The common cold

Tomorrow will be two weeks with this hateful cold; two weeks of a stuffy head, runny nose, sore throat and a general feeling of sluggishness. While I’m fairly certain it’s not a sinus infection…it seems like a long time for a cold. Does anyone feel like their colds last longer as a diabetic? I’m in good health, eat well and exercise but I feel like any time I get sick, I have to fight it longer than anyone else…

I had a cold that dragged on and on. It was my first since diagnosis. I never usually ask for antibiotics but after a month, my doctor suggested them and within a couple of days I was completely better. i too have a healthy lifestyle and this was my first full-blown cold in several years. maybe the course of a cold is different with diabetes and we are more vulnerable to progress to a bacterial infection even if it starts as a virus. Perhaps because of autoimmune issues? I didn’t have strong symptoms of a sinus infection but the quick response to antibiotics did suggest that was the problem. However, I work in an elementary school and am in contact with a million germs. I did find that many of my colleagues had the long-drawn out version of the cold a few weeks agao, so maybe ist’s making the rounds.

I got to go about 29 to 30 years of my life without diabetes and just the last 6 years with it. And YES, I get more colds and more barfy illnesses and they seem to take longer to go away. Since I’m almost 36yrs old and you’re supposed to get sick with colds and stuff less often as you get older, to what I am supposed to attribute my one-illness-after-another issue since getting diabetes? It’s either coincidence or being diabetic. And I get plenty of sleep, frequent walks in the fresh air, I don’t smoke or drink, I eat my veggies and have good control, too. Have only had one sinus infection, no other infections of any kind. Just colds, colds, colds, fevers, diarrhea, nausea. If it’s going around, I’ll catch it in the blink of an eye. In fact, I’m sniffling right now after going an astounding 2 weeks without being sick! Wow.

Colds stuffiness the whole 9 yards! It seems to NEVER go away so I just keep a freash antibiotic from my dr all the time!!! I’ve been a diabetic since 10 and am now 44 and for the last 19 years (since having kids) I have ALWAYS kept one around me at ALL TIMES!

this is great to hear! I mean, not really b/c who wants to be sick, but it’s good for me to know I’m not alone! I’ve had type 1 for 23 years and am the mom to 2 young boys so I know I get it from them but still, they have recovered quicker from this cold than me! I think I will call my dr. today b/c I don’t want to be blowing my nose all through Christmas!

also, does anyone know of any research I wonder about auto-immune disease and prolonged sicknesses? Is there a relationship I wonder? I’ve googled but haven’t found anything yet…

You seem to have bad luck. I got to 56 without diabetes and I’m now 60 and retired. I was a teacher and always caught cold in the Autumn soon after the start of the new school year. Now I work as a substitute occasionally and most of my meetings with groups of people are walking in the open air. I hardly ever even get a cold. My daughter, also a teacher caught a nasty one in Serptember and had to stay at home for a couple of days. I did get that one from her, but wasn’t really unwell with it. Didn’t even stop me going swimming.

Are the kids brinig it home from school along with the homework?

totally! My dr. says diabetics are only more prone to sicknesses if we have poor bs control which is not currently the case for me so…who knows, a bad winter season I guess.

I thought I had good control, because I was always within the targets set by my doctor. Then I read Bernstein and realised that those targets were too high. I have cut right back to keeping always below 7 ( about 125 )and trying for below 5.5 (99) most of the time. I obviously don’t know what other people’s numbers are, but lower is better. I have had just an occasisonal snuffle since I tightened up and absolutely nothing that would keep me in bed. I admit, I don’t often end up in confined spaces with other people,because I’m retired. I do travel on the bus and go into my local cafe sometimes. and I don’t have any grandchildren yet.

There you go two young boys! My 2 girls are noe 17 and 19 but we how have our 14 month old granddaughter lining here with us along with her mom and cad too! My daughtrt is noe5 monyjs pregnate and is also a Type 1 and here we go AGAIN!!!

I do hope your daughter is doing well in her pregnancy. It can be so tricky to keep oth Mom and baby well with diabetes.
My own daughter, who is Not diabetic is now about 5 months. Baby is due March 21st. Apart from one blood pressure raise, which went back quite quickly, It’s all been plain sailing so far