COVID-19 may cause diabetes

Ushthetaff

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Mountain out of mole hill makers ,queues , crowds , shopping on a Saturday hmm just shopping I guess no matter what day it is

urbanracer

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Not being able to eat as many chocolate digestives as I used to.

zand

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My T2 has worsened since having Covid-19 15 months ago so yes, it has probably pushed others over into the diabetic range.
 

EllieM

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My guess is that a lot previously undiagnosed T2 diabetics will get an early diagnosis if they are hospitalised with it, but I guess it remains to be seen if there is an upsurge in DKAs from new T1s.

Also, given that any illness pushes bgs up, you'd hope that maybe some of the T2s diagnosed afterwards have their levels revert to normal if/when they throw off the effects of COVID. (Maybe I'm being overly optimistic/naive). Also, any steroids used to treat covid would push levels up too.
 
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Goonergal

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I think the potential link / cause with type 1 is the more interesting area. With the type 2s I’m pretty sure that many of those being diagnosed were at least undiagnosed pre-diabetic or with some metabolic health issues (obesity is a factor behind severe COVID infection) or undiagnosed full blown type 2.

With those developing type 1 it’s much more interesting as it’s an auto-immune condition and I wonder about whether there has been something lying dormant which is triggered by the virus.

This also links to long Covid - which I’m spending a lot of time investigating as I’ve been diagnosed with it (and have been off work sick since February with it). It’s becoming quite clear that this is far more to do with underlying causes rather than anything specific to Covid. So things like stress (very true in my case), behaviour patterns / personality types. Firmly of the belief that for me Covid was a tipping point rather than a direct cause (had several small (24 hour) ‘relapses’ after my Covid in March 2020 before this ‘crash’) and it seems to be very common.

So perhaps similar for those developing an autoimmune condition post Covid? Not necessarily with the behaviour driven stuff, but something lying dormant and being triggered.

Very interesting but also very frustrating!
 
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TashT1

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Type of diabetes
Type 1
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I think covid certainly sped up my decline in insulin production.

Started loosing weight in Jan 2020 but no other symptoms. Had covid March 2020, never 100% recovered & it took about 10 weeks for the symptoms to click & get a blood test. I was so focused on homeschooling & trying to work that it took so long to acknowledge I was really ill.

I also have numerous friends with long term conditions being diagnosed post covid infections, none of them were hospitalised with covid. The pressure this is going to cause on our health systems is going to be relentless.
 
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CoolUserName

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Just seen this thread.
There's a well documented case in Germany of a 19 year old who seemingly developed T1D after having asymptomatic Covid last year. The thing is he didn't have auto antibodies so maybe Covid causes damage to cells rather than triggering auto immunity?
 

NicoleC1971

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So for type 1 there's the triggering of a storm of inflammation plus over reaction of the immune system with a background that there have been increasing type 1 diagnosis possibly due to ?/(leaky gut, less natural birth, low vitamin D?). They don't seem to know!
Type 2 - again inflammation causes insulin resistance and we know where people have had a serious reaction to the virus this takes a while to die down. We also know that those getting iller with Covid have metabolic disease (obesity, hypertension and possibly diabetes in situ). Being treated with steroids and/or being sedentary due to the illness would all decrease your insulin sensitivity too.
We also know that the world is obsessed with Covid so almost anything that happens afterwards seems to get attributed to it which is why we need more to understand if it is a thing and if it is why it is a thing. Then perhaps, rather than trying to eliminate the virus we could make people healthier so they deal with it better not withstanding that age is still the biggest risk.
 

Gafspa

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They suspect my type 1 diabetes was bought on by having Covid.
I also know someone else who was in icu with Covid and now has type 1 diabetes.
 
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woollygal

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Sorry haven’t read article. Long week and sore eyes and head.
If already type 2 could it cause type 1, or are we at least protected from that that?
And today is first day in a couple that the site has worked, strangely.
 

lucylocket61

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I am concerned about this. With the UK government deciding to soon basically open up and let anyone catch covid,vthey are risking the young who are not vaccinated so have zero protection from the risk of type 1 diabetes, long covid etc. It seems like, as long as fewer people die, it doesnt matter if they have a life altering condition. And with no compulsory masks or social distancing coming how are we supposed to protect ourselves and our loved ones from infection? Even double vaccination isnt 100%, and by the time a new variant appears, it may be too late - again.

(falls off my soapbox. i am livid about this)
 
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MsClarita

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Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
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Pigeons!
I’ve been reading up about this, after myself being diagnosed Type 1 last month, age 37. I may have had COVID and been asymptomatic, or just had mild symptoms (I had a period of fatigue and a light cough early last summer, but was never tested).
I’ll never know, but I’ll be watching it closely. A poster on another forum I’m on - not a diabetes one - said her friend developed T1 following a mild case of COVID. She was in her 30s too.
 
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garyclark82

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278
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Diet only
It's all hypothetical but I am another one who had Covid in January this year, and tested for T2 five months after. Granted, I have the "genes" in my family of T2 and I am overweight so it is more than likely just a coincidence.
 

Resurgam

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Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
All my family were rather ill early in the pandemic - I have had a lot more trouble keeping my numbers low, but my daughter, who is very like me, has put on a lot of weight around her middle and been feeling 'not right' - I suspect that she is now on her way to type two.
 

Dandelade

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221
Anecdotal again, but I’ve had COVID twice and shortly after the second time symptoms started.
I mean obviously at a bmi of 30 lifestyle was an issue but with no family history and age 42 maybe?
Anyone else?...