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How long before diagnosis?

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witan

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In another post (on Frozen Shoulders) Jem comments…

‘…and every day I find more reasons and "likelihoods" that I've been diabetic for more years than I thought!’

I am still quite newly diagnosed, but this same thought is with me nearly all the time. It has positive repercussions for me because I know the longer it was, the more likely that complications are lurking round the corner and that drives me on to better control to hopefully reverse the damage of ??? years.

It could be 15 years ago when I first needed glasses, around 5 when I ignored poor circulation in my feet, a couple of years ago when cuts and grazes were taking months to heal, more recently when people commented on weight loss (I couldn't afford!) or… well you all know the list of symptoms that are easily individually ignored, until you tip over the threshold into that downward spiral of tiredness, lethargy, thirst and peeing that drive you to presenting at the GP’s surgery.

Does anyone know the typical BG levels at which each of those early symptoms start to appear, and how long might it take to reverse complications? Are there vitamins/supplements that can be used to help recovery without clashing with medication:?:
 
Early diabetes and pre-diabetes have such slight symptoms that they are usually missed. They sometimes show up in routine medicals. I think it's an arguement for checking everyone for urine sugar once a year. It's cheap and non invasive and whereas urine sugar testing isn't much use for monitoring control, it would pick up high blood sugars, which were persistent over a period of time and give an alert to a need for more tests. the only sign that i know I had of high Insulin, was finding it impossible to lose weight.
 
PS
AS far as I can find, it's thought that from onset to diagnosis in T2 is from 5 to 10 years.
 
My mum's type 2 was picked up in an eye test 4 years ago. She knew she was at risk anyway because her mum developed type 2 and went completely blind.She started losing her sight straight away and is now registered blind due to cataracts. She can still see movement and some contrast (bright colours etc) but her vision has been getting slowly worse and now she can only see these things when they are within 6 feet of her. Unfortunately, my dad died 6 weeks ago so she just hasn't got the chance to go out and do the things she wants to. I'm trying as hard as I can, I took her into town today for the first time since my dad died and she had a great time but I can only do so much. She keeps on saying she would be able to cope with my dad's death a lot easier if her vision was better but until she has another operation on her cataracts I don't know what to do. Again, we have no idea how long she had diabetes before she was diagnosed. She can't help thinking that if her diabetes had been picked up on earlier she could have got her BG under control and she would still have her sight.
 
If it's due to cataracts, Can they not be removed. retinas can be made at least a little better too.
 
She's waiting to see the opthalmologist to arrange an operation to remove the cataracts. We don't know how long it's going to take but i've been doing as much research as I can so she knows all the advantages and disadvantages of the surgery. My younger brother lives with her and has internet access but he's autistic and doesn't like "medical stuff". He also gets rather possessive over the computer :?
 
Don't know if it helps but my friend has just had op fo catarachs (one eye only at the moment) it is fantastic, he made a decision to have it done privately as his he felt his little bit of savings were worth using to be able to see, he did say his principles went out the window!!
 
ooh sorry I hope I didn't add to your list of things to be concerned about :(

but it's true ... looking back at certain things, you do wonder ... having recently found out that an hba1c I had done last year (October) was EXACTLY the same as the level at which I was diagnosed, does beg the question - not only HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN DIABETIC but also - how long have I been suspected or KNOWN to be diabetic by my healthcare team?

obviously it's cheaper NOT to be diabetic ... for the NHS ... *sigh*

Sorry ... small rant, now over x
 
No need to be sorry Jem- I found it relieving to know that someone else had the same thoughts.

But don't start me on conspiracy theories, NHS, Drug Companys.... :twisted:

I suppose I always knew i was at risk, my dad was diabetic and died of a stroke, I believe his dad was diabetic, and went blind, but he died before I was born. Very little information was passed on down the family. I intend to change that and make sure my children are tested regularly and are not afraid to share the smallest concerns about their health - there's no place for fear of hypocondria here!

It's interesting to see that opticians do pick up diabetes in their patients but I dare say that's only after degeneration has set in - wouldn't it be a good idea if they tested every new patient who had experienced changes in their sight?
 
thanks lovey ... will sit on hands and NOT type about the conspiracy theories (in case they're listening) lol ...

I guess I always knew I would become diabetic too (my dad is, both his sisters "aparently" were - they were adopted to a different family so not 100% sure, my maternal great auntie was and so was my Mum's grandad) ... phew ... I had GD when pregnant 5 years ago and now know that the dietary advice I received was frankly appalling and I am in no doubt that this helped the onset of my diabetes. I did kinda think it would be when I was 64, and not 34 but hey, that's life!

and yes, health checks could be both more frequent AND more sensibly reported - and the information used positively.
 
In retrospect I had clear symptoms of Reactive Hypoglycemia fifty years ago. I had diabetic dyslypidemia over 30 years ago. I had high blood pressure over 20 years ago.

Technically I am still "not diabetic" since my GTT only read 10.8 not 11.1 and the only times I have exceeded the diagnostic number were on my own meter, not on lab tests.

A small but significant number of Type 2s, especially with RH, can recall symptoms going back to childhood which similarly went undiagnosed.

Other variants appear to start and progress almost as rapidly as LADA, there are people who passed a medical a matter of months before being diagnosed.
 
Dear witan
decent Optometrists do a series of tests on all patients, which would throw up diabetes. However, eyesight deteriorating isn't the first stage. I have known background retinopathy and cataracts, which don't affect my vision at all. ( except for glare in low level sunshine) I don't need any treatment. I had my eyes tested at Specsavers a few weeks ago, for new glasses. ( old age) and the optometrist tested my periferal vision. She told me that no-one scores 100% on that test and not to worry. Well I did Score 100%. I'm due at tthe hospital retina linic just befor christmas. I'm supposed to be seen every 9 months, but they are managing once a year( if they don't move this appointment!)
 
Congratulations on the 100% hannadr :D

I suppose it will be impossible for me to know how long my BG has been at damaging levels as I have no recorded medical history of any sort, except the occasional antibiotics. But I think I know it will be somewhere between the 5 and 10 years mentioned earlier.

Has anyone got suggestions on vitamins or supplements to help reverse any problems that may be lurking, or should I wait for symptoms to appear?
 
witan said:
Has anyone got suggestions on vitamins or supplements to help reverse any problems that may be lurking, or should I wait for symptoms to appear?
Click to expand...

IMO you can't go far wrong with a diet rich in vitamins, antioxidants and bioflavinoids. In New Zealand they don;t just say Five a Day they say Five Colours A Day.

Without all those starches you have more room to eat a wider range of vegetables salads berries and beneficial fats and you might even be able to get away with some non-berry fruit with care and caution.
 
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