What happens if a type 1 diabetic smokes?

[Jodie]

I am 18 and I have never smoked I know its not good to smoke even if your not diabetic lol I am just curious what it would do does it make your blood sugars high. I would never smoke anyway my dad would kill me and I hate the smell of it

[viranth]

Smoking - American Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/smoking.jsp)

Read that.

Basically: Don't smoke, it's bad for normal people, but even worse for us.

[soso]

Second that.
Personally, I can't understand what would make anyone start nowadays....OK if you're already addicted...but to choose to start? I hear tell though that the tobacco companies target the young... is that still true?

[Injecto]

Oddly I NEVER smoked in my life, that is, until I became diabetic. Now I smoke cigars when I feel the special need, because I figured "**** it, I've never done anything wrong before and I still got nabbed by this darn disease" So now I smoke cigars on special occasions.

[Stuboy]

Right,

My grandad smoked, he was type 1 diabetic... he also didn't take care of his sugar levels very well can he had both of his legs amputated from just above the knees.

Smoking causes furring of the artaries(sp) and on top of the elevated sugar levels quite common in diabetes, which also damages the veins, it causes massive blood flow restriction particularly in the feet (as it's the furthest away from the heart), eventually they block up and you have virtually no blood flow and tissue dies.


Dont smoke.

[Michael R Zeigl]

I once heard a very good doctor say that if a type 1 diabetic started smoking, he would almost guarantee that that person would develop foot and leg problems due to poor circulation and artery damage.

[Alice]

Diabetics are prone to heart disease...why add to the risk? Also, smoking is disgusting....reason enough?

[Jan B]

From an ex-smoker:

Your whole closet stinks, you stink, your car stinks, you look unintelligent smoking and probably have some sort of depression (?)

Thank God, I never inhaled -- just couldn't learn to choke myself like that. Now I can smell nice after a shower for a long time and I don't have to carry perfume sprays in my car!!

I have heart disease & my doctor tries to lessen my guilt by saying the heart disease is from long-time diabetes. I sleep much better now and my arthritis isn't so painful after giving up the smokes.

I am relaxed, calm and feel great.

[Olidus]

Second that.
Personally, I can't understand what would make anyone start nowadays....OK if you're already addicted...but to choose to start? I hear tell though that the tobacco companies target the young... is that still true?

soso - you took the words right out of my mouth.
This is such a HOT TOPIC for me - in the sense that I will argue till the cows come home on it.
With the education and knowledge that we have today it simply does not many any sense why anyone would start smoking.
The Cool Factor is just plan stupid.

I'm not sure how it is where everyone else is, I know in Canada over the past few years things have changed alot.
The Province I am in you can't smoke hardly anywhere now.
Not in a Bar, Club, Cofee Shop, anywhere. Unless they have a designated area blocked off and they are far and few between on PEI.

[Richard157]

When I was 10 my best friend and I smoked a few packs of cigarettes that he had taken from his father's truck. I hated doing it nut I did not want to be called a chicken. Sound familiar? My blood sugar was unusually high for that two week period. It was so high that I lost my appetite and was very sick. After my friend's father discovered his cigarettes were missing they visited my house. It was all over, I never smoked again. I do not understand why anuone likes it.

Richard

[KEVIN88GT]

Diabetis raises your risk for cardiovascular disease and complications.... smoking further DOUBLES that risk. I've never smoked a day in my life and never will. If someone here doesnt understand what its like for your foot/toes to turn gangrenous and fall off.... I'll gladly take you to work and show you (I see it on a daily basis).... You might never want to stick a cigarette in your mouth again....

[morrisma]

Added risks for asthma too. Not D related but many more kids and adults are experiencing asthma symptoms. Now that many states have bans, it is so much nicer to be able to take the family out to eat and not have to change seats or even restaurants to avoid smokers.
Mike

[KEVIN88GT]

not sure about asthma... but it does cause COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder) conditions such as Emphysema.... which unlike Asthma is almost impossible to reverse....

[Keezheekoni]

What happens if a type 1 diabetic smokes?
You either a) tell them to slow down, b) use more lubricant, or c) you can smoke insulin???!!!

Hehe, I crack myself up sometimes...

Don't smoke. It's no good for you. Don't even pick one up...it's like crack, you'll never put it down. :) Besides, if you ever try to be funny at work and tell them in an English accent that you're going out to suck a fag, they'll really wonder what's wrong with you. :)

[Funnygrl]

Oddly I NEVER smoked in my life, that is, until I became diabetic. Now I smoke cigars when I feel the special need, because I figured "**** it, I've never done anything wrong before and I still got nabbed by this darn disease" So now I smoke cigars on special occasions.
That's different. Cigarettes disgust me, but I like the taste of a good cigar once in awhile. Key phrase "special occassions." I believe they're less carcinogenic than regular cigarettes too.

If you are diabetic (either type), you compound the risk of losing a limb or getting heart disease that either condition by itself provides plenty of.

You also add a whole new assortment of risks to the package. Basically, slow suicide.

The doctor I'm working with now says he's had patients have good success with Chantix. My grandma quite with nicotine inhalers after years of smoking while watching my grandpa die a slow painful death of lung cancer.

In other words, I agree with what everyone else has said.

[ant hill]

Gee this makes me happy as I don't smoke. :D :D My father gave it up and feels better for it so I would not know what smoking do for you. :)

[Injecto]

That's different. Cigarettes disgust me, but I like the taste of a good cigar once in awhile. Key phrase "special occassions." I believe they're less carcinogenic than regular cigarettes too.

If you are diabetic (either type), you compound the risk of losing a limb or getting heart disease that either condition by itself provides plenty of.

You also add a whole new assortment of risks to the package. Basically, slow suicide.

The doctor I'm working with now says he's had patients have good success with Chantix. My grandma quite with nicotine inhalers after years of smoking while watching my grandpa die a slow painful death of lung cancer.

In other words, I agree with what everyone else has said.


It's funny because I agree with what everyone else has said as well. But oddly it's only after diagnosis that I start. Like I said though, it's on special occasions. I allow myself one every holiday (Christmas, New Years, Easter, May 24, and some camping occasions). I probably come to about 7 a year.

Otherwise, no smoking in any way...ewwww..

[Jan B]

It's funny because I agree with what everyone else has said as well. But oddly it's only after diagnosis that I start. Like I said though, it's on special occasions. I allow myself one every holiday (Christmas, New Years, Easter, May 24, and some camping occasions). I probably come to about 7 a year.

Otherwise, no smoking in any way...ewwww..

Ok, what's May 24? Do we share a birthday?

[KEVIN88GT]

yeh....cigars arent THAT bad... instead of lung cancer they cause throat and mouth cancer.... I guess none of you had to suction a patient who is choking from their own saliva out of a tracheostomy ( a hole in their throat)

ACS :: Cigar Smoking (http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_2X_Cigar_Smoking.asp)

Kevin RN

[Funnygrl]

It's funny because I agree with what everyone else has said as well. But oddly it's only after diagnosis that I start. Like I said though, it's on special occasions. I allow myself one every holiday (Christmas, New Years, Easter, May 24, and some camping occasions). I probably come to about 7 a year.

Otherwise, no smoking in any way...ewwww..
Yeah, I think I do maybe 2 a year.

And just to clarify, by everyone else, I meant I agree with what everyone in the thread said, not everyone but you or anything. I just re-read that and realized it could be taken that wrong.

[russ621]

Hi Jodie,
Plenty of great advice from everyone, crucial word is DON'T.
I started smoking at the tender age of 13, by the time I was an adult I was hooked on 20 a day. I was diagnosed type 1 when I was 28, tried but failed to quit. By the age of 39, I had started to suffer with intermittant claudication (narrowing of arteries in the legs) causing extreme pain in my calves when walking any distance. 2 years ago when I was only 46, I got a minor infection in my big toe on my right foot. Iit had appeared to have healed, and was being treated weekly by the diabetes nurse at my hospital. Over 24 hours it went from nearly gone to sceptic, I ended up in hospital having to have it amputated, they say I came to with-in 24 hours of dieing. Then last year, (exactly a year ago this saturday), I had a stroke, totally lost my left arm and leg and had to have intensive physiotherapy for 5 months to learn how to walk again and use my left arm , again not a good prognosis from the Dr's, they said I'd never walk again, and again its a life threatening condition. ( Ican walk and am working again now too)
Its a disgusting habit, and very hard to quit, don't ever be tempted to try it, it makes you poor, smell horrible and worst of all it WILL make you ill if not kill you
Incidently, the amputation bad enough on its own, but being diabetic and the infection that is there, the wound isn't covered over by skin to heel quickly, its just left open and has to be dressed everyday until it heals from the inside out. on my first dressing after the surgery, I was shocked to see this hole in my foot where my big toe had been. It went down to the bone, took 4 months to heal altogether.
Stay healthy
Russell

[Alice]

There was a new study released recently and was discussed on one of the US morning shows...Good Morning America?

The new study was very disturbing since it found that the very first cigarette triggered addiction. Not what was thought previously and preached by the tobacco companies.