Diabetes & Corona Virus ……help

[Junglegirl]

Hi Everyone,

I’m wondering if people had had the same problems as me, there’s quite a list, sorry. Ok so the first time the vaccination for the virus came round I wasn’t at home, I was looking after my granddaughter 300 miles away for awhile. The country shut down and I couldn’t temporarily register with a doctor, several receptionists actually laughed at me, when I rang looking to register for a few month, some practices actually shut down in the area. So I stayed where I was, however getting anything became very difficult. I eventually sourced a Covid jab, AstraZeneca, and had that done. As the days passed I suffered from:

Temperature
Headaches
Aches & pains
Frozen shoulder (the arm where I was injected)
Hypo’s

These symptoms came and went for about 10 weeks.

I had read that these were common, apart from the shoulder problem, so just carried on. Then xmas numbers with Covid became very high and I was unable to return home So I stayed where I was.

The second dose came due and I pitched up. I again suffered from side effects, although this time throw in the fact that diabetic control went out the window. One minute I would be high the next low, I woke one day to find 3 ambulance people with me I have been diabetic for almost 50 years so it’s not new to me how to manage it and cope well. I did manage to get home but whilst there I slept through almost a day, waking at 4pm my other half was looking after our granddaughter, so he didn’t pay as much attention and left me. However when I did wake I wasn’t normal, I was very quiet, not myself, it took weeks to come round fully, and I still couldn’t get an appointment at the doctors, every time I phoned all appointments were gone. Even now, months later I can’t remember things, names are very bad, I’m useless. I am still suffering diabetic wise, I have hypos quite a lot, I have very high blood sugars, usually a high can be followed by a low within 30 minutes, it’s a nightmare and quite frightening. sometimes I feel like I’ve lost my diabetic balance completely I’m walking a very thin line. I take animal insulin (after suffering horribly with some other stuff) which has worked well for me for years and years …..it’s only now having a pronlem again, although as the second jab for Covid is now nearing its end, things are starting to alter just a little.

as anyone else suffered like this?

I will never again have AstraZeneca but am not wondering if to have the other one.

thanks

 

[Inka]

Hi @Junglegirl Sorry to hear you’ve been suffering problems. Yes, some people have found the Covid vaccine made them low and some high. For me, I had to reduce my insulin by approx 20%.

You say:
Even now, months later I can’t remember things, names are very bad, I’m useless. I am still suffering diabetic wise, I have hypos quite a lot, I have very high blood sugars, usually a high can be followed by a low within 30 minutes, it’s a nightmare and quite frightening. sometimes I feel like I’ve lost my diabetic balance completely I’m walking a very thin line.

If it was me, I wouldn’t assume that was the vaccine. I’d be looking to rule out other causes of your rollercoaster sugars, eg coeliac, problems with your stomach, etc etc, and just general health things. Do you still have good hypo awareness? Have you done a basal test to see if that needs adjusting? Do you have a Libre?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear you have been having such a rough time @Junglegirl

We have a few folks on the forum who have had a bit of lingering changes which they have associated with the vaccine, but I can’t remember any as dramatic as yours - so I don’t think it’s a common reaction if the vaccine has had a hand in this.

It’s not like you are a newcomer to diabetes, so as @Inka suggests, perhaps the best bet is just to go into ‘troubleshooting mode’ and carry on working through your doses, trying to spot patterns, and attempting to find what your diabetes needs from you right now.

 

[Junglegirl]

Hi,
Thank you both for your replies.
I am at my wits end with this problem. My levels are at least starting to be less aggressive than they once were but I can’t live my life as normal as I once could every minute of every day is a problem to me…..sighs.
No I don’t have a libre, Inka. I have been months and months with this problem and it’s only within the last month that I have narrowed everything down to the injections, I think.
I’m certainly trying everdayupsanddowns, I just thought maybe someone had had the same as me.
My hypo awareness is not good right no, I’m hoping for an improvement, it is starting to improve as the effect of the jab starts to wear off …..fingers crossed.

Thank you both for your answers.

 

[PattiEvans]

Hi @Junglegirl have you spoken to your diabetic team about all this? If not then I would give them a ring and try to get an appointment, even over the phone. I would also ask to be prescribed Libre 2 sensors which alarm when you are going low or high , especially as you have lost hypo awareness. You should be eligible for them.

Please let us know how things go.

 

[Junglegirl]

Hi Pattidevans and thank you for your response.

like you I think I would be eligible for one, but as I am part of my life with my granddaughter, 100’s of miles from home, I wouldn’t be able to see/speak to my doctor or someone medical or renew prescriptions easily, I’m hoping to see a doctor before I depart again but getting to see someone is like winning a gold medal at the Olympics.

I don’t have a diabetic team. To be honest after a much earlier experience I’m not in a hurry to get one either.

I’m going to try again tomorrow……to see a doctor …….I’m not going to hold my breath!!

Thank you again for your reply.

 

[PattiEvans]

Hi Pattidevans and thank you for your response.

like you I think I would be eligible for one, but as I am part of my life with my granddaughter, 100’s of miles from home, I wouldn’t be able to see/speak to my doctor or someone medical or renew prescriptions easily, I’m hoping to see a doctor before I depart again but getting to see someone is like winning a gold medal at the Olympics.

I don’t have a diabetic team. To be honest after a much earlier experience I’m not in a hurry to get one either.

I’m going to try again tomorrow……to see a doctor …….I’m not going to hold my breath!!

Thank you again for your reply.

Hi, I am unsure whether your GP could prescribe the Libre as they are usually authorised from the clinics then prescribed by GPs. But if you could get authorised then prescriptions should be no problem as there is now a system in place called “the spine” where prescriptions can be sent by your GP to the chemist of your choice anywhere in the UK. So you being hundreds of miles away is no obstacle.

 

[Junglegirl]

Hi Pattidevans,
Well as I thought I am unable to see a doctor, the diabetic one is now not at the practice until next week or the week after, I return on Saturday …sighs.
I did try to get my prescriptions at the chemist nearest to me down south, I was told, I needed to change doctors to this. So again I couldn’t do that at the time and am still faced with this problem. I have tried to have my prescriptions changed several times without success.
The next issue will be the filler jab for coronavirus, as I am away from home, I will be unable to get it anyway, I’m not due back until Christmas time.

 

[PattiEvans]

Hi Pattidevans,
Well as I thought I am unable to see a doctor, the diabetic one is now not at the practice until next week or the week after, I return on Saturday …sighs.
I did try to get my prescriptions at the chemist nearest to me down south, I was told, I needed to change doctors to this. So again I couldn’t do that at the time and am still faced with this problem. I have tried to have my prescriptions changed several times without success.
The next issue will be the filler jab for coronavirus, as I am away from home, I will be unable to get it anyway, I’m not due back until Christmas time.

I am surprised you can't get the prescriptions sent wherever you want as this is a national system. I presume you are in the UK? When I ask for a prescription I just specify which chemist for them to send it to. It's all done through an online system. These days I order prescriptions online through Patient Access, but previously it was through my own GPs website.

 

[Drummer]

Hi Pattidevans,
Well as I thought I am unable to see a doctor, the diabetic one is now not at the practice until next week or the week after, I return on Saturday …sighs.
I did try to get my prescriptions at the chemist nearest to me down south, I was told, I needed to change doctors to this. So again I couldn’t do that at the time and am still faced with this problem. I have tried to have my prescriptions changed several times without success.
The next issue will be the filler jab for coronavirus, as I am away from home, I will be unable to get it anyway, I’m not due back until Christmas time.

Maybe send an email to the practice manager - you are entitled to have your regular prescriptions sent to whatever chemist you wish to use and don't need to register with another practice - I was in my local surgery when a receptionist was phoning a surgery in another part of the country and laying the law down to them in no uncertain manner as they had told someone something similar - the whole of the floor could hear what was said.

 

[PattiEvans]

As to the booster jab for Coronavirus. It doesn't have to be done by your surgery. I was sent an email by the NHS telling me my booster was due with a link to a web page where I could book it. I went to the page and entered my postcode. My own surgery was closest and so I ticked that one and was offered a range of dates and times. You could presumably enter the postcode of where you are and choose a venue closest.