• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Newly diagnosed type 2 after covid

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
G

Golfshippy

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hello all,

I have just been diagnosed as type 2 , I was admitted into hospital a few weeks with covid symptoms which was confirmed shortly after being admitted. I was taken into ICU where I had a bit of fight on my hands which happily I won (up yours covid) one of the first things they told me was did I know I was diabetic. I had no idea apparently my levels were really high and after some testing (they can go back 3 months) I had been diabetic for some time. I can honestly say I had no idea and cannot say I had any symptoms to speak of, I’m a fit and healthy 49yr old.
After a couple of weeks of being home I’m pleased to say I seem to have a grip of my levels which seem to be very consistent. I’m on insulin twice a day which is taking a bit of getting used to but in the scheme of things I’m feeling like one of the lucky ones.
Anyway that’s a brief tale of my story and I look forward to using and learning from this group.
 
Welcome @Golfshippy 🙂 and well done on your recovery from Covid. It’s always nice to hear stories like that, especially as you had undiagnosed diabetes.

Yes, insulin injections do take a bit of getting used to, so be kind to yourself and give yourself time to adapt. Soon the diabetes will fit into your life rather than being a big focus.
 
Hi @Golfshippy, Under the circumstances I can understand them putting you on Insulin straight away (especially because Hospital meals are terrible for Type 2 Diabetics).
Normally what happens (except for those with really high Blood Glucose) is that they suggest diet/lifestyle changes before prescribing medication - then review after 3 months.


In my case by the 3 month stage I had put my T2D back into remission (BG down to pre-diabetic levels) with just switching to a Low Carb 'way of eating'. No calorie reduction and no extra exercise. As a side effect I also lost 23 lbs even though I was barely overweight in the first place.

Once you are taking medication which directly reduces Blood Glucose, then it is more difficult to use Low Carb to control T2D because the medication may lead to Hypos - dangerously low Blood Glucose. But it is still possible, even some Type 1 Diabetics use Low Carb to stabilise their BG and reduce their Insulin use.
 
Hi and welcome and congratulations on your successful battle with C-19. I hope you have good long lived antibodies as a result.

Following on from @ianf0ster 's post above, I guess it depends on whether you want to continue on insulin for the rest of your life or possibly wean yourself off it slowly as you learn to eat low carb.
I am one of those Type 1s that follow a very low carb diet and use minimal insulin.
The main difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics is generally that Type 1s do not produce enough insulin to survive whereas Type 2s produce too much insulin but the body has become desensitised to it and doesn't utilise it as effectively as it should. Both result in high levels of Blood Glucose which mostly comes from the carbohydrates in the food we eat. If you eat less carbohydrates then you don't need as much insulin and the insulin your body produces may be enough or your body may become less immune to it's action. Losing weight will also help as the less fat you have the more insulin sensitive your body becomes.
I would imagine you probably lost weight during your fight with Covid, so that may have given you a head start, but many people find that by following a low carb way of eating, the weight comes off without thinking about it. Once you approach a target weight you then increase your fat intake to stabilise your weight and make the way of eating sustainable long term.

Of course it is possible that your pancreas has been damaged (perhaps by the Covid-19) and unable to produce enough insulin and you may therefore not be able to control it by diet alone or you may not be Type 2 but actually a late onset Type 1 in which case the insulin will be essential or a non typical Type 2 who cannot control it by diet and or oral meds.

Just wanted to give you a bit more info so that you know that you may have possible choices if you want to explore them.

I know it is all very new to you at the moment so take some time to get onto a level playing field before thinking about changing your diet and do it slowly and steadily if you do decide to and use your BG meter to test regularly to check for hypos and discuss reducing insulin doses with your Health Care Professionals as your levels come down.

Good luck whatever you decide and please stick around and update us with your progress and ask any questions that come to mind. There is a wealth of experience and knowledge and not just one way of doing anything.... we are all different. You have to find the way which is right for you. The only reason Ian and I have mentioned this is that Health Care Professionals do not have the time and resources to help people come off insulin once they are started on it so they are unlikely to suggest or even accept that it may be possible. Sadly there is a lack of knowledge about many things as regards diabetes in general heath care.
 
Welcome to the forum @Golfshippy

I was reading about new cases of diabetes linked to Covid earlier

I wonder if it was related in your case, or simply coincidental that you had undiagnosed diabetes before contracting C19 (there are thought to be thousands of people in the UK living with undiagnosed diabetes at any time).

Sounds like you have made an excellent start to your diabetes management. Are there any things that you are finding tricky or frustrating at the moment?
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Welcome to the forum @Golfshippy

I was reading about new cases of diabetes linked to Covid earlier

I wonder if it was related in your case, or simply coincidental that you had undiagnosed diabetes before contracting C19 (there are thought to be thousands of people in the UK living with undiagnosed diabetes at any time).

Sounds like you have made an excellent start to your diabetes management. Are there any things that you are finding tricky or frustrating at the moment?
Click to expand...
I suspect some were undiagnosed prior to catching the virus.
 
Last edited:
George Alberti - blimey - he's 83!

Of course we used to see his name associated with numerous pieces of diabetes research time and time again 'some years ago' - but a surprise to see it on a new one, is all !
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top