Type 1.5 COVID and Fluctuating Glucose Levels

neithskye

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Type 2
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Hi.

A question for those who've had COVID. Did your blood glucose levels wildly fluctuate?

I'm double vaxxed (on waitlist for booster). Two weeks ago I got sick. Test last week was negative. But I'm thinking it was incorrect.

Since I got sick my blood glucose levels are all over the place. For example at noon today it was 15.2 mmol, then three hours later it was 6.1 mmol.

In the three years since my diagnosis I've never had wildly fluctuating levels like this. Wondering if it's COVID-related. Thanks.
 

Soplewis12

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Hi.

A question for those who've had COVID. Did your blood glucose levels wildly fluctuate?

I'm double vaxxed (on waitlist for booster). Two weeks ago I got sick. Test last week was negative. But I'm thinking it was incorrect.

Since I got sick my blood glucose levels are all over the place. For example at noon today it was 15.2 mmol, then three hours later it was 6.1 mmol.

In the three years since my diagnosis I've never had wildly fluctuating levels like this. Wondering if it's COVID-related. Thanks.
Hi, yep could be covid connected. I experienced the expected highs but also unexpected lows. Treat as you normally do for being ill. Hope you feel better soon.
 
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ert

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My blood sugars were fine with Covid. However, they can fluctuate like you are experiencing for other reasons, such as stress, sleep, insulin age, injection sites, the flu etc, etc, etc. You can't assume all sickness is Covid.
 

neithskye

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244
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Type 2
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Hi, yep could be covid connected. I experienced the expected highs but also unexpected lows. Treat as you normally do for being ill. Hope you feel better soon.

Thank you. I tried Googling this but couldn't find anything.
 

neithskye

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Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
My blood sugars were fine with Covid. However, they can fluctuate like you are experiencing for other reasons, such as stress, sleep, insulin age, injection sites, the flu etc, etc, etc. You can't assume all sickness is Covid.

I understand that. It's just I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in July 2018, and have been sick and stressed at other times (don't use insulin), and never had the wildly fluctuating levels I've seen in the past two weeks.
 

Alexandra100

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I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in July 2018, and have been sick and stressed at other times (don't use insulin), and never had the wildly fluctuating levels I've seen in the past two weeks.
@neithskye I haven't had Covid, but I certainly empathise with your dismay at seeing fluctuating bgs, as this is happening to me too. I too have come up with no explanation. I believe that in some non-diabetic people Covid leads to diabetes. Could it also affect existing diabetes?
 
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neithskye

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Type 2
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@neithskye I haven't had Covid, but I certainly empathise with your dismay at seeing fluctuating bgs, as this is happening to me too. I too have come up with no explanation. I believe that in some non-diabetic people Covid leads to diabetes. Could it also affect existing diabetes?

I tried Googling my question. What I found instead were some articles saying what you just did--some non-diabetic people ended up with diabetes after COVID. I don't think they know if the virus caused diabetes or if the person would have gotten diabetes later anyway, and the virus sped up the process.

So, yes, I'm wondering if it affects existing diabetes. During this time I've also experienced extreme dry mouth. I have zero saliva. My tongue is sticking to the roof of my mouth, even when my BG is normal.

Of course this all assumes my negative COVID test was wrong. I'm wondering if the tests can't pick the new Omicron strain or something. I should get retested.

Thank you for answering.
 

ert

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I understand that. It's just I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in July 2018, and have been sick and stressed at other times (don't use insulin), and never had the wildly fluctuating levels I've seen in the past two weeks.
To date, you are lucky to date not having an illness that elevates your blood sugars. It's a common occurrence for all types of diabetes. This may be your first time - but it doesn't follow it has to be Covid, but it could be from a range of other external factors also,
 

Outlier

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I had a cold not long ago - really just a cold, no temperature, not particularly ill - and my BG rose a couple of points. Now back to normal.
 
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neithskye

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Messages
244
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
To date, you are lucky to date not having an illness that elevates your blood sugars. It's a common occurrence for all types of diabetes. This may be your first time - but it doesn't follow it has to be Covid, but it could be from a range of other external factors also.

I have been sick, and even had a general anaesthetic surgery. Those did temporarily raise my levels that lasted a few days.

What they didn't do is send my levels into extreme highs then extreme lows then extreme highs again, all within a few hours, which is what I've been experiencing.
 

ert

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I have been sick, and even had a general anaesthetic surgery. Those did temporarily raise my levels that lasted a few days.

What they didn't do is send my levels into extreme highs then extreme lows then extreme highs again, all within a few hours, which is what I've been experiencing.
It supports insulin resistance, rather than a specific illness.
 

Soplewis12

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I tried Googling my question. What I found instead were some articles saying what you just did--some non-diabetic people ended up with diabetes after COVID. I don't think they know if the virus caused diabetes or if the person would have gotten diabetes later anyway, and the virus sped up the process.

So, yes, I'm wondering if it affects existing diabetes. During this time I've also experienced extreme dry mouth. I have zero saliva. My tongue is sticking to the roof of my mouth, even when my BG is normal.

Of course this all assumes my negative COVID test was wrong. I'm wondering if the tests can't pick the new Omicron strain or something. I should get retested.

Thank you for answering.
Initially for most accurate results testing was between 5-8 days of initial contact. I tested day 5 after my husband was sent home from work to self isolated & I developed classic symptoms. He did not develop any symptoms until day 11, his covid test was negative. Long story short he was seriously ill with 2 admittance to hospital for oxygen, both tests in hospital were also negative. Paramedics & own GP had no doubt he had covid. Couldn't return to work for 7 weeks
 
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Resurgam

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I suspect I had covid a while ago - felt dreadful, Hba1c soon after showed a high Hba1c, but I wasn't told, then it was back to normal a year later, and recently I am fairly sure I got the Omnicom version despite having two jabs - was due the booster the same week as I fell ill. A few days feeling unusual fatigue and having most of the symptoms and I seem to be getting over it, but my throat is still a little sore and my taste is weird and I can't eat - yoghurt tasting of beef stew is just too alarming.
The first jab, using the AZ vaccine and I was really unwell, and my legs and feet were very swollen. I thought I was going to lose a toe, despite two lots of antibiotics.
I think that the short answer is that we are living in interesting times and it will take some time for things to settle down, assuming that is in the near future rather than having to wait for research and discovery to catch up with Covid.
 
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