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COVID vaccine and extremely high blood sugars

V

Violingirl

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. I have been diabetic for 40years. I had the COVID vaccine on Friday and my blood sugars since have been in the 20’s. I normally have really good control barely going above 11 but today I can not get them below 20. I feel awful. I’ve been sick too. I’ve tried changing my insulin cartridge to see if it was that but at the moment I’ve doubled my insulin and barely eaten. Anything I do eat seems to come back up. Has anyone else had this after the vaccine. The nurse told me it could be high for a couple of days after and not to worry unless it goes into the 30’s.
 
Do you have the ability to test ketones?
My understanding is high blood sugars and ketones can be very dangerous.
I would be concerned by blood sugars in the 20s and not waiting until it gets to the 30s.
Being sick is a symptom of ketones.

Be aware that we become insulin resistant as our blood sugars rise so at the levels you have you will probably need a lot more insulin than usual.
 
Sorry you're feeling so rough. Do you have any sugar free fizzy drinks in the house. If so let it go flat and try sipping if very very slowly, as you need to keep your fluid levels up even if you cannot eat, and this is a good way of settling your stomach down. If you can't keep liquids down, you need to get help as you'll get dehydrated very quickly. Have you tried dry toast or a dry cracker etc?
 
Seems normal, I have same problem got the AZ vaccine yesterday late afternoon, after breakfast this morning levels shot up, I wondered if l actually forgot bolus dose. Lower carb lunch and tea time. Lots of correction doses all day. Still waiting for levels to drop.

This link has a download leaflet with how much extra insulin to take depending on levels.
Google-

trenddiabetes.online/trend-uk-releases-updated-sick-day-rules-leaflets

The bit I think is not that intuitive is to keep eating carbs, and then don't forget to increase the dose.
 
Hi all. Thanks for the really quick advice. It appears that my husband has also been ill this evening and he is not diabetic so I’m wondering if it is something we ate. I completely changed my quick rapid insulin to a different box and my sugars are now dropping slowly. It was 16 last reading. I’ve tested for ketones and thankfully showing very little but I have drunk loads today.
Thanks for the link hopeful 34. Very informative. Am ring nurse in morning to double check and still checking bloods every 20 minutes.
 
Hi, I had similar after my AZ/Oxford vaccine. About 5hrs after my bloods started rising and I struggled to get them to stay under 20, needing at least 3 times usual insulin doses for a few days. Luckily all back to normal doses within a week and first 24hrs definitely the worst.

I was told to report hyperglycaemia as a side effect via the yellow card scheme as I had no warning this might happen and reporting it means it becomes more officially 'well known' by HCPs. Hope you're feeling better today.
 
Your raised blood sugars may very likely be part of your immune response to the vaccine and can take several days to return to normal. Apply sick day rules as suggested by @Mitch W
 
Hi I had the same response to the Pfizer jab it affected me for three days I felt really poorly but it did ease eventually I agree drink lots of fluids and rest up if you can x
 
Alist said:
Hi I had the same response to the Pfizer jab it affected me for three days I felt really poorly but it did ease eventually I agree drink lots of fluids and rest up if you can x
Click to expand...
Type 2 on insulin, same high numbers here after the Pfizer jab on Wednesday. Got away lightly, slightly warm arm and bit heady but no more thankfully. Daughter felt rougher than me and she is due her 2nd jab in 2 weeks so will be interesting to see how she gets on.
 


Hi. Just reported. Hadn’t heard of this scheme before so thank you,
 
Hi folks
Had my AZ vaccine on Friday, on the day after mega lows. Then since high, cannot budge below 15 today, keep adjusting and keep drinking water and then, fingers crossed.
 
T2 non-insulin here.
My BG suddenly went up about 3 days after the Pfizer and it is back down today after a zero carbs day.
All very strange.
Because it was so long after the vaccine I can't be sure that the two are connected but I have my suspicions.
Most people seem to be over side effects after 2-3 days but I have had a bit of a rocky week and a half.
 

From a T1 perspective, I don't think that the zero carbs actually help.
Google:
trenddiabetes.online/trend-uk-releases-updated-sick-day-rules-leaflets

You can download information for both T1 & T2
 
Last edited:
Mitch W said:
From a T1 perspective, I don't think that the zero carbs actually help.
Google:
trenddiabetes.online/trend-uk-releases-updated-sick-day-rules-leaflets

You can download information for both T1 & T2
Click to expand...

No, the zero carbs was to give context to my unusually high BG after the vaccine.
It was not a suggestion for T1s to follow.
 
In terms of vaccine immune responses 3 days is very short - your system will continue to adapt over 14-21 days - compare what you may feel versus actual BG levels in this first 3 week timeframe. So pragmatically deep breath and keep monitoring & control BGs as necessary.
 
Apply sick day rules if BG levels are consistently outside your normal comfort zone, this is a typical side effect of the vaccine activating your immune system.
 

That is reassuring.
Do you have a reference for this?
I'd like to read more.
 
LittleGreyCat said:
That is reassuring.
Do you have a reference for this?
I'd like to read more.
Click to expand...
Hi @LittleGreyCat, I'm an info junkie so I read many feeds from so many sources, but am very bad at bookmarking the most interesting ones. I'll try to locate some relevant for you, but don't hold your breath! I do have a PhD in physiology, so hopefully not suckered in by fake science too often.

BTW I love your avatar - sadly recently lost my ginger who could have been his twin.
 
oldgreymare said:
BTW I love your avatar - sadly recently lost my ginger who could have been his twin.
Click to expand...

She was the little grey cat of my user ID.
Although there were a lot of other colours mixed in with the grey.
Gone just over a year now at 23 years old.
Her ginger brother a year or so before.

No more for us now.
Apart from anything else I don't think I'll last another 23 years!
 
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