I was very ill last year and developed diabetes, which has since got better. Can severe illness cause diabetes?

Any serious medical condition (such as a heart attack or injuries from a traffic accident) can lead to diabetes. This is because the hormones produced in response to stress tend to oppose the effect to insulin and cause the glucose level in the blood to rise. Most people simply produce more insulin to keep the blood glucose stable. However, in some cases, if the reserves of insulin are inadequate, the blood glucose level will climb. You had temporary diabetes, and the glucose level returned to normal once your stress was over. However, you will carry increased risk of developing permanent diabetes later in life.