MAINTAINING GOOD DIABETIC CONTROL: REMINDERS ON EQUIPMENT AND MORE
Your equipment
You should have:
1. Blood testing kit. Lancets, automatic pricker, platforms for pricker, if needed. Blood testing strips, in date, enough; water bottle if needed; watch with second hand. Meter, correctly calibrated, with battery charged. Meter cleaned regularly as recommended by the manufacturer.
2. Urine testing kit. Tablets or strips, in date, enough; test tubes and droppers, clean, and not cracked.
3. Insulin injection kit. Syringes, disposable, enough and to spare, correct markings for your insulin strength; glass (if used) – two, sterile, not sticking or loose, not cracked; needles, disposable or reusable, enough and to spare. Pen-pump, correctly set, batteries charged; enough vials or syringes and to spare; enough tubing and needles and to spare; help telephone number day or night.
4. Diabetes travel pack ready for action.
5. Diabetic card with your current insulin dose, address and diabetic clinic written on it. Telephone number to contact diabetes adviser.
6. Diabetic diary.
Yourself
1. Feet: wash every night and dry carefully; treat injuries promptly. Your doctor should check your feet at least once a year.
2. Vision: report changes, for example, in reading the newspaper, seeing road signs. Eyes: full visual acuity check and examination with an ophthalmoscope after dilating drops by an expert, once a year; more often if you have retinopathy.
3. Blood pressure measurement every time you see a doctor.
4. Blood fats measurement, fasting, at least once every year; more often if raised.
5. Arteries: foot pulses checked by your doctor at least once a year.
6. Heart: electrocardiogram at least once for the over thirties, and if you have chest pains.
7. Kidneys: a urine protein test, infection screen, and blood creatinine level test at least once a year; more often if you have protein in your urine.
8. Sensation: your doctor should check for sensory changes (especially in your feet) once a year.
9. Injection sites: change them frequently and look at them every time you inject. Your doctor or nurse should check them every time you go to the clinic.
The above are one doctor’s suggestions for a minimum diabetic care plan. Your diabetic adviser may have different views, so discuss them with him.
Remember: you control your diabetes – it does not control you.
*122/102/5*
DIABETES
