Diabetes

[Gatekeeper]

Hmm. Man, I'd think that if you were Type I, it would have been caught when you were a child. I'm just guessing here (again, your doc is the best source of information), but if you even have diabetes, it might be pre-diabetes.

Regarding testing, they'll probably want you to do a 12-hour fast, then they'll draw blood and measure your long-term blood sugar. They might also want to give you a glucose drink and then, over the next two hours, periodically draw blood to see how your body is handling the sugar spike.

Gatekeeper

[OneFootInTheGrave]

for drinking... AFAIK Alcohol has no impact on blood sugar levels, as it has it's own metabolic process... unless you murder yourself and your liver gets slightly paralyzed and than you could have some direct effects, like but too not much really... the more dangerous part is if you are dead drunk you will forget how to deal with your "regular" regimen than anything else (ie check sugar levels, forget to eat, so sugar levels could go too low if you take insulin etc...) all in all moderate drinking is OK...

[OneFootInTheGrave]

& for eyes... don't worry, you are still young, and with regular checks in case you are diagnosed, they help majority of the diabetic population to keep the vision... but getting a better lifestyle is the key for the long term...

serious eyesight problems are usually towards old age, when the body is anyhow getting old, so diabetes has more impact on the blood vessels in the eye than it is normally the case... but even than there is help in this day and age (ie, laser surgery to help clear it up)

[C0ckney]

when it comes to drinking, alcohol will make your blood sugar rise and then fall sharply. you need to bear in mind what you are drinking too. beer, lager etc. doesn't really affect it that much, but if you are going to be drinking alcopops, or shorts with mixers then you need to consider taking more insulin to cover for the extra sugar. it's all about planning what you are likely to drink, whether you'll have food as well and adjusting your insulin intake accordingly.

[Peter Triggs]

Krill:
With my history of unhealthyness, Snoop, and the fact I'm student chemist, I could get frankly anything at any point. Except possibly breast cancer.

Not a lot of people know this, but ...

Introduction
Breast cancer isn't just a woman's disease. Men also have breast tissue that can undergo cancerous changes. While women are about 100 times more likely to get breast cancer, any man can develop breast cancer. Male breast cancer is most common between the ages of 60 and 70.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/male-breast-cancer/DS00661

[flash9286]

Originally posted by Krill
What is injecting insulin like? I have a needle phobia, so injecting is something that I really don't want to have to do...but if I have to, then it's not like I have much of a choice. I understand that their are other forms of insulin available, but I don't know anything at all about them.

To be honest, I was hoping Dr. Strangelove was here tonight...

My brother has had it since he was 8. He has a insulin pump he wears on his side. He types in the amount of insulin he wants and the pumps delivers it. I think he has to change the site where the insulin goes into the body about every 4-5 days though, to prevent infection.

[Riesstiu IV]

[Nostromo]

I was asking myself the exact same questions, Krill. I think I may have diabetes.

[Nikolai]

I've had diabetes MODY 3 for seven years now. Not a big deal, you can still eat whatever you want, just don't eat too much of the food types with much sugar and carbohydrates in it. And with enough insulin, most things goes(although be careful with what you drink, as there are no fibre in it, the blood sugar is more tricky to control). Just be aware that insulin is a growth hormone, though. And more weight equals larger need for insulin.

Bottom line: Be careful. But there's no need to change your life much in most cases.

[Nikolai]

Originally posted by Nostromo
I was asking myself the exact same questions, Krill. I think I may have diabetes.

If you are often thirsty, have to pee often, is tired and get easily irritated, you probably have too high blood sugar. And that means diabetes.

[Lancer]

Moderation is the key. Btw they already have testers that you can test on the forearm iirc. The needles aren't bad at all except getting used to them. The finger ***** I really don't like so if the VA gets forearm tests I'll be happy.

Insulin is spendy. Having served in the military saved me there, I pay alot less than full price.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Nikolai


If you are often thirsty, have to pee often, is tired and get easily irritated, you probably have too high blood sugar. And that means diabetes.

Huh? High blood pressure means diabetes? I'm asking because I don't have much energy, and I get irritated.

I have recently changed my diet to healthy though. It has made me feel better.

[Lancer]

Kid, that might will be high surar then.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Lancer
Kid, that might will be high surar then.

but not diabetes?

[Nikolai]

No, not blood pressure. Blood sugar. When you eat, the body takes up sugar and converts all food to some sugar. This is then transported around your system to fuel the cells. If your body doesn't manage to remove the sugar from the system properly(ie you have diabetes), your body gets an "overdose" of sugar. This makes the body try to remove it through your pee. It doesn't work propely though, so the body reacts as I wrote above. It's impossible for me to say if your condition is diabetes, but it might be. I'd tried to talk to your doctor, an untreated diabetes will in the end result in worsened health. You can get bad sight, cholestreol problems and bad blood circulation. A long road ahead: blindness, and wounds or gangrene in the limbs. But that's a long, long road ahead. It did happen to a teacher of mine though, but he was a real moron when it came to his own heath. In the end, it cost him his life, after a couple decades of moronic disregard of his disease.