Does anyone know if...

[Froobes]

Having an infection can cause hypos? I'm on my 2nd hypo today already and am getting a bit fed up. I've got a wisdom tooth that has come through but has become sore and I think infected. Can this impact blood sugars?

 

[cugila]

Any infection can play havoc with BG levels. What was the level when you had the 'hypo' ? Are you sure it was a hypo ?

 

[ishjohno]

As far as I'm aware infections don't cause hypos (T1-32yrs) hypos are caused by too much insulin, not enough to eat to cover the insulin or a missed meal.

Having an infection may raise your blood sugar but not cause hypo's.

Sarah

 

[Froobes]

First hypo was 2.9 and second was 3.7. I haven't changed what I eat as I'm at work and have done the exact same insulin as normal. I have pretty good control with a hba1c of 6.5%, I've not been exercising as I work in an office, nothing apart from the infection is different. Just wondered if anyone had experienced similar.

 

[cugila]

Any infection can make it difficult to control levels. I have only recently recovered from a nasty chest infection.......I had several hyper levels and several hypo levels during this time, so indirectly the infection messed with my control.

Didn't actually cause a hypo......but who is to say what extent it influenced it ?

It may be that you might need to adjust the Insulin during this time to compensate. Do you follow the 'sick day' rules.

 

[Froobes]

Thanks cugila for the quick response, I guess I can only assume at the moment the variation is due to the infection. Hope you're feeling better, I know how horrible chest infections can be, I had one every month for 2 years paired with tonsilitis before I took the plunge to have them out.

 

[cugila]

I think so. As Sarah says the normal reaction is to elevate Bg levels but as I said it can sometimes be difficult to balance. Keep testing while you have the infection and adjust Insulin and/or food if need be.

My CI has been over 4 weeks and is only now beginning to clear.......a pain in the proverbial !

Hope you get better soon.

 

[Geri]

Are you taking anti biotics?
i find that my sugars run low when I am taking these.
It could also be that you are eating less than normal due to pain in your wisdom teeth?
Just a thought.

 

[Snodger]

although most people react to stress (including infection) with higher bg, a number of people, myself included, react to stress by going hypo. Could be that is the way your body works?

Geri - that is really interesting about the antibiotics, I am trying to remember now the last time I had to take them whether they did anything to my sugars.

 

[Froobes]

Thanks Snodger that was really helpful.

Geri - no not on anti biotics yet, I'm going to the doctors in half an hour so it's more than likely I will be... yet again :roll:

 

[noblehead]

Froobes,

Infections normally causes bg to rise rather than fall, that said diabetes is a funny old thing and its more than possible that yours has the opposite effect.

Nigel

 

[LittleSue]

Not sure about bacterial infections, but certainly although viruses usually raise bg some can lower it, depends on how the particular bug affects your body. Sometimes they affect meal bolus requirements but hardly touch long-acting doses.