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How long have you been diabetic and any complications?

SamJB

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,857
Location
Chester
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I'm curious as to how long people have been diagnosed, your history of HbA1c and if you've got any complications. Just so that I can gauge what I can expect in terms of complications.

Me: 9 years. My HbA1c hovered in the 8s for a couple of years, 7s for a few years and now in the 6s (latest 6.5%). I've got background retinopathy, just a couple of very small spots.
 
I've been diabetic nearly a year well in march will be a year started with hb1ac of 12.5 now its 6.6 so far no complications.
 
Hi, I have been a diabetic for 28 years, the only thing I am sufffering with are recurent viterious haemorrages, where I loose the sight in my eye. I am however overweight which I mostly put down to my insulin use.x
 
I'm T1, age 31, diagnosed 20 years and my control has NOT been great for various reasons. I do have complications but they are further complicated (ha!) by other health conditions and it's not a simple picture.

Diabetic retinopathy needing laser treatment in one eye
coronary heart disease leading to heart attack at age 27
PCOS - not sure this can be considered a complication but it's definitely related
Psorasis and vitiligo - same goes for these but they're auto-immune conditions that are more likely with diabetes


My consultant said it's highly unlikely that any diabetic, however good their control, will escape without some kind of damage to their eyes.
 
SamJB said:
Just so that I can gauge what I can expect in terms of complications.
Click to expand...



It doesn't really work that way Sam, there's people who have tight control who still go on to develop complications and there's those who don't that develop none, obviously the better the control the less likely it is to develop complications but there's no certainties with diabetes.

I've been a type 1 for 31 years, control was poor for the first few years as I didn't really accept it and wanted to live life to the full, most of my time my Hba1c was around 7.5 to 8.5 and it wasn't until 5 years ago that I finally started to reduce it. My last one was 6.2 with cholesterol levels and bp well below normal.

I developed diabetic retinopathy around 13 years ago, this year will be the 8th year that I've been clear although I do have to attend regular appointments at the Ophthalmology clinic, no other complications and still have good hypo awareness.
 
Diagnosed 3 months ago, but almost certainly had Diabetes for longer, but was never tested (incredibly - given my symptoms!!).

Have already got Neuropathy, mostly affecting feet, plus kidney issues last 2/3 years. Also lots of other symptoms/ongoing health issues past 6 years (some of which I'm sure are down to the Diabetes). Still awaiting a Retinopathy screening.

I've learned a lot from this forum since being diagnosed (was given almost no info by HCP's at the time)... but am still a little bit confused as to what specifically/really causes the damage/complications... is it the frequency of high BG spikes after food? or is it the level of those spikes (i.e. how high they go above 7.8)? Or is it the longer term averages of higher (over 7.8?) BG's? or is it having high HbA1C's (above 6.5)? :think:
 
Officially diagnosed as type 2 18 years ago, however by that time I had already developed complications, I must have been diabetic way before my diagnosis, on hindsight we suspect that I started to have metabolic issues from the age of 10.

I followed NHS advice, which meant poor control for several years, complications soon set it, retinopathy, gastroparesis, neuropathy and CKD, I also suffered from hypertension, constant thrush and abscess/boils, UTIs, electrolyte imbalance, the hospital became my second home.

Fast forward >> I have been lowcarbing for 7 years this year, complications mostly reversed, save for CKD, which has gone from stage 3-4, back to stage 2 (much to the amazement of my nephrologist), I still have some numb patches on my feet, but they do not affect me at all.
I dont know what the future holds, but I keep tight control of bg levels, I get plenty of exercise, fresh air, relaxation and other things that are meant to be good for body and soul.
 
Hi, i'm new and only just joined today. have been a diabetic since 1996 and still have a few problems in controlling my blood sugars, however last year i was finally diagnosed with painful neuropathy with has now been controlled with gabapentine
 
Diabetic T1 for 35 years. Female. Control not great at first because I was a teenager and just wanted to enjoy life!! Anyway got control and had 2 healthy children but developed retinopathy while pregnant with my first child. Had laser treatment in both eyes 21 years ago but eyes been ok since then. No other probs at moment. Control ok. Hba1c hovers around 7-8.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Been diabetic for 13 years, developed sleap apnea (nocks your car insurance up), dvla took my licence off me for a long while , then diagnosed with cateracts several years ago had numerous tests, dvla restricted vehilces I could drive and made it renewable every year.

Hospital checks a year on revealed cateracts had gone, and dvla reinstated licence to normal renewal, now have minor neuropathy which has got better since my BS has now started to tumble to decent numbers.
 
I was diagnosed 33 years ago age 8, really no idea what my HbA1cs used to be, but I expect reasonably high as that was the days of urine glucose testing so no real self monitoring. I think the hospital were always fairly happy with my control & I never went off the rails. I have a letter with a HbA1c of 8.6% from 1997 & in the last few years it's been 7.4-8.2%. I got it down to 7% last November through testing & recording my results & changing my diet.

I did get some background retinopathy after I'd had diabetes about 22 years but there's not been any on my last 2 retinal screens. I don't have any other complications. I've never smoked & have never been overweight.
 
I was diagnosed T1 at the age of 6, over 35 years ago. On the whole my control has been pretty good, my highest HbA1c in recent years being 7.8. I've been on a pump since 2003, and the Omnipod since Sept last year.

My last HbA1c was 5.8 and the only complication I have had so far is maculopathy in my right eye. I had to have laser surgery at outpatients and that was about 6 years ago.

I donhave the very early stages of retinopathy in my left eye but not yet enough to warrant any treatment.
 
Thanks for the responses. I wished I hadn't asked now though, as I'm worried! I guess the best I can do it aim for the 6.5% target and hope for the best.
 
24 yrs, type 1 in the August. I started having eye laser treatment in November 2011, but my last 2 appointments I didn't need to have any lasering. Cataract in right eye ( the laserd one) is getting larger. Diagnosed with Restleg leg Syndrome, a few years ago, ( nighttime meds and also afternoon meds,Adies syndrome ( eye) Smal lamount of protein in Kidney ( on a small amount of meds) recently Coeliac Disease and Osteoporosis. Now undergoing more blood tests because of pain and swelling in hands, wrists and some fingers and my left foot/ankle is 'locked' it wont move from side to side and I can't raise it upwards,its as stiff as a board. I often drop things and I fell over this week, when out for the day with my D I also take omeparzole tablets and new tablets for the Osteoporosis. I have had many,many years of no complications,nothing, but the past 18 months, there have been a few medical issues and they keep on coming :roll:

Take one day at a time, try to keep good BS control, with a good diet and exercise,even if its just walking to the shops and leaving the car at home (I'm not a car driver, I'm a walker,when I can).

All the best RRB
 
I was diagnosed 42 years ago at age 16. So far I have just a bit of background retinopathy but have not needed any treatment and just have yearly checks.

My diabetic control went through periods of being really bad when a teenager and when my kids were young, but I now have a pump and HbA1c is usually around 7 . I try to follow a reasonably low carb way of eating as I learnt long ago that I just can't cope very well with potatoes,pizza, pasta, pastry or stodgy puddings! But I do eat small portions of all of those on an occasional basis.

I don't think you should worry too much about complications as it doesn't always follow. Other lifestyle changes are just as important as good diabetic control in maintaining good health.
Things like not smoking, taking regular exercise and not drinking to excess will help.

A consultant told me that great control doesn't always mean no complications and problems controlling your diabetes perfectly doesn't always mean complications. A lot of it is down to genetics.
 
I be diabetic since l was 12 so l be diabetic 28 years in August l have one son and work full time l be on a insulin pump for four years in April l had good days and bad but take every day as it come

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Hi I've had diabetes for 13 years now aged 26 I have struggled with my diabetes and have had un stable blood sugars for the last 8 yrs. was diagnosed with neuropathy in my feet 3yrs ago and on anti depressants for it. Just this month I have been diagnosed with proximal neuropathy and may end up in a wheel chair it is very rare to get this condition at my age but only have myself to blame. I've also been told its irreversible and my pain is likely to get worse as my blood sugars stable. I can't turn back time but if there's one thing I could do it would be to get your blood sugars under control I wouldn't want any one to be in the amount of pain I have been
 
Hi,i bet after reading all this stuff you wish you hadnt asked,but its better to know what the possible complications are,that way you can look after yourself now and probably prevent anything from happening in the future.My parents kept all the "bad" stuff from me,i didnt have a clue about complications until i was in my late teens.There was no internet to warn me of anything.I was almost 7 years old when i was diagnosed and i completely abused every rule when i became a teenager.Im now registered blind,with no sight in my right eye and about 40% left in the other.I have had problems with my kidney function but thats quite minor at the moment.I have had diabetes for 36 years,so im way ahead of you and none of these things will be a problem if you look after yourself.Good luck and dont worry,we're all different.
 
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