Q. I’m going to see
my doctor in a few weeks. Should I ask for
a flu shot?
A. You should definitely speak to your doctor
about this. Having the flu can be dangerous for anyone, but it is especially risky
for people with diabetes and other chronic health problems. The National Foundation for Infectious
Diseases recently reported that despite the fact that the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and the American Diabetes Association urge people with
diabetes to get yearly flu shots, very few get them. The injections don’t give
100 percent protection, but they should make it more difficult for you to catch
the flu. For extra safety, ask those around you to get shots too. You are less
likely to get the flu if the people around you don't have it.
Q. Can type 2 diabetes
turn into type 1?
Type 2 never turns into type 1 and visa
versa. Type 1 is an autoimmune
disease which attacks the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas and
quickly halts all insulin production. On
the other hand, most people who have type 2 initially produce plenty of
insulin, but their bodies ignore it or don't use it properly. There is a
slow-developing form of type 1 that is often mistakenly diagnosed as type 2 in
its early stages. It is known as type 1.5. Treatments for all of these types of
diabetes are similar - healthy eating, exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and
medication (if needed).
Q. Every time I open
a new container of test strips, several don’t work at all – they are total
duds. Is this common? Why is it happening so often?
A. This is not
common. Take a careful look at how you
handle the strips. Glucose monitor test
strips are very sensitive and can be damaged if you don't store or use them
correctly. Here are some guidelines:
- Toss strips out
after their expiration date.
- Replace the cap as
quickly as possible.
- Keep them in a dry
location - never in the bathroom.
- Don't store them in
a sunny area or near heat.
- Don't touch the end
that is going to receive blood until it is time to use it.
- Don’t push too hard
when you put a strip into your meter or you will receive an error reading.
-
If this problem continues to occur, try a different meter.
*please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diabetes regimen.
- For more great articles by Janis Roszler, visit the e-version of our magazine at walgreensdiabetes.com
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