Posted by: Jonkarra
on May 29, 2010
I was diagnosed at 32 and it was quite a shock at the time. Whilst I knew that I was overweight and my gran was a type 2 in her early 40s I wasn't worried. I went to the docs as I was constantly tired and feeling dizzy and my GP at the time decided just to do some standard tests including glucose. Whilst it was over 7 it was only just over 7 so my doctor did a few more tests just to be sure, and hey presto I was diagnosed as type . My doctor's started me on the usual diet and exercise but it was totally ineffective as I was already following a stricter diet than what the nurse/dietician suggested.
After a few months and seeing another quack at my surgery I was prescribed fluorextine for "Post viral malaise" which had no positive effects, and my blood sugar levels raised to 12+ for fasting readings. Fluorextine was discontinued and metformin was added. I didn't feel that metformin did much but after busting my ass in the gym I my hba1c dropped from 8.2 to 7.2. During that same review however protein was picked up in my urine which started a chain of events that led to a diagnosis of early nephropathy, at the same time I was also starting to suffer from pain in my extremities especially my feet and a neurologist diagnosed me with peripheral neuropathy most likely caused by the diabetes.
At that point I started to see an endocrinologist and since then have tried pioglitazone which was ineffective and made me depressed and gain a lot of weight. Byetta was a lot more powerful than expected even at the lower dose which was great for a while but eventually I had to drop it because it caused me severe nausea.
Posted by: Eggie
on May 18, 2010
Tagged in: Untagged
I was diagnosed at age 34. The only other relation who was diagnosed as early as I was died of a massive coronary at age 44. For many years, uneducated and misguided, I thought this would also be my fate.
Over the years I have educated myself, learned from others, and tried to make good choices. I'm happy to say that I turned 45 a few days ago and I'm still here! It just goes to show that when you are told by friends or relatives that frightening story about the diabetic gone wrong and dying or losing limbs, this does not have to be your fate. The first step is understanding that diabetes doesn't kill you, uncontrolled diabetes does.
Posted by: Sweetsarabear
on May 11, 2010
Tagged in: Untagged
July 23, 1976 turned my life in a direction that I never thought that I would be lead down. I was 12 years old at the time and school had just let out for the summer. Pretty much like your typical 12 year old I was looking forward to summer break. I was very active but I was not into sports in school but enjoyed motorcycle riding with my father such as exploring ghost towns in Death Valley, California.
I remember begin tired with no energy. Then the thirst came that I could not quench. I would go to the refrigerator at home and drink milk like it was going out of style. All I wanted to do was sleep that was it. My mom sensed that there was something wrong but my father said I was just begin lazy which was not like me at all. I was taken to a doctor that my father had seen and a blood and urine test was done. Everything came back normal. The doctor said it was just the hot weather and it will go away. But it did not go away things became worse as time went on. I think it was about a week or so before I was taken to another doctor this is the one who brought me into this world Dr. Erickson. She took a blood and urine sample and I remember the exam room that I sat in along with my father that the door was left open. Across the hall was a small room that was used for a lab. I saw her drop her head and shake it. Right then and there I knew something was wrong. There was a bad strain of flu going around called the Asian or Hong Kong flu which was thought to have attacked my immune system thus ending in type 1 diabetes.
After a few minutes she came in and sat down. She said you have diabetes. Well as a 12 year old diabetes was not in my vocabulary and I had no clue to what she had just said to me. She asked me to go out into the waiting room while she talked to my father. I felt that my world had come to an end at that point in time. I scanned the waiting room and saw a vinyl couch that was not occupied by anyone and sat down picking up a Life magazine to hide my face while I cried.
