Antibiotics and diabetes?

[Chloelox]

I have the dreaded tonsillitis and am starting a 10 day course of penicillin.

My doctor said he doesn’t think it will have much more effect on my sugars as what the infection itself is having but I’m sceptical. Google hasn’t been too much help either with reassuring me. I want to be mildly prepared, what has other people’s experiences been?

It’s my first course of antibiotics since diagnosis too so I will admit I’m a bit… well… terrified

 

[Fairygodmother]

I’ve always found it hard to distinguish between the effect of the infection and the effect of the antibiotics. I have an extra rise in blood sugars when taking a course of antibiotics, but that’s just me. You might be different. The main thing is to adjust doses if you need to and to correct. Have something handy that’s not to hard to swallow if you overdo it, or are taken by surprise when they work and you get low. Hope they work swiftly, for me it’s about three days in before the healing effects are felt. Tonsillitis is nasty, much sympathy.

 

[EllieM]

Your levels are likely to go haywire because of the infection, so I wouldn't personally worry about the antibiotics. They are there to fight off the infection and that will improve your levels.

Do you have access to any diabetic sick day rules so that you can adjust your insulin dose as necessary?

I hope you feel better soon.

 

[Chloelox]

Your levels are likely to go haywire because of the infection, so I wouldn't personally worry about the antibiotics. They are there to fight off the infection and that will improve your levels.

Do you have access to any diabetic sick day rules so that you can adjust your insulin dose as necessary?

I hope you feel better soon.

I’ve seen the sick day rules on google but my team never set a plan up for me so I’m not 100% on it

 

[EllieM]

I’ve seen the sick day rules on google but my team never set a plan up for me so I’m not 100% on it

You sound exactly like me. They look pretty useful though.

 

[MrsA2]

When the course of antibiotics is finished, and only after, look into replenishing the gut microbes with some probiotics from food, and look into taking extra large doses of vitamin c for a while.
But do read up on both these measures before starting them as it's not mainstream and I don't know your individual situation, but I know it works for me.

 

[Fairygodmother]

Yes, I agree, a varied and broad diet with lots of fibre to help the gut biome recover is a good idea: get all those friendly gut bacteria happily doing their thing again. While you’ve got a sore throat, and if you feel you can face it, a nice well-blitzed and smooth vegetable soup might make you feel good too. It’s hard looking after yourself if you have others to look after too so leave someone else to do all the usual non-essential-to-getting-well tasks.
Hope you’re finding blood sugars easier to manage than you feared; it won’t be for the long term but it does help if you can keep the rotten feeling of highs at bay so you don’t get a double load of misery.

 

[Chloelox]

Yes, I agree, a varied and broad diet with lots of fibre to help the gut biome recover is a good idea: get all those friendly gut bacteria happily doing their thing again. While you’ve got a sore throat, and if you feel you can face it, a nice well-blitzed and smooth vegetable soup might make you feel good too. It’s hard looking after yourself if you have others to look after too so leave someone else to do all the usual non-essential-to-getting-well tasks.
Hope you’re finding blood sugars easier to manage than you feared; it won’t be for the long term but it does help if you can keep the rotten feeling of highs at bay so you don’t get a double load of misery.

I woke up this morning with ketones of 1.9 and a bg of 10.6, I have never had anything like this before. Very very scary

 

[Jaylee]

I woke up this morning with ketones of 1.9 and a bg of 10.6, I have never had anything like this before. Very very scary

Hi,

I'm sorry your feeling unwell.
Was that reading taken with your Libre? (I seem to remember you use one?)
Did you double check with the meter.?

 

[JustLucky]

I have the dreaded tonsillitis and am starting a 10 day course of penicillin.

My doctor said he doesn’t think it will have much more effect on my sugars as what the infection itself is having but I’m sceptical. Google hasn’t been too much help either with reassuring me. I want to be mildly prepared, what has other people’s experiences been?

It’s my first course of antibiotics since diagnosis too so I will admit I’m a bit… well… terrified

I have just finished my first round of antibiotics since diagnosis a week ago and felt no difference in BG levels, although when sick I'm usually less physically active so I take a bit more insulin...

 

[Chloelox]

Hi,

I'm sorry your feeling unwell.
Was that reading taken with your Libre? (I seem to remember you use one?)
Did you double check with the meter.?

double checked with meter as my libre said 9.3.

 

[MrsA2]

How are you doing @Chloelox ?

 

[Chloelox]

How are you doing @Chloelox ?

The antibiotics have kicked in and I’m feeling much much better, adjusted my insulin doses appropriately with the help of a kind out of hours doctor after almost going into DKA Friday evening.
Fingers crossed it will be smoother sailing now until my antibiotic course ends.