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Can You Live A Long Life With Diabetes?

TikPandora

Member
Messages
8
Location
North Platte, NE
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2 four days ago, and ever since then I've been researching it almost obsessively. This is proving to be terrible though, and I definitely regret some of my searches.

I'm 24 years old, and I want to know if it is possible for me to live a long and healthy life with type 2 diabetes. I'm doing everything I can, I changed the way I eat, I'm changing the way I sleep, I even went on a 40 minute walk today which is something I would never have done before.

Seeing all of these age charts and chances of mortality from the disease is crippling, and I just need to ask this question to get it out of my hand. My goal is 75 years, is it possible for me to live this long?

Sent from my XT1585 using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 
Hi @TikPandora ,

Depends on where you route your walks? Do you take the "freeway" (motorway.) or a stroll through a notoriously high crime rated neighbourhood...?

My point is? Lol, anything can happen in life.. One thing is for sure keep your diabetes managment in check & you may find it one less thing to worry about celebrating your 80th birthday.
 
If you put your blood glucose levels back into the normal range there would not seem to be any reason for you not to live to your full potential, whatever it should prove to be - I have just modified my diet, removing the foods which cause high blood glucose, and all seems fine. I am being more active, but that seems to be as a result of the lower BG rather than vice versa.
 
I have two Uncles, both Type 2. One is insulin dependent and has always been a fitness freak, the other is diet controlled likes a tipple, and enjoys a meal out here and there. They have both been Type 2 for as long as I can remember (I'm 37). The oldest is 83, the youngest is 81. My point is, as long as we are sensible and keep our levels within a sensible range, then we have the potential to live a normal life (unless of course, we get hit by a bus).
 
The first thing you need to worry about is getting your blood sugar under control. For that you need to get a blood glucose meter and test which foods spike your blood sugars. In general, you need to cut down on high carb foods such as breakfast cereals, bread, potatoes, rice and pasta. Also avoid fruit juice and fruit such as bananas and grapes.

High blood sugars over long periods of time can lead to a host of diabetic complications such as neuropathy and retinopathy. Most people with type 2 can reduce their blood glucose down to normal levels within 9 months using a LCHF diet, sooner if they also do intermittent fasting. Fasting can dramatically improve your life expectancy. See
It should be possible to live to 75 with type 2 provided you keep it under control.
 
@TikPandora the statistics regarding diabetic mortality are skewed because of the large number of diabetics that do not have good glycemic control.

Whatever the life expectancy predictions the only known way to beat the odds is for you to be in the group of diabetics that have good glycemic control.

That is what you need to concentrate on.

All the rest to be honest is not in our control

Sent from my SM-G935F using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 
I have had type2 diabetes for at least 16 years.Next year I hope to celebrate my 80th birthday.I now follow the LCMF diet and,for me this has been the answer.On this site you will find lots of information and brilliant advice.You have your age on your side and can make a good start in kicking Type 2 into touch,doing your research is good,knowledge is power!As the previous poster says you must aim for good glycemic control,this way you are in charge!Just seen a tweet,"An expert in anything was once a beginner" you will be fine!......... This site is full of positive experiences,and encouragement.
 
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TikPandora said:
I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2 four days ago, and ever since then I've been researching it almost obsessively. This is proving to be terrible though, and I definitely regret some of my searches.
Click to expand...

Listen buddy, as great as the internet is it also a source of some very poor information and scaremongering too, just keep on top of your diabetes, eat healthy and exercise regularly as that will give you the best chance possible to have a full and long-life ahead.
 
Don't panic! I have had type 2 since I was 36 and I'm 64 in November no complications and no serious illness either!
 
Absolutely. My uncle has been T2 for 45 years. He is active and always, every day for 50+ years had a cooked english breakfast. Never cereal. He live in a very tiny hamlet and mainly off his allotment food. He's had 3 meals a day and barely anything processed at all. Never even been to a large supermarket!! Survives from local shop and butcher. No internet.

My mum has dementia and his brother had cancer from asbestos (dead now) and he is the most active and able from the 3 siblings. He's had a fantastic wife that has always been a house wife and home keeper who has always wnsured they ate good proper food ie chicken from allotments, veg from allotments and a farm owner used to live next door.

A true good example of how modernisation of diet us giving complications as well as poor genes.

My uncle has always, always been lean and active. Diabetes genes (T2) runs male/female/male/female down our genetic history until now when I was the T1. My family always been lean to very lean.
 
Was diagnosed as type2 3 years ago. When my blood test at the hospital was tested, I remember the night very clearly, I had a call from the place that does whatever they do, call me at 3am and said, get to hospital now, you are very ill with t2. I never did go and adamantly said no. Thinking back, if I was in danger then surely they would have sent a ambulance. I did agree to see my gp as soon as the surgery opened and I did see him. The hospital had a reading of 37. Well apparently I may well have had t2 for years and had got used to feeling ill.
Later that day, I looked up on the Internet and my god, it said I would go blind, have heart attack, stroke, kidney trouble and have legs amputated.
About a week later I joined here, am so glad I did.
Members here helped me so much, members I found knew more then the professionals.
Even a kind member donated me a spare sd codefree meter because I was so scared to you amazon. At that time, I was a very novice Internet user.
With using my meter and still do 3 years on, I have got my bs levels down so much,
So please ask any questions, even asking many aday, we will never tire of helpin you and give guide nice.
3 years ago I was so scared of dying but that was because of what I read on the Internet.
Now, yes I am still t2 but now have a life because of all the help I got here from my fellow members
 

Honestly, Ally, what a wonderful post. It's so fabulous that I'm going to tag @Administrator , to ensure he reads it.
 
I certainly hope so, as I have type 2 and just had my 74th birthday!
My goal is 100 at least; all my numbers are good on a keto diet and I walk at least one hour every day. And I feel lively and keep busy, so I enjoy sticking around.
 
Yes anything can happen.
Keeping good diabetes management will get you there. Why not?
I remember symptoms of diabetes at 6yr old. I'm 46 now.
When I first went on insulin after a burn out in 2015 I added weight but never allowed myself to be defeated even though the extra weight caused mobility problems. I'm just under 3 stones lighter since xmas, on insulin with at last my endocrologist noting me as having controlled diabetes now.
To date I have no diabetes complications other than the complimentary metabolic syndrome problems controlled by meds.
Ive had 2 healthy children on metformin when I was deemed clinically infertile and undiagnosed as diabetic until I stopped metformin from a professor's instructions controlling my ivf conditions.
Anything CAN happen.
 
My older "sibling" is a insulin dependant T2, and had been since the 1980's. He is now 82 (he is still going as far as I know as we have no contact).
 
DCUKMod said:
Honestly, Ally, what a wonderful post. It's so fabulous that I'm going to tag @Administrator , to ensure he reads it.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much. I pressed the smiley face because I feel so humble but when I saw it after, it said funny. Funny as in it made me smile
It's so true that members and mods and administration have all helped me. Even advising of what to do because I am finding my gp surgery are just not helping me in any way xx
 
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