What is in store for me?

[Gustavski]

You may or may not know that I am prediabetic.
I would like to know what will happen to me if I get diabetes.
I can go online and read this and that, but I prefer listening to people who are actually experiencing diabetes.
What is Type 1 and 2 are they the same thing with one being more severe?
How does it affect your daily life?
I mean, what symptoms are you experiencing.
Sorry for asking a lot of questions, but I think like a lot of the population, I really do not know what diabetes is and its consequences.

Gus

 

[Goonergal]

Hi and welcome!

I’m happy to answer some of your questions, but it is important that you also read and learn for yourself as you’ll need to find a management strategy that suits you.

I am prediabetic.
I would like to know what will happen to me if I get diabetes

For all intents and purposes, I’d say that being diagnosed with pre diabetes is almost the same as having type 2 diabetes. Certainly, using an approach to eating and lifestyle that those managing type 2 without medication will be the route to avoiding full blown diabetes. The advice would be to lower the carbohydrate content of your diet. Probably best explored in another thread.

Uncontrolled diabetes - of any type - can lead to serious complications such as retinopathy (and ultimately blindness for some), neuropathy (nerve pain), slow wound healing and all that goes with that - including amputations for some. That all sounds very scary, and it is, but for pre diabetes and type 2, dietary and lifestyle changes can help prevent that.

What is Type 1 and 2 are they the same thing with one being more severe?

For those with type 1, their pancreas no longer provides the insulin they need, so injecting insulin literally keeps them alive.

For most with type 2, they over produce insulin because their bodies have become resistant to insulin forcing it to produce more and more to clear glucose (from sugar or any form of carbohydrates) from their system.

How does it affect your daily life?

The major change was reducing carbs - severely in my case. That was initially difficult but ultimately life changing: type 2 in remission, lifelong migraines vanished and a shedload of weight lost (see signature). The diagnosis was a blessing in disguise.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

I really do not know what diabetes is and its consequences.

Diabetes is diagnosed when the level of sugar in the blood is above certain limits. @Goonergal has explained some possible causes. Whatever the mechanics of the situation one thing is clear, it affects circulation of the blood. Peripheral organs (often feet) and organs supplied by tiny arteries (eyes, nerves etc.) are at risk of damage due to reduced/lack of blood supply.

What symptoms am I expriencing? I fell (jumped) off the wagon of low carb. A toe went black and gangrenous and was amputated. A femoral bypass was thought beneficial and was done. Let me make myself clear. I brought this on myself and there is no suggestion that things like this will happen to you.

To paraphrase the great Dennis Healy. If the body has an excess of sugar then stop eating it.

Healy actually said that if you are digging a hole for yourself then just stop digging.

 

[In Response]

What is Type 1 and 2 are they the same thing with one being more severe?

Apart from this one, I think your questions are best answered by someone with type 2 as you want to know what things are like in reality rather than theoretically.

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are completely different conditions as described above. They are both severe - one does not turn into the other.
However, some people confuse Type 1 with needing to inject insulin. All people with Type1 will have to inject insulin (because their bodies do not produce any); some people with type 2 may need to take insulin but that does not make their condition Type 1.

 

[McHelen]

Hi and welcome!

I’m happy to answer some of your questions, but it is important that you also read and learn for yourself as you’ll need to find a management strategy that suits you.



For all intents and purposes, I’d say that being diagnosed with pre diabetes is almost the same as having type 2 diabetes. Certainly, using an approach to eating and lifestyle that those managing type 2 without medication will be the route to avoiding full blown diabetes. The advice would be to lower the carbohydrate content of your diet. Probably best explored in another thread.

Uncontrolled diabetes - of any type - can lead to serious complications such as retinopathy (and ultimately blindness for some), neuropathy (nerve pain), slow wound healing and all that goes with that - including amputations for some. That all sounds very scary, and it is, but for pre diabetes and type 2, dietary and lifestyle changes can help prevent that.



For those with type 1, their pancreas no longer provides the insulin they need, so injecting insulin literally keeps them alive.

For most with type 2, they over produce insulin because their bodies have become resistant to insulin forcing it to produce more and more to clear glucose (from sugar or any form of carbohydrates) from their system.



The major change was reducing carbs - severely in my case. That was initially difficult but ultimately life changing: type 2 in remission, lifelong migraines vanished and a shedload of weight lost (see signature). The diagnosis was a blessing in disguise.

I have just read your signature and you are an absolute legend, wow, really inspirational.

 

[EllieM]

Hi @Gustavski and welcome to the forums.

I notice that your profile says you are 83 so I'll address that point, because my 91 year old dad developed T2 when he was about 80.

He doesn't have any significant diabetic complications and for the first 8 years he was on (gradually increasing) oral medication for T2, without any dietary change (though as he was married to my T1 mother he rarely had very carbohydraty food). About 4 years ago my brother suggested that low carb might improve his health and when he had a 3 month visit with me I introduced him to a lower carb diet which allowed him to come off medication when he returned home and also allowed him to lose a little weight (he wasn't massively overweight but had a bit of belly fat).

At 91 he now runs his blood sugars a little higher than some of the younger medication free T2s on these forums, but that is because his doctor doesn't want him to have any low blood sugar episodes which might make him fall over.

 

[Widgets]

For all intents and purposes, I’d say that being diagnosed with pre diabetes is almost the same as having type 2 diabetes.

That was my approach when I got the 'you're pre-diabetic' 'phone call from my GP in June. Pre-diabetes and type-2 diabetes are, so far as I can tell, points on a continuum. Type-1 is a different condition that shares some similarities with the others but is really quite different.

Reading on here, learning from the people who've been doing this dance for longer than me, going to a very low carbohydrate diet. Pretty much treating myself as though I do have type-2 has brought my numbers back into non-diabetic levels, but my body would have problems still dealing with high levels of carbohydrates if I asked it to do that again.

I've also lost almost 6 stones, but that's a side effect of the low carb (and if you don't have weight to lose then you adjust your diet to keep the calorie level high enough to maintain your weight)

 

[KennyA]

You may or may not know that I am prediabetic.
I would like to know what will happen to me if I get diabetes.
I can go online and read this and that, but I prefer listening to people who are actually experiencing diabetes.
What is Type 1 and 2 are they the same thing with one being more severe?
How does it affect your daily life?
I mean, what symptoms are you experiencing.
Sorry for asking a lot of questions, but I think like a lot of the population, I really do not know what diabetes is and its consequences.

Gus

Hi, I won't repeat what's been said above. You might find this link useful as a personal account.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog/kennya.517579/

 

[MrsA2]

@Gustavski
Type1 can come on very suddenly and often accompanied by sudden weight loss
Type 2 develops over years, as do the effects of it
I was diagnosed with no symptoms. I only went for the test because my sister (older and heavier ) was diagnosed which put me in a riskier category. I thought I would be clear of it , but oh no.
With hindsight, once I had lowered my bg I realised I did have the symptoms of peeing too often, but I had put that down to being a child bearing female of a certain age. Weight gain is another symptom (though its often mistaken as a cause)
My 85 year old uncle was diagnosed 15 years ago and has heard the standard NHS advice to try and cut down sugar, but he has no understanding of how much sugar is in carbs, or indeed of what carbs are. Hence his weight has continued to rise, his eyesight is worse and he is afraid to leave the house unless he knows there is a loo nearby. His legs are turning black and I suspect amputation is looming.
Whatever you choose to do, or not do, has to be something that fits with your life. My uncle chooses to still eat alot of cake and puddings as, at 85, he wants to enjoy his last years.
Me, I have gone very low carb as I am already partially sighted for other reasons and I am determined to keep what sight I do have. I like the food and am an able cook so it fits my life.
You will find what works for you, and will hear on here of the many variations. There is no one right answer, it's all very personal.