Should t1s be advised not to have children?

[Robinredbreast]

Would you feel the same if you'd been one of the unlucky ones and she was t1? Easy to say if the gamble has paid off I think.

My decision wasn't a gamble, it happened and with lots of support from my wonderful Dr, who eventually left to specialise in diabetes research. My granddaughter was diagnosed with type 1 at 2 1/2 years old, who's fault was that, my daughter's, mine ? .I wouldn't want anyone to have type 1, but after 29 years, I am still active and strong, work and do everything I want to and I wouldn't change the past 17 years for all the money in the world.
Our cards are marked for us and often it's NOT what we get, or why, but it's how we have to deal and cope with it, and I won't go down the same road as you with such negativity, so please get counselling.
Edited to say.........Life is one big risk, so try to live it to the fullest or you will carry on an even further downward spiral.

 

[Q4444]

We now know that there are genetic links connected with diabetes type 1. My family only found out after going through some old long forgotten letters.We decided that the risks we too much, and now I have developed Rheumatoid Arthritis another autoimmune disease another inherited condition

 

[DCUKMod]

The thing about statistics is there is the contra side to that too. If there's a 1, 4,or 44% chance of x happening, it means by the same statistic there's a 99, 96 or 56% chance it won't.

A few months ago my Endo's response to my family medical history was,...... "And how many of those auto-immune conditions do you have?" My response was, "None".

Following that I had over 20 blood tests for a whole bunch of AI conditions with the Endo declaring he'd be utterly astonished if I didn't have something. He ended up being astonished.

Of course, I could test positive for something tomorrow for all I know, but until then, I choose to stay positive and thank my lucky stars.

Life is one big risk with only one assured outcome. I'm doing my best to keep that outcome a long way off, but who knows. Not one of us knows when we'll run out of (life) time, so my philosophy is to ensure I defer as little as possible.

In the words of Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting,............ "Choose life."

 

[pleinster]

Most people should be advised not to have children.

 

[phdiabetic]

When I am older, I do not want to have children, but I've had this opinion since before I was diabetic so my diagnosis didn't change anything.

 

[paulus1]

we have had this discussion before with the op. its shown that the mum having type1 has very little increased risk about 1% for some reason the dad is more a concern. reading the ops comments im worried for her and her kids. she clearly has issues that she is trying to pass on to her kids.

you right kids are not easy they never have been. we lost our first baby to a simple step infection until then we had never heard about it. the 6 kid we had afterward were all potentially at risk would we have dreamed of not having them never.

children arenot perfect little healthy angels they have the quirks there attitudes and there illness. you adapt to them.
your kids are not going to vanish they are there for life. is it alway fun nope is it painful depressing and exhausting yes. but if you stress over them constantly your going tohurt yourself and them.

its clear youve stepped over the line from a normal stressed mum to one suffering some mental health related problem we cant say what it is but you must seek help. get treatment and i promise you those two kids will be much happier as you will. please seek help

 

[paulus1]

further im glad that ive learnt to accept stuff as it comes along lets see 4 years back i discoved my father was a potential carrier of cystic fibrosis. luckly im clear so are my kids but those months were worrying knowing 2 cousins had died of it. then i learn he has passed on type2 to me my sister and most of his kids. type 2 is much more familial than type one im pretty sure some of mine will get it at some point. and just this week i learn ive got a auto immune liver illness oh and the wife has lupus. im still dead happy to have had my children.

 

[ickihun]

I think they should. Getting t1 is a total disaster and ruins your life. People should be advised if they are t1 you have a ridiculously high risk of passing the condition on (1 in 25) and then make a decision based on that.

No one gave me any advice on the risk and I'm very sad about it. If I'd known I absolutely would not have selfishly had children and put two more people on the planet with t1 genes.

On that attitude. None of us would be here and we would become extinct hun. We all have something!

 

[ickihun]

@ExtremelyW0rried you are looking for perfection.
It doesn't exist.
You need to gain some acceptance of that. However like I've said before....you need to go see your GP asap before your kids become in danger.

Will you please make an appointment and read from your jotted note/s of what your concerns are. Its OK to cry on your GP. They expect it.....often in fact.
DO IT!

 

[Madmaureen]

I was.informed that it would not be possible for myself.too !!!
That was over 40 years ago I went on to have two beautiful sons fabulous fun people and 2 beautiful grand daughters so that proved sister duke wrong didnt it!!
Ha ha yes it was difficult.but.certainly not impossible go ahead enjoy!!!

 

[tim2000s]

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/type-1-diabetes#genes

I think the most important element of that page is this one:

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/type-1-diabetes#inheritance

It says: A predisposition to develop type 1 diabetes is passed through generations in families, but the inheritance pattern is unknown.

Or in other words, the NIH has no evidence that shows multiple generations of having T1 increases the risk of T1 in future generations.

Neither of the links that you posted back up the hypothesis that having T1D through multiple generations creates an exponential (or linear) increase in the risk of future generations getting T1D.

 

[JohnEGreen]

You know there is such a thing as Genetic testing and counselling.

A better option I think than making unfounded assumptions.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/genetics/services/

 

[kevinfitzgerald]

My father had Type 1 and I remember coming home from playing outside after school for dinner and he would be at the kitchen table doing his injection with the old glass and metal syringes which he would have boiled in a pot first to steralise.

He never once moaned about it and just got on with it. When I was diagnosed in 1981 at the age of 13, I can honestly state that it did not bother me. This was due to it being the "norm" to see Dad "doing his injection"

Due to his attitude and his lived experience of having Type 1 I knew from day one that I could live my life normally and do all the things I wished to do without diabetes be a hindrance so long as I ate carefully, kept active and took my medication.

I owe so much to my father for this. I am 50 years old and have been Type 1 for 36 years. I live my life and my condition has not stopped me from doing anything.

My father was there for me after my diagnosis and through his support, knowledge and lived experience I have, like he did, just got on with things. I am not a prisoner to this condition. it does not rule my life because I have never let it, and neither did my father.

Anyone with diabetes wishing to have children should just go for it. If your child at some point develops the condition who better to explain to them that they can be anything and do anything despite it.

There are so many other terrible conditions a child could develop or be born with other than diabetes.

 

[ExtremelyW0rried]

I think the most important element of that page is this one:

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/type-1-diabetes#inheritance

It says: A predisposition to develop type 1 diabetes is passed through generations in families, but the inheritance pattern is unknown.

Or in other words, the NIH has no evidence that shows multiple generations of having T1 increases the risk of T1 in future generations.

Neither of the links that you posted back up the hypothesis that having T1D through multiple generations creates an exponential (or linear) increase in the risk of future generations getting T1D.

Perhaps. Trial net seemed to think the odds stacked up from their research. I spoke with one of the Bristol nurses although my daughter is too young to be enrolled as it stands.

There ARE worse things than t1 but that doesn't make having t1 any better. I also think it's harder sometimes for women as they have to deal with pregnancy, menopause and hormonal changes which men don't and all those things throw your blood sugars out.
Yesterday I couldn't get my blood sugar below 10mmol. I had a third more insulin than usual. I ate nothing. Suddenly my sugars came down late last night. Today I've eaten, had my normal amount of insulin and haven't gone above 6.4mmol.
I regularly have this level of unpredictability and it drives me crazy.

 

[lindijanice]

time to put this thread to rest as far as I am concerned. Obviously we all have to agree to disagree on some issues and look for threads where people want to be encouraged and helped, not carry on a debate that is never going to resolve itself....Cheers y'all/L


Edited to add: grab your kids, play on the floor with them, laugh, tickle them, see the delight on their little faces....makes you kinda glad you have them around, eh? oh, and take a deep breath!L

 

[paulus1]

Perhaps. Trial net seemed to think the odds stacked up from their research. I spoke with one of the Bristol nurses although my daughter is too young to be enrolled as it stands.

There ARE worse things than t1 but that doesn't make having t1 any better. I also think it's harder sometimes for women as they have to deal with pregnancy, menopause and hormonal changes which men don't and all those things throw your blood sugars out.
Yesterday I couldn't get my blood sugar below 10mmol. I had a third more insulin than usual. I ate nothing. Suddenly my sugars came down late last night. Today I've eaten, had my normal amount of insulin and haven't gone above 6.4mmol.
I regularly have this level of unpredictability and it drives me crazy.

oh dear im getting hypersensitive again. of course men dont carry the baby. but we do worry over our partners. seeing your partner being hospitilized 3 or 4 times during her pregnancies. you pehaps dont know what its like to see your partner crying when they turn the life support off on your child and knowing theres nothing you can do to make it stop. that feeling is not nice. every time i was scared for both my wife and babies. i was responsable for my kids raising no i dont get periods or menopausal. however i do suffer from low testosterone try that for hormonal changes. so please leave off the oh im a hard done woman. your kids are healthy for pity sake be glad. 4 of mine are autistic one has brital asthma. my little hormonal issue apart from the obvious exposes me to increased heart attacks. obesity and many more. maybe if you were not in a flap over imaginary illnesses even if it was 100% genetic theres nowt you can do to stop it. so its pointless getting worked up.

sorry again mods im bad.

 

[Mike d]

@ExtremelyW0rried .... your "argument" appears very one sided and pro women. Men carry burdens as well, we're just good at keeping them (for the most part) to ourselves. Your view of the world would be enhanced enormously with a balanced understanding that many men shoulder their responsibilities

 

[lucylocket61]

Yesterday I couldn't get my blood sugar below 10mmol. I had a third more insulin than usual. I ate nothing. Suddenly my sugars came down late last night. Today I've eaten, had my normal amount of insulin and haven't gone above 6.4mmol.

there is your clue. keep eating regularly.

 

[Fairygodmother]

I said earlier I’d ask my children if they thought people with T1 shouldn’t have children. Well, I’ve asked one of them. Here’s her answer (warning to mod, you may wish to edit):
‘Whaaaat!!! B****r off!’
Sorry, I’ve probably just brought the tone down.

Edited by moderator for language.

 

[Fairygodmother]

Thanks moderator, should have done it myself