Who has actually had a complication?

[cricketer]

Diagnosed a few months ago, just wondered who on here has actually had a complication related to diabetes, be it your leg falling off or something less serious!
So how long had you had it and what was the complication?

 

[copepod]

14 years with type 1 diabetes, since age 30 years, no complications. Currently cross country skiing in Norway. So, diagnosis doesn't necessarily mean doom & gloom.

 

[shedges]

Are you trying to start the most depressing thread in history?

4 years in and no complications. Apart from getting looked at funny when injecting in restaurants abroad. Never had a problem in England, but twice I've had strange looks from Italians.

 

[kegstore]

Over 27 years in and I have most of the "textbook" complications, which started to present fairly early on for me - just 10 years after diagnosis. Eyes have been lasered (but can still see just fine), on permanent meds for blood pressure, kidneys operating at just over 50% and have had two hospitalisations for foot ulcers (but still have all my digits!).

Having said all that, the only thing complications have ever stopped me from doing is driving and that's only in the last 2 years. This is due to almost zero hypo awareness. I still cycle everywhere and go skiing as many times in a year as I can afford!

Edited to add average HbA1c: 6.4%

 

[cricketer]

Are you trying to start the most depressing thread in history?

No Im trying to make myself feel better :lol:

 

[Jenni_1984]

I've been diabetic 20 years and last year a check of my eye showed minor changes at the back. Optician and consultant have assured me there is nothing to worry about (food for thought though). Other than that I'm as healthy as can be.

In all the 20 years of being diabetic I just can't get my head round the feet thing.....my feet have always been fine

 

[ham79]

just to put a downer on all these lucky peeps. Diagnosed type 1 last September and have had severe neuropathy since being discharged from hospital(collapsed with dka). I can barely walk am in constant pain get a couple of hours sleep if lucky and have been taking various drugs which don't work. The neuropathy has also caused problems with my bowel and bladder. But there are others with complications in this site which has helped

 

[ljwilson]

I have stage 4 chronic kidney disease

 

[Celtic.Piskie]

Been diabetic fr 16 years now, since the age of 9.
No comlications at all, and no signs of any either.

 

[SophiaW]

Please can you all post your average Hba1c history too alongside any complications, I think this information is important to know.

 

[leggott]

My husband has been type 1 for 25 years (diagnosed at 14) and has no complications. His control over the past ten years has been excellent and HBa1c's always in the 5's. Having said that I don't think his control was as good in his younger years as the testing equipment was not as good as it is now. He is very stictly controlled, carb counts, has never smoked and only drinks very occassionaly. Oh and I nearly forgot to mention that he is a fabulous Dad to my 3 children, of which sadly 2 have type 1 as well.

 

[hanadr]

cricketer
once they happen, complications tend to stay put
My T1 husband Diabetic for 35 years has most of them( the control and advice wasn't so good in the early days) He has 2 Charcot feet. His eyes have been lasered dozens o times and now one has had a vitrectomy which didn't go quite as it should have and will need more. He's also had recurrent leg and foot ulcers( which My encouraging him to low carb seems to have stopped. Bothe his feet have gone Charcot and the NHs now provides him with shoes. Last but not least, he has kidney disease.
Ceranly his control wasn't very good until quite recently, but the advice from the "experts", which he followed, wasn't up to much either. Much of the trouble could have been avoided, but not by following the "eat what you like and take more insulin to cover, but we won't bother to teach you carb counting"
I have persuaded T1 to cut back hard on carbs, but when he went asan eemplar patient to a consultants' exam, he was told that it was just fine to eat the sandwich lunch they provided. So obviously, their attitude hasn't improved.
I' T2 for 6 years and hav aslight degree of retinopathy, probably from pre-diagnosis and nothing else.
I have met dozens of diabetics at the meetings I attend and of all the long standing ones I have met I think ALL have something, mostly retinopathy. I think the medical establishment, who "Know" that T2 is progressive, expect it.
Hana

 

[Debloubed]

what a cheery post :lol:

no complications for me so far, other than background retinopathy 2 years ago which made me sit up and take notice! managed to get rid so fingers crossed it will stay away :wink:

last hba1c was 6.1, up a notch from previous 5.7 but that was good as had been hypoing to much at 5.7 - can't recall the last time I had an hba1c over 8 actually so can I feel smug now?!

 

[kegstore]

what a cheery post

but not an unsurprising list of answers? Fact is a lot diabetics do get complications, some despite best efforts. They're not just paraded around unnecessarily to scare the newly diagnosed, they really do happen for a large proportion. Nothing is as good as the body's own systems for maintaining control, provided they work of course, but that's kind of the point about diabetes!

 

[hanadr]

Deb
I( T2) have background to mild retinopathy and have never had an HbA1c above 6.1 in 6 years. There are genetic differences too.
PS none of my retinopathy is in the macula region, so my eyesight is unaffected.
Hana

 

[Debloubed]

you missed off the :lol: , I was chuckling ie: saying it was cheery but really, it isn't because of the very nature of what can/could/will/does happen. Personally, I like to keep my glass half full but I am fully aware I am lucky to have made it this far without any major issues. Onwards and upwards!

 

[Debloubed]

Deb
I( T2) have background to mild retinopathy and have never had an HbA1c above 6.1 in 6 years. There are genetic differences too.
PS none of my retinopathy is in the macula region, so my eyesight is unaffected.
Hana

good for you

 

[ham79]

hba1c of 8.1 down from 27 but am supposed to try and keep them up at 10ishto help with the neuropathy.

 

[Dobbs]

I was diagnosed eighteen months ago at age 47, and was already suffering from neuropathy in my feet, which is what led me to get a medical check-up which is how I discovered I was diabetic. So I imagine I was an undiagnosed diabetic for several years. My neuropathy was serious but not chronic and
HERE COMES THE GOOD NEWS
it has improved considerably as my blood glucose levels have come 'way down.
So complications are terrible, certainly, but YOU ARE NOT POWERLESS in the face of them. Nerves do heal, given a chance.

 

[juma]

Hi there!
Have diabetes since I was 8y/o... so the 25th anniversary is arriving!
Bad management throughout my teens, had two major hyper/ketocidosis and ended up in hospital, nearly dead!
Had neuropathy, and retinopathy when my control was so good, that I realised the long term consequences of noncompliance. Operated catarata both eyes.
Broke my foot - complications charcoal foot, lost some of the articulation/movement, but a part from high heels all is fine... Had ulcers in toes, but not a big deal.
Take care