Who Is Diabetic BUT----Don't Know It/Know It, Don't Care? (sugar, work)

[ACTS Mom]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

Were not just sitting back waiting to die either! You and your husband are in to physical fitness and that is fine, but you don't have to PUSH others into being the same as you! We are two different couples! We are glad that you two can do those physical things, but that sure as "H" doesn't mean EVERYONE wants to or can! George Burns smoked a cigar for how many years before he died? Just how much drug use has Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) used and he is still alive and rockin'! Same thing goes for Robert Plant! Some folks our age don't want to get on a treadmill or do lawn work (we are glad that we live in a nice apt. now so we no longer have to mow, pull weeds, etc. anymore). If you husband wants to do lawn work in 90+ heat......more power to him........GO FOR IT!! I know what my doctors/surgeons told me and wrote down. Please don't be like my wife's sister who keeps trying to push religion on me.....don't push your exercising on to me/us. It's ok to say what you do, but (to me) you are PUSHING and I have never liked a "pushy" person (reminds me too much of myself at times...ha, ha). We get exercise on our boat and other things. Don't need a treadmill or lawn work for that!
Thanks!

I had no intention of being pushy..sorry you took offense. We're far from being physical fitness nuts...we just try to take care of ourselves because we know what we will be facing if we don't. And for my husband, see the post from 'mwruckman' because that's what happens when diabetes is not well controlled.

[BabyBoomers2]

I understand. I read the posting from 'mwruckman' and he stated that his diabetes was uncontrolled for several years. As soon as I found out that I was a Type2, I started taking the one med 2x a day and wife/I started buying no-sugar and low/no salt foods (cholestrol was high also---take a med for that). Have even cut back on my eating portions and THAT was hard to do!! My meter readings for sugar have been as low as 123 and that is a long way from 302 when I had the blood work done last Oct. I must be doing something right......right?? I'm just glad that I'm not wayyyyyy overweight. Twenty pounds sure isn't much, but still hard to lose at my age. My wife's mom is 90 yrs old, is losing her sight, basically eats what she wants to (contrary to what her doctors orders), has a partially clogged main artery, but sure gets around great! She can't exercise (too frail), but does walk down to her complex Clubhouse everyday to use the computer and attend parties. Eight years ago her doc told her that she would only have a year or two left to live.......she went thru that and is still going! What a lady!!

Originally Posted by ACTS Mom

I had no intention of being pushy..sorry you took offense. We're far from being physical fitness nuts...we just try to take care of ourselves because we know what we will be facing if we don't. And for my husband, see the post from 'mwruckman' because that's what happens when diabetes is not well controlled.

[BabyBoomers2]

Not trying to "judge" anyone, but when wife/I see people in their 20's and above who are very heavy-to-obese gobbling down plate after plate of food at a buffet or pouring regular sirup/powdered sugar over stacks of pancakes or French Toast at a Denny's......just what do you think people are going to think? Yes, heavy-to-obese can be taking a lot of meds and have health problems, but isn't that where a doctor comes in at? I was in the medical field for a number of years as an EMT and in Senior Healthcare and a lot of the health problems I've seen were due to weight and smoking. People turn to food for comfort from a divorce, family death.....lot of things like that including depression. And, not all of them were over-weight, some were very much under-weight. Over-weight/obese people are grouped into a catagory of "eat too much" by society while very thin people are said to be on drugs, smoke like heck or just plain eat very little. I had a very thin gal tell me once that she eats very little because she doesn't want to lose her boyfriend who requires a thin girl......and he made a high salary and drove a sports car!

Originally Posted by charolastra00

And how do you know that she doesn't have health issues that make it difficult if not impossible to lose weight? I may be 21 years old, but I guarantee you that it is much harder for me to lose weight than for you to due to my regime of medications and health conditions. I eat very healthy (between 1400 and 1600 calories a day and gluten free- nutritionist guided) and exercise but have been 5'4 and between 200-220 for 2 years. On my diet and my exercise level, I should be quite svelt but it doesn't work out that way.

You sit and judge other people when you can't even take control of your own life. My grandfather was told he had high cholesterol when he was 70- IMMEDIATELY stopped eating out and learned to cook (something he had never done in his life, he ate out for every meal) and started going to the gym at 4:30AM every single day. Do I expect everyone to be like that? No. But your age is no excuse to not change dietary habits.

[phonelady61]

I found out when I was sixteen cause my grand took me to her dr cause I had a low that shook her to her knees and she was so paniced I had to drive her car and me suffering a low too . they told her to bring me in cause I started shaking and she thought i was having an epilepdic seizure LOL !!! Her brother had epilepsy and she thought I was starting to become one . but am 47 now and it does not change anything really they said that I probably had it all my life but not one dr bothered to check .Oh I was always underweight as a teen and still kind of am . I mean at this age I'm five eleven and 11o pounds and the drs still think it is cause of my family history . oh well I am better now and dont nearly get as many lows as I used to when younger .

[mwruckman]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

I understand. I read the posting from 'mwruckman' and he stated that his diabetes was uncontrolled for several years. As soon as I found out that I was a Type2, I started taking the one med 2x a day and wife/I started buying no-sugar and low/no salt foods (cholestrol was high also---take a med for that). Have even cut back on my eating portions and THAT was hard to do!! My meter readings for sugar have been as low as 123 and that is a long way from 302 when I had the blood work done last Oct. I must be doing something right......right?? I'm just glad that I'm not wayyyyyy overweight. Twenty pounds sure isn't much, but still hard to lose at my age. My wife's mom is 90 yrs old, is losing her sight, basically eats what she wants to (contrary to what her doctors orders), has a partially clogged main artery, but sure gets around great! She can't exercise (too frail), but does walk down to her complex Clubhouse everyday to use the computer and attend parties. Eight years ago her doc told her that she would only have a year or two left to live.......she went thru that and is still going! What a lady!!

I am assuming I had diabetes for at least 5 maybe 10 years before I started to have eye problems. My problem was a fear of doctors so I didn't see a doctor for about 20 years. I didn't develop the usual markers of the disease like thirst, frequent urinary tract infections and my weight was 175 lbs and I am 5'10'' so the BMI wasn't bad. If anything my weight had decreased since I was in college. I started having problems like swelling of the knees and legs but I wrote this off as being too sedentary and I was pushing 50. I lived in the NYC area and had the kind of life style of a city that doesn't sleep. I'm a physical scientist and had a crazy work style that would see frequent all nighters. Science is very competitive and there is no reward for being second. Health authorities flag NYC as being bad for stress related diseases and about 30% of all people in NYC are either diabetic or pre-diabetic. I was diagnosed diabettic in 2005 when I finally had to see an opthalologist because my optomitrist couldn't get me a new precription, I was walking around in what seemed liked like a smokey room or a smoggy day which are not unusual in NYC in the summer. I had a primary care physician because I had registered at his office to satisfy BC/BS. They both put me in the hospital a spent a week in IV's and was given insulin until they got my blood sugar below 140.

[BabyBoomers2]

Well, my weight in Jan 2008 was 246....ok, I had gained some weight while living in Colorado ( and the during the winters). Beginning in the early summer of 2008, while living in North Carolina, I noticed that I was urinating more and more during the night, but figured that I was just drinking too much before going to bed. Then, in Oct 2008, wife and I decided to get complete physicals and THEN I found out about the diabetes! I was shocked when the nurse told me I weighed 214 pound! I had lost 32 lbs, but hadn't been dieting. During my first exam, Dr asked me if I had been dieting and I said "no". After giving me lab work, he called me in and told me that I was a full diabetic (blood glucose number was 302) and he started me on two meds for cholestrol and sugar glucose. I could only see him one more time due to my wife being laid off from work (no insurance anymore) and us moving to FL. That doctor gave me 1 refill of both of the meds, but that refill didn't last long. So, instead of taking 2 each day of the glucose med, I could only take one (better than none at all though). Wife got a job and insurance, but we had to pay the first $250 before insurance would pay a dime on anything. But, I had to see a Dr here now so I could get more medication. My problem wasn't not wanting to see a doctor, mine was our financial situation and that $250 pre-pay! But we did it and I'm really glad! Wife and I both of changed (somewhat) what we eat and the amount.

Originally Posted by mwruckman

I am assuming I had diabetes for at least 5 maybe 10 years before I started to have eye problems. My problem was a fear of doctors so I didn't see a doctor for about 20 years. I didn't develop the usual markers of the disease like thirst, frequent urinary tract infections and my weight was 175 lbs and I am 5'10'' so the BMI wasn't bad. If anything my weight had decreased since I was in college. I started having problems like swelling of the knees and legs but I wrote this off as being too sedentary and I was pushing 50. I lived in the NYC area and had the kind of life style of a city that doesn't sleep. I'm a physical scientist and had a crazy work style that would see frequent all nighters. Science is very competitive and there is no reward for being second. Health authorities flag NYC as being bad for stress related diseases and about 30% of all people in NYC are either diabetic or pre-diabetic. I was diagnosed diabettic in 2005 when I finally had to see an opthalologist because my optomitrist couldn't get me a new precription, I was walking around in what seemed liked like a smokey room or a smoggy day which are not unusual in NYC in the summer. I had a primary care physician because I had registered at his office to satisfy BC/BS. They both put me in the hospital a spent a week in IV's and was given insulin until they got my blood sugar below 140.

[Leilani Vasquez]

My step father is diabetic (adult onset). For years, he did nothing to control it. He once had a cyst on his leg that caused a blood infection, which spread to his stomach area. He also has a condition where he's numb from the shins down. A couple years ago he stepped on a piece of glass and didn't realize it. it became so infected that he needed to have part of his foot cut off. He was very much overweight. The doctor suggested he get surgery (lap band i think). He's lost a lot of weight, and they're finally under control.

[Rhenzanite]

My great aunt and uncle, and my 2 cousins all have weight induced diabetes. My great aunt has had numerous surgeries and now has to walk with a cane, my uncle is a little more mobile, but both have basically given up trying to change their diets. They say they're too old and they're only in their late 50's!

My cousins on the the other hand... well, one is refusing to take his meds, lose weight or see a doctor and his reasoning is 'just because someone went to school to be a Doctor doesn't give them the right to tell me what is going on with my body' and the other one is a drunk at age 23 and really doesn't care what happens in his life. Their mom (my aunt) used to be GROSSLY overweight (about 350 lbs and she's 5'4) but got gastric bypass, lost a lot of weight and has decided to be a ho (she wears skimpy clothing, got a boob job, does 'designer drugs' and hangs out with people half her age) instead of taking care of her children.

My sister is bordering obese and she WILL get diabetes. Both my mother and I have warned her, but she doesn't care. She eats crappy food, drink only soda and considers working part time as a cashier at a hardware store her 'exercise' for the day. One day something will snap and she'll do something about her weight and health, but for now all we can do is try to help her the best we can.

[Sillypups]

Hope this doesn't turn out to be a novel.................
I have been a type 1 since I was 10 yrs. old.
Back then the testing was awful. All one could do was pee on a test tape, which was NO GOOD. The urine could have sugar in it in your bladder, but how long has that urine been in your bladder. You could of burned off your sugar exercising, especially as a kid, but your urine could still have sugar/ketones in it.
I was a little kid, used glass syringes.
My Dad also was Diabetic before I was born. He never took care of himself. He ate candy & drank regular soda. Even told me I could do that. I hated soda & still do, can't do the carbonation.I did eat candy when I was young, but not much. Mom would make sure of that.
Both of my Brothers, both older, neither has diabetes. The way they eat you would think they would watch it. One Bro is 9 years older the other 16 years older than I.
Mom NEVER had any diabetes in her family

My Dad lost most of his vision, and what most people DON'T know is, Diabetes will effect your sex life, whether your male or female.
Basically "the thrill is gone" if you catch my drift. Those parts don't work like they use to, not at all.
Dad also had a BK amputation (below knee). He died 20 years ago at age of 68.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since then...
I have controlled my diabetes pretty darn good. As I got older I watched what I ate, exercised, took blood tests & took insulin, saw diabetic Dr like I should.
I still do. My A1c is always around 5.9 and I have it done every 3 months by my Dr.
As for as all the complications..I believe I have had them ALL

After my retina's ruptured...and having a good 30 visits to the Opthalmologists. I had laser treaments everytime I went. (This was in 1985). Nothing like having injections into your eyeball sockets to deaden your eyes to have this done. YES...you feel every needle that goes in. YES it hurts like hell.
I also had a vatrectomy in one eye. That was due to the scar tissue build up from all the laser done. They take the vitrous fluid out of your eyeball & suck & scrape the scar tissue out. They put the vitrous fluid back in, but it's never the same.
Then since I did have so much laser/scar tissue... that caused cataracts. I had my 1st cataract removed before age 30. The second cataract removed a couple years later. That surgery was a piece of cake. No big deal.
Over the years I have lost ALL peripheral vision, which means I run into things all the time. I can't see on either side or above or below.
Thank goodness I at least have tunnel vision.

Diabetics have problems with their joints... I have had 8 fingers operated on due to trigger fingers.
Diabetics also the bones in their toes drop, causing the bone to cause an ulcer on feet.

Blood vessels & nerves another big problem. Can't bend my arms for very long or they will go numb. I've had to train myself to sleep with my arms straight at my side, otherwise the pain & numbness wakes me up. Yes it hurts, cause it takes awhile for you to get the feeling back into them.

Had to have a fempop done (leg bypass). From ankle to groin.
This worked for 2 years.
Had a heart attack & didn't know it.
2 days after coming home from fempop, I had CHF (congestive heart failure).
Had to have a quintuple (5 way) heart bypass. They could only do a 4 way, because my veins were so bad
Then I had to have a cadaver vein transplant to my leg, to save my leg.
I don't think they do these anymore, due to they don't work, although, it saved my leg for 3 years after the cadaver vein transplant..
Had an ingrown toenail, never had one before...it wouldn't heal. Toe turned black...very fast. I ended up having the great toe & 2 toes next to it all amputated.

Going back to the 3 years after the cadaver vein transplant... I had to have my leg BK (below the knee) amputated. It wouldn't heal...So 8 weeks later I had to have AK ( above knee) amputated.

The neuropathy in Diabetics is very common...I have that. I have no feeling in my foot that I have left.

My kidneys only work 40-50 % .

If your a woman...menopause will mess you up with your blood sugars.

I have to take blood thinners the rest of my life
Water pills & potasium, too.
I take cholestrol & BP meds the rest of my life.
Neuropathy meds up to 3200 mg a day as to date.
At least 9 blood sugar tests a day.

THE MORE BLOOD SUGAR TESTS YOU TAKE A DAY, THE BETTER YOU WILLL BE IN CONTROL WITH YOUR DIABETES. IF ONLY THEY HAD BS TESTS BACK IN THE EARLY 1970'S I WOULD PROBABLY STILL HAVE MY LEG.

All I can tell all of you diabetics is to keep on the straight & narrow.

No matter what happens to you down this road...you must stay possitive.
I'm sure I'm forgetting something to pass on, from all my experiences thru this winding & very bumpy road thru life.

NO MATTER WHAT...ALWAYS REMEMBER THESE 2 PHRASES...


"It could always be worse"

and

"There is always somebody out there a lot worse off, than you are ".

Hang in there... at least diabetes CAN be controlled, with diet, exercise & meds.: ok:
Hopefully I have helped you or someone you know thru my experiences.
I thank my many Doctors, they have helped me stay alive.

TOLD YOU THIS WOULD BE A NOVEL.

[ACTS Mom]

Sillypups...all I can say is God Bless You! And I hope you're living a happy life!

Even though you have Type 1, most of the symptoms/complications you mention also occur with Type 11. I hope people pay attention and realize that it's important to take control of your health and do whatever you can to alleviate those complications.

Hang in there...sounds like you're doing good!