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07-13-2008, 09:27 AM
| | Junior Member | | Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 16
| | | Type 2 life expectancy Are there any averages or anything for the life expectancy of a type 2 diabetic?
I know that is a broad question and may be difficult to answer. If you are type 2 and would not mind posting your age and how long you have been type 2 diabetic I would greatly appreciate it.
I have been type 2 for 9 years and on insulin for one year. I am 40 years old and have very good control of my sugars right now. My last A1c was 6.2 it has slowly come down from a 8.4, I am very proud of that. I am in general good health but overweight and working on that as well. It is a very slow process for me with that. I am 180 lbs and 5' 1" so I have a long way to go.
Thanks in advance for sharing! | 
07-13-2008, 09:35 AM
|  | Member
I am a: Type 2 | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Kansas
Posts: 353
| | | I am a type 2 and diagnosed just this year in June. I am 47, 185 and 5'9" tall. My bs have come way down in the last few weeks. I was at 360 when placed on Metformin. Now I average between 100 and 115 most days.
I've never really thought much about life expectancy of being diabetic until you asked. To me, it'd have to be on an individual basis. For now though, I want to think on the positive side of life and just live to the best of my ability. My days are getting better and I don't really worry as much about what I can/can't eat, testing my bs, or checking my feet everyday for possible problems. | 
07-13-2008, 10:11 AM
| | Junior Member | | Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 16
| | | I am such a planner that I feel that I need to know how long I will live. LOL! I know there is no real answer to this question. I feel that if I hear from diabetics that have had it for many, many years that if I keep going as I am I will be around to be with my husband (who is in good health) for many years to come and see more of my four children as they move on with their lives.
I am sorry for arising such a question but I know that we can live for a long time if it is managed and for some reason I need to hear that right now. | 
07-13-2008, 10:14 AM
|  | Member
I am a: Type 2 | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Northern VA
Posts: 116
| | | There is one school of thought that type 2s who actually follow up with it appropriately can live longer than others because they are constantly mmonitored and checked for complications, whereas many other people don't go to a doctor for something until it is too late.
I am only 25 and was diagnosed this year. It's very scary. Hopefully after my surgery, though, I won't have to worry about diabetes anymore--instead, I'll worry about adequate nutritional supplementation.
__________________ *Jill* Diagnosed Type 2 May 21, 2008, A1C 9.5, Fasting Glucose 214 50/500 Janumet with breakfast, 1000mg Metformin with dinner Goals:
- HBA1C as close to 7.0 as possible by next test in August...DONE! HBA1C 6.2 as of 8/12/08
- HBA1C down to 6.0 within 6 months after that (so, February, I guess)
- get off all diabetes medications in 3 years or less...Revised: have DS surgery to cure diabetes in 2009 | 
07-13-2008, 10:23 AM
|  | Member
I am a: Type 2 | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sunshine State (of Confusion)
Posts: 227
| | | Statistically I'm sure that type 2's have significantly shorter life spans that the general population. However, I would be willing to bet that highly compliant type 2's who eat right, exercise, and manage to keep their A1C's under 6.5 have just as long if not longer life spans than the general population. It is a real shame that so many type 2's go through life with very high A1C's and wind up with complications due to whatever factors (lack of access to good health care, Dr's with poor understanding of the disease, sheer stubborness and unwillingness to change lifestyles is probably a problem for some people) There are plenty of very senior (practically ANCIENT ;-)) type 2's (and T1's) who I have seen post up here in the past year and a half. Hopefully some will see this thread and share the secrets to their success. | 
07-13-2008, 10:49 AM
|  | Member
I am a: Type 2 | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: British Columbia
Posts: 192
| | | I am 65 and was diagnosed in 1989 - almost 20 years ago. And I really did not look after it for the first 10 years. I was on an ADA plan, so you can imagine how many carbs I took in.
So far, I have been lucky enough to have no complications. For the past 10 years I've been very serious about managing it, but have a hard time getting below an A1C of 7.2. I've been worse than that but I once hit 6.3 when I was on Atkins. I cannot stick with an ultra-low carb diet but can manage to do a max of 80 grams per day. I'm on 2000 mg Metformin and I've been on Levemir for a couple of years and NovoRapid for a year.
So plan for a happy retirement with the D and when the time comes, have enough stashed away to travel and enjoy life to the fullest. Test, manage, test, and strive for good numbers.
Hope that helps
__________________  Dx'd Type 2, 1989
Metformin 4x500, Levemir 22 units a.m., 18 units p.m., NovoRapid 1:4
Lipitor, Inhibace, Aspirin
Remeron, Celexa
Omega 3, Calcium, Vitamin D
Ascensia Contour, Accuchek Aviva, Novolin Pen 4
A1C March 08, 7.2
July 08 8.0
October 08 6.8 | 
07-13-2008, 11:55 AM
| | Junior Member | | Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 16
| | | Thanks Sparrow I really needed to hear that! This information makes me want to strive that much more to do all I can.
I personally did not know anyone that lived into their 60's that had been diabetic for more than 10 years. I hope you're not the only one out there!
Thanks again. | 
07-13-2008, 12:44 PM
| | Junior Member
I am a: Type 2 | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ks
Posts: 6
| | | Rachel, I am 67 diagnosed type 2 in 1997. My wife and I are now retired and into our traveling phase. My mother was a type 2 and lived happily to age 83. | 
07-13-2008, 12:55 PM
|  | Senior Member
I am a: Type 2 | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Vermont
Posts: 1,517
| | | "Diabetes is a perfect model for accelerated aging."
I have seen it stated that 1 year with diabetes equals 1.5 years without. So a person Dx at 40 would then at age 60 be statistically in the same shape as a non diabetic at age 70.
__________________ T2 Dx 9/2007 A1c 8.8, 12/2007 6.0, 4/2008 5.7, 9/2008 6.1
No meds, daily 81mg aspirin and multivitamin, nutrition & exercise.You can call me  Postcard exchange #2: 20 out & 17 in, exchange #1/2: 9 out & 4 in | 
07-13-2008, 12:56 PM
|  | Member
I am a: Type 2 | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Kansas
Posts: 353
| | Quote:
Originally Posted by Evermont "Diabetes is a perfect model for accelerated aging."
I have seen it stated that 1 year with diabetes equals 1.5 years without. So a person Dx at 40 would then at age 60 be statistically in the same shape as a non diabetic at age 70. |
Source please? Who did you quote? | 
07-13-2008, 01:30 PM
|  | Senior Member
I am a: Type 1 | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southlake, Texas
Posts: 1,858
| | | My 2 cents:
My grandpa was diagnosed at approximately 70 yrs of age. He went on insulin immediately and they called him a Type 1, but I'll never really know for sure. Anyway, he took one shot of Humulin Lente daily and lived to be 93. He had amazing control and willpower. He didn't have the "smartest" doctors.
There was a discussion here about life expectancy of Type 1s. Just like in that discussion, a good answer is very hard to capture. Worrying about a shortened life won't do anything positive, except, hopefully get the subject to focus more on quality of life, not quantity. In addition, a good attitude and gratefulness about the life you were blessed with, can add years.
__________________ Type 1 since 1979 (Age 18)
Pumping w/MM 522 since Feb '08
HbA1c 6.1 - April '08 & Nov. '08 | 
07-13-2008, 02:31 PM
|  | Senior Member
I am a: Type 2 | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Vermont
Posts: 1,517
| | Quote:
Originally Posted by Debbie Sue Source please? Who did you quote? | Sorry, I got used to people not caring. I quote Dr. Andrew Weil from Healthy Aging (which I got through Netflix, I found it very interesting)
__________________ T2 Dx 9/2007 A1c 8.8, 12/2007 6.0, 4/2008 5.7, 9/2008 6.1
No meds, daily 81mg aspirin and multivitamin, nutrition & exercise.You can call me  Postcard exchange #2: 20 out & 17 in, exchange #1/2: 9 out & 4 in | 
07-13-2008, 04:57 PM
|  | Member
I am a: Type 2 | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: British Columbia
Posts: 192
| | Quote:
Originally Posted by Evermont "Diabetes is a perfect model for accelerated aging."
I have seen it stated that 1 year with diabetes equals 1.5 years without. So a person Dx at 40 would then at age 60 be statistically in the same shape as a non diabetic at age 70. | Wow! So I'm in the same shape as a 99 year old  No wonder my joints ache LOL.
__________________  Dx'd Type 2, 1989
Metformin 4x500, Levemir 22 units a.m., 18 units p.m., NovoRapid 1:4
Lipitor, Inhibace, Aspirin
Remeron, Celexa
Omega 3, Calcium, Vitamin D
Ascensia Contour, Accuchek Aviva, Novolin Pen 4
A1C March 08, 7.2
July 08 8.0
October 08 6.8 | 
07-13-2008, 04:59 PM
|  | Senior Member
I am a: Type 2 | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South Dakota
Posts: 661
| | | With my A1c, the fact that I have lost 37 lbs, and am working to loose more, Etc. I expect to live longer than if I never got diabetes.
-Lloyd
__________________ If it is to be, it's up to me! -Lloyd
Average glucose 2008 92, 2007 97 2006 195 Pumping 20 months
10/6/08 A1c 5.1 8/11/08 A1c 5.2 5/12/08 A1c 4.92/18/08 A1c 4.911/2007 A1c 5.3
8/2007 A1c 5.5 6/2007 A1c 5.7 3/2007 A1c 6.9 12/2006, A1c 7.8 9/2006, A1c 8.5
6/2006 A1c 8.7 | 
07-13-2008, 05:50 PM
|  | Member
I am a: Type 2 | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Holland, Michigan USA
Posts: 466
| | | My grandmother was Type 2 (as is my mother, and now me).
Grandma was chair bound, pain issues from what put her in the chair, controlled her diabetes with diet and oral meds.
She also drank when the pain meds weren't enough .. smoked 4 packs of Pall Mall unfiltered a day and ate foods that had her cholesterol sky high.
She died in her sleep at age 88.
My mother is now 63 and has been dealing with type 2 (oral meds/diet) for almost 20 yrs and doesn't show any signs of slowing down.
Point is .. who REALLY knows what YOUR life expectancy is/was to begin with? |  | | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
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