Type 3 / Type 3C

[AndBreathe]

But t

But they don't now what the choices are, that's just the point.
Not enough people speak out. Not enough people read or watch outside the mainstream message, which is very much one-sided.
There are plenty of knowledgeable but too few et to hear their message.
I think it's up to those of us who DO look around to pass the message on. Not so people will blindly follow it, but to allow them to make a balanced choice.

but, they have to be interested to get anywhere, and for most people, they have very little interest in a condition they don’t have, and even if they do, very many people just want medication.

I’m not saying we should be guarding information like Official Secrets, but I believe it’s better to pick my battles.

 

[HSSS]

But t

but, they have to be interested to get anywhere, and for most people, they have very little interest in a condition they don’t have, and even if they do, very many people just want medication.

I’m not saying we should be guarding information like Official Secrets, but I believe it’s better to pick my battles.

You are right many aren’t interested in change and will choose the medication option no matter what.

However what about those that would or might be interested and willing to make some changes? If they don’t know the options they aren’t choosing medication or lack of interest then they are led into it by lack of information being presented to them. Opening a door to conversation and knowledge is hardly starting a battle. It’s a “hey there’s this thing you might find interesting” opener. Lots do find it interesting and have never heard of it.

Yes if personally affected they could do their own research like many of us have. But many implicitly trust their medical professionals and many are not inclined to do research or join forums such as this.

 

[AndBreathe]

You are right many aren’t interested in change and will choose the medication option no matter what.

However what about those that would or might be interested and willing to make some changes? If they don’t know the options they aren’t choosing medication or lack of interest then they are led into it by lack of information being presented to them. Opening a door to conversation and knowledge is hardly starting a battle. It’s a “hey there’s this thing you might find interesting” opener. Lots do find it interesting and have never heard of it.

Yes if personally affected they could do their own research like many of us have. But many implicitly trust their medical professionals and many are not inclined to do research or join forums such as this.

I have never suggested that how I conduct myself is the one true way, but I don’t see it as my personal mission to educate strangers, unless I know it is relevant to them, and they ask to be educated.

 

[Jo_the_boat]

You are right many aren’t interested in change and will choose the medication option no matter what.

However what about those that would or might be interested and willing to make some changes? If they don’t know the options they aren’t choosing medication or lack of interest then they are led into it by lack of information being presented to them. Opening a door to conversation and knowledge is hardly starting a battle. It’s a “hey there’s this thing you might find interesting” opener. Lots do find it interesting and have never heard of it.

Yes if personally affected they could do their own research like many of us have. But many implicitly trust their medical professionals and many are not inclined to do research or join forums such as this.

Yes, well put.

I've said it before but (I think I'm correct here) it took 50 years after it was first suggested that smoking caused cancer before the world at large really took notice. Now at least we have revolting photos on cigarette packets - yet some people still smoke. Should they just ban them?
If pharma could have found a drug that negated the effect of smoking, they would have paid for cigarette advertising themselves!

In effect, we are far more valuable when we're in poor health.
It's going to take something extraordinary to reverse the 'ministrations' of the food production and processing industries IN ASSOCIATION with pharma who are making a fortune treating the effects of damaging, yet very profitable, foods. In with fact some of the stuff on offer it's questionable if it actually qualifies to be termed 'food'.

Should it start with educating children? A huge proportion of adults are metabolically compromised causing all sorts of problems yet they still consume stuff that ultimately harms them. Just look at what's shovelled into supermarket trollies.

 

[Jaylee]

Just a subject for discussion here.


I got to thinking after reading and participating another thread. It included the 'seriousness' with which people take our diabetes and food requirements.
Here: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/eating-out-nightmare.195512/

Basically, pubs / restaurants will probably amend a dish on the menu to cut the carbs if we request it. All good.

I mentioned in that thread that a diabetic's intolerance to glucose ‘could’ be termed an (slow motion) allergy. Which is wrong, literally - because it doesn't induce an autoimmune response, which can be fatal. But it can certainly be termed an intolerance and the worse we tolerate glucose or the worse we manage our conditions, the more serious it becomes.

Inspired to ponder things while listening to Aseem Malhotra, I got to thinking about how we can make people (not just restaurants, but the public in general) sit up and take notice of how potentially serious badly controlled diabetes is. The key phrase is badly controlled. Undiagnosed is equally serious of course, perhaps more so.

Type 3 diabetes is being increasingly classed as Alzheimer’s Disease. Though some people on diabetes.co.uk are classed as Type 3 (or is it Type 3C?) which leads to pancreas-related problems. So does Type 3 lead to pancreatic problems first then subsequently the brain.

To me it’s not really clear. But one things that seems irrefutable is that excess glucose in our bloodstreams is bad for our blood vessels. I have vascular problems so am particularly interested to learn more.

You’ve probably heard that the adult human has (a minimum of) 60,000 miles of blood vessels in our bodies. Many are tiny capillaries in our extremities, eyes, organs and brain. This is presumably why Type 3 is being increasingly associated with Alzheimer’s. Our brain takes between 15% and 20% of our heart’s blood supply, so it’s sensible to assume that a compromised vascular system can cause big problems.

Perhaps what we need is an incontrovertible association between excess glucose and vascular disease which in turn can lead to Alzheimer’s. Some may think that link is already there.

There are multi links on both Google and You Tube about sugar damaging blood vessels and the Type 3 / Alzheimer’s connection but the message doesn’t seem to be getting through.

Hi,

My mum has Alzheimer’s (recently “dubbed type 3.) she is not diabetic. Neither has her condition (Alzheimer’s) seem to have progressed in the last 10/11 years.
What I can say from observation is her thought processes or cognitive are not dissimilar to mine when hypo..?
For me. The brain is waving the “white flag,” starving..

But that’s just one example of Alzheimer’s effects. From my observation regarding someone I know well..

 

[Jo_the_boat]

Hi,

My mum has Alzheimer’s (recently “dubbed type 3.) she is not diabetic. Neither has her condition (Alzheimer’s) seem to have progressed in the last 10/11 years.
What I can say from observation is her thought processes or cognitive are not dissimilar to mine when hypo..?
For me. The brain is waving the “white flag,” starving..

But that’s just one example of Alzheimer’s effects. From my observation regarding someone I know well..

My sympathies, it is an incredibly distressing condition.

Just widening the discussion, there seems to be increased correlation between diabetes and vascular dementia. It's not nice to even think about, but a google brings up many different links.

To me anyway, it's more encouragement (if I needed any) to look after my blood sugars.

 

[becca59]

any evidence of that? Cars, buses, washing machines, desk jobs, fewer manual jobs, supermarkets not high streets, delivery services, few kids walk to school, less PE, we don’t even knead our own bread anymore? Going back further we aren’t hunting woolly mammoths or roaming for berries either. Not sure a few gym memberships gathering dust in many cases evens it out on a population basis.

My parents 83 and 90 still knead their own bread every other day. They buy their flour by the sackful. They still cook from scratch. Lots of fresh haddock (straight off the docks) and unprocessed meat. With a variety of fresh veg. Up until recently they picked blackberries every year and have an apple tree in the garden. They are not overweight. And do not have diabetes. Though ironically have two children with type 1.

 

[Jo_the_boat]

My parents 83 and 90 still knead their own bread every other day. They buy their flour by the sackful. They still cook from scratch. Lots of fresh haddock (straight off the docks) and unprocessed meat. With a variety of fresh veg. Up until recently they picked blackberries every year and have an apple tree in the garden. They are not overweight. And do not have diabetes. Though ironically have two children with type 1.

Wow, that food sounds great. Do they do takeaways?

 

[Deleted member 527103]

My parents 83 and 90 still knead their own bread every other day. They buy their flour by the sackful. They still cook from scratch. Lots of fresh haddock (straight off the docks) and unprocessed meat. With a variety of fresh veg. Up until recently they picked blackberries every year and have an apple tree in the garden. They are not overweight. And do not have diabetes. Though ironically have two children with type 1.

Sounds similar to my 80 year old parents. They no longer knead their bread since buying a bread maker but cook from scratch most days. They make good use of their slow cooker but also bake and make jams. They too enjoy fish and are regular visitors to the farmers market to visit the “Selsey Fisherman”.
They also enjoy trying out new recipes which may be from searching the internet or what they see if the newspaper or cadging recipes from me.
They have never been overweight (nor are any of their children) and do not have diabetes so have no need for counting carbs (or calories).

 

[Owenn01]

Personally, I'd just like all regional Health Care Authorities to spend quality time with Diabetics - of all Types - to help them understand the importance of good glucose control. The quality of 'service' out there is truly patchy and I am, unfortunately, in an area which is renowned for its poor diabetic care (I haven't spoken to anyone from the Hospital specialist unit for almost 2 years since the last consultant left; I have had 'telephone appointments' made by various doctors for review, all cancelled at the last minute. Its not been for the want of trying I can assure you). I am lucky - I control my Type1 well, have a Freestyle 2 system and have been diabetic for almost 50 years, but that's not to say I can can't still learn something. However, there's a lot of 'fuzzy' information out there and some of it often contradictory - so one should be referring to a healthcare professional in the first instance. And my GP? Almost impossible to get time at the Surgery and the diabetic nurse is never available.... I don't know what the answer is in this present climate - but education of diabetics and support at the core of healthcare would be a good start.

 

[Deleted member 527103]

@Owenn01 I think your point about "quality" time is important.
I am lucky that I get an annual check up at the hospital based diabetes clinic.
However, my GP surgery based DSN keeps insisting I must have a check up with her every 6 months. I attended once and was shocked at how little she knows about Type 1 diabetes. For example, she asked if I had ever experienced a hypo ... in nearly 20 years taking insulin! And how many units of Lantus I take with my pump.
Needless to say, since then, I have taken the blood tests offered to ensure my HBA1C is still ok but declined the appointments.

 

[Pam*]

I am type 3C and have been for 11 months. I had to have my whole pancreas removed. My diabetes is particlarly difficult to control. I hope I'm not more likely to get dementia or Alzheimers in the future :/

 

[Owenn01]

@Owenn01 I think your point about "quality" time is important.
I am lucky that I get an annual check up at the hospital based diabetes clinic.
However, my GP surgery based DSN keeps insisting I must have a check up with her every 6 months. I attended once and was shocked at how little she knows about Type 1 diabetes. For example, she asked if I had ever experienced a hypo ... in nearly 20 years taking insulin! And how many units of Lantus I take with my pump.
Needless to say, since then, I have taken the blood tests offered to ensure my HBA1C is still ok but declined the appointments.

One of the reasons i have, in the past, refused to attend a GP surgery 'review' - also in the knowledge that they are paid by NHS for each patient they maintain below a certain HBA1C level irrespective of how that is achieved as well.....