Complications

[Sarah69]

Does anyone think they will get complications no matter what diet, lifestyle etc they have. I ask this because both my parents are type 2 and both have leg ulcers. My mum has been treated for over a year now and my dad just recently has had an ulcer appear. They both have good control of their diabetes so makes me wonder is it worth controlling it if your going to end up with complications like this anyway?

 

[KK123]

Does anyone think they will get complications no matter what diet, lifestyle etc they have. I ask this because both my parents are type 2 and both have leg ulcers. My mum has been treated for over a year now and my dad just recently has had an ulcer appear. They both have good control of their diabetes so makes me wonder is it worth controlling it if your going to end up with complications like this anyway?

Hi Sarah, personally I would say it's always worth it because things would undoubtedly be even worse if you didn't manage it. Having said that, 'controlling it' can mean many different things to people, are you able to tell us how they manage it or what their daily levels or approach is? x

 

[EllieM]

They both have good control of their diabetes so makes me wonder is it worth controlling it if your going to end up with complications like this anyway?

I wonder what you mean by good control?

I realise T1 and T2 are not the same but as a T1 for 51 years my consultant has (possibly rashly) assured me that I'm not going to lose limbs, eyesight, kidneys etc.... I feel that the more normal I keep my blood sugar then the less likely I am to get future serious complications, and so they are, at least to a certain extent, under my control.

My 90 year old dad has had T2 for over a decade and has a number of health issues, none obviously connected to diabetes. Low carbing has allowed him to drop his T2 meds (gliclazide).

So no, I am a firm believer in controlling your diabetes, whichever type it is, to maintain good health. Health issues happen, whether or not you have diabetes. Controlling your levels will reduce, minimise or even eliminate the diabetic ones.

 

[zand]

I think there is often confusion as to what well controlled actually is. To my GP it's an HbA1c of less than 55. To me, as a T2 not on insulin, it is an HbA1c below 40.

 

[Mike d]

Question for the OP is whether she thinks it's worth it.

 

[TriciaWs]

I agree with others, what some think is 'good control' is not what I aimed for. Some GPs set the bar very low for their older patients, I aim to keep my HbA1c below 40 but also to avoid any nasty spikes that averaging over 3 mths won't show.

 

[Andydragon]

Does anyone think they will get complications no matter what diet, lifestyle etc they have. I ask this because both my parents are type 2 and both have leg ulcers. My mum has been treated for over a year now and my dad just recently has had an ulcer appear. They both have good control of their diabetes so makes me wonder is it worth controlling it if your going to end up with complications like this anyway?

What is their control as complications you describe and good control seem contrary to me

Ive been diabetic over 10 years and have minor retinopathy, so not good but hoping that can improve. Yes drugs but blood levels mostly below 50, now I have learnt more about low carbing and how to come off drugs I have the aim of lower than prediabetic range, I.e. < 42. Is need to do better as still have a sweet tooth

my father had every complication going it felt like but his bloods were highly uncontrolled. He said he ate well but open the cupboard and chocolate avalanche. Plus carbs galore... parents don’t always tell children the truth...

What are your parents readings?

 

[Hotpepper20000]

My goal with keeping my Blood sugars in non diabetic numbers is not just to prevent future complications but better quality of life right now.
I sleep well, have energy to do what I want and need, and my brain fog seems to be gone.
So I think the effort is worth it.

 

[Sarah69]

Question for the OP is whether she thinks it's worth it.

No it’s not whether I think it’s worth it!

 

[zand]

No it’s not whether I think it’s worth it!

Well yes it is, isn't it? It's for individuals to make up their own minds, just as it is with smoking etc. If I think that eating more carbs than my body likes is worth risking losing a toe/foot/leg/sight, then I eat the carbs and perhaps pay the price later. Of course I could die of something else first saving me the agony of amputation, and I could have already done damage to my body during the 25+ years that I didn't know I was insulin resistant. I didn't have a choice then as I didn't know why I was fat and couldn't lose weight. I am one of the privileged few who has this forum as a resource to allow me to help myself. I do have a choice now, so it's up to me, just as it's up to you...and anyone else who reads this.

 

[KK123]

What is their control as complications you describe and good control seem contrary to me

Ive been diabetic over 10 years and have minor retinopathy, so not good but hoping that can improve. Yes drugs but blood levels mostly below 50, now I have learnt more about low carbing and how to come off drugs I have the aim of lower than prediabetic range, I.e. < 42. Is need to do better as still have a sweet tooth

my father had every complication going it felt like but his bloods were highly uncontrolled. He said he ate well but open the cupboard and chocolate avalanche. Plus carbs galore... parents don’t always tell children the truth...

What are your parents readings?

and to your Dad of course, that may well have been 'eating well' especially given the advice he probably got from every medical person he came into contact with. My Mum was exactly the same. x

 

[KK123]

No it’s not whether I think it’s worth it!

I think Mike meant your Mum? We probably sound like a nosy bunch but honestly it's because we just LOVE giving advice!!! Are you able to tell us more at all? x

 

[Andydragon]

and to your Dad of course, that may well have been 'eating well' especially given the advice he probably got from every medical person he came into contact with. My Mum was exactly the same. x

The carb stuff maybe, the chocolate and rubbish nope, but he was stubborn, not unlike me to be fair. Don’t like being told what to do

my mum I am sure would be trying to make me eat now thinking I’m too thin. It’s just what they were like

but I think sometimes it’s hard to really think it’s a problem until it’s too late and diabetic complications are like that. As it’s something that takes a long time sometimes to display the real complications such as those described, it can be easy to just think it’ll be okay

@Sarah69 I don’t know if I will, I hope not and maybe I could go my life without any. Its not possible to prove something won’t happen but what I do know is that taking control and trying your best to keep bloods controlled will start from a good place and give me a fighting chance. High sustained bloods on the balance of probability will lead to insulin and quite possibly issues. I was on the insulin path. Any chance to not have that happen, seems like a bet worth taking

 

[Mrs T 123]

I personally think and hope the better control I have, the less chance of complications but who knows what is ahead of any of us in life - there is no guarantees but I am a firm believer that if you do your best with things then you can't do any more than that ...

 

[MrsA2]

Or they could be like my 85 year old relative, who has cut back "a little" on sugars but still has cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, a pudding evey night and drinks beer. He's also about to lose a leg.

Better some control and just an ulcer, in my book

My 97 year old Mum had ulcers that wouldn't heal but didn't have diabetes. Skin gets thin the older we get

 

[Daibell]

Hi. We need to know their recent HBA1C readings to know what 'good control' means. I'm guessing they are not very good?

 

[woollygal]

My mum and dad had pre diabetes, (although they never found out the numbers and even now with me being diagnosed they still don’t ask just hat 3verythings fine]
I was very low carb even from the start and my IBS disappeared. My mum has same symptoms so I said to her to go low carb. When she said well I only have 1 roll for dinner blah blah, I said well maybe that’s still too much.
To which she replied well I have to eat something. This is the same woman who watches over me when I’m home like a hawk and thinks I should sacrifice everything foodie wise if it helps with my diabetes.
One rule or her another for me.
Sadly parents are a law onto themselves and what they expect us children (48. To do they won’t do themselves.

 

[Sarah69]

I’m seeing them tomorrow so can find out what their last hba1c was. They don’t low carb and like me would not do that. My dad has breakfast lunch and tea, my mum just lunch and tea. They don’t eat loads of food. What my mum eats a bird wouldn’t survive on. I know when they test they are usually in the 5’s.

 

[KK123]

I’m seeing them tomorrow so can find out what their last hba1c was. They don’t low carb and like me would not do that. My dad has breakfast lunch and tea, my mum just lunch and tea. They don’t eat loads of food. What my mum eats a bird wouldn’t survive on. I know when they test they are usually in the 5’s.

Hi Sarah, do you know what their everyday meals are like? I know there are many other things to consider especially when you get older (frailty for example and trying to keep weight on), but when it comes to raised levels, it's not so much about the amount you eat but WHAT you eat. I use insulin for example and if I were to eat 5 apples a day and nothing else, my levels would be high (without the insulin) although I'd be stick thin of course. Or I could eat copious amounts of meat and cheese and my levels would remain low. It's hard of course when you are talking about older people, my Mum was from the same generation, it's all carbs, carbs, carbs (not even rubbish ones either, mainly potatoes, pastry etc). If they are usually in the 5s I'm guessing their hb1ac's are fine too, after all ulcers and the like are not ALWAYS down to diabetes. When my Mum was in hospital (hypos & hypers) the ward was full of people with leg ulcers arising from diabetes or smoking or many other different things. I do believe that relative to diabetes though, lower levels help. x

 

[Maco]

My thoughts on complications are as follows. I go to the gym 6 days a week as well as walking daily for some steady state cardio. On top of this I eat a very very boring plain diet, that’s not just to keep on top of my diabetes but also to help progress in the diet & reach my goals. I’m type 1 so I can still happily eat carbs, I keep them relatively low at 150-175g a day which for me seems the perfect number to maintain good control. I’ve tried pushing to 200G in the last week & my diabetes didn’t accept it, don’t get me wrong my control was still not bad but I was regularly spiking to around 10mmol & staying there for an hour or two where as normally 10 would be a high for me.

So if down the line I do get diabetic related complications then I can quite happily say I tried everything I could to avoid them & quite simply there’s nothing I could of done about it.

I don’t eat junk, I don’t drink alcohol at all. I don’t take drugs & I try my hardest to keep fit. As well as that I try my absolute hardest to keep tight control. So like I say if the complications do happen least I can say I tried.