Gesundheit

Catherine Price recently blogged about the fact that her allergy medicine, Allegra, might be increasing her blood glucose levels. Since Mike is also taking allergy medication, I wondered if his medicine could have the same effect.

The answer is a definite: probably. So, if you’re suffering from hay fever this spring, or a common cold, check with your doctor to make sure the medication you are taking is safe for diabetics. Medications like original Sudafed and Advil Allergy Sinus contain pseudoephedrine, which helps to decongest the nasal passages by narrowing the blood vessels in the nose. It does this by increasing levels of adrenaline, a hormone which causes blood sugar levels to rise. And moreover, being sick in itself can cause blood sugar to rise, so be sure to monitor yourself closely, and ask your doctor if you have any questions.

Jessica Apple

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Jessica Apple

Jessica Apple grew up in Houston. She studied Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan, and completed an MA in the same field at the Hebrew University. She began to write and publish short stories while a student, and continues to write essays and fiction while raising her three sons (and many pets). Jessica’s work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Financial Times Magazine, The Southern Review, The Bellevue Literary Review, Tablet Magazine, and elsewhere. She is the diabetes correspondent for The Faster Times. In 2009 she and her husband, both type 1 diabetics, founded A Sweet Life, where she serves as editor-in-chief. Jessica loves spending time with her sons, cooking with her husband, playing with her cats, reading, biking, drinking coffee, and whenever possible, taking a nap. Follow Jessica on Twitter (@jessapple)