How to Help a Friend Deal With Diabetes (Type 1)

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: For your friend using insulin: learn symptoms

   Terms: (1) "gly·ce·mi·a"
   -- noun
   -- the presence of glucose (simple sugar) in the blood. (2) "hyp-o-glycemia"
   -- low blood sugar ("hypo" means low). (3) "hyp-er-glycemia"
   -- high blood sugar ("hyper" means high, syn. super).
2. 2

   Step 2: when to treat

   Why? The patient: (1) may have had too much insulin, and it keeps moving sugar out of the blood, into cells as sugar (or some sugar that was changed into fat was moved into fat-cells), (2) or because of "over-exercising" the body used available insulin/and sugar and is "out of fuel"
   
   or (3) not enough food was eaten for the amount of insulin in the dose used.Adjusting:
   Your friend always needs to try to balance the amount of insulin used to the expected exercise and how much and what kind of foods are appropriate.
   
   Ask how to adjust insulin, food and snacks as instructed by their doctor or parents.
   
   Usually sugary snacks are: one small serving of fruit juice, glucose tablets, a little sugar, or a few sugary candies/sweets (such as fruit pastilles or jelly babies) that can quickly supply sugar, neutralizing the symptoms of hypoglycemia.
   
   Do NOT give your friend chocolate, crackers, biscuits or so on if they are hypo (usually under
   4.0).
   
   These are slow-release carbohydrates and s/he needs fast release carbohydrates.
   
   Treat as instructed by the doctor and parents. , When your friend has some of the symptoms, they help both of you to identify the dangers of hypoglycemia. (Also, more general feelings of: depression, fear, mood swings, temper outbursts, confusion, sadness and crying may indicate low blood sugar condition, as well.) Learn when, how and why to
   - "test, treat, wait, re-test".
   
   Typical treatment, after each testing that showed low sugar, is with one of the sugary snacks.
   
   Wait the correct number of minutes, as instructed by doctor or parents, after the snack
   -- before re-testing.
   
   If your friend still has low sugar after waiting and re-testing, then treat again, wait and test again.
3. 3

   Step 3: while following doctors' and parents' instructions for a low blood sugar attack -- be ready to help

4. 4

   Step 4: if possible.

5. 5

   Step 5: "Low" blood sugar (hypoglycemia) attack: realize it can quickly cause sickness

6. 6

   Step 6: harm cells and organs

7. 7

   Step 7: and become life-threatening -- when the patient needs to raise blood sugar.

8. 8

   Step 8: Know when to test and treat by looking for the many symptoms (signs) of deadly serious "low" blood sugar: feeling sick

9. 9

   Step 9: fatigue (unusual tiredness)

10. 10

    Step 10: weakness

11. 11

    Step 11: dizziness

12. 12

    Step 12: forgetfulness

13. 13

    Step 13: nervousness

14. 14

    Step 14: anxiety

15. 15

    Step 15: fainting

16. 16

    Step 16: insomnia

17. 17

    Step 17: sweating

18. 18

    Step 18: hunger and confusion.

Detailed Guide

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