Type 1 diabetes - The gift that keeps on giving [emoji849]

[ljmc]

Hello Everyone,

Since I was diagnosed 15 years ago I have come to notice that as soon as I mentioned I am a diabetic at appointments then suddenly what ever I am being treated for is because of my diabetes or I am at a higher risk. I had a cataract removed 3 years into my diabetes and was informed it was a diabetic complications. I remember my first meeting at the diabetic clinic and them listing the variety of complications of what could go wrong if I don't look after myself. Kept an eye on my urine, skin, feet, blood glucose etc Been having a variety of success and failures over the years but been lucky enough to not suffer permanent damage so far (Touch wood ) Recently (Since 2020) I had noticed an issue with my hand. Turned out to be trigger finger (Not a strain or tendinitis according to 2 visits with a nurse) and the doctor just mentioned that diabetics have a higher risk of developing it but couldn't say why. 2021 comes around and my shoulder starts to get stiff. Another couple of appointments over 6 months with a nurse telling me it's a strain etc to finally get seen by a physiotherapist (In 2022) who tells me it's a frozen shoulder and diabetics are a higher risk and they see more of them than normal patients (Always loved being considered more than normal ) Are there any other surprises I need to look out for cause I can't wait for the next issue and would love a heads up.

Thank you for reading,
Any problems with my spelling or grammar it's probably because of my diabetes and not my dyslexia

 

[Antje77]

Not funny-funny, but still funny!
I'll read along, can't hurt to be pre-warned.

 

[sleepster]

Since I was diagnosed 15 years ago I have come to notice that as soon as I mentioned I am a diabetic at appointments then suddenly what ever I am being treated for is because of my diabetes or I am at a higher risk.

Goodness I know that feeling. I like it when you go to the GP about something and they tell you "well the good news is it isn't because of your diabetes" and they want you to toddle off merrily as if the problem is then solved!
I know with diabetes you have an increased risk of Dupuytren's contracture and also higher risk of failure of dental implants, other than that I've read about a lot of things on the NHS website over the years where it says diabetes increases your risk but I can't remember what they are.

 

[EllieM]

Any problems with my spelling or grammar it's probably because of my diabetes and not my dyslexia

You mean you haven't heard of diabetes induced grammaritis?

Seriously, you've covered the major "you are at more risk" ones that I have had (frozen shoulder and cataracts), but there's the obvious ongoing ones like thrush and UTIs (Males, you are about to get too much information, but I swear I went though a phase when every time I went for a smear test I got told that I had thrush).

Still, like @Antje77 , I eagerly wait to hear the delightful complications which I have to look forward to having in future.

52 years T1, still mostly in good order, though the on again off again background retinopathy seems to be more permanent now.

Edited to add, having read @sleepster 's post, gum disease can be a big issue for diabetics (my T1 mum lost her teeth at 40 but she was pre glucometer). It's worth keeping up with your dental hygiene and visits to the dentist.

 

[Antje77]

Since I was diagnosed 15 years ago I have come to notice that as soon as I mentioned I am a diabetic at appointments then suddenly what ever I am being treated for is b

And apart from being at increased risk for stuff because of our diabetes, we're also at increased risk for missed diagnoses because whatever we came in for is blamed on our diabetes.

Or in my case, chances are a doctor will blame whatever ails me on diabetes, being fat, smoking, drinking too much, not exercising enough, and having a female body before considering something may be wrong.

Let's hope I'll be lucky and will get necessary treatment should I develop something serious.

 

[Zhnyaka]

Oh my God, how actual it is! My trips to the doctor often look like this
"Doctor, I'm worried about this"
"Don't make it up, you're young, what can bother you?"
"But I have diabetes for 18 years"
"Oh, well, then it's all from diabetes"

or even more interesting

"give birth and everything will pass"
"but I have diabetes, I'm not going to give birth"
"well, then I can't help anything. But you think about giving birth"

 

[ljmc]

You mean you haven't heard of diabetes induced grammaritis?

Seriously, you've covered the major "you are at more risk" ones that I have had (frozen shoulder and cataracts), but there's the obvious ongoing ones like thrush and UTIs (Males, you are about to get too much information, but I swear I went though a phase when every time I went for a smear test I got told that I had thrush).

Still, like @Antje77 , I eagerly wait to hear the delightful complications which I have to look forward to having in future.

52 years T1, still mostly in good order, though the on again off again background retinopathy seems to be more permanent now.

Edited to add, having read @sleepster 's post, gum disease can be a big issue for diabetics (my T1 mum lost her teeth at 40 but she was pre glucometer). It's worth keeping up with your dental hygiene and visits to the dentist.

Grammaritis induced by diabetes? Off to Google everything again I go :-D

 

[ljmc]

Not funny-funny, but still funny!
I'll read along, can't hurt to be pre-warned.

You watch whatever you want to. Unless it's paint drying. That's for really nutty people

 

[ljmc]

Oh my God, how actual it is! My trips to the doctor often look like this
"Doctor, I'm worried about this"
"Don't make it up, you're young, what can bother you?"
"But I have diabetes for 18 years"
"Oh, well, then it's all from diabetes"

or even more interesting

"give birth and everything will pass"
"but I have diabetes, I'm not going to give birth"
"well, then I can't help anything. But you think about giving birth"

Are your doctors alittle bit crackers or just not fully up to speed on the whole doctoring stuff?

 

[Zhnyaka]

Are your doctors alittle bit crackers or just not fully up to speed on the whole doctoring stuff?

what a good question! It really costs me a lot of work to find doctors who could provide normal care

 

[Grant_Vicat]

what a good question! It really costs me a lot of work to find doctors who could provide normal care

Normal care except for Gestational Diabetes?!

 

[Zhnyaka]

Normal care except for Gestational Diabetes?!

I don't understand in any way what gestational diabetes has to do with it, because by definition I can't have it (haha, what is dead may never die). It's just hard for me to find doctors who didn't attribute any of my ailments to diabetes. My ophthalmologist has already changed three jobs, and I follow her around the city, because no one else normally considers it necessary to check if I have rhinopathy.

 

[ljmc]

My ophthalmologist has already changed three jobs, and I follow her around the city, because no one else normally considers it necessary to check if I have rhinopathy.

So you are a Stalker because of your diabetes now

 

[Zhnyaka]

sometimes it seems to me that my relationship with doctors is strange, because we have each other on social networks, I know when their children's birthdays are and I congratulate them on all holidays sometimes I post stories on Instagram where I drink sweet cocktails with friends, and then my endocrinologist writes a reaction to this story a la "and you will tell me at the reception that you are following a diet ?" I don't know how we have such a relationship, but after 18 years of diabetes, it's probably logical

 

[ljmc]

sometimes it seems to me that my relationship with doctors is strange, because we have each other on social networks, I know when their children's birthdays are and I congratulate them on all holidays sometimes I post stories on Instagram where I drink sweet cocktails with friends, and then my endocrinologist writes a reaction to this story a la "and you will tell me at the reception that you are following a diet ?" I don't know how we have such a relationship, but after 18 years of diabetes, it's probably logical

But its nice to be able to connect on a social level rather than just be that "Diabetic person" So many people forget that we are actually people too. Just extra ingredients needed

 

[david4503]

Are there any other surprises I need to look out for cause I can't wait for the next issue and would love a heads up.

Great topic, funny and sad at the same time. I have a real beauty for you which relates to the misdiagnosis, and the consequences of said misdiagnosis, of a non-diabetes-related condition. Often, that means delay of a correct diagnosis and treatment, which fortunately was a short delay in my case because I just flat out didn’t trust this doctor.

I developed a limp and some mild pain and weakness in one leg. The neurologist, after viewing some borderline test results, decided it was a diabetic complication, neuropathy, and failed to order the neck MRI he said he would (never mind that I have zero complications). I’ve had a few neck problems but he pretty much ignored that.

I then prevailed upon my primary care doc to order the MRI and a very serious condition having nothing to do with diabetes was immediately evident. It needed immediate treatment. I had surgery a few weeks later and the rest is history. That neurologist is also history as far as I’m concerned. Off the case and never again to reappear in my presence.

Neurological conditions in general are often tricky to diagnose and diabetes is the low-hanging fruit when it comes to nailing down a proper diagnosis. So there’s a whole category for you. I’m sure you would enjoy it every bit as much as I have.

 

[david4503]

sometimes it seems to me that my relationship with doctors is strange, because we have each other on social networks, I know when their children's birthdays are and I congratulate them on all holidays sometimes I post stories on Instagram where I drink sweet cocktails with friends, and then my endocrinologist writes a reaction to this story a la "and you will tell me at the reception that you are following a diet ?" I don't know how we have such a relationship, but after 18 years of diabetes, it's probably logical

It’s probably worth doing most anything to stay in the good graces of one’s doctors (I even had a trophy made for one of mine, although it really was done out of gratitude) but I personally draw the line at posting personal photos on social media. Talk about risky business!