Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the family?

Dobbs

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

I wonder if there were many more cases of undiagnosed diabetes, say, thirty or forty years ago, so that it gets harder to be sure if there is a family connection the further back in time we go.
My father died at the age of 54, of a heart attack, in 1974. Admittedly he was overweight (possibly obese, by today's standards), smoked, and did little exercise. But ever since I was diagnosed T2 at the age of 47 (and I reckon I'd been diabetic for a good few years before that), and read up about diabetes and heart disease, I have wondered if he was an undiagnosed and therefore uncontrolled case, which might explain what happened to him.
So in my case I don't know if there is a family connection or not. I had an uncle with diabetes but he wasn't a blood relative. And he lived to 90!
 

SJay

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

Me - diagnosed type 1 last December at 29.

My dad - diagnosed type 1 also when he was 29.

Surely not just a coincidence?????? My younger sister is getting worried now :-(
 

noblehead

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

SJay said:
Me - diagnosed type 1 last December at 29.

My dad - diagnosed type 1 also when he was 29.

Surely not just a coincidence?????? My younger sister is getting worried now :-(

I worry about this too SJay, my oldest lad is coming up to the age I was diagnosed, although he is as fit as a butchers dog, I cannot help but worry sometimes, especially when he is feeling unwell. I hope and pray that neither of my children get this condition, as I would undoubtedly blame myself for passing it on and curse myself for evermore.

I endeavour always to give them a healthy balanced diet, whilst encouraging physical exercise, after that there isn't much else one can do.

Nigel
 

Gadge

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

Mums side of the family:
Great Grandmother - Type 2 (Not sure what age)
Grandmother - Type 2 with insulin + oral medication (aged 46)
Granddad - Type 2 tablets (aged 70)

dads side is unknown

Me - Type 2 oral medication - (aged 22)
 

Cowboyjim

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

AFAIK I had an aunty who had it tho no one can tell me what type she had... plus a male cousin from my aunt's brother... sadly he died this year... that's just two out of a fairly large family.
Dunno if any of my other cousins has been tested tho...
So much for the quack saying DM may have a genetic origin... which is hardly cheering news. 8)
 

ZACNEMMA

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

My son was diagnosed aged 12, complete shocker. No one has type 1 in our family-no one has type 2.
Zacnemma
 

SJay

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

Sorry, didn't mean to scare you by putting my last post but don't think it is just a coincedence. Whenever i've gone for medical tests in the past i've always been asked if there is a history of diabetes in the family, particularly on my dads side of the family.

I am very fit and healthy, ran the marathon last year and have every intention of doing it again next year, i am determined not to let my diabetes ruin my life and stop me doing the things i want to do. The last 8 months haven't been easy but having my dad's support has got me through it. :D
 

elvis the cat

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

I have type 1 .my mum ,brother & sister also have type 1 . My neice has now been diognosed with type 2 . :p
 

sugarybibs

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

Hi all ive been type 1 for 40 years this year got it when i was 16.i was a skinny teenager very active only ate good food hardly any sweets etc well in the 60s we never had all the rubbish kids eat today.no one in my family had type 1 or 2 not grandparents greatgrandparents no aunties uncles or cousins and we are a very large family.ive got 4 kids well all in their 20s now and none of them have it or any symptons of it.they ony got tested when they were born and have never been tested since.They are all fit and healthy and slim.I do sometimes check their bloods if they say they feel a bit thirsty or tired.I think i am very lucky not to have developed any complications yet after getting it so young and having it for this long.I always thought type 2 was what overweight people get and it still really annoys me when people look at you when you mention diabetes and think you were overweight and always eating junk food.nearly all the type 1s i meet in my clinic are slim and type 2 overweight.Even the tele and press still dont mention the difference between these types of diabetes when the adverts are on showing people eating junk and telling us to watch our weight or we could develop diabetes.us type 1s dont develop it it just happens through no fault of our own.
 

annettekp

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

Hi

My son was diagnosed T1 aged 20 months. There is no diabetes on my side of the family. But on the other side, Great-Granny has T2. Great granny's sister has T1, 2 2nd cousins (siblings)T1, 1 1st cousin T1 and 1st cousin's child T1 diagnosed at 18 months.

Interestingly someone told me diabetes came down the male side of the family but the pattern in hubbie's family says otherwise. I think there are too many diabetics for there NOT to be some sort of genetic link.

But who knows...
 

rosgrech

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

Both sets of grandparents died of old age into their late 80's and 90's

My mother died early 60's with cancer - my father with cancer but at almost 90 - my brother accidental death at 49.

Me - now 62 - built like a stick all my life, don't smoke, hardly drink, eat healthily - TYPE 2 a year ago.

First one in the whole extended family - but it must start somewhere! Lucky me! :D
 

pollyr

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

It would seem lots more research is needed about this life changing disease. I was diagnosed T2 at age 57, my maternal grandmother and mother diagnosed T2 in their 70's. My sister and my mother's sister are both borderline insulin resistant.

I have found that being T2 brings a reaction from people, especially professionals, as if it is my fault I have it. I have never been overweight, being around 7st until my 40's, and a good lifestyle/diet, & exercise. I did smoke but stopped in my 40's. I had high BP after my son was born and was prescribed medication Bendroflumethide & Attenolol . I read some years ago that Attenolol was attributed to causing diabetes and when I asked my GP about it he said that is didnt matter as I already had it. I wonder also if pancreatic problems can be associated with diabetes as I had an very bad acute pancreatitis attack 18 months ago and have migrated from oral diabetic meds to insulin as some of my pancreas has died. I wonder if my diabetes had been brought on by what could have been a failing pancreas which hadnt manifested itself earlier.

Cheers
 

DazG

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

Im 34 and was diagnosed T2 this year.

My dad T2 at 60

His mum (my nan) at 70

I have 5 older brothers and sisters and none of them have diabetes.

Guess I was the lucky one :roll:
 

CR741

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

i was diagnosed at 13, but no one in the family has it. i think there may be some type twos though.
CR :wink:
 

hanadr

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

4th T2 in a direct line
I suspect others have had it too. They had signs.
Hana
 

thebear

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

Well, i have been diagnosed as T2 this week,

My dad was diagnosed as T2 in his late 40s, and my grandad was diagnosed in his late 60s (also T2)
 

Marky4

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

I'm Type 1. No history of it my family at all. No parents, grandparents, great grandparents (as far as we know), no siblings, or cousins have ever had diabetes. Sheesh - I guess I must have done something, or had something as a child which caused it.
 

LittleGreyCat

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

My nephew is T1 - since the age of 8.

A cousin on my mother's side (oder than me) is T2.

I am almost 60, and was diagnosed T2 a couple of years back.

Of course, diagnosis in the past has probably missed loads of T2s around the world so I can't say if these are the only family memebers.

Cheers

LGC
 

clearviews

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

No one whatsoever in my family history has diabetes. I have T2.
There are a lot of things however that the family has that could indicate an issue with low levels of Vitamin D. I can list endometriosis, T2, malignant menlanoma. Then after supplementing with vitamin D other issues went away - inability to lose weight, inability to be out in the sun for more than the shortest time without burning. In the family there is osteoporosis, extreme deficency of Vit D and depression.

Now in my (second) husband's family he has a T1 child and a coeliac child. So does his brother. BIL is gluten intolerant and my H has impaired BGs. They think their mother was a T2 and an aunt was a T1. Would be interesting to know whether insufficiency of Vitamin D figures in their family history.
 

phoenix

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Re: Just out of interest - do you have diabetes in the famil

I didn't know of anyone with it when I was diagnosed T1 in my 50s. Since then I've learned that my cousin who's about 10 years younger than I and who lives in South Africa (so no contact) developed what they said was type 2 but was put onto insulin within 6 months of diagnosis..
Neither my mother nor aunt has it, my mum who is in her 80s had a normal fasting glucose test last week. I sometimes wonder what my maternal grandmother died of. She died aged 35 and I don't know, nor does my mum seem to know, the cause of her death.