Healthy long term type 1's

[emmamadi]

Hi all!
I'm afraid today I'm after some positive vibes :? . My 3 year old was diagnosed last year as type 1 and we have spent most of the last 8 months dealing with this and getting used to everything. He is going on the accu chek combo pump next month which I'm super excited about . I'm just having a little worry reading lots of posts about the future health risks he could encounter :crazy: . So, I guess I would like to hear some happy positive stories about anyone who is doing well in the hope that he will grow up to be one of them! Did anyone manage the teenage years without rebelling too much :evil: ??? He is doing great so far, checks his own blood (when he is not too busy playing!) and takes his injections brilliantly. I really want him to have the best future and hope this diabetes will not make him suffer :thumbdown: .
Thanks for any stories anyone may have!
Emma and Jac

 

[sweetLea]

Hi.
My Father was T1 and he was in his 70's when he died. He still had his eyesight and all his limbs so I reckon he did ok. He was very careful with his diabetes for the most part but I do remember him having a few wobbles, usually around Christmas. :lol: He worked way past retirement age and enjoyed his life.
I'm T1.5 and I hope I do a well as he did!
I hope this helps.

 

[emmamadi]

Thanks for replying. Great to hear about your dad, here's to a long and healthy future for everyone!

 

[viviennem]

I have a Type 1 friend who is in her 90s, everything intact, and can run rings round me! She got it about 50 years ago during pregnancy.

I think the longest-living Type 1 is a chap in the USA who's been Type 1 for about 83 years.

Viv 8)

 

[CarbsRok]

Hi Emma,
I've had type 1 diabetes for 47 years. No complications either Diagnosed before I started school.
There's a lovely gent called Richard who belongs to many forums he has had type 1 diabetes for about 65 years again no complication.
Happy pumping

 

[Debloubed]

I'm 26 years in and a pump user for the past 2 years, no major problems in terms of an 'opathies but the usual hypo issues can become a bit of a bore. Hopefully, your little one will benefit from having a pump so early on and his long term BG control will benefit from that. It's not always an easy ride but if you work hard at it, like everything in life, you will hopefully see the rewards! Realistically, some people do all the right things but still suffer with associated 'issues' but with pumps and better advice and better understanding out in the world today, I hope all will remain good with you and yours

All the best

Deb

 

[Dillinger]

Hello,

I wasn't going to reply to this as I'm very young and therefore don't have experience of long term Type 1 issues. Then I remembered that I'm 14 times as old as my eldest son and that makes me ANCIENT. He's 3 I'm 43...

I was diagnosed when I was 10. I have some peripheral retinopathy but have never had laser and other than some minor kidney function issues (that have responded to Lisinopril) I'm symptom free.

I was always told that diabetes is a control thing; either you control it or it will control you and so as a teenager I didn't really have any issues with it. Not taking insulin makes you feel terrible, so it was never something I was particularly interested in doing...

I also played rugby for my school Ist VX for 3 years rather than the 1 year that most did and rowed competitively through university; I've competed at numerous Head of The River races (equivalent to the Oxford Cambridge boat race) and at other internationally renowned rowing events. I've traveled to lots of interesting places; Thailand, Indonesia, China and elsewhere and have drunk international amounts of wine. All whilst doing my best to control diabetes and never letting it stop me doing things that I want to do. It just has to be managed.

I'm now married with 2 small children and have just realised that I'm 43 times as old as my youngest; that makes me very very very VERY old. I think I'll have a sit down and browse slippers online.

Your son will be absolutely fine; he just needs to be in control.

Best

Dillinger

 

[emmamadi]

Thank you everyone! Great to hear and helps me feel positive about his future :thumbup:
Im sure I will be posting again with lots of pump questions :crazy: !
Thanks again, Emma :wave:

 

[noblehead]

Hope all goes well with the insulin pump Emma :thumbup:

 

[sugar2]

I am 35 years a T1. I should be complication free, except I was a very stupid teenager, and ignored my diabetes for about 5 years. I have had laser, but mended my ways, and since then my diabetes and health have got better and better. I now have kids, a full time job, went to Uni, got a PhD...so diabetes shouldn't stop your son doing all teh wonderful things he want to do with his life. I know, had I been on a pump during my teenage years, I would not have been able to ignore my diabetes, and would not have needed the laser.

I guess, like the previous post, it is down to control...self control. I got diabetes when I was 4...it is not always easy, but, and I know this is trus of me, and I think of many other T1s who were diagnosed early in life, it makes you a very determined type of person, with a can do attitude.

 

[crushersmum]

There is a very positive website of oral histories of people through the last century with diabetes - most were well into retirement when they were interviewed. I used to get far too worried when my son was first diagnosed, & this site releaved the worry slightly.
The hardest part will be getting through the teenage growth spurts & natural rebellion ( as mentioned by sugar2 - my son too ignored his diabetes from 14-18 years) , but after that the risks of complications lessen.

http://www.diabetes-stories.com/index.asp

 

[CarbsRok]

Here's a young lady who has been diabetic for 70 years http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/ ... 1-3620224#

 

[hanadr]

Look at Richard Bernstein himself. A diabetic since the age of 12 and still practicing medicine. Last I read, he was complication free. Another famous doctor is Lois Jovanovic, who mainly works with diabetic mothers.
I have met a number of T1s who have their 50 year medals. Admittedly those I met were not 100%. I remember one lady whose sight was going and a man who'd lost a toe, but they felt fit.
The better the control the better the outcome.
For diabetics diagnosed in childhood, the puberty years are hardest to get through for their parents
Hana

 

[phoenix]

I've posted this before, but make no apologies for posting it again.
[youtube]OxCpQqjLRo8[/youtube]

 

[brianbenson1977]

Hi, my son was also diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of three and now, 5 years on he is doing his own injections and has for the most part great readings. It can be a very frustrating condition, however it does get easier with a little time and experience and there is no stopping my boy from doing anything now

 

[Elc1112]

Hi Emma and Jac,

I've been diabetic since I was seven (22 years now). Apart from a small blip when I was a teenager my diabetes has been well controlled and I am very healthy. Weight is in the normal range, cholesterol under 4, blood pressure on the low end of normal etc. I manage to lead a very normal and complication free life. I've got background retinopathy but my doctor has told me that's fairly expected for someday who has been diabetic for as long as I have and that, as long ad I keep thugs under control, thugs should not progress.

My teenage years were by far the hardest as I just wanted to be 'normal' and felt my diabetes held me back. Some people go through phases like this but it does not mean that your son will. One of my best friends (male) was diabetic since he was ten. Even through his teenage years his control was perfect - who knew that men could have more sense than us women eg?!

As your son gets older get him involved in his diabetes care so he really understands from an early age what it's all about - I think one of the things that I struggled with was understanding what it was, what it meant to me etc. When my niece (step niece so it doesn't really run in the family!) was diagnosed we taught her using sock puppets - izzy insulin and karl carbs on something daft like that. It seemed to help her.

I hope you and your son are managing the whole diabetes thing ok. I can imagine it must be a bit of a shock to get past at first. We're all here if you have any questions. Wish they had forums like this when I was younger - it's nice to know that you're not the only one sometimes!

Emma x

 

[Elc1112]

Massive apologies for the terrible typing. Small keys and big thumbs!