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

40 years here but have lots of complications - retinopathy treated with extensive laser (but still see ok), neuropathy, CKD stage 4 (had this for 25 years - have been on kidney transplant list but defied all logic according to my renal physician and so far eGFR is still above transplant level). Had 3 strokes and had to retire medically.

My teens were probably to blame I ran at 12% Hba1c for most of it as had bad Dawn phenomenon that they didn't know how to treat. Started pump about 10 years or so ago and now get between 45 and 50 in new money Hba1c's

Anyway despite all of that I'm not doing too bad.
 
Just turned 70 this week and fell ill with type 1 when I was 13. Still waiting for another family member to have it so I can blame my mum or dads side. Managed to have two sons by elective sections. Youngest turned 40 last week. One now an A&E consultant and one a Paramedic, so a payback for all the support the NHS has given me. On sensor now and what freedom. A lot of worse conditions around so keep smiling! Blood sugars still very erratic, so what’s new!!!
 
64 years old, diabetic type 1 since 1970, so in the 49th year on insulin. It's been a trip down memory lane reading these notes! How I remember the glass syringes that had to be boiled to sterilise, the urine tests, the thing that looked like a gun to shoot the syringe into the skin! Stopped using that, as it made me bleed more.
They used to take blood from my earlobe to test at the annual check up. I also spent three months in hospital awaiting the birth of my son, and was allowed home at weekends.
So glad things are better now.
So far, I have no complications at tall so I think I can't be doing too badly. Well done to you all.
 
BOHDE said:
I became a diabetic at age 12 now it is starting to take it's toll. I can no longer work because of neuropathy. What is a person to do?
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I became a Type1 diabetic age 8 in 1963, by fairly elementary maths it is possible to determine That I am now 64 and have had the disease for nearly 56 years. It’s quite clear that I have been lucky in all manner of ways. I was brought up by parents who put enormous energy in feeding me excellent healthy food and encouraged me to take part in sports and activities, which I have continued to prescribe too and prosper from. 16 years ago I was fortunate enough to be put on an insulin pump and two years ago I started self funding a Dexcom continuous blood monitoring system that I have become very dependent on. I still work full time and it’s my intention to stay healthy for as long as I am able.
 
Jonty55 said:
I became a Type1 diabetic age 8 in 1963, by fairly elementary maths it is possible to determine That I am now 64 and have had the disease for nearly 56 years. It’s quite clear that I have been lucky in all manner of ways. I was brought up by parents who put enormous energy in feeding me excellent healthy food and encouraged me to take part in sports and activities, which I have continued to prescribe too and prosper from. 16 years ago I was fortunate enough to be put on an insulin pump and two years ago I started self funding a Dexcom continuous blood monitoring system that I have become very dependent on. I still work full time and it’s my intention to stay healthy for as long as I am able.[/QUOTE

Me March 1975 , so 44 years for me.. No complications whoop whoop.. Have to say isn’t it fab not to have to use glass syringes , could never get the air bubble out , oh and no more clinitest tabs.. Hehe 5 urine 10 water , or was it the other way about lol
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They won’t give me a pump as I manage my diabetes too well lol I wanted one though as I’ve had it so long , thought I’m higher risk for complications, they still said no though..
 
First of all well done and don't forget after 50 years on insulin you will be able to get a medal for surviving the 50 years. I was diagnosed in November1961 and have been on insulin since .Slowly things may or may not go the best it can but after 58 years all I seem to have is loss of nerves in my feet and hot feet ,eyes 20:29 and still driving and I am using the "LIBRE CGM " great less finger pricking. There is plenty to look forward to in the research that is going on at present and I would like to say to all T1 to enroll in research programs asa I have ,I think it about 6 upto know
 
Diagnosed at 14 , now 73. So yes its was easy to get past 50 years as long as you look after yourself the best you can and take notice that if you ignore it, it will come back and bite on your B*M
 
When I was diagnosed at age 17 I thought that I would have about 20 years max of 'real life' (i.e. - no complications that make life unbearable - related additional illnesses and diseases etc)/
I'm still yet to be convinced my teenage thoughts weren't initially correct. . . especially as I'm in that zone now of 20 years living with diabetes and I can feel things are getting worse - and probably not just due to natural ageing and being past your natural physical peak (which rather depressingly is around age 27 give or take a couple of years).

My dad always used to say - "look at Harry Secombe he looked fat and unhealthy and he lived until a decent age! BUT, he didn't get diabetes until later life. It's more a case of how long you've had it rather than the age at what you get it.
 
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