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Ideal Candidate For Early Type 2?

  • Thread starter Thread starter asparagusp
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asparagusp

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Are there any Type 2 diabetics here who are less than say 30 years old? My nephew is 23 years old and has been suffering from depression. He has dropped out of university and has never gone out to work. He is very sedentary, getting up late in the day, despite being given a husky dog a few months ago which my sister has ended up taking for walks.

Although he's slim, he eats a lot of pasta and I fear he will become Type 2.soon. I have asked my sister to test his blood sugar but so far she hasn't.

It's a worry.
 
Does your sister have Type 2? It's possible to be slim and have Type 2, but eating lots of pasta sounds like pretty normal behaviour for a young person.

Depression can cause people to sleep far more than usual. I'd concentrate on helping him access help for that initially.
 
Thanks for replying. He's 23 years old and too old for the usual youth help. The NHS has not been helpful for a couple of years. He is lacking exercise and Vitamin D from sunshine. The pasta tends to be late in the evening when calories are not burnt off. He goes to bed until during the night. He drinks the strongest of coffee in abundance after the pasta, goes back on the computer and bed eventually some time during the night.

My sister who's a few years younger is overweight but if I mention she gets her levels checked out I'll get my head bitten off. Diabetes runs in the family although members have been fat unlike me.

More and more young people are being diagnosed with Diabetes so that's why I would like some feedback from them or members who know someone.
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There are some younger Type 2s here eg @akindrat18 and others too (not sure of their names).

I understand your fears about Type 2 as its in the family, but I just wanted to say that that behaviour is so typical of depression. A friend had it when she was at college. She almost failed her course as she didn't get up for lectures. She stayed in bed until the afternoon and often stayed up till the early hours of the morning online.

He may be too old for the youth services, but there are adult survives he could access. It's hard as in a way I think the youth services stop too soon. It's very difficult to motivate the unmotivated, but being supportive and caring, as you are doing, is valuable too.

I hope he's ok. I'm sorry the NHS haven't been very helpful. Perhaps a specialist organisation may be more so?
 
He normally lives in a city in Scotland and has been like this for a good few years without follow up sessions in sight ..... My sister and he went to my mother in France in the countryside last New Year. So it's even more difficult to access any help. My mother needs my sister too so he's well and truly stuck as he's dependent on her, and indeed vice versa ......

If he took a test then that would be one less worry, hopefully.

Diabetes is associated with depression so it could be its cause.
 
My 2p on this would be that my personal view is that depression isn't a cause of T2, but those with T2 are more likely to be depressed, and those why have been running high for some time, it could be a spin-off of the diabetes. Those who arrive, feeling, tired, lethargic, dehydrated and so on may have at least a margin of their diabetes as a result of just plain old feeling awful for a long time.

On the topic of trying to encourage your sister to be tested, again personally, I would never suggest to anyone that they test because they carry weight. We know that not all overweight people become diabetic, so whilst that might have bumped up her chances of becoming diabetic, she may be perceiving you as gloating and picking on her. If I wanted a family member of mine to be tested, I would be stress the genetic elements of the condition, saying it could highlight whether she's heading in the direction of diabetes, and if that was the case at least she would have the opportunity to head it off before slipping over into a diabetes diagnosis; a situation you didn't have yourself.

She could be terrified of a diagnosis - especially if she has seen any of the recent coverage of the saw Docs and all the gloom and doom.

I do hope the young man can find some help soon.
 
My father was overweight and had diabetes. She looked after him until the end so she knows. Yes she will be frightened of a diagnosis. My half brother who is older than me gets tested periodically. He's fine.

Prior to being diagnosed with diabetes my GP would always carry out on the spot routine urine tests. However the diagnosis came when I was admitted to hospital; as I had chest pains which turned out to be nothing. Loads of blood tests and lo and behold elevated sugar levels but no advice on how to help bring them down naturally. Just the usual Metformin.

Many thanks And Breather for listening and your good wishes for my nephew.
 
Hi,

How is your nephew doing now?

You must be worried for your sister's wellbeing, caring for her son & mother after dealing with your father in his illness too.
It is a well known fact that "carers" often neglect their own health in the interests of whom they care for..

I have the utmost regard for family carers. I'm sure you agree it takes a lot of love & devotion to take a job such as that in hand!
I wish your sister all the best too.!
 
How kind of you to respond Mahola. Unfortunately I haven't been able to have a conversation with my nephew. I feel awkward and know too whatever I suggest will annoy my sister.

Part of me thinks he needs tough love but my sister needs him and would be at a loss if he were to leave. He also is still in France with my sister which compounds the mess. I have a feeling that my mother's partner is no longer there so my mother needs my sister more than ever. They are all live out in the country. No outlet for him, even if he wanted it.

My nephew was bought a husky puppy at the beginning of the year but my sister also has ended up having to look after it.

I was hoping mist would have read the thread. They both have a quirky sense of humour!
 
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