November 30, 2000
Daily Care, Other Medications
Question from Ohio, USA:
My 13 year son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes a few months ago. He is on multiple daily injections, and it seems to work well for him (he’s happy and has excellent blood glucose control). However, he gets colds on and off, and I wondered if there is any decongestant that he can take that won’t raise his blood glucose too much. Sudafed works the best on the stuffiness and/or drainage, but it sends his blood glucose up. Should we use that and give extra insulin to correct the rise? What does everyone else out there do?
Answer:
There is considerable controversy regarding the use of decongestants with colds. Personally, I recommend checking blood sugars more frequently during any illness including a cold and using over-the-counter cold preparations to help decrease the misery of a cold. Others have recommended short term use of nasal decongestants such as Afrin or Neo-Synephrine. There is not a “correct” answer to this question yet.
MSB
