2008 Consumer’s Guide to Diabetes <strong>Product</strong>s HYPOGLYCEMIA TREATMENT The pills or insulin that help you manage your diabetes are invaluable aids, to be sure. But unlike the insulin your body produces, medications don’t know when to stop working! As a result, people who take insulin or certain of the oral medications for diabetes need to be aware of the possibility of hypoglycemia (or low blood glucose), which is a reading of lower than 4.0 mmol/L. Symptoms of low blood glucose may include any of the following: ■ Trembling ■ Palpitations ■ Sweating ■ Anxiety ■ Hunger ■ Nausea ■ Headache ■ Tiredness If you experience these symptoms, check your blood glucose level right away. If you can’t check, treat for low blood glucose levels anyway, by taking one of the following (all of which offer 15 grams of carbohydrate): ■ 15 mL (1 tablespoon) or 3 packets of table sugar dissolved in water ■ 175 mL ( 3 ⁄4 cup) of juice or regular (not diet) soft drink ■ 6 Life Savers (1=2.5 grams of carbohydrate) ■ 15 mL (1 tablespoon) of honey Wait 15 minutes, then check your blood glucose CHECK COVERAGE ONLINE The financial burden of managing diabetes is often a heavy one, particularly for those who rely on government health plans rather than private insurance. Coverage of diabetes supplies varies widely from one provincial health plan to another. To help you determine whether the supplies you need are covered by your provincial or territorial drug plan, the Canadian Diabetes Association has created a province-byprovince list of coverage provisions and access to diabetes medications and supplies. Please visit www.diabetes.ca/section_advocacy/advcoveragecomp.asp, or visit www.diabetes.ca again. If it’s still less than 4.0 mmol/L, treat again with another 15 grams of carbohydrate, wait 15 minutes and retest. Repeat until your blood glucose level is greater than 4.0 mmol/L. If you aren’t planning a meal for at least an hour, or if you are going to exercise, or do housework or yardwork that requires moderate to vigorous activity, eat half a sandwich or some cheese and crackers.The snack will provide you with the protein and 15 grams of carbohydrate that you need to prevent the low blood glucose from recurring. If you don’t treat your low blood glucose, your thinking might become impaired. If you become confused, weak, dizzy and/or experience double vision, you are approaching a true emergency. Some people with diabetes do not recognize symptoms of hypoglycemia. Friends or family may notice behaviour changes (e.g. confusion, irritability). If left untreated, low blood glucose may become severe and you will be unable to treat the low blood glucose by yourself.To ensure that you get the help you need if you are unable to treat your low blood glucose, tell the people in your daily life that you have diabetes, and always wear a MedicAlert bracelet or necklace. TIP Make and keep appointments with your dietitian, an important member of the diabetes healthcare team. 30 2008 CONSUMER’S GUIDE TO DIABETES PRODUCTS and type “diabetes supplies” in the search box. You can claim the cost of insulin, needles, test tapes, test tablets and other devices that have been prescribed by a medical practitioner. (You cannot, however, claim such items as scales for weighing yourself or your food, as these don’t qualify as medical expenses.) You can also claim certain travel expenses depending on your specific circumstances, such as whether you must travel at least 40 km for treatment. Detailed <strong>information</strong> can be obtained at the Canada Revenue Agency website (www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ E/pub/tp/it519r2-consolid/it519r2-consolid-e.pdf ).
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