I am a 30 year Type 1, AIC of 5.8. I almost never get “sick.” Very seldom get colds, flus, etc. Fast healer when injured. Anyone else have the same experience or have any insights?
1 Like
Yes. Lucky Us!! My ‘insight’ on this is that by managing our diabetes well makes our entire body healthy and happy.
3 Likes
Yes to the part about seldom getting sick; not so much about the fast healing. But we are very far apart in age. 
1 Like
I rarely get sick and as far as I know, I heal as fast as anyone else. I have never quite understood that I have T1 diabetes because of my overactive immune system. Why wouldn’t that overactive system protect me from germs?
A specific part of your _auto_immune system, not your entire immune system, is overactive in Type 1 diabetes.
ETA: Please see correction in my post below.
Yes. You auto have known that.
(sorry) 
2 Likes
With the exception of the last two years when I’ve had bad colds that lasted several weeks and required time off work, I rarely get sick. I’ve also been told by doctors that I’m a fast healer. My theory is that because my immune system is so overactive in general (multiple autoimmune conditions, multiple allergies) it’s rare that anything dangerous gets through.
Do we even have such a thing as an “autoimmune” system? I thought autoimmune conditions (and allergies) was our regular immune system going a bit haywire.
I’m like that too! That’s why I couldn’t believe it when I had body aches and chills last week. I thought something was horribly wrong, because bugs hardly ever hit me that hard.
But the next day I was almost back to normal again. Since being dianosed with diabetes, I get sick more often, and am more sensitive to cold weather, but I hardly ever get totally sick. More like a quarter of a cold or something. lol
I seem to fit in with the rest of the responses, rarely get sick anymore but suffer from allergies and apparently 1 other autoimmune condition besides LADA. Today my daughter pointed out I’ve got several patches of skin with no pigment and suggested I see a dermatologist. Being the curious type I googled it and found what I think is the cause, “Vitiligo”. The theory is it’s caused by an autoimmune condition where the pigment cells are destroyed.
I’ve had these patches for a few years but only notice them during the summer when I get a tan, the spots stay completely white.
I’ll probably see a dermatologist to confirm my suspicion but none of the patches have ever itched or been painful so I’m not worried.
Wheelman
I rarely get sick, aside from the odd cough or cold and occasional asthma. Oh, and allergies. . They’re more frequent (also showing overactive immune system). I think my immune system is super vigilent most if the time. I consider myself very healthy - aside from the autoimmune stuff.
But when i do get sick it is nasty - like dengue last year followed by complications. The doctors were muttering about immune dysfunction, but then i got prematurely discharged while my Dr was out of town, managed to recover, and no more was said.
You’re absolutely right! What I should have said was: “A specific autoimmune response, not your entire immune system, is overactive in Type 1 diabetes.”
i also rarely get sick. (watch me come home from work today with some horrible stomach bug). i got iv gamma globulin for like twenty years bucause i had been diagnosed with hypogammaglobuliemia and i always thought i got sick less often b/c of that. when i stopped the infusions, i am still like superwoman with an IgA deficiency! nice.
2 Likes
I thought I had that too a few years ago as I had a big patch of skin on my upper back/shoulder that had no pigment. It turned out to be something else (I can’t remember the name now, but it’s a form of yeast infection). Anyway the dermatologist gave me two pills to take (a week apart) and within a few weeks my skin looked normal again.
I’ve had vitiligo since I was 12. it appeared a year before my T1D. I know @Melissa_Lee has it too. be careful, because you can get a nasty sunburn easily where you have it.
me too. But vitiligo is another AI, and so is not really being sick. It is just funny looking, and for sure use sunscreen. A sunburn can make folks sick
1 Like
Definitely agree about the sunscreen. I spent the weekend at the race track and the “white” spots are now pink and a bit tender. I used sunscreen but apparently not soon enough. I guess I’m fortunate in that the vitiligo is really not noticeable until I get a tan.
Eating quality food in consistent amounts and exercising regularly probably has a little to do with it. That extra bit of attention can impact your health more than you think it would. I rarely get “sick” either. The last time was September 2014.
1 Like
I have had vitiligo since before I was diagnosed with T1D in 1990 at age 10. Probably noticed it first when I was about 8. I wasn’t formally diagnosed with it until 2012 though. I have patches on my face (I’m so fair that most people don’t notice) and on my chest and abdomen. There’s nothing to do about it except keep from getting sunburned. If the rest of my face tans, it’s way more pronounced, too, so I try not to get too much sun.
Oh my…I must have that to. I never thought to ask about it, but thought it was related to being fair skin. Never new it was autoimmune related.