Type 2 Blood sugar shot up with positive COVID test

dhilbe said:

I had mild flu-like symptoms last week....so I did a home COVID test kit...came back positive. I'm 4 days from the positive test and feel pretty good....maybe a little tired...but I can go about my almost normal day. I'm self-isolating via CDC guidelines and I have had three COVID vaccinations. Blood pressure is my normal. However, my blood sugar has jumped by 100 points. My blood sugar is normally around 140 (6.5 A1C)....but it has jumped between 220 and 280. As I feel better, the blood sugar has come down a little bit - I had a couple measurements at 300. I've got a call into my doctor - do I need to do anything or simply ride this out until my COVID goes away. For right now, I'm simply trying to eat a very low-carb diet - not wanting to spike my blood sugar anymore than it is. Any thought/advice? Thank you, Dave

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Hi Dave
Yes apparently this is very common, I have spoken with my nurse and doctor about this. You don’t say if you are type 1 or 2? Follow your doctors advice, drink plenty of water, eat low carb, keep checking your BG and I hope it passes soon. If you are type 1 do follow sick day rules with your insulin. Which country are you in? I am not sure of your readings, I am used to mmol.

@dhilbe

I'd say @EllieM is spot on.

I'm T2D .Mine rise during any illness .
Went up during covid (Nov 21)
So I stopped measuring and simply decided it was my body supporting it's self.

And concentrated in the markers to fight covid I needed to be aware of (my breathing / asthma and my temperature, etc )

The idea we get the dawn phenomenon, to boost us in mornings, back in our caveman days, makes good sense right here & now with covid.

A simple analogy, but for me it's one war at a time

For 60 odd years T2D, has been building up but hasn't killed me yet,
So maybe it can wait a week or two while my body builds up its defences to launch an all out assault on covid..

I'd keep a careful eye out, but deffo be thinking of keeping covid symptoms to a minimum as being my first priority, then once fully recovered tending to the needs of my T2D, if it was me

Hope You get back to full health asap.

When my family caught it january i was the last one in the house to catch it and the day i tested positive my bloods were higher that morning, usualy around 4 but had a 5.5 which is alot higher for me . The one thing i did notice was i had it realy mild and it took me the 10 days to test negative where as the wife and 2 children had it and felt ****** but was clear on day 5

EllieM said:

Welcome to the forums @dhilbe

It's normal for blood sugars to go up with illness, so am not surprised at all that your levels have gone up. Insulin users often have to give themselves a lot of extra insulin to cope with illnesses and have "sick day rules" to guide them as to how much extra to take. It's good that you are in touch with your doctor to manage the situation.

T1s would get told to check their ketones if their bgs go into the high 200s and they are ill, but I don't know if this applies to you, your doctor would probably have mentioned it if that were the case.

Good luck, I hope you feel completely better soon.

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Hi does Diarrhoea bug up blood levels I’m in remission no meds just diet. And yesterday after lunch 8.4 then after tea 8.3 I’d had a bad belly all day so after 4 yesterday I’ve not eating just drank water. How do spikes effect you is it srill dangerous even in remission I’ve been worried all night about them been high x

EllieM said:

Last time I had a stomach bug my blood sugar went up though I didn't eat all day, so I suspect it's the same for a T2 with diarrhoea. But remember that I am T1 not T2 so may not be the best person to ask. I very much doubt that a spike of 8.3 or 8.4 when you are ill is dangerous or damaging, but I am not a doctor or T2. Remember that undiagnosed T2s typically run at over 10 for months or more before they get diagnosed. In your position, I would try not to worry (stress will only push your levels up) and concentrate on getting better soon.

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Hi thank you I will try not to worry My hbc1a was 54mm March then June 36mm then November 35mm so I’m in remission so done these sort of spikes won’t do much damage to me. Sorry I do worry about this and my next hbc1a is in Friday will it effect my blood test

I was out with family on Saturday we had a light lunch out, my blood sugar was normal and I gave my normal injection for what I ate. When I checked my Libre reading later it was shooting up and so I added an adjustment dose to bring it down but it went up to nearly 16 before I got it down but it still wanted to go up again. The next morning I woke with what felt like a cold, coughing and sneezing, so I did an LFT test first thing and it was positive. While I’m isolating I’m now not seeing and undue rises in blood sugar it was just in that time period before I was aware of any symptoms when covid must have been starting. Just got to see the isolation period out now.

EllieM said:

Those are awesome results, and no your hba1c is an average of your blood sugar over the last 3 months, a few days of higher readings shouldn't make much difference.

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Thanks for the help I’ve done my bloods today there back in the 6s and just had a 5.4 so I’m happy now thank god lol xthanks ellie

I’m 7 days in with Covid I live in Scotland , my blood sugars are fine I had cold symptoms for 2 days and have had nothing since I’m still + ve on day 7 I phoned Covid helpline after day 10 I can get out without testing yehaaa