• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Colds and viruses

Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,884
Location
Lincolnshire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Please note, I think that including influenza (flu) in this thread might be a bit of a distraction, so please don't ...*

Colds, sniffles, coughs and viruses:

We (diabetics) are apparently supposed to get colds worse than non-diabetics, aren't we?
  • Is that your experience?
  • What do you do about it?
  • Have over-the-counter cough/cold remedies helped or hindered?
  • What do you use as prevention/treatment?
  • What effect does a cold have on YOUR blood glucose?

* I have had normal flu twice in my life, and swine flu once. They were a very different experience (and REALLY deserving of their own thread!) from the cold, cough, snuffle, sinusy virus mentioned above.
 
Should have explained why I'm asking:

I am currently 3 days into 'a cold' and 1 day into the 'chest infection' that decided to climb onto the gravy train this morning. It can't be 'man flu' because I am a woman.

Cue violins... I feel seriously wilty (lettuce has more backbone). I have gone through the obligatory raw back of nose, drippy tonsils, aching teeth and mild fever. I now feel like a baby elephant is sitting on my chest. For the first two days, my fasting blood glucose shot up to 8.5 (from 5.7ish) and just sat there. Now that I feel worse, it has dropped to normal again.

And I'm really curious if other people have found colds got worse after diagnosis.

And what they have done about it...?
 
I have had serious spikes during a cold or chest infection. Felt,so Ill was only out of bed for a few hours a day. Took about 8 days to settle down o anything close to acceptable levels. Just had to weather it.



Late onset T1, several auto immune issues.
Humalogmix25 twice a day, Methotrexate 25mg once per week, FolicAcid 5mg once per week, prednisolone 5mg daily, Allopurinol 300mg, Calcichew-D3 800iu, Levothyroxine 50mcg, Atenolol 50mg, Losarten 100mg, Aspirin 75mg, Nicorandil 20mg, Nitrolingual GTN spray, Metformin 2000mg, Allimemazine 10mg, Lanzoprazole 30mg, Atorvastatin 20mg, Co Codamol 8/500mg, Depo Medrone (Methylprednisolone) or double Prednisolone for 7 days in case of RA flare.
 
I have never had proper flu. I haven't had a cold for several years, nor have I had a chest infection for as long as I can remember. Not being surrounded by school children helps! I just got the big one - breast cancer followed immediately by diabetes.
So I can't add anything to your thread, but would just like to say I hope it all gets better soon B. It sounds very unpleasant.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
I hope it all gets better soon B. It sounds very unpleasant.
Click to expand...

Thanks Blue,

I had a bout of bronchitis a couple of years ago - was a right pest to shift. First time I had ever been to doctor for anything like that. It was about the same time I think I slid into diabetes. Now, the next time I get a snuffle, it turns out to be a chest crusher too.

Coincidence? No idea, but it prompted me to start the thread. I really don't remember being floored by a cold before!
 
I had a heavy cold some 3-4 weeks ago and I'm still coughing. Also aching. I don't bother with lemsips etc. although I did find that lozenges helped with the sore throat that came on before the cold developed. My sugars have been up and down and generally mis behaving for the last few weeks and the cold has left me knackered. (I do have stomach problems at the moment as well so that's has complicated things and I'm trying to get to the bottom of what it is). So yes, I feel that this cold has had a longer affect on me especially seeing as it's screwed up my sugars.
 
Just starting to get over my cold/chest infection I have always got them regularly this has been almost 5weeks now / got some antibiotics last week and it clearing slowly. My sugar are alway high around 9 but when on antibiotics reaching average of 11. I think its more the laying around that has lead to a lot of it as well as eating more as not in a set schedule.

I am type 2 since feb 14





Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 

Hi
And welcome!
Hope you feel better soon.

Do you think these chest infections are worse now you are diabetic?

In my case, I thought the virus I had (the one talked about above) was worse than other people, cos of my diabetes.

But it turned out, when I got back to work that the 4 colleagues who had also had the bug had been at least as bad as me! They were all talking as if it had been 'real flu', and took nearly a week off each. I was ill for just 4 days. With only one day off work. So now I am wondering if my diabetes had any effect on the plague, or not.

The only thing I know for certain is that my colleagues are wimps, while I soldiered on like a martyr.
 
Hello good people am new and was feeling alone. After reading your stories l feel l have met friends who will understand. Iam type 2 for the past three yrs it was diet only then l was bit with pneumonia and nearly died l was then put on straight on metro in and am recovering very slow 3 weeks with pneumonia and antibiotics
 
@Mandifadza

Welcome!

Ooh, I feel for you. Pneumonia is a terrible thing. Glad you are on the mend. Keep us informed about your progress?

This is a wonderful place to keep you interested and entertained while you convalesce.
 
Thanks my dear it's horrible l nearly went to sleep for ever but had yo fight for my girls . Yes it's Nasty killer desease
 
Got a cold at the moment got over one about 5 weeks ago. First first ages blaming other half he is non diabetic always getting them.

Normal cold so far bloods around what usually are but l havent tested much with either cold on theory everyone says bs go up and as under the circumstances l have no control why get upset.
 
I'm on immunosuppressants so I pick up just about every virus going around! They nearly always hang around for a long time with me, and eventually go to my chest, and I end up with a chest infection.


Colds are a bit of a nightmare experience with me, as I always begin with having high sugars because of the cold. I then have to increase my steroids, which causes high sugars. It nearly always then goes to my chest, anddddd more high sugars!

Unfortunately I'm not allowed to take most over the counter medications because I'm on more medications than the average OAP and taking them would most likely cause some form of spontaneous combustion! I really have too put up with it, but I do take something called carbocystine which thins the mucus, morphine for pain, steroids for chest problems and prophylactic antibiotics, so I can increase all of those if need be....

I can't really prevent colds as my drug cocktail makes me a germ magnet, but I do my best to prevent it going to my chest by taking extra antibiotics as soon as I feel rough!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Blimey. That sounds... Well I don't actually have the words to describe it. Must be hellish.

Are you exposed to children? I know that it is traditional to go all gooey about the little monsters, but in my experience they are some of the worst plague carriers and disease vectors on the planet. Especially when of school age. University students are nearly as bad.
 
Haha. I have gotten used to it now to be honest, I have something like 40 items on my repeat script, and it's just become routine to take them. My stupid lungs suck at being lungs and have caused too many problems over the years! They just do whatever they fancy and forget about doing the job they are made for!

Ewwwew. Children! Stay away from the small sticky things! (He he)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I got a very mild cough no medication but this morning up to 7.5 highest (with morn' usually low-mid 5). Ate small meal very low-carb still no metformin 500, then 1 hr later to 8.5 .. . panic.... Does coughing even though small cause blood sugar to rise ? Now taken med & test again thanks
 
I have no spleen (long story) and am classified as immuno-suppressed. My blood tests always come back with appalling results for white blood cells and all the bug-fighting bits. However, I eat a lot of fresh veg and salad and don't seem to catch colds. If I do get a hint of a sniffle then echinacea is my go-to. Also menthol crystals (pop some in a bowl, add boiling water, put a towel over your head and lean over the bowl. Inhale until the heat drives you out from under the towel).

Also, there's Tiger Balm for headaches and warming teas - particularly blackcurrant - for comfort. Also lemon and ginger brewed as a tea work nicely. I can't manage too much of the ginger (grate it, and add the lemon juice and some zest - add very hot water and let soak a while - strain before drinking....)

Covonia is great for a chesty cough, although it contains sugars so T2's should be careful.

My husband gets a lot of colds - I drive him nuts because I'm supposed to be the vulnerable one....

Painkillers are a problem for vegans; there aren't many that the Vegan Doctor (a vegan GP who blogs) knows of.
 
Last edited:
I had a flu jab last winter (2017/18) and also the one time only pneumococcal jab.

Since then I haven't had a hint of a cold at all.

I didn't bother with a flu jab this winter.
 
I don't do flu jabs, although I get anguished texts from my surgery. They only want to help, I know, but it's not every year that they produce a vegan formulation of the vaccine. Not a problem at all as far as I'm concerned. I do talk my husband into having one because if he gets ill, he really gets ill and he's not getting any younger.
 
I have never had flu in my life, 1/2 of it non diabetic, the other half type 1. occasionally I will have the odd sniffle and recently had a very sore razor blade throat, which didn't last long, but coughs and cold are thankfully a rarity My dad used to say 'it's down to our Scottish blood' <3
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…