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Prepare

Before You Get Sick

Collect the numbers, lists, and written instructions now, while you feel well enough to ask for them.

Almost nothing on a sick day is hard except finding things: the after-hours number, the current medicine list, the instructions someone gave you at a visit two years ago. This section is about assembling those in advance, and about the one thing you cannot assemble alone — written sick-day instructions from your own care team.

Guides in this section

Get Ready for Sick Days with a Written Plan How do I organize for a sick day if I have type 2 diabetes?
Depends on your own plan
How to Ask Your Care Team for a Sick-Day Plan How do I ask my care team to write me a sick-day plan?
Depends on your own plan
Best Places to Keep Your Sick-Day Plan Where should I keep my sick-day plan so I can actually find it?
Depends on your own plan
Creating a Sick-Day Supply Box for Easy Access What should I gather into one place before I get sick?
Depends on your own plan
Keeping Your Care Team Contact List Updated Who should be on my contact list before I get sick, and how do I keep it current?
General education
Creating an Accurate Medicine List for Easy Sharing How do I make a medicine list I can hand over when I am unwell?
Depends on your own plan
Preparing Your Device Manuals and Supplies What should I check about my meter, monitor, and supplies before I am ill?
General education
Handling Illness with Type 2 Diabetes: Planning Your Sick Day How can I organize my day when feeling unwell and manage my type 2 diabetes?
Depends on your own plan
Managing Your Sick Day with Type 2 Diabetes How can I organize my day with type 2 diabetes when I'm sick?
Depends on your own plan
Preparing for a Type 1 Diabetes Screening Discussion How can I prepare for a discussion on T1D risk screening with my care team?
General education
Discussing Inflammation Management with Your Care Provider How can you prepare to discuss inflammation management with your care team?
General education
Organizing Your Day: Discussing Statin Side Effects How can I prepare to discuss statin side effects with my care team?
Depends on your own plan
Open the sick-day log Open the plan template

If this feels like an emergency, stop reading. In the United States, call 911 or your local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency department.