Longest living type 1 diabetic

[donnellysdogs]

I am diabetic type 1 for 25 years. Have been working in OAP residential homes for a long time, and have never had a type 1 diabetic as a resident......
So I have got thinking...does anybody know of the oldest living person with type 1 diabetes over 25 years living with it.
Obviously, I am worrying why I have never had anybody in the care homes, is it because we don't live that long?
Does anybody know or is themselves the oldest living person with diabetes type 1 longer than 25 years?

 

[suzi]

Hi Donnellydogs,
My aunt has been diabetic since she was 38yrs old, shes now a 73yr old, who goes to volleyball on thursday nights, still cleans her windows, does her own shopping by bus and is still very young at heart. Has aches and pains, but im 40 and i get them! So shes been diabetic for 35yrs and hopes that her headstone reads worn out, not done in by diabetes.
take care,
Suzi x

 

[Louise5967]

I've been type 1 for 37 years-and hope I've got many years left as I'm only 42-I met a lady who had been Type 1 for 52 years and had no complications at all !! interesting post though.

 

[sandymaynard]

Hi
My mum is 75, Had type 1 since 1 year old, So for 74 years!
She has catracts,glaucoma, and level 5 kidney faliure! Bless her!
Sandy

 

[phoenix]

Here are some examples of people who have lived a long time with type I. You won't find any much older as the first use of insulin wasn't until 1922.
From the UK: Monica Winn, 85 in 2005, diagnosed at age 8 in 1927, 4 years after the introduction of insulin to the UK http://www.diabetes-stories.com/interview.asp?UID=31
From the US:Robert Cleveland, more than 78 years with type 1 diabetes, and his brother Gerald Cleveland, 72 years with the disease
http://professionaled.joslin.org/1083_2713.asp

 

[hanadr]

Lois Jovanovic, A well know doctor in California, who specialises in treating diabetic mothers,is a T1 and granddauhter of the very first patient that Banting and Best treated with insulin.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Thanks everybody for your very interesting responses....they have been very encouraging to read.

I dread getting old with my diabetes, and this has allayed some of my fears.
Thanks
Sharon

 

[Borodeb]

I have been a diabetic for 44 years, I was 18 months old when diagnosed. All going OK but I don't feel a hypo coming on like I used to, have also had epilepsy for the same amount of time.
Deb

 

[wallycorker]

Dr Bernstein the well-known American doctor has had Type 1 for around sixty years and according to his book is still without complications after all that time - he works 12 hours a day, travels, sails and pursues a vigorous exercise routine.

According to him it's all down to control of blood glucose levels.

Find more details here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dr-Bernsteins-D ... 192&sr=1-1

 

[chocoholic]

My mother knows someone in her 80's with Type 1 and I think she's still fairly healthy too.

 

[Jo123]

My grandad died in his 80's, he was type 1, but he didn't develop it until his 50's so not a whole lifetime. But he had terrible control was always having hypos and then highs. But actually despite this poor control not too many diabetic complications until right at the end, but this was down to bad care in the nursing home.

 

[ZACNEMMA]

Interesting reading. I guess that we will hear of older living type 1's now- due to the fact that insulin was first used in 1922. I will always be eternally grateful for the work of Banting and Best.I am a parent of a wonderful 13 year old boy Zac who was diagnosed in january.Would be great to chat to other mums who have children with type 1. To all of you love sent xxx

 

[arkle]

HI everyone, I haven't posted much in the past, so accept my apologies. I'm a 55y/o t1 guy who's been so for 50 years. I was chatting with a lady the other day who was based at a different hospital clinic to myself & she mentioned that she was asked to take part in a nationwide survey for long term T1's. Only 3 from each clinic were "invited" to join & she was just to late to get in, however she was told that there were only 1,003 t1's in the country that had been so for over 50 years.

 

[bazippy]

All very interesting reading but seems to be missing one big point! insulin may have not been introduced till the 20's but id imagine for every 10years its been used the average length of life for diabetics must be shooting up. the average persons life time has increased massively over the past 50years take into account the lack of knowledge and continued technology and our average life span must be slowly closing the gap to the normal none diabetic person!

 

[howie]

yeah bazippy i hope you're right, also the fact that diabetics have only been able to test their levels in their own home for 20 years as far as i'm aware, so that's gonna make a big difference with the statistics of future generations.

though i have read theories that it's pretty much down to genetics or your c-peptide count. though if everyone diabetic ends up with no functioning beta cells then i would assume we all end up with no c-peptides after the 'honeymoon' period so??? that may just give you a year extra 'tops' or so i would of thought?? so what difference is that.

good subject,
howard.

 

[howie]

also when the artificial pancreas is ready for us all i've read...

"The artificial pancreas would remove the complications associated with the condition, such as heart and kidney disease, blindness, and stroke; it could dramatically improve quality of life, and life expectancy."

which sounds good to me. imagine if some of these guys had one all their lives!!

hopefully its out soon and won't be too big, also i don't think they'll be holding back the research on this one cos of the £££ involved.

all best,
howard

 

[donnellysdogs]

Thank you to everybody for responding to this post......I would love Diabetes.co.uk to do a survey by newsletter or email and to ask people have they always managed their diabetes well, or have they had spells of not giving a ****, or not being able to keep balanced. I think this would give people more insight as to how diabetics as a large group of persons with this disease cope throughout life and how their management effects their life/health.
Wouldn't it be nice for newly diagnosed to know that they may have gliches, but how the majority have managed in the past 25 years or so. I think it would be a great survey for those that have been diagnosed for longer than 25 years to complete and see what the results are.

Thank you so much to everyone for their responses, I have been greatly encouraged...thankyou

 

[lionrampant]

also when the artificial pancreas is ready for us all i've read...

"The artificial pancreas would remove the complications associated with the condition, such as heart and kidney disease, blindness, and stroke; it could dramatically improve quality of life, and life expectancy."

which sounds good to me. imagine if some of these guys had one all their lives!!

hopefully its out soon and won't be too big, also i don't think they'll be holding back the research on this one cos of the £££ involved.

all best,
howard

Can you imagine how many needles, cartridges, pens, test strips, lancets, and peripheral treatments would cease to make money in 1st-world countries if this became the standard treatment for diabetics? We're not only up against our disease, but a wall of resistance in the industry that keeps us alive.

 

[Gtaebr]

Greetings from USA

My mother Sheila P. Thorn who lives in Sussex (UK) has been a type 1 diabetic since her birth (in Canada). She just celebrated her 79th birthday in July and rewarded herself by getting a pump!
She is still consulting as a Cardiac Technician and is vital and active.

I celebrate her life every day she is a wonder and inspiration to all.

 

[Fujifilm]

Well if the Diabetes does not kill me, the depression from reading this thread will :lol:

I am 45 and had Diabetes for 24 years so realistically I have had more years alive than I have got left :shock:

Oh well.