Managing diabetes can be difficult during crises such as earthquakes or storms, so how can a patient manage diabetes during these times?
Natural disasters, disease outbreaks and other emergencies can occur at any moment, and can cause widespread and long-lasting impacts on health care supplies, services and systems. Emergencies can be stressful because we often feel like things are out of our control, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The American Centers offers the following advice to diabetics:
Firstly. Place your medical information in a sealed plastic bag, including:
Copies of any prescriptions, including prescriptions for eye health. The current doses and times you take your medications. Insulin-to-carbohydrate ratio, insulin sensitivity factor, target blood sugar, pharmacy, doctor’s name, address, and phone number. The brand, model, and serial number of your insulin pump or continuous glucose monitor. A copy of your photo ID and health insurance card.
secondly. Prepare enough diabetes supplies to last at least one to two weeks, including:
Insulin and syringes. Blood sugar measuring device. Extra batteries for your blood glucose meter and insulin pump. Acupuncture devices and scalpels. Insulin pump supplies, including additional pump sets and insertion devices. Glucagon group, which is an injection given to treat severe hypoglycemia. Ketone strips. Alcohol wipes. Glucose tablets or 15 grams of fast carbohydrates (such as juice, hard candy, or honey) to treat low blood sugar. Oral diabetes medication. An empty plastic bottle or sharps container to safely hold syringes, needles, and scalpels.
Make sure you store your supplies properly according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and also check the expiration dates of your supplies every few months. Anything that is about to expire, replace it with new supplies.
Third. Take care of your mental health
Disasters and emergencies can affect your health. Take care of your mental health during emergencies, so you can help yourself and your family. If you are able, reach out to family, friends and your community to care for each other.
Children will also have strong emotions during and after an emergency. Learn how you can help children deal with these situations.
Fourthly. Find a shelter that meets your needs
If you have to go to a shelter during an emergency, find one that can meet your medical needs. When you arrive at the shelter, tell the people in charge about your diabetes and any other conditions, to help you with medical care and to store medications such as insulin.
Pay attention to the following cases:
Its most important symptoms are:
Shiver. Hunger. Exhaustion. Vertigo or dizziness. Confusion or agitation. Accelerated heartbeat. Headache. Inability to see or speak clearly.
Dealing with hypoglycemia
Check your glucose. If it’s less than 70 mg/dL, eat 15-20 grams of carbohydrate (4 ounces or 1/2 cup of fruit juice), 1 tablespoon sugar, 3-4 glucose tablets, etc.) Retest glucose after 15 minutes. Repeat until glucose returns To normalize severe hypoglycemia (54 mg/dL) requires assistance from another person. It often cannot be treated with oral carbohydrates due to unconsciousness, and may require access to glucagon.
Increase diabetes level in the blood
Its most important symptoms are:
Frequent urination, dry skin, dizziness, nausea, and blurred vision
Dealing with high blood sugar
Check your blood sugar every 2-4 hours. Continue to take your diabetes medications as prescribed. Drink plenty of sugar-free fluids to prevent dehydration. Eat your usual meal plan (if possible) to prevent hypoglycemia. Check for ketones in your urine if you have type 1 diabetes and/or blood sugar is more than 250 mg/dL.
2023-09-09 10:32:52
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