Swine flu (H1N1 influenza) and diabetes

Dr. Bill Quick Health Professional Physician and Medical Director of DiabetesMonitor.com Dr. Bill Quick and his wife Steph are the authors of one of the ... Send Message Subscribe: Dr. Bill Quick

Monday, September 14, 2009
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The news reports about the H1N1 influenza pandemic (popularly known as "swine flu") keep coming, but one aspect of the story is constant: although the majority of the cases are mild, the H1N1 influenza virus is occasionally a killer. This morning's news report is that the first doses of the...

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Diabetes
Anonymous
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 05:25 PM

I was very glad to read this information as I am a type 2 on meds. I always get my flu shot every year and when I go to my doctor this week I am definetly going to talk to her about the H1N1. I want to be as safe as possible because I have other medical problems also.

diabetes and swine flu
beau
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 08:08 PM

Is the article about typeI and typeII or only type I only? Does a diabetic have a greater risk than the general population or does the health status of the diabetic act as the determining factor in the threat? Give us more info, please.

re: diabetes and swine flu
Dr. Bill Quick
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 09:11 AM

I haven't seen anything about whether the H1N1 - diabetes info is specific to either T1DM or T2DM, so I assume it applies to both.

Hope this helps!

type II diabetics and the swine flu
beau
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 09:23 AM

Does having type II diabetes by itself increase the odds of death due to swine flu or do underlying health problems create the high-risk factor? If a type II person exercises, follows a healthy diet and doesn't have high-risk health problems is the danger of swine flu reduced to a more normal level?

re: type II diabetics and the swine flu
Dr. Bill Quick
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 09:36 AM

I think it's the out-of-control issues that cause the increased risk for people with diabetes when they get the swine flu.

And, as I point out, even those of us with excellent control can have our control screwed up by acute illness, if we get disoriented and dehydrated.

Untitled Comment
joy
Monday, November 16, 2009 at 01:08 AM

I am a type 2 diabetic and I have the H1N1 virus. I also have an allergy to eggs, so I am unable to get the H1N1 or the flu shot. What risk am I at? I do not smoke, my sugars have been mostly under control.

re: Untitled Comment
Dr. Bill Quick
Monday, November 16, 2009 at 09:14 AM

Probably your risk isn't too high -- depends somewhat on your age, and definitely increases if you are pregnant.

Speak to your physician about whether you should have (1) a prescription for Tamiflu ready to take to a pharmacy or (2) actual Tamiflu pills in your medicine cabinet ready to use. (And of course, what "ready to use" means -- either specific symptoms that would trigger you using it, or getting a phone call authorization from the doctor's office...)

Hope this helps.