Long term complications - how many have them, how many don't?

[maria030660]

I am almost 57 and t1 for 33 years. I always managed well and had good blood sugars but that didn't prevent that I got neuropathy in my feet, recent EMG showed very serious in my left one. All we can do is do our best and hope for the best. Luckily I don't have any eye or kidney problems

 

[notoriousnick]

I too am 57, though T1 for just about 45 years. I've been using a pump for 11 years and just this week, Freestyle Libre for monitoring my glucose. No complications, not even mild. I run between 80 and 100 km a week, have a relatively high carb (healthy carbs) diet, but also come from a long lived family. I'd like to attribute the lack of complications to all the exercise - no doubt that has a major influence - but probably my genetic heritage has something to do with it as well.

 

[thefalcon87]

I too am 57, though T1 for just about 45 years. I've been using a pump for 11 years and just this week, Freestyle Libre for monitoring my glucose. No complications, not even mild. I run between 80 and 100 km a week, have a relatively high carb (healthy carbs) diet, but also come from a long lived family. I'd like to attribute the lack of complications to all the exercise - no doubt that has a major influence - but probably my genetic heritage has something to do with it as well.

What were your average a1c's for those 45 years? You always kept good control?

 

[notoriousnick]

What were your average a1c's for those 45 years? You always kept good control?

Heck, no. a1c's weren't around when I first was diagnosed, nor were glucose meters. I'd end up hypoing all over the place and having really high BGs (even though I couldn't actually measure them) overnight. In 1979 (still before BG meters) I ran a marathon (I was 19) and started the race completely dehydrated with sky high sugar because I'd cut my once daily insulin dose in half so I wouldn't drop too low during the event. I didn't know how dangerous that was at the time. I had about four drinks of water at every drink stop trying to rehydrate, LOL. Ran the whole thing with glucose still high at the end. Could hardly eat anything the rest of the day. Not a really good way to recover! Things improved around 1980, with MDI and one of the first BG meters (which I begged for). Then, in the late 90's, Humalog was released, so I immediately took that up. Then, in Australia, in the early 2000's, Lantus was released, available on private prescription, so I had that sent over from the UK via refrigerated post. Quite expensive. FINALLY, in 2005 I managed to get on a pump and now I also have the Freestyle Libre. All these things progressively improved control. My best a1c recently was 6.3%, but with the Libre may come down further. So I suspect my control has varied from that to over 10% in the early days, but I can't confirm this as a1c measures weren't around.