Diabetes? There's no DU Group about Diabetes.

[bertha katzenengel]

Here's a question, and I'm not sure it's appropriate to ask it, but nine days after my diagnosis, I am extremely curious:

How many DUers (at least Lounge Lizards) are diabetic? Insulin-dependent, or pills, or diet/exercise? (I'm lucky -- the latter -- for now)

:shrug:

No sympathy posts for me please -- it's not my goal here.

[PRETZEL]

1. I'm not personally,

but my girlfriend's son was diagnosed with Type 1 in March. At age 12 he's looking at a lifetime of being insulin dependant.

[bertha katzenengel]

2. Oh, jesus.

Damn... poor kid.

[PRETZEL]

5. that's true

luckily we found it early enough that there appears to be no evidence of any other damage other than a pancreas that's not working well now (and will fail completely very soon).

Actually the advances made in diabetes are staggering compared to when my mom was diagnosed many years ago (and eventually took her life).

[REP]

7. My Cousin's Been Insulin-Dependent for 39 Years

She's doing fine - no complications, and remember, she started out with just urine tests and one kind of unsulin. With all the progress that's been made, your friend's kid's future is not so dire! Yes, the disease still sucks but a lot more is known about it, and with advances like insulin pumps, it's a lot easier to manage and keep controlled.

[PRETZEL]

8. well said...................eom

[xmas74]

3. Not personally

but I'm quite worried about it. It runs on both sides of my family. My mother's father and my father's mother both had it.

I'm taking steps w/ my diet and trying to add more exercise not just for my own health but for my daughter's health. It's not something I want her to ever have to worry about in the future.

[bertha katzenengel]

10. Good for you, xmas. I am learning so much about this disease, and

the first thing I've learned is that diet and exercise are absolutely key. :toast:

[xmas74]

16. I hope that if I start these changes when she's young

she will be in the habit and won't have to worry so much when she's older.

[REP]

4. There's a Chronic Illness Group

I'm a Type II Diabetic (from steroids), taking really old-fashioned oral meds with excellent control (my doctor always draws a smiley face on my test results, and he's a not a cutsey-poo doctor; he explained that why I have so many horrible diseases is because "God hates you." I think he's great!).

[bertha katzenengel]

11. "God hates you."

:rofl: Yeah, I'd like him too.

Thanks for the tip on the group. Best to you.

[WolverineDG]

6. I'm not but it runs in my family

please, bertha, please, do everything your doctor tells you to do. My brother & one cousin have lost their legs (one each), my brother has gone nuts, another cousin is having massive complications & another of my cousins has died because they didn't follow orders, eat right, take insulin, etc. It ain't pretty. :cry:

:hug: Please take care of yourself. Diet & exercise work wonders on your body. My doc says that for every 10 pounds you lose, your BP goes down 10 somethings. :)


on edit: my brother & the cousin who died were Type I (diagnosed in late/early teens respectively); everyone else Type II because of diet & obesity
dg

[bertha katzenengel]

12. Oh, lord . . .

I'm so sorry to hear about your family members.

I am doing what the doc has told me. My doc runs a fabulous women's health center. One of their things is that they're a nationally certified diabetes treatment center, and they have a whole big program that I started the day I learned I have it.

I'm not doing so well w/ the exercise yet, but I do exercise more frequently now than I have in 20 years. I'm building it up. I have been able to watch my carbs religiously and I am keeping them down. That in itself is a goddamn miracle.

Thank you for post. :hug:

[WolverineDG]

19. Eating right is a big step in the right direction

I agree you have to build up the exercise, especially if you haven't exercised in a while. :) But, you can do it. If not for yourself, for Mrs. V & all the kitties, not to mention all of us here at DU!! :hug:

dg

[Jokerman]

9. My wife is on an insulin pump.

She post in the chronic illness forum from time to time.

[bertha katzenengel]

13. hey, Jokerman

I'm sorry to hear it. :hug:

[ironflange]

14. OK, here goes

I was diagnosed last Nov. 5, but we figureI had been carrying it around for a couple of years before that. My fasting blood glucose level was 21; Canadian units -- that's 378 in the US. My doctor put me on insulin right away, and It's wonderful. I shoot up a set amount of NPH morning and night, and do rapid-acting at breakfast and dinner, adjusting the level to the carbs I just ate. I use the Novo Nordisk pen injectors, don't feel a thing, and there are no side effects from the insulin. I use the little tiny Freestyle Flash meter, on my forearm, no pain there either. My feet still feel funny, they may never get back to normal.

A diagnosis of diabetes is not the sentence to a life of total deprivation and general misery that it once was.

My only problem right now is that my back has been killing me since Xmas, and they can't figure out what the hell is wrong with it. It's not related to the diabetes, that much we know. It makes it hard to do much exercise, but I'm learning to get around it.

If you're looking for forums, try http://boards.webmd.com/webx?50@@.5983f881 or http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp. Both have tons and tons of useful info for ya.

Thanks for the chance to spout, Bertha. Get ready for a real learning experience. Good luck!!11!

[bertha katzenengel]

17. Ironflange, I don't know

how to thank you. Shared experience helps. I will check out the boards - been to diabetes.org but didn't realize there was a forum. :pals:

[ironflange]

21. I've come to see it as a blessing in disguise

I had some pretty bad habits, and have managed to shed *most* of them. :evigrin: My doc said she didn't know why I hadn't keeled over long ago. At least I don't have to lose any weight.

[sinkingfeeling]

15. Not the same thing at all, but I have an insulin dependent diabetic

dog, Crissy. In dogs, about 85% develop cataracts within a year of diagnosis. She takes two shots a day of Humulin Lente (has been discontinued) and I really am nervous about changing her insulin. I home test her with a Freestyle meter and she eats lots of veggies and fiber.

I also have had 2 friends die of complications from not following doctors' orders. Another lost a leg.

Please watch yourself very closely and do what they tell you.

[bertha katzenengel]

18. thank you, s.f.

Bless you and Crissy!

[hippywife]

20. Hi, Bertha!

I was just diagnosed about a month ago and I'm still not sure the diagnosis is correct. I'm tracking it til I go back to the doc in Oct.

[yellowdogintexas]

22. my husband is diabetic and managed on diet/exercise for

about 6 years, now has some pills he takes but as yet no insulin.

He did a LOT of walking, really watched his diet, tested regularly and all of that made him feel a lot better.

[bluethruandthru]

23. My daughter is a Type 1 diabetic.

She was diagnosed at the age of 10. She's now 18. Both my grandmothers and my father had diabetes with lots of complications. Advances have been wonderful...but we need a cure! Stem cell research could hold the key.
Please take good care of yourself and let's all keep working to find the cure.

:hug: