Diabetes and the Flu Shot

After my previous post, I thought it might be a good time to discuss prevention of illness for those with diabetes – get a flu shot (not the nasal spray) AND a pneumonia shot.Although the flu shot isn’t guaranteed to prevent you from getting the flu, it will make it more difficult for you to catch it for six months. Talk to your doctor about how often you need a pneumonia shot – for most people, they only need to get one to protect for a lifetime.

Facts from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention:

• People with diabetes are three times more likely to die from flu complications than people without diabetes.
• Death rates from pneumonia and influenza among African-Americans with diabetes are double the death rates among whites with diabetes.
• Last year during the H1N1 pandemic, one out of every four people hospitalized with the flu had diabetes.
• Being sick in general can cause your blood sugar to rise.
• Diabetes can weaken the immune system causing those to contract the flu to get very sick and possibly require hospitalization.
•  If you do get the flu, make sure to keep taking your diabetes medication or insulin, even if you can’t eat.

It’s also a good idea for people that you live with or have close contact with, to get the flu shot as well. It will help decrease your chances of getting the flu.

In addition to getting the flu shot, there are simple steps that you can take to help prevent getting the flu.

• Wash your hands, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Don’t touch your face (including your eyes).

• Stay away from close contact with those who have the flu or pneumonia

If you have the flu, follow the above steps to avoid spreading the flu. Additionally:

• When coughing or sneezing, do so into your sleeve.
• Stay home from school or work if you can.
• Test your blood sugar often (every four hours).  As mentioned above, being sick in general can cause blood sugar to rise.

And one last thing – you CANNOT get the flu from the flu shot (or pneumonia from the pneumonia shot). That is an erroneous rumor. Read more about misconceptions here.

For more information on diabetes and the flu, visit www.cdc.gov/flu/diabetes