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2 Month Sickness

ashleyjordon

Newbie
Hi Everyone,

My name is Ashley, I'm 29 and have been Type 1 for 3 years now. I would say up until January of 2019, I've been in denial that I have this very often overwhelming autoimmune disease. Since January my blood sugars have been extremely high which causes a lot of mood swings, tiredness... you know. I've been trying to control it the best I can with taking two types of insulins, watching my diet (I lost 30 lbs in 3 years) but the past 2 months have been exhausting. I've been sick, still am after 2 months, I have this dry cough that won't seem to go away with headaches that I wake up to every morning. Am I doing something wrong? Has anyone had a lingering dry cough mixed with headaches for this long while living with TID? Do you think they are related? Or maybe just stress?

I would love to hear from you.

Ash
 
Hi there and welcome to the forum

I've never heard of these types of symptoms being related to diabetes, maybe you'd be best making an appointment at your GP surgery?
xx
 
Hi Ash and welcome to the forum
Never heard of Type 1 and your symptoms being linked! As @kaylz91 has said make an appointment with your GP.
 
Hi @ashleyjordon, Poor you! Have you been in touch with your health team during this time to receive advice on diet and adjustment of insulin doses?
That should be a priority!! SOON !!!
Meanwhile there are some viruses which can cause a cough for 90 days. But best to see a doctor and get it sorted even if the only remedy might be something to ease the cough at night.
If that is your baby in the picture he or she might need a check also and to make sure vaccinations are up to date.
Please see to these things as high BSLs on top of an infection or whatever is causing the cough will be quite tiring and that may be on top of a young 'un to look after.
Best Wishes.
 
Thank you for the quick reply!
I have an appointment next week with my GP to see what's going on. I've adjusted my insulin within the last couple weeks, thinking maybe it was that but hasn't changed.
Baby in the picture is my niece
 
Hi @ashleyjordon, it sounds like you may need to speak with your health team about adjusting your insulin further.
Sometimes it is a step by step process until the BSLs are 'tamed".
Another thought is that when I have had a severe cough I find I develop heart burn and that makes me cough even more !!
If that seems to be happening to you, you might ask your pharmacist about it before seeing your doctor.
Please check that your niece is up to date with vaccinations just to be sure.
Best Wishes
 
Hello @ashleyjordon and welcome

Unfortunately running high levels will be making you feel worse mentally and physically, so although you would really want this to go away, unless you can get better control then you will feel unwell, it also helps mental well being to run in target, so getting your control managed better should be a huge priority simply to feel well.

As other's have said please get checked out by your GP to see if there's anything going on that needs medication, and please look after yourself, it's vital to tackle this head on.
 
Definitely gets it checked out by the docs but do note that sometimes the doctors just cannot do anything about a cough if they can't work out what's causing it, I say this because over the space of about 6 years I had three bouts of persistent coughing (the last one lasted about 6 months before it disappeared of its own accord but I was in quite a state by the end of it and my workmates weren't very happy either as it was also really annoying them as well lol) - persistent coughing is very very very tiring without anything else though
 
Since diagnosis, I've experienced that it takes me longer to recover from illness and that usually my blood sugars are very high when ill. 2 months is far too long for a regular illness though. Once I figure out how much my basal requirement is and reduce my blood sugars, it really helps mentally and physically to get the illness under control. The body is a strange machine though and it could be any combination of factors, but getting your blood sugars back in range definitely won't do you any harm. All the best!
 
I had a bag cough and head aches/runny nose between January and March/April.......

I waited that long to actually finally book a doctors appointment, but eventually got better before the appointment came..

It can be difficult managing these symptoms alongside the blood sugars.....fortunately for me there was no ill-effect on mine...

Is your illness and diabetes related.......well, I wouldn't say so generally, however if your levels are high for long periods of time you will be at higher risk of getting ill and taking a while recovering form it.....

So, just trying your best to keep stable is the best thing you could do...

How is your control and are you able to adjust your doses confidently...?
 
From observations whilst at work this has been bad year for general malaise for non diabetics also and I blame it on the weather we are having, if you compound this with international travel its quite common to get back to back virus especially if leaving kids at nursery as grandchild had a dry cough for 2 months.

The number of people I know being asked to take Vitamin D by doctors is over 4, another needs folic acid tablets so it may be worth starting with blood test i.e full blood count improve control and take it from there.
 
It's normal for sugars to be effected by an illness like the common cold/flu, but as everyone else has said - if it has been going on for this long and is causing issues with your levels it's definitely time to get it checked out
 
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