Feeling a bit down...wallowing in self pity!

[Lulika]

Hey everyone...
I dont mean to moan, especially when I know that there are so many people far worse off than me. But I am so fed up of feeling lousy.
I got a cold two weeks ago and I just cant shake it. I saw my doctor this week and she said that my inner ears and nose were swollen and that was what was making it impossible to rid myself of the horrid green gunk that is giving me headaches and making me feel dizzy. So she gave me a prescription for Predisone, and told me it was to reduce the swelling.
What I didnt know was that Predisone, being a steroid sends BG's SKY HIGH! I had a reading of 10.5 this morning and cant get below 8 all day! This is a disaster for me as the high BG is making me feel awful, dizzy and tired.
So I have stopped taking it and am furious as these highs are going to affect my A1C next month.
So now I am still blocked up, cant breathe, have a 24 hour headache and feel dizzy and tired. To top it all I have woken up today to a beautiful big red stye forming on my lower left eyelid......aaaaaaggh!

Sorry for the moan...:)

[adiantum]

quick... take a pic for us to see..
A swollen nose & a stye over your eye... this sounds verrry attractive.

Sorry mate, I should'nt laugh at you when I know colds really suck.I'll probably get one now as karma. I suck on zinc & vit C lozenges when a cold rears its unwanted head.
I didn't know predisone affected the BG

[ant hill]

:( Me too have a cold or at least an enthusiastic dripping nose and coiffing up a storm as the brain is supplying this ****e down my breathing tube!! :( Strong mints will not shake this off. :( :(

[Kubilee]

This spring has been an absolute nightmare for me too, my sinus cavity must look like hamburger or something..... I got my cold nearly a month ago and I seem to have this thing where I'll JUST about get over it and the weather will go bonkers again and I get worse all over again.

I didn't even go to the Dr on it, I just found this stuff over the counter called Sugarfree Robitussin and have been taking that for the past little while and it has helped me more than just about anything else........ I know all things don't help all people, but this stuff has saved me so much in the area of my poor sinus'.

I am like you though, I get so frustrated and so sick of just being sick..... seems I have been sick more often than not since about February.... :mad:

[adiantum]

I hope you two are covering the monitor before you cough or sneeze. I dont want to catch it :D

Sorry to hear you are both crook :(

[adiantum]

passing tissues & lozenges to Kubilee

[Lulika]

Its good to know its not just me allergic to Spring weather! Living in Beijing is pretty bad as far as air quality goes too, so I presumed that cold was why my cold is hanging around.

Adiantum...I will make sure I wear a surgical mask when I type! :D

[morrisma]

All sickies,
Think of the cold as building antibodies against the NEXT one. Sorry for all the drippy stuff and swollen stuff and general misery.

Lulika,
First, I don't think a day or 2 of high bg is going to wipe out the rest of your excellent bgs for the last 6 weeks. Even if it is a little higher than you'd like, there's always another one a few months away! :D If I remember, you are not taking insulin. If that's right, could you get the doc to let you have a little to try and get your sugar under control? I think you'd feel better even with the cold and you'd probably heal quicker.
Mike

[davef]

Lulika,

Sorry to hear you are not feeling well, it's a pain when you are doing so well and then something like this messes you about. As mike said a few days of higher BG probably won't affect your A1c too much. I had a cold before my last A1c and did have higher BG but my A1c worked out okay for me. Look on the bright side, your A1c will still be down due to your hard work and when you get your one after this it will be even better.

I do find the colds hit me harder these days and do take longer to clear. I have found that Lemsip capsules were great for easing the symptoms, perhaps if someone is visiting from the UK they could bring some for you.

Try drink lots of fluids and don't fret about your numbers too much.

[mzteacher]

feel better soon!!! working with kids you sure do get exposed to a whole lot!!!
susan

[Scrabblechick]

Goodness, Lulika! I hope you're feeling better very soon. Sounds like you might need an antibiotic. You might try ibuprofen or similar, for the swelling, if you really don't want to try the prednisone again. Sometimes, an NSAID will help.

Hope you shake this in a hurry! :)

[Jan B]

Prednisone is a healer and a monster! Try to focus more on long-term healing instead of your immediate blood sugars. Scrabblechick's idea on NSAIDS (even aspirin) might be a good one. They do reduce swelling. The insulin idea could be a good idea also.

I'm sorry you are going through this! You give us so much positive stuff, don't worry about complaining some; it shows us you are real!!

[Chollyred]

Good luck with the cold. Hope yours goes away faster then mine has. Actually, I can't tell if mine is a cold or allergies. It seems like everything in the world is blooming right now. At least the green gunk has turned clear.

Is there anything in pseudophed that drives up BG? I've been taking the 12 hr. extended release stuff. My BG has been good in the evenings, usually somewhere in the upper 90s, but has been 104-109 every morning. Not terribly bad, but higher than usual.

Now if I could get rid of the clogged ear, I'd be a little happier. There were a couple of times on Mother's Day that I'd stand up and nearly fall over.

Like you, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.

[Hammer]

I found when I used to get colds, which was rare, the thing you need to do, if it's possible, is to stay in bed and sleep. I've found that if you have a cold that won't go away, if you stay in bed and sleep for a long period of time, it will give your body the chance to fend off the cold. If you can, try staying in bed for one full day, and while you're in bed, try to sleep as much as you can.

That one full day should make the cold go away.;)

[Lulika]

Thanks all of you dear people! I am feeling a little better now, its just one of these annoying things that is taking its time. Thanks for all the suggestions too; I cant take NSAID's or aspirin because I have a very sensitive esophagus, it likes to go into spasm and those drugs tend to make that happen.
As for the insulin, thats a great idea Mike, I seem to over the worst now and my BG has gone down again..but its an idea to think about for the future.As for staying in bed asleep...boy I would LOVE to try that! If only I could, but I am so busy with work I cant even have a day off. Perhaps one weekend I might get to do that!
What would I do without you guys? :D

[BriOnH]

Don't apologize to let it all out. The support here is for the ups, downs and everywhere in between with coping with this disease on a daily basis.

[Lulika]

Thanks Brian...that's why I appreciate you all here SO much! :D

[Jocelyn25]

Yes Prednizone is not a good choice of drug. I have been taking natural supplements that have been working wonders. My levels are normal. I hope you feel better soon. May god bless you.

[Kim_in_TN]

Oh dear, I am sorry you are feeling so poorly! For years now, I have gotten severe sinus infections during the Spring. A couple of seasons ago, I had ear infections in both ears with one eardrum that ruptured and bled out on my pillow! At the same time, I had "pink eye" in both eyes. I was a mess!!! LOL! So, I feel your pain and frustration, girl! Hang in there!

Hugs (with hand over nose and mouth)

[jacobsam622]

Hope you feel better soon.

[alicat61]

:) Hi'
Sorry to hear you have the cold/flu thing.
It is no fun and must be going around the world. My hubby was sick last week and nicely passed it on to me.He was a lot sicker than me or it seemed that way LOL):D
At least I can breath through my nose today.!!
Prednisolone is a good drug but not very diabetes friendly.
The doctor should have warned you about its side effects!:eek:
it sounded like you needed antibiotics not steroids.
(my Dr gave me a script for AB's just in case) I'm pretty lucky that way with Dr.
Glad you are feeling a bit better. A shame you couldn't get some time off work. I had 2 days off as
a) look after myself and rest. My wellbeing is my priority
b) not to spread it around to others

[Lulika]

Thanks all for the support. I am alot better, still got a blocked ear so I can hear myself breathing, I hate that! And the pesky little stye wont go awa but I suppose in the greater scheme of things, I cant complain. At least my kids sang beautifully today at school :)
Happy weekend one and all :D

[matingara]

So she gave me a prescription for Predisone, and told me it was to reduce the swelling.
What I didnt know was that Predisone, being a steroid sends BG's SKY HIGH! I had a reading of 10.5 this morning and cant get below 8 all day!

Lulika,

i was in hospital recently and had a weird rash break out.

They gave me prednisone!

the rash went away but my BGLs went through the roof!!!

this was three weeks ago. my BGLs are only now coming back to normal!

so don't panic!

:)

-- Joel.

[Lulika]

Thanks Joel. I must admot it was a huge shock to wake up to reading of 11! I then went online and found that Prednisone is famous for raising BG's. I am a little puzled why my doc didnt warn me.
Anyway I am off Prednisone now and back to my old BG numbers.
'Hope you are feeling better too :)

[pegasus]

Glad you're feeling better. I agree w/what's been said before about alternatives, and have a question and a couple to add, if you need: First, did you talk to your endo about how to manage steroids and high BGs? If you're going up approx X amount, he/she might change prednisone dose or some such. Also, there are other steroids that might not pack quite as much of a wallop as prednisone.

I wouldn't just stop taking something without talking to prescribing doc. While they don't know everything, they may have some alternatives to suggest.

Feel better!

[Lulika]

Thanks Pegasus. I dont have an endo, but a (usually) excellent doctor. She didnt warn me about the Prednisone, so I am going to ask her about that! It was only prescribed for a week, so by the time I get to see her again, I will have long finished it. I stoped taking it as it was "only" for blocked ears and nose. I figured I would rather live without high BG's and put up with the blockages!
I see the doctor on Saturday. I will discuss this with her and see if, should the need arise, she will rethink prescribing me Prednisone.
Thanks for your input :D

[Janlaton]

Pred is just another cortizone which in any form is a bg raiser. Steer clear when possible. Have you tried nose spray. Even just the salt water sprays can help alot if not the doc can give you Flonase or similar they really speed up healing for me.

Like above not sure that a couple days are going to shoot a whole months A1c but be sure to tell the doc how many days you took the pred so he can allow for that in your results. Like in my chart I always put down when I get a shot for my arthritis so the doc can see if that affects my bg and for how many days. Helps her track all that is going on in my life. HA, Ha. As if anyone could.:D