Diabetes on colds

I try not to whine and complain about this disease of mine; I spent far too many years doing so and it never got me anywhere. So instead, I try to pretend we’re friends all the while fighting to conquer it behind its back. But some days Dear Diabetes gets the upper hand. The last five days, it’s had the upper hand.

I’m sick. I’m miserable. And yes, I’m whining a bit too. So please, allow me this:
Why the F is everything WITH diabetes so bloody complicated?

Last Monday, I was exhausted. After dinner I crashed on the couch not having any energy to pull myself up and get things done. By 9:30, I was out for the night. Tuesday, I hadn’t yet clued in, but my blood sugars had. They were having a hyperglycemia party in my veins. Wednesday, I had tired voice the entire day. Thursday, I was full-on sick: meek, crackling voice, throat felt like jagged knives were being shoved down every time I swallowed, stuffed up nose, head pounding so hard I can’t even turn the lights on, enough snot coming out of my nose to fill a pool, burning eyes, wheezing, hacking cough, and cravings for Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup (ever wonder why it’s called chicken when there’s no chicken in it?). Oh frick!


Two boxes and counting!

And when I get sick, I get emotional. People say it’s just a cold, princess up, stop being a wimp. But for me, it’s not just a cold – it’s a friggin’ nightmare on my diabetes. Ninety five per cent of the time, my diabetes is in tip-top shape. I’m averaging BG readings between 4.7 and 7.7 mmol on a consistent basis, which is awesome. But diabetes on colds, my readings skyrocket at all times of the day and night. It doesn’t matter how much I increase my basal rates, I’m getting readings of 11, 13, 15. I wake up in the middle of the night with a cotton mouth, a fuzzy head, sickness in the belly, splitting headache, and all over sweats – all because of high blood sugars. For those of you without diabetes, just imagine your early 20s, the morning after closing the bar. Worst hangover ever!

So no, it’s not just a cold. It’s hell. And to all those people who feel like heroes going into work when they’re sick, or who just need to get out into the outside world when they’re hacking up slimy green grodies, all the while infecting everyone around them – YOU SUCK!

3 thoughts on “Diabetes on colds”

  1. Just finally got over a TWO WEEK cold. It was awful…so I feel your pain. Some crazy sickness was going around at work and I just couldn’t escape it.

    “I try to pretend we’re friends all the while fighting to conquer it behind its back.” That is the greatest thing I’ve heard all week! I laughed out loud…and then thought, what a great outlook/mindset to have on Diabetes!

    Thanks for blogging!

  2. Pingback: Sick sucks |

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