Major Types of Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes
Pre-Diabetes
Additional Resources
Type 2 Diabetes - Common Concerns

When You Are Sick
Being sick can make your blood glucose (sugar) level go up very high. It can also cause serious conditions that can put you in a coma. The best way to prevent a minor illness from becoming a major problem is to work out a plan of action for sick days ahead of time. When you're sick, you're under stress. To deal with this stress, your body releases hormones that help it fight disease. But these hormones have side effects. They raise blood sugar levels and interfere with the blood sugar-lowering effects of insulin. As a result, when you are sick, it is harder to keep your blood sugar in your target range.

When sick, you will still need to continue medicine for your diabetes. Even if you are throwing up, don't stop your medicines. You need them because your body makes extra glucose (sugar) when you are sick. You may want to take extra medicines when you are sick. For example, if you have a cold, you may want to take a cough medicine. Always check the label of over-the-counter medicines before you buy them to see if they have sugar. Small doses of medicines with sugar are usually okay. But to be on the safe side, ask the pharmacist or your team about sugar-free medicines. Many medicines you take for short-term illnesses can affect your blood sugar levels, even if they don't contain sugar. For example, aspirin in large doses can lower blood sugar levels. Some antibiotics lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes who take diabetes pills. Decongestants and some products for treating colds raise blood sugar levels.

Eating and drinking can be a big problem when you're sick. But it's important to stick to your normal meal plan if you can. In addition to your normal meals, drink lots of non-caloric liquids to keep from getting dehydrated. These are liquids like water and diet soft drinks. It's easy to run low on fluids when you are vomiting or have a fever or diarrhea. Extra fluids will also help get rid of the extra sugar (and possibly, ketones) in your blood. Prepare a plan for sick days in advance. Work with your doctor, or a diabetes educator. The plan will include when to call your diabetes team, how often to measure blood sugar and urine ketones, what medicines to take, and how to eat.

Immunization Shots
Having the flu can be dangerous for anyone. But it is extra risky for people with diabetes or other chronic health problems. In general, every person with diabetes needs a flu shot each year. Talk with your doctor about having a flu shot. Flu shots do not give 100% protection, but they do make it much harder for you to catch the flu for about 6 months. For extra safety, it's a good idea for the people you live with or spend a lot of time with to get a flu shot, too. You are less likely to get the flu if the people around you don't have it.The best time to get your flu shot is beginning in September. The shot takes about two weeks to take effect. If you have a cold or other respiratory illness, wait until you are healthy again before having your flu shot. And don't get a flu shot if you are allergic to eggs.

People with diabetes are about 3 times more likely to die with flu and pneumonia. Yet only one-third of them ever get a simple, safe pneumonia shot. A pneumonia shot is recommended for anyone aged 2 or older who, because of chronic health problems (such as diabetes) or age, has a greater chance of getting and dying with pneumonia. A pneumonia shot can also protect you from other infections caused by the same bacteria. You can get a pneumonia shot anytime during the year. For most people, one shot is enough protection for a lifetime. People under 65 who have a chronic illness or a weakened immune system should ask their doctor about getting another shot 5-10 years after their first one.

Emotional Concerns
Anger
Diabetes is the perfect breeding ground for anger. Anger can start at diagnosis with the question, "Why me?" You may dwell on how unfair diabetes is: "I'm so angry at this disease! I don't want to treat it. I don't want to control it. I hate it!" One reason diabetes and anger so often go hand in hand is that diabetes can make you feel threatened. Life with diabetes can seem full of dangers - insulin reactions or complications. When you fear these threats, anger often surges to your defense. While it's true that out-of-control anger can cause more harm than good, that's only part of the story. Anger can also help you assert and protect yourself. You can learn to use your anger. You can even put it to work for better diabetes care.

Depression
At any given time, most people with diabetes do not have depression. But studies show that people with diabetes have a greater risk of depression than people without diabetes. There are no easy answers about why this is true. The stress of daily diabetes management can build. You may feel alone or set apart from your friends and family because of all this extra work. If you face diabetes complications such as nerve damage, or if you are having trouble keeping your blood sugar levels where you'd like, you may feel like you're losing control of your diabetes. Even tension between you and your doctor may make you feel frustrated and sad. Just like denial, depression can get you into a vicious cycle. It can block good diabetes self-care.

Denial
Denial is that voice inside repeating: "Not me." Most people go through denial when they are first diagnosed with diabetes. "I don't believe it. There must be some mistake," they say. That first reaction is not the real problem. In fact, it's so common that some doctors think it's part of the process of accepting the diagnosis. The trouble comes when you keep on denying your diabetes. Long-term denial stops you from learning what you need to know to keep yourself healthy.

Discrimination
The American Diabetes Association is committed to ending discrimination against children and adults with diabetes by providing information and assistance to people with diabetes and their advocates. We use a four-step process to end discrimination: educate, negotiate, litigate, and legislate. This page provides links to a great deal of information that can help people facing discrimination, their lawyers, health care providers, and other advocates. ADA has additional written materials available by calling 1-800-DIABETES. If you are being discriminated against because of diabetes at work, at school, by the police or in correctional institutions, or in public places, you can request assistance from the American Diabetes Association by calling 1-800-DIABETES. A representative will send you helpful information and will send you a form to request help from one the Association's Legal Advocates.