Diabetes

AOX81 · #1 09-06-2002, 01:00 PM

Any GCers out there that have diabetes?

I was just curious as to when you were diagnosed, what type you have, and are any of your family members also diabetic?

If you can remember, what were some of the symptoms that headed you to the doctor?

Thanks.

Dionysus · #2 09-06-2002, 01:08 PM

I'm not diabetic, but my aunts and living grandparents are, including my maternal grandmother who has it severely. So I know a lot about it.

The symptoms that headed my grandmother to the doctor was: Loss of vision, unintentional weight loss, unusual craving for water/liquids, and frequent urination.

greeklawgirl · #3 09-06-2002, 01:28 PM

I'm not diabetic, but my husband, father, late grandfather, and mother-in-law are all Type II diabetics.

My grandfather was diagnosed before I was born, but I do remember when my father and husband were diagnosed. Both were really struggling with excessive thirst and urge to urinate. And when I say excessive, I mean *excessive.* In the months before they were diagnosed, I vividly remember that they had to use the restroom every 15-20 minutes during the day and would get up several times a night.

Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation's focus is on diabetes research and education. If you go to the website, you should find some interesting links there.

AOX81 · #4 09-06-2002, 01:41 PM

Thank you greeklawgirl and dionysus.

I checked out the AGD website and it has some good information on there.

My father, my uncle, my grandma (dad's side), my great-grandmother (dad's side), and my great-grandfather (mom's side) were/are all diabetic.

I'm am thirsty ALL the time (I quit drinking pop so I pretty much drink water 24 hours a day), I have to make a pit stop in the bathroom at LEAST once an hour, I have night sweats, and my skin is so severely dry I think that it is going to fall off my body. In the past three weeks I have come very close to passing out four or five times.

Yesterday was my dads birthday and for some reason I started thinking about this. Have I been chosen for the family plague? I am planning on heading to the doctor on Monday. Maybe I don't have West Nile after all...

rubyrose · #5 09-06-2002, 03:11 PM

Go immediately to the emergency room and have them check you. They can do a very quick urine test and know in minutes. You are exhibiting signs of Type I Diabetes in which your antibodies have killed all of the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Your family history indicates that you are susceptible. My daughter was diagnosed with Type I at the age of 9. She was thirsty, and had to go the bathroom constantly. She lost an incredible amount of weight and she was a toothpick to start with. She began sleepwalking around the house which she had never done before. Let me just say when we brought her to the doctor, she was a week away from going into a diabetic coma. That is why you have to go to the emergency room ASAP!!!

AOX81 · #6 09-06-2002, 03:27 PM

rubyrose: I was in the hospital back in February for kidney stones and I had two urinalysis tests done. (I used to work in a lab and I know they run a glucose test in a routine UA). Do you think that it could have been negative six months ago and positive now?

greeklawgirl · #7 09-06-2002, 03:35 PM

AOX, I suppose that *anything* is possible. It is your family history that concerns us.

If you are very worried and you can't get into a doctor's office right away, borrow your dad's glucometer tomorrow morning and check your levels before you eat breakfast. He can show you how to use it.

AOX81 · #8 09-06-2002, 03:37 PM

My dad lives 5 1/2 hours away

I already know how to check my blood sugar. My grandma taught me when I was around 5 years old plus I worked in a laboratory for 6 1/2 years. If I had a glucometer handy that would be great.

AOX81 · #9 09-06-2002, 04:37 PM

rubyrose: thank you for the PM. I just sent you one back.

rubyrose · #10 09-06-2002, 04:51 PM

AOX and any other interested parties reading this,

I thought it could be beneficial for people to know that Type I (Insulin-dependent) diabetes develops quickly with symptoms exhibiting over the course of a few weeks. In my daughter's case it took us 5 weeks for us to realize she had a problem.

I also want to make sure to say that I hope people would not have fear about getting this kind of diagnosis. The technology available to deal with Type I is AMAZING compared to what it was 10 years ago and it just continues to improve. Type I diabetics are living long, healthy lives as long as they take really good care of themselves! There is even talk of a possible cure within the next 5 to 10 years. The most important thing is to monitor your blood sugar a lot to make sure it is in a healthy range. With proper diet, exercise and medication, diabetics can live healthy lives and sometimes even healthier lives than those of us without diabetes who are not the best at the diet and exercise part. This aspect of it has turned out to be a positive for our whole family because we have certainly improved our eating habits, and we are more active than we used to be.

AOX, if it does turn out to be diabetes, it is certainly not the end of the world! A lifestyle change yes, but not the end of the world!

James · #11 09-06-2002, 08:58 PM

Also, its much more likely to be the type II variant which is much more common and controllable.

The biggest risk factos for males is of course family history, "stomache fat", eating alot of carbs, and a sedentary lifestyle.

Many times if those factos are taken care of the man will cease to be in a negativ condition.

When I say stomache fat, I am talking about even a relatively small belly. Stomache fat for some reason encourages insulin resistance.

KappaKittyCat · #12 09-06-2002, 11:02 PM

Yeah... they even have a new ditty out now that'll monitor blood glucose levels without the need for all that nasty, constant finger pricking. It's a watch! It monitors your skin secretions and reads your blood sugar from that. You set the timer to do it at certain points of the day, and you can also do it manually. My uncle has one. He loves it.

M&M · #13 09-06-2002, 11:44 PM

Hi AOX81,

I am so sorry to hear you are not feeling well. If you cannot get in to see a doctor quickly and the symptoms continue, please consider going to an after-hours clinic or the emergency room if need be.

I am a type II diabetic, diagnosed at age 21. Both of my paternal grandparents are diabetic, as are several of my cousins. More and more young people are getting type II (mostly because of poor diet, lack of exercise, etc., but I always had a "normal" build). I did not have a lot of classic diabetes symptoms, and in fact, I score "low risk" on the American Diabetes Association's risk factors test. I realized something was wrong when I passed out suddenly at a political event I was attending. I landed on my state legislator.

I didn't really have the sudden weight loss, but I had a milder variant of some of the other symptoms. Dizziness and occasional loss of consciousness was a bigger problem for me.

While technologies and treatments have improved tremendously, diabetes is still a VERY serious disease that can cause major health complications if not carefully controlled. Please do not delay treatment. If the doctor you talked to cannot see you right away or does not consider your symptoms to be that serious, please consider calling another doctor. It is so important to have a health care provider who is accessable and who will listen to your concerns!

If you need someone to talk to, please feel free to PM me. I am brand new to GC, but not to diabetes.

Hugs,
McGee

chideltjen · #14 09-07-2002, 04:02 PM

I am a Type I diabetic. But I wouldn't remember the symptoms I had because I was a lil over a year old when I was diagnosed. (I am now 21.) No one in my immediate family was a diabetic. I have a great uncle that is Type II but i figured that was a far stretch.
Hopefully you find out what is going on with you. Going to the bathroom a lot and waking up in the middle of the night are symptoms I still get. usually do to high blood sugar/low bs. It can be a hassle but you get used to it.
ANd there are so many advancements out there now. Depending on where you live, you have many opportunities for support groups, counceling, classes, and new technology.
I met another GCer on here that is also a diabetic and it's fun to swap stories.
Good luck and if you need any tips or have questions, pM me.

DWAlphaGam · #15 09-07-2002, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KappaKittyCat
Yeah... they even have a new ditty out now that'll monitor blood glucose levels without the need for all that nasty, constant finger pricking. It's a watch! It monitors your skin secretions and reads your blood sugar from that. You set the timer to do it at certain points of the day, and you can also do it manually. My uncle has one. He loves it.

The device is called the GlucoWatch Biographer (http://www.glucowatch.com/us/default.html). It measures the glucose levels in your interstitial fluid through iontophoresis. It was approved by FDA in April although it's been available in Europe for a few years. It's pretty comparable to more traditional glucose measurement methods, but one drawback is that 80% of people who use it develop skin irriation from the adhesive that's used to keep the sensor in place. Also, it requires a very high level of committment and upkeep and I'm not sure if insurance covers the cost. (Disclaimer: I work for a company that evaluates medical devices. This isn't an expert opinion and I can't make recommendations, but it's what I remember from reading the evaluation on this product.)

Also, there are newer devices that only require a tiny sample of blood, and they can take the samples from your arm or other areas that are less sensitive than your fingertips.

AOX81, good luck at the doctor! Once you know what's wrong, I'm sure you'll be feeling better soon. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you!