is t1 taking a toll on your body?

[christie]

i don't know how anyone else feels,but for me being t1 since 1983,i feel as though the diabetes is taking a toll.there are days when i feel like a wet dishrag.yet some of my friends who are the same age as me are going out almost all night long.aside from the complications that diabetes may bring,i wonder if it does take a toll after you've had it for a long period of time.

[Aftiel]

Hey Christie,

I have been T1 for almost 30 years. I am 43 years old and I find that AGE takes a toll on me more than diabetes does.

There are days that I have a ton of energy, and my co-workers have aches, pains and are dragging.

Then other days "I" am dragging and they seem to be flying around. I have never attributed those days directly to Diabetes - I attribute it more to "just getting older."

If other people ALWAYS felt great and could party all night, sleep 2 hours and work 12 hours, and I was dragging every day - THEN I would say yes, Diabetes is the difference.

The other thing I find is that we only know how WE feel. So we "assume" that everyone non-diabetic MUST feel "great."

In my exposure that is far from the truth. My non-diabetic co-workers sometimes have more energy than I do - sometimes less. Some days they are in far worse shape than I have ever been - and some days it seems that they have no problems at all.

At age 43, it is a nice dream that without Diabetes I would be superman - but I dont think that is true.

Believe it or not - there are days that other people look at YOU and wonder "how does Christie have so much energy?"

- Aftiel

[Cinnabon]

Believe it or not - there are days that other people look at YOU and wonder "how does Christie have so much energy?"

- Aftiel
This is Sooooo true. How well aware of the foods everyday people eat that are so harming to their bodies, but WE ARE AWARE....:albertein

I can honestly say the only thing I have felt till now, has been my sight. Other than that.. NADA!

[christie]

i suppose there are factors which influences anyone.i know getting older,having kids,aging sickly parent,medications all are a factor.i just feel pure blah these days,i just don't feel as though i have the energy anymore,i had to force myself for my kids to put up the xmas stuff.

[rzrbks]

i know getting older,having kids,aging sickly parent


Two HUGE factors in determining your mental state.

[Mick]

Life is what you make it--here's mine: Type 1 for 41 years. Heart attack at age 47, triple by-pass, with intense dietary and cardio-aerobic exercise demands. Very high-stress demanding job as a special education teacher in a residential facility for youthful offenders (30 years at it so far.) Two children, one out of college, one still in high school. A wife recovering from cancer. No parents of my own, they both died young, but aging in-laws demanding advise and attention. A 46-year-old home with breaking plumbing, leaky roof, aging heating and electic systems. A sprawling acre with pool springing leaks, lawn full of weeds and trees needing constant pruning. Broken lawn mower. Car with squeaky brakes. Did I mention moody, demanding, petulant 15 year old son playing rock music too loud...?? Planning for an eventual retirement if I don't die first... And the 150 convicted felons--armed robbers, drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes, gang-bangers and auto theives, ages 12-18, that I teach every day.

Oh, by the way--I'm the happiest, healthiest, laughing-est, smiling-est old guy I know. Yeah, sure, I have better days and worse days. I have days i feel worn out, or at least wearing down. So do most people my age, but the bottom line is this--with or without diabetes, the human body was only built to last 45 or so years. They told me when I was diagnosed in 1965 at the age of 12 that I should get 20 good years. So, I've beat the odds either way. Yes--a tooth cracks. My elbow has tendonitis. A touch of joint stiffness in my fingers causes morning pains. But I have all my finger and toes, arms and legs, hands and feet. I have 20/20 vision, and the kidneys of a non-diabetic 18 year old. Since my heart attack 6 years ago, I have not missed one single day of work out sick. I can cycle 20 miles and leave my teenaged son panting in my dust.

If diabetes IS taking a toll, I can't distinguish it from anything my non-diabetic peers are dealing with. In fact, most of the teachers I work with are half my age, and can't hack the job for more than a year or so before quitting in total burn-out. They all leave at the end of the day with shoulders slumped and eyes bloodshot and bleary. I leave most nice days on my bicycle, pedaling the long way home, singing and smiling. At the end of the week, they all go out drinking to dull their fatigue and empty their overloaded minds. I go home and dance with my wife! I am happy to get up every morning, grateful for a new day. I go to sleep each evening pleased to have made it through another day, optimistically anticipating another tomorrow... and tomorrow... and tomorrow...

Bring it on.
Michael

[Eri's mom]

Although I, myself, do not have diabetes, I see different things with Eri...not with her frame of mind and thinking "Oh, it is the diabetes"...she doesn't think that way b/c she, well, just doesn't. She is not attributing the heart pains or kidney pains to diabetes, she is clueless herself as to what is causing them...me on the other hand, I think, why did the endo's all say to wait 5 years to see what damage has been done instead of doing something to prevent any damage that COULD be done...know what I mean?

I DO see certain things, although I am not sure what the heck is going on in her body right now, causing so much to happen, w/ heart/ abdominal area, all that nausea and extreme fatigue. Granted, can be a totally different thing going on.

I have a nephew who's immune system is all out of whack b/c he had been sick so much as an infant and on from being in daycare from 6 weeks old or something. (I'm not downing daycare)...

I watch, I hope, I pray, that Eri has those great days and does NOT let diabetes get her down. She has so much planned in her life, I pray she keeps a positive outlook like so many of you have mentioned!!!

[KickStart101]

Although I, myself, do not have diabetes, I see different things with Eri...not with her frame of mind and thinking "Oh, it is the diabetes"...she doesn't think that way b/c she, well, just doesn't. She is not attributing the heart pains or kidney pains to diabetes, she is clueless herself as to what is causing them...me on the other hand, I think, why did the endo's all say to wait 5 years to see what damage has been done instead of doing something to prevent any damage that COULD be done...know what I mean?

I DO see certain things, although I am not sure what the heck is going on in her body right now, causing so much to happen, w/ heart/ abdominal area, all that nausea and extreme fatigue. Granted, can be a totally different thing going on.

I have a nephew who's immune system is all out of whack b/c he had been sick so much as an infant and on from being in daycare from 6 weeks old or something. (I'm not downing daycare)...

I watch, I hope, I pray, that Eri has those great days and does NOT let diabetes get her down. She has so much planned in her life, I pray she keeps a positive outlook like so many of you have mentioned!!!

How Very Sad For That Sweet Girl. OMG! :bawling: That last paragraph brought tears to my eyes. It made me think of that cd I bought for my Daughter, "I Hope You Dance" I think is the name. She loves it and cried
and hugged me when I gave it to her. You and Eri are in my thoughts and prayers also. She has to get better.
Did she have any of these symptoms when you's lived in Florida, was it?
God Bless.

[BriOnH]

I hate to admit it, but it for sure has taken a toll on me. I have slight diabetic retinopathy in my eyes, nothing either of my two eye doctors are worried about, but they said my retinas look like that of a 40 yo as opposed to a 32 yo. Also I had kidney damage when i was younger from a weird case of vascolitous<sp?>, and while they 90% recovered, diabetes is starting to take its toll on them as well, with protien leaks - scaring the heck out of me. Also, I know for certain that diabetes is the cause of my panic disorder. The only complication that really scares me is the possibility of kidney failure. The first time I went through it, it was IMO worse then death. I have been in very bad control the past ten years due to a phobia of going low, but i am over coming it, and while my last A1C was still high, 8.3%, its a lot better then the 11% it was at a year ago before. I will get it to 6 when i take the test again in three months. It's really hard getting blood sugars down. It seems like for me I can only accomplish it in tiny steps, like running an avg of 170 for 14 days, then running 158 for the next 14 days. If I try to get in perfect range i just start to roller coaster. This year is the first year that my kidneys have shown any wear and tear from diabetes, and ever since i saw those lab results, and talked to my doc, I am determined to stay in good control so my kindeys can hopefully function til old age takes me.

On a brighter note. I am in excellent physical shape(except for the obvious), I work out a lot doing both cardio and strength training routines. I heal super quickly from injury, faster than most non diabetics. And diabetics in general just seem to be more intelligent IMO. In my case if i didnt have diabetes, i probably would have never had such a love for biochemistry, especially that of the brain, kidneys, and endocrine system.

ok sorry to wrtie a book lol. After reading that god awful New York Diabetic Epi crisies I have been feeling pretty down on the outlook of my future, especially that of my kidneys. Venting here has helped, and put stuff into a better perspective.

[Eri's mom]

Did she have any of these symptoms when you's lived in Florida, was it?
God Bless.

The one thing she was dx'd with in FL was the panic anxiety disorder, but that wasn't until her half-brother came to live with us at that point.(a LOT of bad issues there). Other than that, it's been since we came back up here that she has had the gastro problems and all these new symptoms.
Thanks and God bless...:)

[Linn]

Where to start? Well first off, I have not had diabetes nearly as long as many of you here. Only dx 3 years ago. Some days I feel just as Christie does, like it's taking it's toll on me. Other days, I spring up out of bed, ready to take on the world while everyone else around me wonders where i get the energy:marchmell

I think that it is rather the effects of age on me. I am 39 years old and only this year did I even consider I would at times FEEL like a 39 year old and not an 18 yr old :) . I have an 18 year old daughter in college and a 15 year old son at home. Mick, oh how I relate to your situation! I have elderly parents that demand much of my attention every day. The pressures most times of what others require of me gets to me I believe more than anything else. I find that many times I neglect taking care of me due to others waiting in line for my aid. I have got to work on that more. I recently got sick with a bad case of bronchitis and was still running around doing errands and taking care of things for my parents and did not rest one bit. Well, as could be expected, I got worse and the doc told me that I better get rest or would end up in hospital. That got my attention.

When my numbers are high, I can tell it in my body and feel horrible. When I first found out I had diabetes, monitor read over 400 and I felt GREAT! My HB1ac on entering the hospital and being dx was 12 I think:frown:
I had no idea anything was wrong with me before the dx.. Now if my numbers get above 150 I feel like someone's kicked me to the curb.:vollkomme In the past year I've had the problem that someone spoke of on here about worrying about lows to the point of always intentionally running a little high.
So all in all, some days i do feel like it's the diabetes taking it's toll on my body, but most of the time I know it's just me getting older.

[Gangrel]

I remember reading somewhere that diabetes can affect the amount of seritonin produced in the brain, which is the chemical that controls our mood. The article noted that diabetics are more prone to depression because of this fact.

Sometimes I wonder if it happens at random times. I know there have been periods in my life where I've been extremely down, but it usually passes.....

[am1977]

I think so... I think b/c this disease requires SO much monitoring, regarding blood sugar testing and other wise, and also the fact that it's with us 24/7 makes it a difficult disease. We NEVER get a break from it. Personally speaking, even when I'm not thinking about it directly, it's always at the back of my head. After a while, I think it does take a toll on you. I always have believed that a disease like this one affects you on many different levels-not just physically. It drains you physically, emotionally, and mentally.

So I guess what I'm saying is "YES" -I think this disease does take a toll on your body AND mind.

[Aftiel]

The only drawback to our discussion here, is that we cannot compare the "diabetic us" to the "non-diabetic us."

On days that I am tired or have an ache or pain, I can think "if I wasn't diabetic I would feel better," -- but I have no way of proving that.

- Aftiel

[BriOnH]

I think so... I think b/c this disease requires SO much monitoring, regarding blood sugar testing and other wise, and also the fact that it's with us 24/7 makes it a difficult disease. We NEVER get a break from it. Personally speaking, even when I'm not thinking about it directly, it's always at the back of my head. After a while, I think it does take a toll on you. I always have believed that a disease like this one affects you on many different levels-not just physically. It drains you physically, emotionally, and mentally.

So I guess what I'm saying is "YES" -I think this disease does take a toll on your body AND mind.

If I could manage anything else like I manage my diabetes, I'd be the best at whatever I chose to manage instead lol.