Diabetes

Our cat Isis is diabetic, although I don't know what level. She gets 2 insulin shots a day. She takes them so well, I'd be ashamed if I made any sort of complaint when I have to get a shot.

 

I am not diabetic but I deal with diabetics all the time at work. Congratulations on taking care of yourself. Until I went to paramedic school I had no idea how devastating this disease can be.

 

You might get more responses with different poll questions. You're poll is asking two different things and a person can only make one choice. Type 1 or Type 2 is one question, and then it appears you're asking how long you've been a type 1 or type 2. It's impossible to answer both items.

Are 22% of people really diabetic?

 

Yes, diabetes is a terrible disease and if truth be told and the stat's interrupted correctly diabetes would easily be in the top five for killer diseases. I would hazard a guess at #1 or #2 certainly #3. I can not believe that the Govt. is considering reducing funding for this terrible disease. I can only hope that if they do the answer/cure for it is just around the corner but then they have said that it was 5 years away for over 30 years. I was diagnosed at the age of 22 (51 now) with diabetes and anyone getting it in their 20’s or earlier is usually Type 1 or insulin dependent. After that age they are usually, if caught early, Type II and can control it with pills and diet/exercise. Some people hate to go in to the Doc when they are sick because they may hear bad news. They wait too long for treatment and the disease progresses to Type 1. I never have understood that mentality.

In or around 1992 or 1993 I was diagnosed with ESRD (End Stage Renal Disease) or Kidney Failure. At that time they had done a few Kidney/Pancreas transplants but not many. I opted for this type of transplant instead of just the Kidney because I thought the diabetes would just ruin the kidney in another 5-10 years anyway. So what the heck the Doc’s need the practice anyway. In and out of the OP room in about 6 hours and the recovery room in less than 24 hours. I went in to California Pacific Medical Center on Dec 22 and was back home on the 29th missed Christmas but caught the turn of the Millennium. Now my new Buddies and I go everywhere together and they love my Prius as much as I do. So now I'm "cured" and my A1C's (a measure of sugar levels) are perfect and have been for over 6 years. Even though cured the 20+ years of diabetes have taken a toll. . . neuropathy (nerve disease) in and throughout my body, heart attack, eyes are shot and I am sure much more. Take care of yourself and God Bless.

Wildkow

p.s. How do i vote in your poll?

 

Not diabetic myself, but my wife is type 2, diagnosed 18 years ago. Type 2 is usually portrayed as affecting overweight people, she is clearly not in that class (5'2" 110lb).
She takes insulin was doing like 4 shots/day then about 2 years ago we got an insulin pump. The pump makes a HUGE difference. Her A1C is in the 7.4 region, could be lower but not bad at all. I would recomment that anyone using insulin to go for the pump. I hear that Medtronic has an Artificial Pancreas into the FDA for approval. This incorporates the pump and a continous BG monitor, hope it gets approval soon.

 

</span>tell me more!

If those bas#@%^s pull a stunt like that, send the whole bunch on a hunting trip with Cheny, and give Deadeye Dick some real firepower! :angry:

 

A little Tar and some Feathers could help.

 

Type II Diabetes is quite uncommon in thin, active people; and is from a public health perspective, a lifestyle disease - or what I more critically call a disease of neglect.

As is illness related to smoking, alcohol, obestiy, illicit drug use, poor diet etc.

The question of how much society should subsidize the care of people who do not see clear to looking after themselves is not an obvious one; and is only becoming more acute as the population gets fatter and more sedentary.

IMO, a strong message to everybody, and in particular our youth, should be: look after yourselves, or expect to pay the consequences. Taxes for education make a lot of sense. After that, I land on the side of personal responsibility.

 

Agree type 2 is much more common in people who are overweight etc. In DW's case, she has never smoked, doesn't drink, never used illicit drugs, has an exellent diet, and as I mentioned before has never been overweight.

I'm not asking society to subsidize her illness, but our insurance company that my employer pays dearly for should be made to pay up. After they (insurance, United Healthcare) has no problems paying their CEO $124,000,000 per year! :angry:

 

tieonhar,

I hear you, and I would feel the same way in your shoes. The paradox here is that if people looked after their health in a reasonable fashion, then the rare case like your DW would be cared for by the insurance company without qualm.

Your insurance is private. Seems they can set whatever terms they care to, and consumers stay or walk. I do understand, though, that the insurance companies will probably try to move in lockstep, similar to surgery for morbid obesity.

Magic bullets that "cure" type II diabetes are nowhere in sight, and I doubt will ever materialize. That said, a lot of the metabolism of diabetes is clear. If your wife has never seen an endocrinologist, it might be worthwhile to see if certain drug classes would give focused therapy.

Hopefully, both of you are exercise freaks ?

 

the real question is how many people screen for it on a regular basis??

i do it every 6 months. i am ok although last year i had to do a retest because my blood sugar was double the normal acceptable level. i tested normal two weeks later.

diabetes onset has very little symptoms and can be undiagnosed for years until it starts causing major problems. it can be headed off with proper diet and exercise if caught early.

i read a report a few months back that adult diabetes is starting to show in children as young as 10. with the debilitation of the diease, it is predicted that major amputation might be necessary by their mid 30's if not brought immediately under control and monitored. THAT is scary

 

My girlfriend is borderline diabetic, but she refuses to stop eating sweets. It seems like she carries around a bag of candy everywhere she goes.

I have seen the damage this disease can do, I have a diabetic uncle who had hip and knee replacements and know someone else who lost his legs at the knee.

The bad thing is she's 18 (I'm 22) and already borderline.

 

man that is scary. you need to talk to her. if she starts maintaining her blood sugar now, its not too late. let it go and she is in for a lifetime of health issues that will get progressively worse. she will not being looking forward to her retirement... if she makes it that far.

my sister-in-laws brother got diabetes in his late 20's (6'8" 400 lbs). he has had 3 amputations of his foot by the time he was 45. his last one was 3 years ago. the meds are a lot better than they used to be, but he is in a catch 22. he needs to exercise and watch his diet. the diet thing he is very good at, but the exercise thing is very tough. he can barely walk since he now has 9" removed from his leg. doctors say he will continue to lose his leg because the diabetes destroys the circulation to the extremeties. they hope to keep his other leg from getting gangrene, so he has to go through this massive exercise routine to keep blood circulating in his good leg.

now exercise may not seem so bad except that diabetes makes circulating that blood hurt. he has major aches and pains so the exercise has a double hurdle.

so tell your gf, start exercising BEFORE she gets it. because afterward, the chips are stacked waaay against her

 

She walks a lot and is fairly active, so thats a plus and she's not overweight at all either. Her feet always seem to be cold that is another thing that worries me.

 

benighted,

Your girlfriend's exercise regimen is not nearly enough. An hour run daily or its equivalent -- about 8 - 10 mets or 600 Calories for an hour. The sugar binges are a bad idea. She may want to have her circulating insulin checked, and if it is high start treatment even if the plasma glucose is not frankly diabetic.

Some primary physicians are knowledgeable enough to counsel here.