Type 1 and the seasonal effect

[Juicyj]

i was diagnosed in January over 3 years ago, and since diagnosis I've found that around Sept/October that my control goes pear shaped, my DSN picked up on it so I did a Google search and some research was done on it in 2009 and reported that there were more children diagnosed around Autumn/Winter than at any other time.

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/08August/Pages/IsType1diabetesseasonal.aspx

It leads me to think that it really is auto immune related and therefore with more bugs prevalent at this time of year that a weakened immune system is the main contributory factor. I am taking a vitamin d supplement but is there anything else that helps boost the immune system ?

Who else was diagnosed around this time of year ?

 

[Jaylee]

i was diagnosed in January over 3 years ago, and since diagnosis I've found that around Sept/October that my control goes pear shaped, my DSN picked up on it so I did a Google search and some research was done on it in 2009 and reported that there were more children diagnosed around Autumn/Winter than at any other time.

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/08August/Pages/IsType1diabetesseasonal.aspx

It leads me to think that it really is auto immune related and therefore with more bugs prevalent at this time of year that a weakened immune system is the main contributory factor. I am taking a vitamin d supplement but is there anything else that helps boost the immune system ?

Who else was diagnosed around this time of year ?

A lot of deaths this time of year too! Sorry to be morbid. But naturally people do tend to "call time" in the winter months..

 

[noblehead]

@Juicyj, too many theories on the cause of type 1 diabetes and nothing concrete as yet, personally I don't eat any different or take extra supplements in the winter months, if you eat a good diet rich in fruit & veg and get plenty of exercise that in itself should be enough to help fight off the winter bugs.

 

[Jaylee]

@Juicyj, too many theories on the cause of type 1 diabetes and nothing concrete as yet, personally I don't eat any different or take extra supplements in the winter months, if you eat a good diet rich in fruit & veg and get plenty of exercise that in itself should be enough to help fight off the winter bugs.

..... Plus a change of career helps too.?!!
I've stopped working in schools & customer service. That helps tremendously.

 

[Robinredbreast]

My ex left in the winter time, I became ill with various other things, then type 1.

 

[Juicyj]

A lot of deaths this time of year too! Sorry to be morbid. But naturally people do tend to "call time" in the winter months..

Morbid but it made me laugh !!

 

[Juicyj]

@Juicyj, too many theories on the cause of type 1 diabetes and nothing concrete as yet, personally I don't eat any different or take extra supplements in the winter months, if you eat a good diet rich in fruit & veg and get plenty of exercise that in itself should be enough to help fight off the winter bugs.

True about too many theories, take them generally with a pinch of salt but as again i'm having a right ole struggle at the moment it made me think - I do have a pretty good diet with loads of raw veg, green tea etc but it's having no effect, I can't seem to pick myself up at the moment and it's just seemed a strange co-incidence that it was the same this time last year too.

Hopefully I won't be popping my clogs just yet mind

 

[Juicyj]

My ex left in the winter time, I became ill with various other things, then type 1.

Do you think it affects women more than men ? sorry to bring the sexist argument back into play !!

Otherwise it's a move to a country nearer the southern hemisphere !

 

[Jaylee]

Do you think it affects women more than men ? sorry to bring the sexist argument back into play !!

Time for an on topic musical interlude..

 

[Auckland Canary]

I was diagnosed in January 1983 so the middle of winter but I remember starting to feel unwell at the end of November 1982. I don't ever specifically remember getting unwell with anything else or being under stress with anything else but that doesn't mean it didn't happen as it was a long time ago.

 

[Auckland Canary]

I was diagnosed in January 1983 so the middle of winter but I remember starting to feel unwell at the end of November 1982. I don't ever specifically remember getting unwell with anything else or being under stress with anything else but that doesn't mean it didn't happen as it was a long time ago.

Sorry posted that too early. What I meant to also say was that I have always put my feelings of fatigue etc in November 1982 as the onset of the diabetes starting but of course this could have been an infection or a mild flu etc which overlapped with the high blood sugar symptoms starting.

 

[Riri]

I'm struggling with sugars as well. A 14 after breakfast which was a real surprise. I'm puttin it down to the change in the seasons as I'm not at all unwell. They went sky after the flu jab on Saturday too. Randomness!!

 

[noblehead]

True about too many theories, take them generally with a pinch of salt but as again i'm having a right ole struggle at the moment it made me think - I do have a pretty good diet with loads of raw veg, green tea etc but it's having no effect, I can't seem to pick myself up at the moment and it's just seemed a strange co-incidence that it was the same this time last year too.

Hopefully I won't be popping my clogs just yet mind

Hopefully not yet @Juicyj, your far too young

I've found that my basal requirements increase in the Autumn/Winter and drop again in the Spring/Summer so typically my control goes astray until I notice and make those changes, if your generally feeling down at this time of year then you may be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, if you Google the term you will find out more.

 

[Diamattic]

I have read something similar - that the cold weather affects diagnosis and T1D. I read that 'cold' countries have a much higher rate of diagnosis compared to hot countries, and most T1Ds develop in cold weather.

I was diagnosed in May, but I am sure my pancreas started giving up in January/ Feb during a cold cold winter.

But also - Just this week i noticed that my sugars were not as low as they usually are, so i had to adjust my basal rate this morning to stay below 6.5mmol/l (it was creeping up from low 5s to 6s and the last week was mostly around 6.5.. so this indicates a trend to be changed)

 

[Jaylee]

By no means to be "contrare".. By contrast.
I was diagnosed in the summer July 1976. (Remember that one?)
This year for the last three months I've had that lurgy going about (on & off.) causing dodgy BS. It's been a struggle to maintain TBH.
Though my Hba1c last Monday was 7.3. Not my best in a long time..
I had a flu jab a couple of weeks ago & never felt better since.. So far, even my BS on the day ro day has been a breeze!

Roll on winter I say!

 

[Auckland Canary]

By no means to be "contrare".. By contrast.
I was diagnosed in the summer July 1976. (Remember that one?)
This year for the last three months I've had that lurgy going about (on & off.) causing dodgy BS. It's been a struggle to maintain TBH.
Though my Hba1c last Monday was 7.3. Not my best in a long time..
I had a flu jab a couple of weeks ago & never felt better since.. So far, even my BS on the day ro day has been a breeze!

Roll on winter I say!

Maybe you got bitten by an infected greenfly?

 

[Jaylee]

Maybe you got bitten by an infected greenfly?

Hi,

Funny you mention that.
As an active 7 year old prior to the July diagnosis I caught an infection in my finger playing in the garden, which got ***** & needed treatment at the hospital in the village just round the corner from where I was brought up..
I used to love nailing bits of wood together/messing about with rocks..