Have you always gotten sick easily?

[Robinredbreast]

I have had type 1 for 33 years. I am on my second cold in the space of about six weeks.

The long term effect of having diabetes results in a weakened immune system. You wont just start getting ill with other things once being diagnosed so long as you keep good control.

I have neuropathy both internal and peripheral. I was alcohol dependent up till 11 years ago and the drinking and the diabetes together have made the nerve damage much worse than if I were to never have had diabetes.

Smoking with diabetes will give you twice as much chance of having heart failure and circulatory problems than if you were just a smoker.

Good control over a long period of time will allow your body to fight illness during that time. Bad control will do the opposite.

It is not a myth, our immune systems do weaken but after 33 years of having it I still work full time and my diabetes has not disabled me in any way up to as yet. If I had continued to drink and smoke I am pretty sure the diabetes would have played its part and I really don't think I'd be here now writing this. A truly grateful diabetic.

The colds go on for weeks though!.

So glad you are here to post

RRB

 

[electro_lincoln]

Hi mate.

I'm Type 1. I'm 27 and had it for 4 years so I can comment on before and after. In short - no, I haven't noticed any difference.

I think how easily you get a cold and how much it takes hold is down to the individual and not the diabetes. I always got cold in the winter a lot which seemed to linger on, and I still do.

I eat a lot of fruit and veg nowadays, do a lot of sport, I drink less. In general I'd say I was healthier now, with diabetes, than I was at 21 without it. I probably recover from things quicker.

My advice would be to just look after yourself. You'll notice on here there's a lot of over talking and over thinking diabetes related issues.

 

[Ionutz]

If you take care of your blood sugar levels...no problem . At list for me . I've catch a cold now and then maybe once in 2 or 3 years, but nothing serious in over 30 years since I was diagnosed.

 

[misswhiplash]

I was rarely if ever ill pre-T1 and am rarely if ever ill now - am honestly one of the healthiest people I know
I understood that the recommendation to be flu jabbed etc was more to do with the fact that, were one to happen to catch flu, it can be quite dangerous for someone with diabetes rather than any kind of propensity to catch it in the first place...

 

[Loxyk]

I have had Type 1 for 40 years, I have never had any problems with dreaded bugs or infections. I actually suffered more during pregnancy and that was due to morning sickness nothing diabetes related however my blood sugars went mad. Like most Type 1 diabetics I lead a healthy balance lifestyle.

 

[Diamattic]

ugh. Figures as soon as I ask this i get sick.

Yep. I asked because my gf was sick last week, and it got me thinking, so i made this thread, and wouldn'tcha know it i caught her cold.

So far I started feeling that scratchy throat feeling on Tuesday morning when i work up, then Wednesday it was worse, and today it was much worse. My throat is scratchy and a bit sore, and i can certainly feel it in my head.

I have not seen any change in my BS level. I haven't had to change my basal at all so I am able to maintain my normal readings (which are usually 5-7s, and peaking after meals, but then back down after 2 hours... I am just off honeymoon so i need to still get a handle on them)

So I would officially call this day 3. I am fully expecting tomorrow to be better then today. I would be disappointed if I felt worse :/

I guess i will keep you posted.

However, I think I can say its been less severe then my gf, who had to take a day off to stay in bed on her 'Day 3' (which, for me, would have been today)

*fingers crossed!*

 

[Diamattic]

A bit of a late update.

The cold i caught seemed to be fairly mild, i didn't have to skip any work, i never felt too ill that it affected me (other than maybe day 3) i think it lasted about 6 days all in, from the first notice of a throat scratch to the day i woke up and thought 'Yep, I am all better'

Day 3 and 4 were the worst, and I did have to take some advil in the afternoons while at work, but beyond that i don't think it was any worse then before...

 

[chl0ejasmine]

I catch an illness ridiculously fast and I can't feel warmth very well, I'm always wearing my coat in school because I'm so cold. However before I was diagnosed with T1 I was diagnosed with hives and then later with under active thyroid so my immune system is pretty lame haha

 

[RuthW]

Get well soon!

 

[hollyslot]

I rarely get ill, and I have had diabetes since I was 4 years old (19 now). I think it's because I am very healthy in terms of diet and exercise but it could just be that my immune system is strong!

 

[Dodo]

T1 now for 49 years and I do find that after a cold I always end up with a chest infection that requires antibiotics.

 

[gemma6549]

I have several auto immune diseases that effect me but as far as the diabetes is concerned I rarely get ill with colds , sore throat or chest infections etc

 

[brottonmoores]

Only diagnosed as type 2 November last year husband and on both had really heavy colds not me though can't remember the last time I was ill, never had flu ever in 58 years, refused flu jab on these grounds
Fingers crossed you don't have be "an ill person" just because you have diabetes
Jan

 

[anna29]

After never being ill or with a cold for years .
I get pneumonia then a septis infecton then Diabetes .
One thing after another one too !
Got a couple of low immune conditions since .
VitaminD deficient and Coeliac plus Hypothyroidism .
Also Mito Chondrial disease .

Not had a cold or nothing since till I got shingles this year - end of febuary.
Its taking ages to calm down too !
Never ever had this before - its awful

 

[dubbydoo]

I hardly got cold before I was diabetic now I get them frequently and they last longer.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Got 5 months of a constant cold and almost on steroids last year -after flu jab. Don't normally have this.

Never been this ill ever in 30yrs t1. Never had a day off sick till last year.

Had sniffles for a few days again over Xmas this year but pretty much back to normal-without the flu jab.

Unexplained pains that GP's put down to fibromyalgia.. But I put down to statins.

Any illnesses I have had I link to drugs that my body doesn't tolerate.just glad it does tolerate insulin though.

 

[ConsultingTimeLordElf]

I feel like I get colds more easily as I've had 6 in the past 4 months and had to stay off school because of my blood sugars before Christmas.

 

[GJ300]

Ha, I'm ill today yes immune system definitely is open to a kick in from all the bugs and colds in this country. It's annoying because having had diabetes for nearly 20 years (am 31) I was good at not catching much. I think to be honest it comes with age and the immune system degrades over time. Not easy when everyone blames it on an acute case of manflu all the time!

 

[itconor]

Type one here, i get sick a lot less than my healthy SO, i havnt even had a cold in a year or 2 now... though saying that now ive typed this ill end up catching one tomorrow

 

[HaroldC]

40 years diabetic. 10 years HIV. One sneeze in an office or airport and I've got a cold. Small-fry really. Adjust basal accordingly after about 6 hours. Infections are tricker to shift. Immune system is in good shape, it's just getting old!