Covid19

[Jane50]

With all the deaths of recent days, it is still worrying how a diabetic will cope if they also have hypertension and high cholesterol levels, and blood glucose levels that fluctuate

 

[Tim Aylesbury]

Hi Jane,

There does not seem to be much mention of hypertension and high cholesterol, I have all three related conditions, Type 2 Diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol managed by primarily by medication along with changes in lifestyle in moderation. I think it would be useful to hear from other's who have or more of these conditions on how they are coping with the threat of Covid 19. Regards. Tim.

 

[Drummer]

One thing which is reported by labs in China is that in the initial stages of C 19 cholesterol levels fall - then rise again during recovery.
I don't think that any conclusions can be drawn yet but having the cholesterol available might be a good thing - perhaps you wouldn't want to run out at such a time.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I think many people who are living with long term conditions are worried @Jane50 - and some of that worry is justified. But it’s important not to become overly anxious.

I think the more stable you can keep your BG the better, so perhaps now is a good time to revisit diabetes education (eg the online BERTIE course http://www.bertieonline.org.uk/ ) or something like the DTN Libre education videos if you use Libre?

I think the most important thing we can do is be scrupulous about washing hands, and to carefully keep to the social distancing recommendations (2m being a minumum) and go out as few times as possible, with as few shopping trips as you can manage.

 

[Jane50]

I think many people who are living with long term conditions are worried @Jane50 - and some of that worry is justified. But it’s important not to become overly anxious.

I think the more stable you can keep your BG the better, so perhaps now is a good time to revisit diabetes education (eg the online BERTIE course http://www.bertieonline.org.uk/ ) or something like the DTN Libre education videos if you use Libre?

I think the most important thing we can do is be scrupulous about washing hands, and to carefully keep to the social distancing recommendations (2m being a minumum) and go out as few times as possible, with as few shopping trips as you can manage.

The

I think many people who are living with long term conditions are worried @Jane50 - and some of that worry is justified. But it’s important not to become overly anxious.

I think the more stable you can keep your BG the better, so perhaps now is a good time to revisit diabetes education (eg the online BERTIE course http://www.bertieonline.org.uk/ ) or something like the DTN Libre education videos if you use Libre?

I think the most important thing we can do is be scrupulous about washing hands, and to carefully keep to the social distancing recommendations (2m being a minumum) and go out as few times as possible, with as few shopping trips as you can manage.

The social distancing is very easy where I live, as everyone is doing it, and I do tend to go for a short walk to make sure my blood glucose levels are good when I first get up, usually a brisk walk round the block, then I take a longer exercise with the dog in the afternoon sometime.

 

[Jane50]

Hi Jane,

There does not seem to be much mention of hypertension and high cholesterol, I have all three related conditions, Type 2 Diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol managed by primarily by medication along with changes in lifestyle in moderation. I think it would be useful to hear from other's who have or more of these conditions on how they are coping with the threat of Covid 19. Regards. Tim.

I also have hypertension, and even though on blood pressure tabs,

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I also have hypertension, and even though on blood pressure tabs,

Unfortunately high blood pressure does seem to add additional risk (https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/coronavirus-covid19-information.85707/#post-958499)

Perhaps it would be prudent to stick to the guidance and only go out for one lot of exercise per day? Perhaps reduce your morning BG with a correction dose, or by exercising indoors?

 

[Jane50]

Unfortunately high blood pressure does seem to add additional risk (https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/coronavirus-covid19-information.85707/#post-958499)

Perhaps it would be prudent to stick to the guidance and only go out for one lot of exercise per day? Perhaps reduce your morning BG with a correction dose, or by exercising indoors?

I dont usually do a correction dose, and even when I do, it doesnt do very much for it , so the brisk walk first thing in the morning starts to bring it down, and the one in the afternoon, depends what my levels are, but usually as long as my levels are around 7.0 or just over, I just make sure I have a few jelly babies on me and take my testing equipment with me.
But also found out now, that the exercise regime of once daily exercise, is something the police will enforce, as it is only a suggestion, not a law

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I dont usually do a correction dose, and even when I do, it doesnt do very much for it , so the brisk walk first thing in the morning starts to bring it down, and the one in the afternoon, depends what my levels are, but usually as long as my levels are around 7.0 or just over, I just make sure I have a few jelly babies on me and take my testing equipment with me.
But also found out now, that the exercise regime of once daily exercise, is something the police will enforce, as it is only a suggestion, not a law

In your shoes I would be tempted to switch one of those exercises to indoors. While it‘s important to keep anxiety in check, it’s also important to behave carefully IMO. I think I would experiment with a combination of indoor exercise and correction dose (my corrections usually take at least an hour to get going, so I know they aren’t always instant or straightforward).

I dropped from 2 dog walks a day to one (much to my doggies’ disgust!) and Ive needed to adjust insulin doses around the change of activity patterns, but it has almost halved my trips out - and while I’m trying to be careful, both to protect others if I were asympromatic, and also to help prevent the virus coming in to my household, it’s not always easy to stay 2+m apart from others.

 

[Cazzablanca]

I think many people who are living with long term conditions are worried @Jane50 - and some of that worry is justified. But it’s important not to become overly anxious.

I think the more stable you can keep your BG the better, so perhaps now is a good time to revisit diabetes education (eg the online BERTIE course http://www.bertieonline.org.uk/ ) or something like the DTN Libre education videos if you use Libre?

I think the most important thing we can do is be scrupulous about washing hands, and to carefully keep to the social distancing recommendations (2m being a minumum) and go out as few times as possible, with as few shopping trips as you can manage.

I am okay about not going out, safe in my bubble but as soon as post or parcels or shopping come in from the outside I get ridiculous OCD and can't break the cycle. I am also terrified for when my husband has to go back to work and all the heightened anxiety for me starts again.

 

[Browser]

I am 72 yrs., type 2 with slight but medically controlled high blood pressure. Cholesterol levels, I think, are satisfactory. Of-course, with these issues, I consider myself to be at greater risk. However, I take some comfort in the fact that my daughter, a GP ( not mine, obviously ) is of the opinion that my health issues are well controlled enough to mitigate these risks. However, we hear about people,with no underlying issues, succumbing to this virus, so anyone with health issues has to take every health warning ultra-seriously. Living alone, I am self-isolating for the most part and carefully self-distancing on the very rare occasions where I leave the house for necessary shopping or, because I live in a rural area, for brisk exercising. If I lived in an urban area, I doubt if I would leave the house and would therefore rely on the goodwill of friends and neighbours for my needs. I would also take care to include some forms of indoor exercise.