Infections. newby

[louise19]

Hi. if your diabetic, are u more prone to infections and colds etc?

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Hi. if your diabetic, are u more prone to infections and colds etc?

If well controlled then no 🙂 My brothers had more time of school for illness then I ever did. I can still remember telling my Mum it wasn't fair lol. ( I didn't like school that much)

 

[ukjohn]

Hi. if your diabetic, are u more prone to infections and colds etc?

According to the experts, the answer to your question is yes,because diabetes weakens the immune system. But like Pumper Sue, I've not had a cold since diagnosis and only one infection, Bronchitis which cleared up in 2 weeks without medication.

John.

 

[Tina63]

I often think that as it's an autoimmune disease then doesn't it mean your immune system is better than others? Before my son was diagnosed I would say that he was NEVER ill. Even nasty colds that others had he seemed to have over and done with in a day or two.

Interestingly though, in his first year post-diagnosis, he had no less than 8 colds 😱 I was quite shocked by that and remember asking the same question on here.

I have to say of myself though (non-D) I have one bad winter where I catch cold after cold, then I seem to go years with only one at most - I'm sure it's just the immune system having time off occasionally and letting you catch everything, to re-stock the antibodies. I have remained cold free so far this year despite working with children, all bringing their germs in, but I have been struck down with the dreaded novovirus, yet my lad didn't catch that off me.

 

[trophywench]

Well it must depend on how many ill people you meet along the way mustn't it?

But anyway if your BG isn't great, then sometimes you get stuff that you can't shake off and keeps repeating itself - like thrush and UTIs.

 

[Lauren]

I never ever get colds or flu. I have had two colds in ten years. I think my immune system must be amazing - it gave me Diabetes in the first place (killed my islet cells whilst fighting chicken pox when I was 6!). Also I didn't need the BCG vaccination because I was already immune 🙂

Not sure about infections but I've only ever had one (in my arm after having a pneumonia vaccination).

I think with good control and a healthy diet people with Diabetes should be just as healthy as anyone else 🙂

 

[Twitchy]

Well I don't know if I get ill more often, but it does seem harder to shake things. Tummy bugs in particular are harder to deal with, but that's just the way it goes I guess. All good fun... 🙄

 

[Northerner]

I spent the first 49 years of my life rarely getting ill without diabetes, and the past 5 years rarely getting ill with it - but when I do get ill it affects me more, and of course I'm more conscious of it because I can see what it does to my blood sugars! Bruises take longer to fade also.

I think if you have poor control then infections find it easier to take hold and can linger longer and have bigger potential consequences

 

[Caroline]

Hi. if your diabetic, are u more prone to infections and colds etc?

when I asked the experts, I was told I was no more likely to get an infection than anyone else, but ti would take longer to get over

 

[ch1ps]

I've been on insulin for 13 months and this past year is the sickest I have ever been. I had a sinus infection for 12 weeks. I think I have had about 6 lots of antibiotics this year.

So for me I would say yes.