Illness and Immune system

[UnexpectedDiagnosis]

Morning all,

I had my first successful night out on Saturday, got too drunk but stayed within range the entire time so that was a wicked! However, I woke up on the Sunday ill (I had a runny nose for a couple of days) and subsequently spent Monday - Wednesday in bed with no energy, fever and a bad cough. It dawned on me since an illness several years ago my immune system has been rubbish! I seem to constantly catch bugs and it's annoying, I never used to get ill and then suddenly it's every few months.

I know being T1.5 doesn't automatically make immunocompromised and generally it's when your BG is high that you have more issues, but I 100% feel that I become sick more frequently and more severely over the past couple of years. I'm too new into my journey to know if there's a link but the last few years I have had frequent sickness like flu's etc.

I consider myself fairly fit and healthy and I eat a balanced diet with lots of fruit and veg so I am not sure how else I can boost it... any tips for good diabetic immune system boosters?

 

[Pumper_Sue]

It could possibly be due to lock down no one has very much immunity thus it's a bit like kids starting school and catching every bug under the sun and bringing them home to share

 

[UnexpectedDiagnosis]

It could possibly be due to lock down no one has very much immunity thus it's a bit like kids starting school and catching every bug under the sun and bringing them home to share

I agree lockdown hasn't helped... I used to get a runny nose and still be able to plod on but now it turns into something I can't fight and need time off to recover.

I will look into immune boosting supplements etc and maybe mention it on my next review; maybe they can test to see how your immune system is performing

 

[Inka]

Sorry you’re ill @UnexpectedDiagnosis The diabetes makes it more of a pain. For viruses, I find Sambucol very good. The liquid has some sugar but I found it worked very well and it’s only a small amount. For colds, Redoxin with Vit C and Zinc is something I always take. Making sure you have enough Vitamin D year round helps a lot too. I use supplements for part of the year.

 

[rebrascora]

I am currently battling a cold virus but it is my first since diagnosis 4 years ago and I used to get a real streamer every year prior to that, so I am actually finding that I am catching less rather than more, since my diabetes diagnosis.

Hope you feel better soon and many congrats on managing your night out so well! Yay!! Gold star for that!

 

[helli]

I have not found myself getting ill more often than I did before I had diabetes or more than my non-diabetic partner does,
However, any illness can feel much worse with diabetes.
It is common that illness can raise blood sugars and raised blood sugars can exaggerate any sniffs, coughs, aches, etc. which can raise levels even more.
Therefore, it may feel as if you get ill more often whereas it may be that you didn't notice the small sniffles that high blood sugars can convert into full on heavy cold.
This means that it is very important to reduce blood sugars to normal levels when they start to rise.

 

[Spathiphyllum]

Morning all,

I had my first successful night out on Saturday, got too drunk but stayed within range the entire time so that was a wicked! However, I woke up on the Sunday ill (I had a runny nose for a couple of days) and subsequently spent Monday - Wednesday in bed with no energy, fever and a bad cough. It dawned on me since an illness several years ago my immune system has been rubbish! I seem to constantly catch bugs and it's annoying, I never used to get ill and then suddenly it's every few months.

I know being T1.5 doesn't automatically make immunocompromised and generally it's when your BG is high that you have more issues, but I 100% feel that I become sick more frequently and more severely over the past couple of years. I'm too new into my journey to know if there's a link but the last few years I have had frequent sickness like flu's etc.

I consider myself fairly fit and healthy and I eat a balanced diet with lots of fruit and veg so I am not sure how else I can boost it... any tips for good diabetic immune system boosters?

'T1.5' or 'LADA' can be used to mean either or both of two things: a) merely being diagnosed with T1 when aged over 25 or 35, or b) being diagnosed with T1 as an adult and at an early stage, when your beta cells are still producing a significant amount of insulin. Either way-- it means you have T1.

Having T1 means you have an autoimmune disorder, and having an autoimmune disorder means that your immune system is overactive, not underactive. That's why researchers have investigated giving people with T1 drugs to suppress their immune system (see e.g https://www.diabetes.org.uk/researc...herapy-shown-to-be-safe-in-people-with-type-1 ). You really don't want to boost it!

Helli's right about what the real explanation almost certainly is:

1) If your BG is often running high-- high BG makes you more susceptible to infection.

2) Even if your BG is not initially running high-- once you get an infection, the infection will tend to raise your BG, and that in itself is likely to make you feel worse, and is likely to make the infection worse.

Finally, agree with Barbara: Gold star for managing so well on your first night out!

 

[UnexpectedDiagnosis]

I am currently battling a cold virus but it is my first since diagnosis 4 years ago and I used to get a real streamer every year prior to that, so I am actually finding that I am catching less rather than more, since my diabetes diagnosis.

Hope you feel better soon and many congrats on managing your night out so well! Yay!! Gold star for that!

Thanks It provided alot of comfort knowing I can go out without having to pay too close attention to diabetes and could manage it well even when drunk haha. It was nice to feel normal again!

It seems that most people don't have their immune system compromised so I may put myself forward for some tests to see if I'm deficient in something, I can't seem to fight off bugs for the last couple of years now. Now I have diabetes I'm slightly keener to prevent illness going forward ‍♂️

 

[UnexpectedDiagnosis]

'T1.5' or 'LADA' can be used to mean either or both of two things: a) merely being diagnosed with T1 when aged over 25 or 35, or b) being diagnosed with T1 as an adult and at an early stage, when your beta cells are still producing a significant amount of insulin. Either way-- it means you have T1.

Having T1 means you have an autoimmune disorder, and having an autoimmune disorder means that your immune system is overactive, not underactive. That's why researchers have investigated giving people with T1 drugs to suppress their immune system (see e.g https://www.diabetes.org.uk/researc...herapy-shown-to-be-safe-in-people-with-type-1 ). You really don't want to boost it!

Helli's right about what the real explanation almost certainly is:

1) If your BG is often running high-- high BG makes you more susceptible to infection.

2) Even if your BG is not initially running high-- once you get an infection, the infection will tend to raise your BG, and that in itself is likely to make you feel worse, and is likely to make the infection worse.

Finally, agree with Barbara: Gold star for managing so well on your first night out!

I am still awaiting my antibody results from January which is getting annoying but I strongly believe I've had the onset of T1 over 3 - 4 years which may sound a bit mad but it explains my mystery symptoms I could never figure out. I was told at my last appointment that my pancreas produces "almost no insulin". I am curious to the differences between T1 and LADA... why do some of us 35+ suddenly develop antibodies that attack the pancreas? What's the trigger and why is it so much later than a typical T1? Why is there also cross over in regards to symptoms with T2? I think there is more to LADA than simply the age 🙂

I think your link regarding the immune system is misunderstood with all due respect; "stop it attacking the pancreas, potentially preventing or slowing down Type 1 diabetes". My pancreas has already been attacked and damaged, so reducing my immune system simply leaves me vulnerable to other bugs which in turn doesn't help the diabetes. The Peptide immunotherapy mentioned is targeted at certain cells....So increasing my overall immune system does not cause any harm as the damage is done, you're looking at preventive treatment.

My bloods aren't running high and have been well controlled since diagnosis, even when ill my body hasn't appeared to dump glucose. I've been spiking a little higher after food but not much. So I don't understand why I can't seem to fight off bugs, virtually every illness I get I end up in bed asleep for a couple of days but I'll certainly ask the question when I next get the opportunity!

I have so much reading to do on this topic it's mind blowing, I don't know enough about this topic clearly!! Thanks for your reply and gold star haha

 

[helli]

What's the trigger and why is it so much later than a typical T1?

I don't think it is understood what the trigger is although there has been some suggestion that it can/is triggered by a virus. I know I had a glandular virus (but not glandular fever) a few months before my diagnosis.
But as for "much later than a typical T1", I am not sure that is the case. More than half of people diagnosed with Type 1 were diagnosed over the age of 20, more than 30% of adults initially diagnosed with type 2 were later found to be misdiagnosed and actually have Type 1. I suspect there are far more adults misdiagnosed over the age of 35 and that there is no "typical age"

I was diagnosed in my 30s nearly 20 years ago when GAD and c-peptide tests were rare but was lucky to have a switched on GP who immediately decided I had Type 1 so I never had to go through the months of uncertainty or years of misdiagnosis.
I spent very little time asking "why me?" or "what caused this?". I felt it was more important to move forward and work out how to manage my condition than worrying about things I cannot change.
Since my diagnosis, there has been some great research into slowing the autoimmune response. There has been some success in detecting those "at risk" based on family history so their autoimmune response can be slowed before it starts.

 

[rebrascora]

My guess is that there is a predisposition (genetic perhaps) to autoimmune conditions but the trigger for the immune attack can be a variety of things. I am sure I have read that severe trauma, or shock/grief even or a virus are all suspects. My gut feeling is that changes in hormones in the body at menopause and perhaps also at puberty may also be a trigger. My mother, my sister and myself all developed autoimmune conditions later in life during menopause. It could be a coincidence of course. The systems of the body are so interconnected that it is very difficult to pin down cause and effect in many cases.

I too think there are many people who were misdiagnosed as Type 2 later in life and a significant percentage of those who perhaps never get a correct diagnosis.

 

[nonethewiser]

Only in last week got rid of stinking cold, nose was blocked for 2 weeks & even had chesty cough.

Can't say get ill that much mind, had type 1 so long forget what life was like before diagnosis.

 

[JohnS]

I thought last night that I was going down with something. Had a very unsettled night’s sleep and woke up this morning with a chesty cough & feeling pretty rotten. My BG levels last night were running steadily high at about 11 to 12 and have remained high all morning. (did a covid test - negative)
My question, is this typical when you pick up an infection?

 

[rebrascora]

I thought last night that I was going down with something. Had a very unsettled night’s sleep and woke up this morning with a chesty cough & feeling pretty rotten. My BG levels last night were running steadily high at about 11 to 12 and have remained high all morning. (did a covid test - negative)
My question, is this typical when you pick up an infection?

Only in so much as anything can be typical with diabetes. We all respond differently to different situations so it is more a question of finding out if this is typical for you and your body when you are coming down with something.

 

[JohnS]

Thanks Barbara, this is uncharted territory for me as I very rarely go down with this sort of virus/infection.
We went to see Elton John at the O2 on Tuesday evening so I suspect that is where I caught it.

 

[helli]

@JohnS sorry you are feeling under the weather. I had similar symptoms last month and tested positive for covid.
I know many people aren't worrying about it any more but, if you are, take it easy and try not to spread the lurgy.
And get better soon - you will find you will feel better if your bring your BG down as high BG will exaggerate any aches, pains, sniff, etc.

 

[JohnS]

@helli you were quite right, a second test this morning shows that I do indeed have covid. I am not really surprised as I have been feeling rotten the past few days - much more than for just a cold.
I had managed to avoid it until now - just goes to show it gets us all in the end! Oh well, back to isolation!

 

[helli]

@helli you were quite right, a second test this morning shows that I do indeed have covid. I am not really surprised as I have been feeling rotten the past few days - much more than for just a cold.
I had managed to avoid it until now - just goes to show it gets us all in the end! Oh well, back to isolation!

Sorry to read that. Take care and don’t push yourself too quickly