed. Beta cells are important because they are responsible for the production of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that controls the amount of glucose in the blood stream at any particular time. For instance, when a person indulges in a meal that is high in sugar content, there will be large amounts ofo circulating glucose in the blood. To protect the body from excessive amounts of glucose, there is cascade of hormonal signals that stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin and put the unused glucose back into the cell where it will stay until the body requires it. High glucose levels can put the person in danger of diabetic ketoacidosis. Excessively low levels of blood glucose can be just as dangerous as in hypoglycemia. The acceptable range of blood glucose levels considered optimum range between 90-120 mg/dl. The diagnoses of diabetes require blood tests for confirmation. Usually one of the following blood tests are done;

1. Fasting Plasma glucose level exceeding 126 mg/dl

2. Random, or casual, plasma glucose exceeding 200mg/dl, with the inclusion of the signs and symptoms of Type I Diabetes.

3. Two hour Oral Glucose Tolerance Test level exceeding 200mg/dl using a glucose load of 75mg.

Type II Diabetes is by far the most prevalent in those people diagnosed with diabetes. Also, certain populations have a predisposition to diabetes more so than others. Native Americans, Hispanics and African Americans appear to have higher rates of Type II diabetes than their non-Hispanic white counterparts.

The signs and symptoms of diabetes can differ depending on whether the person is Type I or Type II. For Type I diabetics, the symptoms include, polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (excessive thirst), and polyphagia (excessive hunger) as well as weight loss, weakness and fatigue. The signs and symptoms of Type II Diabetes are not as obvious as Type I. In Type II Diabetics, the onset is later in life. Also, their pancreas is still producing some endogenous insulin. Therefore, their symptoms are not as detectable. Symptoms include, delayed wound healing, peripheral neuropathy (decreased sensation or pain in extremities), fatigue and visual changes. or Diabetes, just like hypertension is a disease that must be treated for life. Diabetics who take proper care of themselves can live long healthy lives into their nineties.

References:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_cell

2. Lewis, Heitkemper, Dirksen, Medical surgical Nursing 6th ed., Mosby, copyright 2004, pg. 1270-1273.

The nursing entrance test study guide provides nurses the assistance they need with the nursing entrance test. The nursing study guide helps nurses. Visit http://www.thenetstudyguide.com for more information.

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Diabetic Information – Be Careful Where You Get Your Diabetes Info

Technorati Tags: Diabetic Information, Pre-Diabetic

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