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Does diabetes cause you to get sick a lot?

J

JoeyK

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74
Type of diabetes
Friend
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Other
As I have said I'm not diagnosed yet but going to the Dr this weekend after many years without blood tests (accept for thyroid). I've read that if you have uncontrolled diabetes you catch colds etc easy. Except for the occasional cold that doesn't really amount to much...I haven't been bed ridden sick in 5 years. I seem to heal quickly from cuts as well...I know if you don't, that is a sign.
 
You are more prone to getting sicknesses and some people may heal slower than others. However, if you're suggesting that because you rarely get sick and because you heal quickly that you don't have diabetes....that in itself would be an incorrect assumption.

Blurry vision and lack of energy are also two signs of hyperglycemia. I had blood sugar levels above 20 for several months (based on my initial a1c) and I never noticed any fatigue or blurry vision.
 
Many of us have no symptoms at all, but equally a lot do. It is very individual. Personally I had none whatsoever, but there again, my levels weren't drastic on diagnosis.
 
Thanks. Is 20 high? I go by over 100 means you are diabetic so googling it 20 is about 400?
 
JoeyK said:
Thanks. Is 20 high? I go by over 100 means you are diabetic so googling it 20 is about 400?
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This is a UK website and most people on here measure in mmol/l.

I live in the US where we measure in mg/dl.

The number I quoted was 20 mmol/L which equates to 360 mg/dl. The basic conversion is to multiply/divide by 18.

To answer your question, yes, 20 mmol/L is considered very high and my reading at diagnosis was 500+ (the meter just said "High" and couldn't provide a numerical reading at that point.
 
JoeyK said:
As I have said I'm not diagnosed yet but going to the Dr this weekend after many years without blood tests (accept for thyroid). I've read that if you have uncontrolled diabetes you catch colds etc easy. Except for the occasional cold that doesn't really amount to much...I haven't been bed ridden sick in 5 years. I seem to heal quickly from cuts as well...I know if you don't, that is a sign.
Click to expand...

I didn't have a lot of colds before I was diagnosed, and I didn't notice any change in healing speed. I don't think you can tell anything from those things as some people might get lots of colds but not have diabetes.

It's best to wait until you get your blood tests done as only a doctor can say whether you have diabetes or not.
 
Hi, I have never been one for getting coughs, colds or viruses, so no, I hardly ever get sick.
Good luck at the GP's.
 
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