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Positives of having diabetes?

A blessing, NO, a curse, NO, but a condition I would give back in a heart beat, if I could, not just me, but for my young granddaughter too.
 
philchap1 said:
It's neither a blessing or a curse, it's a condition we have to live with and manage as good as possible and hopefully have a normal life as possible
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So well put @philchap1

If there are any positives it would be getting regular health checks where things like your bp and cholesterol levels are checked, also (like many others have said) I don't know if I would be following a healthy diet were it not for diabetes.
 
Tubzi said:
I've changed the wording in the title and post now, sorry if anyone got offended by it!
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I wasn't offended Tubzi and I hope others weren't offended either. Sometimes words.............. just get in the way ;):D
 
noblehead said:
So well put @philchap1

If there are any positives it would be getting regular health checks where things like your bp and cholesterol levels are checked, also (like many others have said) I don't know if I would be following a healthy diet were it not for diabetes.
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I have always eaten a well balanced and a healthy diet, gave up the disgusting ciggys years ago, I don't drink either.................... so no 'vices' lol :rolleyes:
 
DavidGrahamJones said:
Blessing isn't quite the word I'd use so I had to have a look to see what it meant. A blessing is the infusion of something with holiness, spiritual redemption, divine will.

However, it has meant that I have learned more about nutrition and I think I'm more aware of what's good for me and what's not so good.
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... Ot "sanction" from someone with a "higher status".? :D

Diabetes?
Could be worse.. Could have tougher struggles.. Life is whatcha make it...
I have as much fun as I can (mindful.) with what I got... ;)
 
Well, I don't actually consider diabetes either a blessing or a curse, but on a positive note, I can now happily eat all the healthy and full fat foods (cream, yoghurt, cheese...) that I've eaten all my life without people insisting for the last 40 odd years that I had an unhealthy diet and should be eating low fat **** instead. And I've finally escaped from feeling like a brain dead zombie for the previous 5-6 years pre-diagnosis, and have spent my 2 diabetic years feeling alert and human again. (I'm also thankful that suffering from chronic migraines all my adult life had already taught me that some foods could adversely affect my health so watching my diet and cutting right down on diabetic unfriendly carbs was not only logical but much easier than it might have otherwise been.:D)

On the negative side, it's expensive self funding glucose testing and buying extra low carb alternative foods on my pension, and I occasionally resent the fact that I should no longer eat some of the food (mainly fruit) that I used to enjoy - this last a minor inconvenience though.

Robbity
 
Being type 2 for around 15 years I am as happy and settled as I have ever been before diabetes.What my journey has done is to teach me independence and a strong distrust of medical professionals. For the first time my blood levels are constantly low, my energy levels high and my mental emotional condition the best it's ever been since my original diagnosis. All of this subsequent to major side effects and a total disregard by my GP to take on board my concerns about medication and its negative effects. For the first time in years I feel well and believe this to be largely due to the information derived from this site. I feel positive about the future and have ceased to be a wet diabetic blanket.
 
Every now and then I tell my partner that my bloods mean I can't drive...then have a drink and make him drive.

Have also used it as an excuse to get my way on where/when we eat!

Otherwise it's given me a better awareness of what I eat.
 
Its wearing a bit thin with my other half (she's pre diabetes) that she has to manage her carbs but I get treats (medicinal purposes only of course) when I go low. There's always a silver lining ;-)
 
Tubzi said:
I've changed the wording in the title and post now, sorry if anyone got offended by it!
Click to expand...
@Tubzi I certainly wasn't offended by the wording used - it would have been the same for me if you had used 'thankful' or 'grateful' it's about finding a positive in what can be a difficult illness. I've enjoyed reading all the comments - interesting thread - and everyone is different :happy:
 
I was diagnosed type 1 at 20 so I remember life "before" and miss the spontaneity. Now I'm lchf and on the pump I find that it's not the same as " before" but I can go the whole day without having to eat. That's my positive at the mo.
Having to eat to the insulin was a bind. Finding that I could correct and change doses and not because the hospital told me but I just started doing up myself.
then the diet change and the pump, not spontaneous but as close as I can get. I'm also fitter than I've ever been because I use exercise for insulin sensitivity.
I question everything now at the clinic.
My great nan was a type 1 and died before insulin was discovered. I look at it as I'm on my second life so I'm going to do what I want.
 
I only got diagnosed last year but it probably gave me a slightly different perspective on life and what I'm doing. I still can't get over just how relient on a few injections a day and just how much of a challenge it can be to control! If I can keep control of my BG every day, then I can do *insert challenge here* too.

So far it's been hugely positive and empowering. I lived in a car, I lived in a van, I ran a marathon, I made so many new friends, I've become more confident in myself and about to spend the next 6 months riding 10,000 miles on my bike!

If you can live as a diabetic, you can live as anything you want to be :) Just get on with it!
 
you have to use DAFNE. With Type 1 it's the best way to control your blood sugars. I have 4 injections daily. Type 1 for 49 years diagnosed age 6 in 1967.
 
hels said:
Every now and then I tell my partner that my bloods mean I can't drive...then have a drink and make him drive.

Have also used it as an excuse to get my way on where/when we eat!

Otherwise it's given me a better awareness of what I eat.
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Oooooh, that's a bit cheeky!

Though in fairness if my wife wishes to talk "important", I'll flash the meter if low & use it as a "get out of jail free card." ;)
 
Inserting the needle at 6am wakens me enough to enjoy my breakfast and plan my day before going back to sleep for additional rest.
 
Well its increased my food intake by one tablet a day and given me the opportunity to stab myself in the fingers on a regular basis, but since being diagnosed I have lost about four and a half stones and now at least look healthier and feel to a degree healthier and I found this forum.
 
Positives well yes there are some.
I lost 1.5st quickly with no effort after going LCHF and I've kept it off , which is a first.
I can eat cheese without worrying about the fat/calories
I no longer think about food all the time as I'm not always hungry.
I no longer suffer with terrible indigestion at every meal.

AND yes a blessing ...to increase my exercise I got a dog, my Ralf, who is a big bouncy adorable LabX who can make me smile even on the most miserable of days.
 
Positives of diabetes...interesting one! For me it's made me more diet/exercise/health conscious, and I'm probably taking care of myself better because I'm more aware of the effects of not doing so. Having to deal with lows/highs and pretend that I wasn't scared and felt fine has made me more resilient as a person, and also I cope with pain/illness well as nothing ever feels as bad as a bad diabetes day! It's made me more conscious of how other people could be living with hidden conditions, and made me ready to listen when people talk about their issues, as I know how frustrating it can be when you're trying to make changes but nobody really seems interested! To be honest I think my diabetes has just generally made me a better person, despite being slightly more stressed as a general!
 
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