How To Live Alone And With Diabetes

Living alone with diabetes could be very challenging, especially considering the fact that the individual’s health could fluctuate from time to time. Usually there is the possibility of the individual suffering from either hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia, if his condition is not properly monitored and controlled.

These two problems that the patient is likely to face, makes it particularly challenging if he lives alone, with no one to help should there be any emergency. The person needs therefore, to be extremely careful how he goes about his activities of daily living, so as not to be caught napping by these problems.

In order to successfully live alone with this problem, the individual needs to equip himself with the following guidelines:

1.Must be able to take and interpret readings: Ability to test urine samples and interpret the results helps the individual to understand when there is a change in his blood glucose level. This knowledge is needed to enable him understand when to seek medical assistance before a complication sets in. It also helps him to know if the drugs he is taking are actually controlling the disease or not.

2.Be familiar with signs and symptoms: The individual also needs to be familiar with the signs and symptoms of his condition, and the warning signs of an impending danger. The warnings would always remind him of what needs to be done in order to prevent a major problem. For instance, he has to understand that tremor, nervousness, headache and hunger, are some of the warning signs of hypoglycaemia; and that he needs to take his meals or some cubes of sugar to prevent it immediately.

3.Have his drugs/glucose available: He also needs to have his drugs readily available in case he needs to take them. There are times when he needs to take his insulin for example, to prevent hypoglycemia. It could be very dangerous if he suddenly realizes he has run out of drugs when there is an impending crisis. Besides, he should have some glucose available, which he might need should he over work himself or mistakenly take an overdose of insulin, or when he discovers he has some of the warning signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia.

4.Eat prescribed diet: The individual needs to faithfully adhere to the prescribed food regimen, since they help to put his condition under control.

5.Exercise/work in moderation: He should understand that he lives alone, and that over working or over-exercising himself could pose a danger to his health. He should therefore watch his level of work or exercise, knowing full well that help may not readily come should he become exhausted or go into hypoglycaemic coma.

6.Protect his extremities: He must prevent injuries to his extremities by protecting them. He should always wear good fitting shoes to prevent cuts to his toes or feet, which could become infected and gangrenous if not properly handled. He may find it difficult to cope with such problem since he lives alone.

7.Have his doctor’s phone number: He must have his doctor’s phone number in case he needs to call him if there is any problem.

When these rules or guidelines are followed, it becomes easier for one to live alone with diabetes, without necessarily endangering his life.