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Has anyone here been a diabetic for more than 40 years?


Sorry clicked the wrong button I think I reposted my old quote (good fun not being able to see very well, funny this my daughter asked yesterday “you should get a medal for being diabetic” crumbs she was so surprised when I told her you do at 50 years I’ll be actually 43years on the dot New Years Eve.
So only 7more years till me medal
 
T1 for 48 + years though now 49 years since symptoms first appeared, it wasn’t so well known back in 1969. Diagnosed when I was 20. No complications yet, despite the early years of wee tests, wondering later on what results to put on the empty record, lots of partying in the early carefree days, exciting travelling, and a few hair raising journeys. Very pleased that I did it all!
 
john1967 said:
Hi Ive been a type 1 for 38 years. Had cancer and 9 stints in plus 6 hour vascular and endovascular
Surgery before Christmas last year. Didn't work- Outta breath and legs seize after 50 yards.
Am ready to give up trying to survive
I hope all the positive stuff continues here
But it's not all smiles hugs and kisses
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You're right John, diabetes it isn't all smiles for everyone. I wish you the best and hope things get a wee bit better for you.

Bill
 
I've probably posted on this thread before ...but...

48 years T1 with mediocre (HbA1cs in 7-8 range mostly, but probably much worse for the first 12 years pre blood testing meters).

Just had a chat with my new (experienced) diabetic consultant.

She promised me that I would never go blind, lose kidney function or have an amputation.

Her only concern was hypos and she was happy for me to run my blood sugars significantly higher (6-10 before meals).

I'm expecting to get flamed for this but I can see her point (48 years without diabetic complications versus death via hypo).

T1 is NOT the same as T2.
 
EllieM said:
She promised me that I would never go blind, lose kidney function or have an amputation.

Her only concern was hypos and she was happy for me to run my blood sugars significantly higher (6-10 before meals).
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I wouldn't have a go at you but I think your consultant may be a bit mad. I guess it depends on how old you are now and how long you expect to live (sorry but it's true) versus how long it will be before problems start. And how you feel about risk.

How does the consultant know that you won't get problems? Basically nobody knows that, we've all been told it's random after a certain point, some people have an hba1c in the low 40s and get problems so how can anyone say that.

I'm sure she was happy for you to be high a lot, it's not her health that will suffer!
 
EllieM said:
Just had a chat with my new (experienced) diabetic consultant.
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Great post EllieM. I suspect your new consultant is now even more experienced after meeting you.
48 yrs out trumps my 27.
As much as we can learn from consultants, DSN's and "experts " it's the real life type 1's like yourself who can teach us so much.
 
NoKindOfSusie said:
I wouldn't have a go at you but I think your consultant may be a bit mad. I guess it depends on how old you are now and how long you expect to live (sorry but it's true) versus how long it will be before problems start. And how you feel about risk.

How does the consultant know that you won't get problems? Basically nobody knows that, we've all been told it's random after a certain point, some people have an hba1c in the low 40s and get problems so how can anyone say that.

I'm sure she was happy for you to be high a lot, it's not her health that will suffer!
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I think, NoKindofSusie, the type of conversation Ellie had with her consultant happens more than you might imagine. I understand where both Ellie and her consultant are coming from and I had much the same conversation with mine.

Now 55 years on insulin here and no diabetic complications apart from diabetic cheiroarthropathy in one hand and 'normal' arthritis in the other. This means I have a huge problem using an insulin pen. The only place I can inject is my tummy and I'd give anything to use other sites but physically it isn't possible. My tummy is full of lumps therefore the insulin doesn't release as it should and my HbA1c is way, way too high.

My consultant at the last visit just nodded and said that after 55 years without any major diabetic problems he was not concerned about the high HbA1c. What he also said, and I did understand, was that 'we professionals have to balance things out sometimes'. Unlike Ellie, I was given no promises for the future but I wasn't expecting any.

Also, I have stopped looking to the future and what is ahead because I have at least got to this stage when many, many others didn't and know that life as a diabetic as different for each an everyone of us. I figure, thankfully, that my consultant does too.

Bill
 
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EllieM said:
I've probably posted on this thread before ...but...

48 years T1 with mediocre (HbA1cs in 7-8 range mostly, but probably much worse for the first 12 years pre blood testing meters).

Just had a chat with my new (experienced) diabetic consultant.

She promised me that I would never go blind, lose kidney function or have an amputation.

Her only concern was hypos and she was happy for me to run my blood sugars significantly higher (6-10 before meals).

I'm expecting to get flamed for this but I can see her point (48 years without diabetic complications versus death via hypo).

T1 is NOT the same as T2.
Click to expand...
That sounds very similar to the hba1c results i get,diagnosed in 1976 and used the archaic methods that were available at the time but i have had complications,im registered blind and have been for over 20 years.Maybe some people are affected differently even with similar control.
 
Hello,
Although I do not have diabetes, I would like to share opinions because I know people and relatives with this disease.
I feel discouraged in the group and I want to tell all of you that this is not good, discouragement is the food of diabetes, we must continue strong and forward.
The answer is yes, I know people who have had diabetes for many years and continue working, they just followed some instructions to improve their lifestyle and reverse the process, click on my nick name and you will see all these details of what I mean ; I hope that, like many I have referred to you, it will be useful to you too.
 
It was 57 years last month, with diabetes, no complications so far. Diabetes is a pain in the backside but it has never stopped me doing anything. My Mother sent me to ballet lessons to "keep the sugar down" and at 16 I auditioned successfully for a place at a professional ballet school. The intensity and long hours of training meant I needed to lower my insulin consistently until I was taking very little otherwise it was impossible to get to the end of each 90 minute class due to hypos. Any day that I didn't do classes I needed to go back to my normal doses. Working in the theatre with daily classes, rehearsals and performances also kept blood sugar low. When I stopped dancing I worked in advertising for 10 years, hours were long and it involved a lot of driving and staying in hotels. I had 2 children (7lbs and 6lbs 7 ozs so diabetes didn't affect their birth weights). At 47 I was accepted for a dance degree and graduated at 50. I then did post graduate teacher training at The Royal Academy of Dance in London, for a year, and worked as a teacher until my very recent retirement at 64 1/2. As a qualified teacher I was also accepted to organise and deliver youth activities on the Queen Mary 2 and Britannia during school holidays (the photo on the left was during a visit to Tenerife on the Britannia, 2 years ago). Now I have retired I have enrolled for more ballet classes as I will have the time to enjoy them once more as well as "keep the sugar down".
 
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EllieM said:
I've probably posted on this thread before ...but...

48 years T1 with mediocre (HbA1cs in 7-8 range mostly, but probably much worse for the first 12 years pre blood testing meters).

Just had a chat with my new (experienced) diabetic consultant.

She promised me that I would never go blind, lose kidney function or have an amputation.

Her only concern was hypos and she was happy for me to run my blood sugars significantly higher (6-10 before meals).

I'm expecting to get flamed for this but I can see her point (48 years without diabetic complications versus death via hypo).

T1 is NOT the same as T2.
Click to expand...

Me too, it seems that physicians think that if we’ve survived ok for this long then we’ll be fine! I’ve come to the conclusion that survival complication free’s a more complex matter than bs alone.
 
RuthW said:
LOL. I am your long-lost twin!

It all seems so crazy in retrospect, doesn't it? Looking back, I think I was scared out of my wits till I was about 30!

Did any of you long-timers ever go to Diabetes Camp. I used to see the pictures in Balance Magazine sometimes and long to go. But you know, I never asked. Strange.
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My Mum wanted me to go but I hated the thought so refused....think she only wanted a well deserved rest, she used to worry so much about me and the diabetes too
 
RuthW said:
Yes, @Ladybirdy, I used to walk to school and home afterwards with my sisters, and we were "partners in crime". The whole family was "on rations" when it came to sweets because of my diabetes (way to make the siblings love you), but whenever we had a few pennies we used to go to the sweet shop together, and stock up on all kinds of horrendously sugary treats. When we went "officially" to the sweet shop with my mum, twice a week, we were each allowed a 2 ounce "ration" of whatever we chose. Except me, of course. I got peanuts. Every time. I never complained or whined (because it was all just a role play for me, I knew I'd be hitting the sweet shop again sooner or later with the band of sisters!). The funny thing, looking back, is wondering how the sweet shop owner kept a straight face in front of my mum. And of course, I lost count of how many times I was carried off to hospital in an ambulance when I was a kid. And my parents never, but never admitted that my diabetes was not well-controlled. Or that I was Queen of Liars.
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My Mum & brother used to eat Mars Bars after lunch and I had to just sit and watch them....still it got me used to just watching others and doing without, I suppose.....
 
rochari said:
Many thanks folks regarding my medal. Much appreciated. Ladybird, I remember all that so well. I grew up in a household with a type 1 mother and grandmother. Each had different glass syringes. My grandmother's was a 'record' fitting and I remember the base of the needles to be much narrower to fit on the end of her syringe. Both myself and mother had luer fitting syringes which seemed to be a bit wider at their top. Every night we had three pots boiling each of our syringes. How daft thinking about it, when we could have placed them all in the one bl**dy pot. Do you remember the little trays of needles? Each one having to also be boiled and expected to last around 10 days! Huge they were too. I remember my mother telling me that gran originally used benedicts solution to test her urine and that the test tube was held over one of the cooker's gas rings to heat it.

The one thing I also remember is the diet sheet I was given when I left hospital and which was used for years. Things like, '2 potatoes no larger than a hens egg', 2 oz of butter maximum, 2 digestives, which I could swop for 3 tea biscuits or nine (!) cream crackers. My sunday treat was always the 6d bars of Walls ice cream (without the wafers - perish the thought). I loved sundays! Oh, and the diabetic fruit cakes sealed up in a tin - access only with a can-opener.

Sadly my great grandmother died from the illness as there was no insulin. I think are all now very fortunate in what's available to help us with the condition.

Bill
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Can remember the "potato the size of a hen's egg" description and all the exchanges I had to learn. I was allowed as much butter and fat as I wished because I had gone down to 2 stone, at aged 8, when I was admitted to hospital and it seemed virtually impossible to put on much weight ever, until I was 14 anyway. Was told I would only need to be careful with fatty food if I put on too much weight.
 
Ladybirdy75 said:
Rochari!!!! I've found you!!!! I knew a couple of years ago I'd spoken to someone here and they'd told me there were 3 generations of diabetics in one house. What you told me about your grandmother really touched me and stayed with me. What a brave lady (and all those who did it without insulin - so tough for them).........it's you, i thought it was but couldn't be sure.

You know i never heard of this camp before yesterday. I feel like a deprived child lol. I remember well the diet sheet, ha ha there were some bizzare things on it. Oh and the ice cream.

I was terrible, any money i got I'd save in my pencil case and after school (juniors) my friends and i would buy all these sweets........it's much easier to convince 8year olds that you're allowed to eat giant candy lollies ha ha. My bg's must have been horrifically high. I remember getting up so many times in the night and drinking from the tap for minutes at a time
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Can remember being hungry all the time and kids at school, when I was 11, telling me that I looked as though my Mum didn't feed me.........
 
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