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TYPE 1 Immune System - stronger or weaker?

LooperCat

Expert
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5,222
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Saturday debate, quite pertinent as there’s a plague on.

Are our immune systems stronger or weaker than a person with a fully functioning pancreas?

I’m going for (in my case) just as strong, if not stronger and maybe a bit misguided. My T1 was caused by a gastric virus that sheltered in my beta cells. In order to kill it, my immune system napalmed the lot. I heal very quickly, I deal with bugs well - I still catch things but recover from them in the usual timeframe.

Over to you...


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Great post! Well I think our immune system is stronger but....it's a bit thick! x
 
Interesting topic, I've worked outdoors for the last 18 years and been ill just the once, I have no allergies (well, only to stupid people ) cuts probably take a little longer to heal but bones set at the same speed as a non diabetic, so I don't know.

Our problems come when we're ill and the bloods rise, if you curl up feeling sorry for yourself you tend not to inject when you need to and then you're left chasing your a**e.
 
A great topic for a Saturday morning.
Not being an expert on the intricate workings of the human immune system what I say is purely my opinion.
My immune system obviously has a fault somewhere or I wouldn’t be here posting..
Is my system weaker than someone non diabetic? No , I don’t believe it is. Colds, flu and whatever do not affect me anymore than people I now of a similar age or lifestyle.
Is my system stronger than a non diabetic? It’s hard to know, I still get colds, the flu and whatever. I’m definitely not immune.
Taking the immune system out of the debate.
I know for certain that my T1 dx has made me a far healthier, stronger individual. Compared to a large percentage of people I know in my age group and similar lifestyle I am far healthier.
 
One of the things that I bear in mid is the links between DKA and sepsis and the speed of onset when/if it all goes wrong which obviously is why as Type 1's we need to be very very careful when bloods rise and try to stay risen.
 

I definitely agree. What it can do is galvanise us into taking better care of ourselves than the average person, ie eat better, exercise more, pay more attention to our lifestyles etc.x
 
I'm not gonna lie..

I've had some crazy delirious flu symptoms in the past..
This one if caught & goes a bit "Pete Tong," messes with the respitory system..

I'm a fast healer with cuts & stuff. (Who remembers the "angle grinder incident.")

But a bit reluctant to try COVID 19 for size..For the sake of everyone around me.
 
Very interesting post @LooperCat . On a personal level, I think because we tend to take more care of our diets, generally speaking and are more aware of our own health we tend to just as fit if not fitter than most folks.We have regular check ups for blood pressure etc, so there should be no background issues piling up that we dont know of. For "healthy folks" they may not be so aware

The only real issue I have is when I cut myself/scratch myself it does tend to take that big longer to heal.

All of the above is in relation to myself as a type 1. People who have type 2 or maybe are type 2 but have not yet been diagnosed may have a different perspective
 
That's a very interesting thread, i was wondering for a long time if mine is stronger than most peoples around me.
I have worked with clients with not only all kinds of bugs but Hepatitis C, TB, and other nasties. Even when each and every colleague had a cold, it passed me.
 
A very good topic loopercat ! Personally I feel my immune system is stronger than some non-diabetic others. In general I don’t like that people consider us as someone whose prone to sickness just because we have type 1. I never had to call in sick for last 15 years. I’m just lacking my own insulin production but no other issues at all. Having a good sleep and exercise are essential to keep our immune system at best.
 
I will say this as a known fact, because I know my body and I know what can trigger things ( I am saying this because someone replied to a post of mine, and basically said they had heard it all before and I felt attacked, amongst other things)
Auto-immune conditions, 2 of mine came about due to extremely worrying and stressful things going on in my life, they were both very upsetting times.
I have had two very scary moments, 2000 and 2018, the latter was practically a death sentence, but I survived it, I was told I am a fighter, so some of that is probably down to my genes. Attitude can play a big part too, I wont let diabetes or any other medical condition bring me to my knees ( well, actually CRPS did, but I fought back) and often a good kick up ones own backside helps enormously ( un coup de pied au derrière ) I seem to do that a bit more now
I've had all sorts of accidents and always came through them, but then again, I have always been an active person, 1/2 stone heavier than I was 40 years ago and I think I eat a varied and a healthy diet.
Knock down 7 times, get up 8........... I like this quote
Thanks for posting @LooperCat
 
You are, without a doubt, one of the strongest fighters I’ve come across x
 
I dunno if it’s my immune system or my stubbornness not to be beaten, I have broken more bones had more cuts both serious and minor than I can remember , have had serious things wrong with me and recovered very quickly. Example I cut through an artery in my hand using an electric mitre saw had 8 stitches after 1 day 2 of the stitches came out . But cut had already started to heal so it didn’t bleed and less than 2 weeks later had was healed perfectly. However this is only because my bloods are under control , I know previously this wasn’t the case as cuts use to take ages to heal. I think if bloods are good then healing process and immune system follow proportionately
 
I certainly think as we monitor our health constantly on a near hourly basis, we are more aware of our bodies and what is good for them. On my part, A healthy balanced diet, regular exercise, as much sleep and relaxation as I can get and a healthy weight which I monitor each week. All of those things are in better supply than pre diagnosis 6 years ago.
 
Dunno, but after head trauma I once broke two vertebrae (C5 C6) and walked around untreated and in pain for 6 months before GP finally agreed to send me to hospital for an X ray (and thence directly to A&E) where practically the entire team gathered around me because....

"it's very unusual for someone to walk into here 6 month later with a broken neck, you must have a very high pain threshold!"

[ or be very stupid ]
 
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