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Advice around illness and type 1

S

SamanthaJaye

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
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Just looking for some advice I’ve been diagnosed 2 years with Type 1 diabetes and hashimotos. In my first year I didn’t seem to be as prone to illness as the latter year. Since October 2024 I’m constantly recurring with colds/coughs and just wondered if anyone else has experienced the same? It’s impacting my sugars which is becoming harder for me to manage and the doctors just don’t seem concerned and have passed it off. Anyone else experienced this? and any advice you could give that would help is greatly appreciated.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum.

I don't know much about Hashimotos other than it is another autoimmune condition and if I remember correctly is treated with steroids? Hopefully someone will correct me if I am wrong. As a Type 1 I don't find I am prone to more illness than I was before and indeed up to last year I actually had far less colds and viruses than I did before diagnosis 6 years ago, but January and February this year I made up for it and had 2 in a month. The first was relatively normal and I powered through it but the second a couple of weeks later took me a good 3 weeks and my breathing was affected as well being snotty for ages. I suspect that second one may have been Covid but I was out of Lateral Flow tests, so I just kept myself to myself until it had gone.

The important thing with diabetes is to manage it as well as you can and particularly through the illness to help your body recover quickly because high BG levels are likely to foster bacteria and potentially lead to secondary infections. Did you find that your BG levels increased when you were ill or are you one of those people whose levels decrease during illness? Have you done a DAFNE course and do you have sick day rules which consist of a flow chart to help you manage your levels more effectively during illness?
Generally I need to increase my insulin and I increase both my basal and bolus but I have one of the shorter acting basal insulins (Levemir) which gives me the flexibility to increase and decrease on a more or less day by day basis, whereas other longer acting basal insulins like Tresiba need 3 days to fully effect any changes in dose and can leave you dropping low when you come to the end of your illness and need to reduce the dose back down, so I think some people just manage their high levels with corrections of fast acting insulin until they are well again.

As I said, I am not sure how Hashimoto's would impact your immune system and if it could potentially make you more vulnerable to catching viruses and fighting them off once you have caught one. I think @Pumper_Sue has Hashimotos and Type 1, so may have a better insight but she doesn't post very frequently on the forum these days.
 
In my experience, I am no more prone to illness in the last 20 years since being diagnosed with diabetes.
However, illness can play havoc with my BG. Typically, illness increases my BG. An increased BG heightens the symptoms of my illness. Worse illness symptoms increase my BG further. ...
So, the "trick" is to reduced BG. Then the symptoms are not as bad and recover is easier.
Unfortunately, it feels like only members of the Magic Circle can master this "trick".
I need to increase my basal. But by how much, is a bit of trial and error - enough to bring BG down but not too much to cause hypos. I tend to start with an increase of about 15% and see how it goes. This is easier with an insulin pump (I can increase my basal every 30 minutes) but it is achievable with slow acting insulin. Obviously, the shorter slow acting insulins are easier than the very long acting, inflexible ones, like Tresiba.
I tend not to increase my bolus insulin to carb ratios because illness usually puts me off food. But I do make more bolus corrections.

The other thing to be aware of is ketones - when we are ill, especially when BG is higher, we are more susceptible to ketones. It is recommended to test if your BG is above 15 for prolonged periods. When I am ill, I test ketones at a lower BG level (about 12) to be safe. Bringing BG down will also reduce ketones.

I hope you feel better soon and that this is just a viral thing you are struggling to shake - there has been quite a lot going around.
 
SamanthaJaye said:
Just looking for some advice I’ve been diagnosed 2 years with Type 1 diabetes and hashimotos. In my first year I didn’t seem to be as prone to illness as the latter year. Since October 2024 I’m constantly recurring with colds/coughs and just wondered if anyone else has experienced the same? It’s impacting my sugars which is becoming harder for me to manage and the doctors just don’t seem concerned and have passed it off. Anyone else experienced this? and any advice you could give that would help is greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Hi I use a qualified Herbal Medicine practitioner. Found through their on line Associaiton , a freind works for them. For me i take personalised herbal remedy every day from Sept - Jan. In 2025 this will need adjusting rom Sept - March as i had severe infection this month. Prior to that free from illness since 2016 Check out the website and speak to a member near U to check the suitability.
 
rebrascora said:
Hi and welcome to the forum.

I don't know much about Hashimotos other than it is another autoimmune condition and if I remember correctly is treated with steroids? Hopefully someone will correct me if I am wrong. As a Type 1 I don't find I am prone to more illness than I was before and indeed up to last year I actually had far less colds and viruses than I did before diagnosis 6 years ago, but January and February this year I made up for it and had 2 in a month. The first was relatively normal and I powered through it but the second a couple of weeks later took me a good 3 weeks and my breathing was affected as well being snotty for ages. I suspect that second one may have been Covid but I was out of Lateral Flow tests, so I just kept myself to myself until it had gone.

The important thing with diabetes is to manage it as well as you can and particularly through the illness to help your body recover quickly because high BG levels are likely to foster bacteria and potentially lead to secondary infections. Did you find that your BG levels increased when you were ill or are you one of those people whose levels decrease during illness? Have you done a DAFNE course and do you have sick day rules which consist of a flow chart to help you manage your levels more effectively during illness?
Generally I need to increase my insulin and I increase both my basal and bolus but I have one of the shorter acting basal insulins (Levemir) which gives me the flexibility to increase and decrease on a more or less day by day basis, whereas other longer acting basal insulins like Tresiba need 3 days to fully effect any changes in dose and can leave you dropping low when you come to the end of your illness and need to reduce the dose back down, so I think some people just manage their high levels with corrections of fast acting insulin until they are well again.

As I said, I am not sure how Hashimoto's would impact your immune system and if it could potentially make you more vulnerable to catching viruses and fighting them off once you have caught one. I think @Pumper_Sue has Hashimotos and Type 1, so may have a better insight but she doesn't post very frequently on the forum these days.
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Hi and yeah it’s treated with levothyroxine, I adhere to sick day rules and I do find every time I become unwell I’m having to adjust insulin doses as there is a rise in BG levels , Thankyou for all your help it’s much appreciated!
 
helli said:
In my experience, I am no more prone to illness in the last 20 years since being diagnosed with diabetes.
However, illness can play havoc with my BG. Typically, illness increases my BG. An increased BG heightens the symptoms of my illness. Worse illness symptoms increase my BG further. ...
So, the "trick" is to reduced BG. Then the symptoms are not as bad and recover is easier.
Unfortunately, it feels like only members of the Magic Circle can master this "trick".
I need to increase my basal. But by how much, is a bit of trial and error - enough to bring BG down but not too much to cause hypos. I tend to start with an increase of about 15% and see how it goes. This is easier with an insulin pump (I can increase my basal every 30 minutes) but it is achievable with slow acting insulin. Obviously, the shorter slow acting insulins are easier than the very long acting, inflexible ones, like Tresiba.
I tend not to increase my bolus insulin to carb ratios because illness usually puts me off food. But I do make more bolus corrections.

The other thing to be aware of is ketones - when we are ill, especially when BG is higher, we are more susceptible to ketones. It is recommended to test if your BG is above 15 for prolonged periods. When I am ill, I test ketones at a lower BG level (about 12) to be safe. Bringing BG down will also reduce ketones.

I hope you feel better soon and that this is just a viral thing you are struggling to shake - there has been quite a lot going around.
Click to expand...
Thankyou for all your help it’s so appreciated!
 
@SamanthaJaye I haven’t had type 1 for that long but I have had a couple of other autoimmune diseases (psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis) for many years. I used to get coughs and colds all the time until I went on immunosuppressants for the arthritis in 2018. My theory (and it’s just a theory) is that my immune system was so busy attacking my skin and joints that it kind of forgot about what it was supposed to be doing. Now I’m on immunosuppressants and my immune system is, I assume, more regulated, I actually seem to get sick far less often. I don’t know whether there’s any merit to my theory but I wanted to let you know that I can empathise.

Something that may be worth looking into is your vitamin D level? I believe as people with autoimmune diseases we are more likely to be deficient, and that lower levels can make people more prone to getting sick (hopefully someone can correct me on that if I’m wrong). Hope things settle for you soon!
 
Was a long while ago but yeah - I had horrific colds (lasted months) until I was 30+ then suddenly stopped having them. Then spent the next 30 years in exceedingly good health until I was in my mid 60s, when the previous 6 decades started to catch up with me. 🙂
 
trophywench said:
Was a long while ago but yeah - I had horrific colds (lasted months) until I was 30+ then suddenly stopped having them. Then spent the next 30 years in exceedingly good health until I was in my mid 60s, when the previous 6 decades started to catch up with me. 🙂
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Thankyou!
 
TwilightMidna said:
@SamanthaJaye I haven’t had type 1 for that long but I have had a couple of other autoimmune diseases (psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis) for many years. I used to get coughs and colds all the time until I went on immunosuppressants for the arthritis in 2018. My theory (and it’s just a theory) is that my immune system was so busy attacking my skin and joints that it kind of forgot about what it was supposed to be doing. Now I’m on immunosuppressants and my immune system is, I assume, more regulated, I actually seem to get sick far less often. I don’t know whether there’s any merit to my theory but I wanted to let you know that I can empathise.

Something that may be worth looking into is your vitamin D level? I believe as people with autoimmune diseases we are more likely to be deficient, and that lower levels can make people more prone to getting sick (hopefully someone can correct me on that if I’m wrong). Hope things settle for you soon!
Click to expand...
Thankyou so much for your advice!
 
rebrascora said:
Hi and welcome to the forum.

I don't know much about Hashimotos other than it is another autoimmune condition and if I remember correctly is treated with steroids? Hopefully someone will correct me if I am wrong. As a Type 1 I don't find I am prone to more illness than I was before and indeed up to last year I actually had far less colds and viruses than I did before diagnosis 6 years ago, but January and February this year I made up for it and had 2 in a month. The first was relatively normal and I powered through it but the second a couple of weeks later took me a good 3 weeks and my breathing was affected as well being snotty for ages. I suspect that second one may have been Covid but I was out of Lateral Flow tests, so I just kept myself to myself until it had gone.

The important thing with diabetes is to manage it as well as you can and particularly through the illness to help your body recover quickly because high BG levels are likely to foster bacteria and potentially lead to secondary infections. Did you find that your BG levels increased when you were ill or are you one of those people whose levels decrease during illness? Have you done a DAFNE course and do you have sick day rules which consist of a flow chart to help you manage your levels more effectively during illness?
Generally I need to increase my insulin and I increase both my basal and bolus but I have one of the shorter acting basal insulins (Levemir) which gives me the flexibility to increase and decrease on a more or less day by day basis, whereas other longer acting basal insulins like Tresiba need 3 days to fully effect any changes in dose and can leave you dropping low when you come to the end of your illness and need to reduce the dose back down, so I think some people just manage their high levels with corrections of fast acting insulin until they are well again.

As I said, I am not sure how Hashimoto's would impact your immune system and if it could potentially make you more vulnerable to catching viruses and fighting them off once you have caught one. I think @Pumper_Sue has Hashimotos and Type 1, so may have a better insight but she doesn't post very frequently on the forum these days.
Click to expand...
No I don't have Hashimotos. It's something to do with the thyroid. I have the common underactive thyroid 🙂 Neither conditions are treated with steroids.
 
Sorry to hear you’ve had a procession of lurgies @SamanthaJaye

Hope things are easier for you as the weather warms and we can spend more time out and about.

Hopefully it’s just random - there do seem to have been a bunch of really nasty infections in circulation this winter :(
 
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