cure... good, bad, confusing?

[blue_eyed_devil]

I've read a lot of posts on here about a possible 'cure' in the future... I won't list them all, but I'm referring to the likes of stem cell research etc. These posts have been facinating and informative.

But I have to ask, would you really take a 'cure' if it came along?

I ask because over the years diabetes has become a rather important factor of who I am... no, I don't see myslef as only a diabetic, but it's been there since I was a kid and has in many ways defined parts of me though certian practices and behaviours I have taken on.

I know of a young woman who was diagnosed with type 1 as a toddler and recently (some twenty years later) has found out that she is not infact diabetic at all... for some reason her pancreas started to produce insulin (this is a rather controversal and confusing topic, so I won't go into it. It is, of course, far more complicated that what I have typed here). What I do know is that when all this happened she was quite upset and confused because such a fundamental part of her life just dissapeared.

Any comments? Views? :dontknow:

[condensr]

If there were a 'cure', that would just return me to a non-diabetic state with no side effects, no immunosuppressives, etc. then I would go for it in an instant. Sure, I can manage my glucose, but certainly not better than my own pancreas could..

[xMenace]

Ditto Ditto Ditto

Would you pass on a $50 million lotto after you saw the unhappiness stats of the winners?

[JediSkipdogg]

It would all depend on what is required of this cure in terms of treatment....

Right now I take insulin and only insulin. I have never experienced any side effects of insulin. Complication wise, I 100% control if they happen or not. The better I can maintain my levels, the less likelihood of a complication.

With a cure it is almost guaranteed that drugs will still need to be taken. That is unless they created the wonder drug that is a 1 time shot. Which I have seen nothing of that sort. Currently all research areas require the person to take immunosuppressants or some other drugs for the rest of their life. If you forget those drugs your body will either reject the transport or start spawning the auto-immune disease again. Not to mention all of those generally have major side effects. I've yet to ever see an immunosuppressant without a dangerous side effect.

[duck]

In my approach, I go on as if NOTHING will be "cured" anytime soon. Part of that is because when I was first diagnosed, all the professionals I dealt with would say such things as "Five more years, and there will be a cure" or "By year 2000, there will be a cure." I was diagnosed in 1990. And hearing such things gave me an excuse not to really take care of myself.

So whether or not a cure is forthcoming, there are things I need to do today, now, to increase the odds of a longer, healthier life. Looking forward to a cure does nothing for me in that regard.

[DeusXM]

I'm sure that when I do get cured, it's going to mess with my head quite majorly. All of us here have the whole test-carb count-dose-how is my bg doing?-test mantra going round in our heads 24/7 and it's going to be very weird to suddenly not have to do that anymore. I actually think I'll probably still test my BG even after I'm cured for a good few weeks or so afterwards simply because I'm in the habit of it.

Yes, having diabetes has had a huge effect on my personality - it's made me who I am today and in some ways it's been good and in some ways it's been bad. It is a fundamental part of my life - but it's one that I'm more than willing to eliminate. Show me a cure that works (the Ex-4 double-drug one will do just fine) and I'll be the first in the line.

Looking forward to a cure does nothing for me in that regard.

Oh, but it should. I find it's a great incentive to know that all this WILL be over one day - I'm just making sure that I'll be around to see it and I'll be in the best shape possible for when it happens.

[am1977]

Would I go for a cure if one became available?

Well, if there were no health risks, or other dangers, then .....


HANDS DOWN, without a doubt- YES! I dont see why anyone wouldn't want it?

[tanyatype1]

To be completely free of diabetes related things that seem to consume my time and thoughts? Absolutely! Kinda weird even thinking about it. No pump hanging off of me. That would be so sweet.

[orpy]

I'd embrace a true cure.

[notme]

I have a friend that had diabetes and was on a pump. She lost her kidney function and was pretty sick. Finally, she made the transplant list and got a new kidney and pancreas. She is not diabetic anymore.

To this day she still struggles eating sugar or carbs and thinks about everything she eats. I think that her body is not diabetic anymore, but her brain is. After 25 years of having diabetes, I don't think you can just be "cured".

Ummmmm, I would like to try. I think I have pancreas envy sometimes when I see people eat things and they don't think about how how many carbs are in it.

[Injecto]

[QUOTE=notme;176562]I think that her body is not diabetic anymore, but her brain is. After 25 years of having diabetes, I don't think you can just be "cured".

QUOTE]

So true. Even if there was a cure, I'd be checking my BGs all the time because I just wouldn't trust my body. Diabetes has in effect killed off more to me than just my islet cells, much too much more.

[parrotletzoo]

Hrmmm... lets see ;)

I had an islet transplant. Its not technically a cure as it is a functional cure, meaning I'm not on insulin and according to any glucose tolerance testing I have done I'm not diabetic. That being said, I'm still considered Diabetic. I still consider myself type 1. That being said, somedays I say I'm diabetic and I feel like a faker. ;)

I haven't changed the way I see myself in terms of diabetes other then I dont need insulin anymore and I don't have to worry about lows. I still test my blood sugar, and I still eat the same way. I test because I've been asked to by the research team. I eat the way I do because I've grown accustomed to it and that's what I prefer.

18 months after my last transplant (so far I've had one, the FDA has approved up to three per person if needed) I'll be released from the study although they'll follow up with me for the next 5yrs with blood work etc. Maybe when its all said and done I'll see myself as non-diabetic. somehow I dont think I will ;) but we'll see.

So yeah, I'd take a "cure" and the confusion of "what am I" over complications.


and btw. somedays I miss my pump. it was my security blanket for too long ;)

[parrotletzoo]

Oh yeah, and as far as the immunosupression meds go. The only side effects I've had have been anemia, addressed with a multivitamin/iron supplement, and mouth ulcers which are annoying but hardly a major side effect.


I'll take the multivitamin and annoying mouth ulcers over kidney disease, heart disease, blindness, and the mirade of other fun things diabetes brings to the table.

[blue_eyed_devil]

I guess I would take a cure, but like heaps of you have mentioned it's the side effects that would bother me... I mean the long term effects of diabetes aren't exactly a paty are they?

Thanks for your views :)

[blue_eyed_devil]

I guess I would take a cure, but like heaps of you have mentioned it's the side effects that would bother me... I mean the long term effects of diabetes aren't exactly a paty are they?

Thanks for your views :)

[BriOnH]

Like Pavlov's dogs we truely are conditioned animals. Reconditioning to a life without diabetes. I think I would get tears of joy each time I think I tought I had to test or shoot up and didn't have to.

[Starlight]

Mmm the thing that I think would plague me after a cure is paranoia. I'll be paranoid and I guarantee it! I won't be able to sit down to a meal without testing myself for at least a few weeks after. I'd be so worried that the cure itself is not working or that I'm higher than whats considered 'normal' and every little natural feeling will suddenly become 'abnormal'. *rips out hair*