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High sugar levels since Covid jab

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R

Roozle

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Type 1
Hi there
i had a shock diagnosis (hba1c 94) in June last year. Changed diet and increased exercise so that by mid January I was down to 51. Had first COVID jab on 23 Jan. Mid March hba1c 104!!! Has anyone else had this reaction? How long did it take to settle down? Is any research being done about links between diabetes and COVID?
 
I've had both Pfizer jabs and had low blood sugars after.
 
I wouldn’t expect the vaccine to have more than a few days of impact on your sugar levels so it may be that your medication needs (if you’re on any) or diet needs have changed rather than it being related to the vax. Do you finger prick? That can help give you an idea of the effects of food on your levels which may give you more information.
 
Hi yes I had high levels for over a week after, it was very frustrating as I had only started on insulin four weeks before. I'm now not looking forward to my second vaccine in May and think I may go for my hba1c test before I have it. But sadly it will still include my previous one in February. I'm newly diagnosed and keen to see how much improvement I've made since my diagnosis in January
 
Roozle said:
Hi there
i had a shock diagnosis (hba1c 94) in June last year. Changed diet and increased exercise so that by mid January I was down to 51. Had first COVID jab on 23 Jan. Mid March hba1c 104!!! Has anyone else had this reaction? How long did it take to settle down? Is any research being done about links between diabetes and COVID?
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That seems an excessive rise for a jab. Elevated levels are one thing but you've doubled your HbA1c.

Can I just ask if you've lost any weight recently you hadn't expected to?

Have you stuck to the changes you implemented last year after diagnosis?
 
I have stuck to my low carb diet and walk every day. And yes, I have lost more weight than I’d have expected
 
Roozle said:
I have stuck to my low carb diet and walk every day. And yes, I have lost more weight than I’d have expected
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I'm wondering if you've been misdiagnosed and are LADA. It may be worth asking tbe GP for a C-Peptide test to confirm T1 or T2. I'm sure a T1 will shout if that's the wrong test!
 
Thank you. We are awaiting results of a scan, so hopefully that will lead to a diagnosis and appropriate treatment. What is LADA?
 
Roozle said:
Thank you. We are awaiting results of a scan, so hopefully that will lead to a diagnosis and appropriate treatment. What is LADA?
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LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults) is a term sometimes used to describe Type 1 diabetes where the onset is a lot slower than when children and younger people develop it (they can become dangerously in in a few day). Not all hospitals use the term.
It can be helpful to have a c-peptide test, but in the early stages it may be inconclusive if you are still producing insulin (just not enough) Antibody tests such as the GAD test can also be done, to look for antibodies which your body is producing as it attacks the beta (insulin producing) cells in your pancreas.
 
Roozle said:
Thank you. We are awaiting results of a scan, so hopefully that will lead to a diagnosis and appropriate treatment. What is LADA?
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Latent Adult Diabetes something or other. It's a slow form of T1 and means the body can kill off insulin producing beta cells one day and nother day they will sputter back into life. Pure T1 means body is killing off all the beta cells. If you have any form of autoimmune disease, this may mean it's more likely to be LADA or T1 as this is also an autoimmune disease.
 
Ah, @Robin has explained this so much better - listen to her!
 
I have had increased BG levels since my AZ vaccine in Feb and needed progressively more insulin to maintain control when normally I would need less at this time of year.
Like others I think you are almost certainly LADA and hopefully your health care professionals can be persuaded to do the C-Peptide and GAD antibody tests mentioned or refer you to a specialist who will hopefully sanction the tests.

A vaccine stimulates the immune system and LADA like Type 1 is an autoimmune condition so it is possible I would imagine that the Covid vaccine, in triggering your immune system, has caused it to be on high alert and perhaps target your remaining beta cells meaning that your ability to produce enough insulin even to cover your low carb diet is compromised. With LADA, this would have happened at some point but my layman's opinion is that the vaccine may have prompted that immune response to occur earlier.

There certainly seems to be a link between diabetes and Covid but I think most resources at the moment are being channeled into dealing with the infections themselves and more detailed studies surrounding the link will come later. My view is that if you had got the virus rather than the vaccine it would have triggered the same situation and in fact some people who are diagnosed with Type 1 were ill with viruses before the onset, so I think there is a known link.

The scan will likely be to check your pancreas for any tumours which will hopefully give you peace of mind in that respect but do push for the GAD and C-Peptide tests or being referred to a specialist diabetes clinic as they will know much more about LADA and be the best people to interpret those test results.

In the mean time, if your BG levels start to rise into the mid 20s or above and not come down get yourself to A&E. Similarly if you feel unwell, your breath starts to smell funny, you have abdominal pain or breathing problems and if you can, get out to a pharmacy and buy yourself some Ketostix and test your urine when your BG levels are high (mid teens or above) and again, seek urgent medical advice if your Ketone levels go above 1.

It is very likely that you are going to need to start injecting insulin sooner rather than later, so it might be worth pushing your Health Care Professionals about that before it becomes an emergency situation.
 
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I think this is probably the case. I am now waiting for blood test results
 
Aha, I'm Lada, I was just reading your post and was thinking you may be Lada, I had a big jump in hba1c which raised the question. Now confirmed, and that may explain then when I had a few very high days this week as I had my 2nd jab at the weekend of the AZ.
 
Thank you, Gill. I’m now pretty sure that I am LADA, but it’s taking ages to get a diagnosis. So frustrating as I am losing far too much weight and feeling tired all the time, not to mention the anxiety knowing that my blood glucose levels have been very high for the last 3 months! Fingers crossed blood test results will be in very soon
 
Roozle said:
Thank you, Gill. I’m now pretty sure that I am LADA, but it’s taking ages to get a diagnosis. So frustrating as I am losing far too much weight and feeling tired all the time, not to mention the anxiety knowing that my blood glucose levels have been very high for the last 3 months! Fingers crossed blood test results will be in very soon
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Good luck Roozle, I think it took about a month for my results then about that for my gps to get their act together to get me sorted with the hospital. X
 
Roozle said:
So today, after blood tests confirmed that I am now type 1, I had my introduction to the joys of taking insulin. So much info to take on board, but I’m sure I’ll get there eventually!
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Good luck @Roozle . I'm still getting there. Thought I'd have to change my insulin but hopefully one more unit less of my basal and making sure I pre-bolus my meals by 15 mins and it should sort the problem out. So far so good but it's only the first day of the change lol.
 
Roozle said:
So today, after blood tests confirmed that I am now type 1, I had my introduction to the joys of taking insulin. So much info to take on board, but I’m sure I’ll get there eventually!
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Hi @Roozie from another late starter with T1 (53)

I am pleased that you have now got an accurate diagnosis, and have been started on appropriate treatment plan. There is so much to take in at the beginning but it does become easier.

A book that I have found useful is Type1 Diabetes in Children, adolescents and young adults.
Ignore the age reference, just ignore the chapter on going to school. The book is regularly updated with the latest tech so it is worth looking for the latest edition, as things are changing so much year by year.

It might help people in responding to any questions if you have time to change your profile from T2 to T1.

Come back with any questions as they arise.
 
So pleased you now have a proper diagnosis and are starting appropriate treatment. There is a huge amount to learn but it really does get easier and we are here to support you. Which insulins have they given you? How are you managing with injecting yourself? The needles are tiny aren't they? If you have any problems shout up.
 
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