Illness and Diabetes

It's me again.  I'm not usually sick.  I do have fibro but I know how to handle the diabetes with the pain of fibro.  But, I developed a horrible cold a few weeks ago.  My blood sugar skyrocketed!  That's what prompted me to come and lurk here almost a week ago.  I started watching the carbs but my bs still was high.  For example, last night I had three St. Louis style ribs (not much meat on them) and some asparagus for dinner last night.  I didn't have another thing to eat.  This morning my bs was 186!  I couldn't believe it.  I had an appointment to see the nurse practitioner for help with my cold today and mentioned it to her.  She said that, because I was ill, that affects my bs.  I know that but, does it affect it that much?  I really have hardly had any carbs in 5 days.  I'm wondering if my moniter is working correctly, since it is a new one.  Hmmmm......   Thought I'd ask the experts here!  Thanks!

 

Oh, by the way, I've lost 2 pounds in 5 days!  YEA!!!!!

 

Sherrine 

Wow, Sherrine, good news on the weight loss and bad news on feeling sick!  Lots of people have said their blood sugar rises when they're sick, so that's not unusual.  What's the marinade or sauce for St. Louis style ribs?  Even though the meat wouldn't cause a spike the sauce might.  Memphis style barbecue sauce is sweetened along with the spices and tomato sauce and that can cause spikes.  (And a lot of tomato sauce can do that, too.)  I hope you're feeling better now.

Sherrine,

I know when I'm sick my blood sugar level go up, even if I'm eating as I should. I believe it has something to do with the body's response to the 'invader' and the need to ramp up the antibody response 'troops'. There is better bug fighting at elevated temperatures so the body needs more fuel to raise the temp. The high sugars are probably from the liver sending out extra sugar, as Sandy said. Incidentally, if you take antipyretics (tylenol or aspirin) to bring the fever down you actually make if more difficult for your white blood cells to mobilize and you also make the environment more pleasant for the germs. If you are suffering a low grade fever and can sleep your way thru a cold you will actually get better faster than if you take fever reducers. I know that they make you feel good, but they also make it nice for the bugs, too.

Back again!  I'm still having a lot of problems with high blood sugars.  My doctor has nearly doubled the Glyburide that I take.  Today I went to walk my dog.  I got about four houses down the street and I just felt weak, legs like rubber, and I was even a teeny bit short of breath.  I decided to go back home and check my sugar because I didn't want it to go too low and be far from home with no food.  It checked out at 125, and that was four hours after breakfast!  (I had a cheese and onion omelet, three slices of bacon, and six strawberries for breakfast.)  I went back out to continue the walk knowing that exercise is so good for diabetes.  We walked for about a half an hour and I was tired! 

 

An hour later I ate lunch.  It was two heaping soup spoons of 2% milkfat cottage cheese, a half an avocado, and three radishes.  Nearly three hours later my blood sugar was 124.  I don't know what is going on here.  I'm really not eating carbs but it doesn't help.  Before he upped the Glyburide I was getting readings in the 200's and even one at 350!  I'm very upset about this and really don't know what to do.  I'm starting to think there is something else going on.  I've kept my a1c tests in the 5-6 range for 16 years and now nothing I try works!  I hate even writing those numbers down.  I feel like I'm recording bowling scores!     Right now I seem a little out of breath but maybe it's a touch of anxiety over these numbers.  Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

 

Oh, by the way, this all started January 22nd.  I had a dry cough for the week leading up to this date.  My doctor cleared me for out-patient surgery.  They gave me general anesthetic and, by that evening, my lungs were full!  That's when the BS rose.  When I first got home from the hospital, after being on IV and not having my meds that morning, my BS read 95.  It's been in the clouds ever since!  The cold is basically gone.  It just doesn't make any sense to me.

 

Sherrine

Hi, Ceebee!  Yes, you can build a resistance to a diabetic medication but this started with the ilness.  I did start taking Mucinex again and I'm still getting a little lung action so this cold isn't over yet.  I know that's playing into it but my numbers have never been high like this...even in other illnesses.  I'm stumped. 

 

Sherrine 

 

Sherrine,

You stated that you had out-patient surgery around the 22nd?  They normally will give you a saline drip along with the general anesthetic.  This saline drip is usually dextrox and saline which will cause your bs to skyrocket into the upper 200's through mid 300's.  My surgeon told me that this effect can linger as long as 6 weeks.  As each week passes the numbers should go down.

Marburg  

Sherrine said...
Back again!  I'm still having a lot of problems with high blood sugars.  My doctor has nearly doubled the Glyburide that I take.  Today I went to walk my dog.  I got about four houses down the street and I just felt weak, legs like rubber, and I was even a teeny bit short of breath.  I decided to go back home and check my sugar because I didn't want it to go too low and be far from home with no food.  It checked out at 125, and that was four hours after breakfast!  (I had a cheese and onion omelet, three slices of bacon, and six strawberries for breakfast.)  I went back out to continue the walk knowing that exercise is so good for diabetes.  We walked for about a half an hour and I was tired! 

 

An hour later I ate lunch.  It was two heaping soup spoons of 2% milkfat cottage cheese, a half an avocado, and three radishes.  Nearly three hours later my blood sugar was 124.  I don't know what is going on here.  I'm really not eating carbs but it doesn't help.  Before he upped the Glyburide I was getting readings in the 200's and even one at 350!  I'm very upset about this and really don't know what to do.  I'm starting to think there is something else going on.  I've kept my a1c tests in the 5-6 range for 16 years and now nothing I try works!  I hate even writing those numbers down.  I feel like I'm recording bowling scores!     Right now I seem a little out of breath but maybe it's a touch of anxiety over these numbers.  Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

 

Oh, by the way, this all started January 22nd.  I had a dry cough for the week leading up to this date.  My doctor cleared me for out-patient surgery.  They gave me general anesthetic and, by that evening, my lungs were full!  That's when the BS rose.  When I first got home from the hospital, after being on IV and not having my meds that morning, my BS read 95.  It's been in the clouds ever since!  The cold is basically gone.  It just doesn't make any sense to me.

 

Sherrine

Sherrine,
You could also be developing LADA (latent autoimmune diabetes in adults). It sometimes happens after an infection when the immune system gets confused and keeps fighting after all the germs are dead. It attacks our own insulin producing cells. Just keep tracking those numbers and keep in touch with your doc. Thank goodness you have a brain in your head and are paying attention!

Also, is the problem heightened since you started your malic acid? Could that be the cause for you? Malic acid and magnesium usually assists in glucose to energy conversion but maybe you are 'special' and something else is going on... Wish I could be more helpful.