How long can you live with Type 2 diabetes?

[jseeley]

I keep coming back to the same question; how long can a person live with type 2 diabetes? I'm 30 years old; I was diagnosed a year ago with type 2 diabetes. At the time I was diagnosed I weighed 155 pounds; I was not over weight by any means. I was fairly physically fit. Now only a year in already the metformin is not working well and my doctor has added glipizide to my treatment.

I work very hard to eat healthy and I exercise like an absolute maniac, but I keep wondering how long I'm going to have. I know I'm not going to die tomorrow, but I wonder how long I can expect to survive with diabetes if nothing else (like a bus) gets me first.

I've seen a few long term success stories, but they are always from Type 1 diabetics. I'm not sure the Type 1 diabetes survival rate applies to Type 2 due to the insulin resistance aspect. With the insulin resistance gradually getting worse over time, how long will insulin even be able to manage the blood glucose for some one with Type 2 diabetes?

Is insulin resistance even an issue for Type 1 diabetics? I don't think it is, but maybe I'm not educated enough.

[robbytype2]

i plan on living right up till the day i die ....
i was watching a dlife show on television i believe the man was in eighties he said something to the fact his diet was simple no white bread and no white sugar ,my grand mothers older brother i guess my great uncle you would call him is 77 i think maybe 78 and still kicking not sure if the guy on t.v was type 1 or 2 cant remember but my great uncle is type 2

[pdxdennisj]

In his office my Endo has pictures of patients of his with D that are sill going after 40+ years. With proper care I don't think there needs to be a limit.

[cherokee_psh]

i plan on living right up till the day i die ....

Exactly what I was going to say. I know poeple that have had it along time. I look at it like my asthma...just another hurdle in life. You learn your boundaries, adjust, and move on with life.

[Caravaggio]

While many of the success stories are of Type 1, not Type 2, I don't think its a function of survival rate. Rather, before obesity became a major issue these days, the focus was on Type 1 diabetes. Morever, in the past, most people diagnosed with Type 2 were older. Type 2s may seem to be riddled with various complications but that's most likely because the diagnosis came too late and the undetected diabetes has wrecked its havoc on their bodies, and the then known treatments were faulty (eg, eat a high carb diet).

Some people with Type 1 also have insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is not something exclusive to us with Type 2.

While insulin resistance is a problem, and yes it may get worse, I don't think it will worsen into extreme insulin resistance, unless you refuse to take appropriate action to reduce your insulin resistance, or you are allergic to insulin, or suffer from some condition that causes your body to reject insulin at all.

How long will you live or can you live? Only you can answer that question. As for me, I intend to live a long, fruitful, active and satisfying life, and I'll do what I can to achieve that. I would say and do the same thing had I been diagnosed with any other chronic or serious illness.

Heck, I may not even die from diabetes! There are million other things that can kill me.

[EeyoreButterfly]

Your post sounds like the poster child for type 1.5 (based on what I have read). Insist on a GAD antibody test and a C Peptide test from your doctor if you have not had them. Several of the hallmarks of Type 1.5 include:

-Age of 25 or older on diagnosis
-Being normal or underweight
-Inability to control blood sugars using diet/exercise/oral medications
-quicker progression to insulin
-no family history of diabetes.

[bunbury]

I keep coming back to the same question; how long can a person live with type 2 diabetes?

Getting T2D under control has improved my health in every way I can think of. Lipids, weight, fitness, blood pressure (and least I forget: BS) are all looking great.

So, the answer to your question is that I intend to live longer with T2D than I would have done had I not got it.

[Evermont]

I'm going snowboarding Saturday. I might hit a tree and die before 9:00 a.m. Then again, I'm risking a fatal car accident on the 20 minute drive there.

Ever done any retirement planning? Is it just me, or is one of the first steps to pick an age at which you expect to expire? I mean, if you say age 80 but live to 100 you'll run out of money too soon right?

I picked age 120 as my goal many years ago. I have a number of reasons to think that age is reasonable as unlikely as it may sound.

Then I got diagnosed with Diabetes. I learned that Diabetes is a perfect model for accelerated aging. I'm thinking about resetting my goal, but I have plenty of time to do that - unless I crash my Harley into a Subaru while passing fertilizer truck on a scenic country road next April.

Maybe age 114 years, that would be 72 years after Dx for me. I might prefer a skydiving accident a 114 to a diabetes induced stroke though. I guess I'll just work on maintaining an enjoyable and effective healthy lifestyle, ride it out and see what happens.

Wish me luck!

[yannah]

I'm going snowboarding Saturday. I might hit a tree and die before 9:00 a.m. Then again, I'm risking a fatal car accident on the 20 minute drive there.

Ever done any retirement planning? Is it just me, or is one of the first steps to pick an age at which you expect to expire? I mean, if you say age 80 but live to 100 you'll run out of money too soon right?

I picked age 120 as my goal many years ago. I have a number of reasons to think that age is reasonable as unlikely as it may sound.

Then I got diagnosed with Diabetes. I learned that Diabetes is a perfect model for accelerated aging. I'm thinking about resetting my goal, but I have plenty of time to do that - unless I crash my Harley into a Subaru while passing fertilizer truck on a scenic country road next April.

Maybe age 114 years, that would be 72 years after Dx for me. I might prefer a skydiving accident a 114 to a diabetes induced stroke though. I guess I'll just work on maintaining an enjoyable and effective healthy lifestyle, ride it out and see what happens.

Wish me luck!

hahahahaha!!! lol...lol


I live in the moment now and right now my life kicks ***.
I am having alot of really good sex. I mean it is really good.

[bunbury]

I'm thinking about resetting my goal, but I have plenty of time to do that - unless I crash my Harley into a Subaru while passing fertilizer truck on a scenic country road next April.

OK! Let's get really controversial I reckon the life limiting ingredient in your life is not D, it's the Harley. It's under-powered and too slow to get past the fertilizer truck, has lousy brakes so can't stop before you hit the Subaru and, whilst I'm at it, has a dreadful gear box which also slows your progress past the truck. You should get a Japanese of European bike and go much faster, stop more quickly and burn less fuel.

I think the life-limiting event in my life is likely to be murder by a Harley rider. (I ride a BMW K1200R)

[adiantum]

unless I crash my Harley into a Subaru while passing fertilizer truck on a scenic country road next April.

Wish me luck!

I bags the Harley

[Evermont]

...I think the life-limiting event in my life is likely to be murder by a Harley rider...

Well, perhaps, if you go 'round talkin' smack like that! But it won't be me - I don't wanna die in prison. So I'll just give you the biker wave and wish you well. BTW - my '90 XL 1200 is a 4 speed - crazy huh?

...I am having alot of really good sex. I mean it is really good.

The grampa in me says "TMI, this is a family forum", but the biker in me says "shut the **** up grampa!" and some other stuff I won't repeat.

I bags the Harley

You sound like my old doctor, but I like you better than him so I'll be nice.

"Live free or die" brotha.

[conguitos]

I've seen a few long term success stories, but they are always from Type 1 diabetics. I'm not sure the Type 1 diabetes survival rate applies to Type 2 due to the insulin resistance aspect. With the insulin resistance gradually getting worse over time, how long will insulin even be able to manage the blood glucose for some one with Type 2 diabetes?

I have bad news for you! You've got only 50 years more...

But you don't sound like a type II IMHO, more like a LADA...
could you do the antiodies tests? I you got GAD-65 and the others, then the probabilities that you're a LADA are higher, more seeing your problems controlling your BS levels.

The good news is that there's Dr. Faustman thath has found a very promising way for a cure, for type I and possibly LADA.

The healing for most type IIs consists in a duodenal bypass, AFAIK.

Greets and cheer up!

[Debbie Sue]

I'm not going to worry about how long I have left. I must admit though that since being dx'd with type 2, high BP and Cholesterol, I am somewhat more aware of how fragile we humans are. But to spend time worrying when I'll leave this planet? No thanks. I have better things to do, like live life to the fullest.

[natayo]

I know an 83 year old woman who has been T2 for just over 30 years. No complications. No meds!!!!!

In my cruising around the web, I've found enough info to convince myself that with my current numbers and history, I expect less than a year taken off my life expectation due to T2.