Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabetes?

[azure]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

Azure,

I'm Blood group A neg so no similarity there.

Regards
Angie

Interesting - thank you for answering. I've always wondered about that blood group thing but have never found an answer. I'd still love to see the kind of studies that focus on 'boring' things like that not just genetics. In my free moments I often construct one in my head

 

[azure]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

....However this has me questioning - has the MMR vaccine decreased or increased the incidence of Type 1 diabetes? could the vaccine trigger the auto-immune response or because of the inert nature of the virus just prevent the disease and eliminate 1 possible cause of Type 1 diabetes. I have looked for research into this but can find none, maybe someone at diabetes UK knows if such research has been done. If not - wouldn't this be an excellent research project, particularly as measles and rubella are viruses that have also been indicated as possible causes...

Very interesting idea. Childhood vaccinations are on my imaginary questionnaire. Certainly the increase in Type 1 in recent years must be significant, mustn't it? So a cause or causes that fitted that would work theoretically. I'd read a specific thing about wheat, which has obviously been part of the human diet for thousands of years, and it said that in the 70s (I think) new kinds of wheat were engineered which were more 'allergic' and that that could possibly be linked to the increase in Type 1. The MMR vaccine is pretty recent too. Then, of course, there are lots of not so obvious external things like pollution and use of specific pesticides and chemicals.

 

[Catsymoo]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

By the way, the more I think about the last few years... I don't think the virus triggered my diabetes. I do remember feeling thirsty a LOT for like 2 years, but never sick until 2012. When I lived in the UK, I worked in Tesco from age 16 to age 20. I remember I never used to need the loo or get a drink during my entire shift... and then in 2010 I do remember having to get a drink and pee 2 hours after starting my shift. But that, coincidentally, was when I started eating a banana and a cereal bar before work. So I am guessing I had pre-diabetes and slightly high blood sugar that year. Since my nurse says there is not a chance in hell that I've had type 1 diabetes very long. My blood tests show my kidneys, etc and everything in perfect shape.

They said if I had type 1 longer than a few months, I probably wouldn't be alive because for a year or so, my boyfriend and I ate so much sugar and carbs. Doesn't mean to say I wasn't a slow burning type 1, though. I think that might be the case. My insulin dose goes up by 1 unit a month.

Also funny you mention milk, I could not get enough of the stuff for the last 2 years UNTIL I started insulin. I was literally addicted to cold drinks! I'd go through 2 litres of milk in a day + tea + juice. When I was home I would also go through smoothies and fruit juices ridiculously fast. Now I barely drink anything except water or sugar free cola.

Now I'm even more confused as to what triggered mine. I know I'm genetically susceptible, obviously. But I never really got sick at all. I had flu once in like 2010 or 2009. I've always had irregular periods until randomly a year ago they settled down and are like clockwork. Never got much sunlight, might be a factor. I worked early mornings so I would stay up all night and sleep in the day. I just don't do "normal" sleeping patterns lol.

 

[ameen]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

I had Autoimmune hepatitis which attacked my pancreas. At first I was diagnosed with type 1 then later It turned out I also have Autoimmune hepatitis which is what caused my diabetes so if you're type 1 I recommend you go and get tested for Autoimmune.

 

[slbarron23]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

I had a really awful ear injection which got so bad I was bed ridden for almost two weeks. Initially I only had ear drops which did nothing and it was only after being in agony for a week that I was given antibiotics. I went back to my gp a few days after I felt better as I stil couldn't hear well and told him about my symptoms (which I put down to being ill and the antibiotics) and I was pretty much diagnosed there and then. Whether or not this was the trigger I always think about whether I would have diabetes, or at least at this point, if my ear infection had been treated better initially!

 

[slbarron23]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

I had a really awful ear injection which got so bad I was bed ridden for almost two weeks. Initially I only had ear drops which did nothing and it was only after being in agony for a week that I was given antibiotics. I went back to my gp a few days after I felt better as I stil couldn't hear well and told him about my symptoms (which I put down to being ill and the antibiotics) and I was pretty much diagnosed there and then. Whether or not this was the trigger I always think about whether I would have diabetes, or at least at this point, if my ear infection had been treated better initially!

 

[Speckles]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

My husband had a virus before he became Type 1 twelve years ago. We have always thought it was the trigger to him becoming type 1.

Specks

 

[McMittens]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

Nope, but interestingly a few months before I was diagnosed I had an accident where I knocked most of my front baby teeth out, (I was around 4) and I've been told that may have something to do with getting type 1 not long after.... hmm?

 

[Pauly21]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

I have had a few viral infections prior to becoming type 1.
One incident i do remember because i never had anything like it before was some sort of virus which i had uncontrolled shaking/cold sweats. Not like a hypo but it lasted about 15 minutes then i was ok. I didn't take any food when this was happening either This happened about 3-6 months before i was diagnoised

 

[vespa]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

I recall very well the virus that was supposedly the cause of my diabetes. Flu-like symptoms and a really bad cough. Three or so weeks later and I had diabetes. Nightmare.

Pretty much the same for me

 

[Pogo069]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

I had flu (was 8 at the time) .... Ended up being very poorly and being rushed into hospital after a week as the first doc missed the diabetes every time he was called out and kept saying I just had flu and I'd be ok in a few days.


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[Riri]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

I didn't have a virus (don't think) but I was severely stressed and run-down for about 6 months prior to be diagnosed straight out with type 1 at the age of 34.

 

[janabelle]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

I had a bad flu round Xmas time 88, and was diagnosed Type-1 mid- March 1989. I was told when I was diagnosed that it was probably caused by a virus or shock, but I always it might be related to having my appendix out as a child.
I had really bad flu again(with hallucinations) the next 2 winters. I've never had a flu jab, wouldn't touch it with a barge-pole.
Jus

 

[captainfredhead]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

Hi,
I was diagnosed last December, but looking back I had the symptoms for a very long time. Christmas 2010 I caught a bad virus, like a really bad flu, super tired, bad headaches, cough, fever, all the normal flu symptoms. I had been to a Christmas party with the in-laws, and lots of us had come down with the same flu, some were even diagnosed swine flu! Anyway, it was definitely around that time my symptoms started (but they may have started slightly before). It is hard to tell as I had been trying to loose weight, and had been getting there slowly. When I had the 'flu' I started to drink loads, which I would say is normal when you have a cough and a temperature. After that I made a small effort to keep drinking more for my health, and continued to loose weight, but without so much effort.
Anyway..I ended up, at some unknown point, being very thirsty all of the time, eating LOADS and still losing weight.
I know this is all a bit of a jumble, but it does make me wonder if the virus was the start of it all.

 

[carb-counting-mum]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

Yes,

My daughter had a sore throat and felt tired, one week later she was admitted with bad DKA - that was when she was diagnosed. Docs said it often seems to happen right after an infection/virus.

 

[Lyndesay]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

Hi,

I was diagnosed when I was 11 (now 37). The doctor said it was due to me having the Flu when I was 9.

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[nmr1991]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

I didn't have any sort of flu, can't remember when but i'm pretty sure diabetes is caused by part of chromosome pair #6 where I think is enough evidence to call it a cause for diabetes because some disease with your urine turning syrup-like and coeliac disease is on the same chromosome.

However I didn't see any signs of a flu disease on there, it may just be your susceptibility to flu symptoms running up to your diagnosis of diabetes.

Could be a bit off topic but chromosome 6 mentions a defect in the genes that could lead up to deficiency of collagen, high blood sugar might be a contribute factor here as you can feel your bones and muscles getting weaker because the high amount of sugar in your blood slows it down (a theory).

Maybe i'm speculating and probably exaggerating the point but I truly think it is a matter of genetics.

 

[ohbjulie]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

My daughter came down with Type 1 some years ago. There was a flu epidemic in town and nine kids came down with Type 1 diabetes as a result. They all sort of knew eachother or played with kids in the families. The doctors believed that these kids had a pre-disposition to diabetes and the flu triggered a virus that caused type 1. One of the doctors treating my daughter had herself come down with diabetes in a similar situation.

No one in our family has had diabetes. However, my husband has throid related problems which are common with diabetes. My daughter developed throid problems after getting diabetes.

 

[bluevolvoC30]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

OMG.
I live on the Isle of Portland in Dorset and was diagnosed with diabetes (from nowhere when aged 3 in 1964).
I too did a little research and concluded that it was cause by one of two possibilities:
Firstly I had an extremely bad cold, not sure if it was pneumonia or not -and at the same time, a really bad upset stomach but again not sure if it was gastroenteritis. Either way the illnesses led to me being admitted to hospital and diagnosed with type 1.
Secondly prior to getting the diagnosis, the MOD were testing biological warfare off the south coast.
It was particularly close to where I live and this makes me furious as I've heard many people refer to acquiring type 1 diabetes as a result of this... But where do you go with it?
I wonder whether it's a virus or contamination or... simply trauma to the body which it cannot cope with?
Kind regards

 

[Faith*]

Re: Did any of you type 1s have a virus before you got diabe

Same, I had a really bad case of tonsilitis when I was about 9/10 and then just as I got better I was rushed in with early DKA, poked and prodded and then the rest is history. It's mad how they just don't know what causes it in the first place despite all the research (aside from genetic disposition perhaps)