Signs of Diabetes

Complications of Diabetes.? 6

My mother had diabetes when I was a teen. Before she died she was left a with multiple amputations and only had her right arm left. Had anyone had servere complications or know of people that have them? I am woried as I just found I have diabetes and I am determined to not be like my mother and keep control of my diabetes.

Hi Nicki, welcome to the club. (I’m guessing you were diagnosed with type 2). While my mother did not suffer multiple amputations, she suffered just about everything else and ended up incapacitated in a nursing home with dementia.

Why not do as I did and use this opportunity to learn as much as you can about controlling the disease? I have turned it around and am actually thriving on it. I’ve lost weight, I’m more energetic, and feel great.There are so many things you can do. In addition to the obvious, like diet and exercise, did you know that a half teaspoon of cinnamon each day can boost the effectiveness of your insulin? Did you know that fresh bitter melon can reduce your blood sugar? I learned all this stuff in my second year with the disease. The first year was total denial. Eating like a pig, drinking, you name it.

Why not visit my profile (click on ole Foghorn), and check out some of my findings? It’s a non commercial, personal website that I’ve posted tons of info on to help people like you and me become less dependent on useless healthcare "professionals".

I’m scared I’m developing diabetes complications. Type 1 for 14 years? 9

I’m sixteen years old, I haven’t been taking care of my diabetes. I’m scared that it’s all caught up with me and I’m developing complications. I’ve had a lot of stress in my life and I know that’s no excuse for harming my own health, but I have. Now I’m scared I can’t turn it around and that it’s too late! (Oh and for the assholes that come on diabetes questions and don’t realize that type 1 and type 2 are different from each other, don’t answer this. I’m not overweight and I didn’t get diabetes from being issues such as that. I’m type 1, it’s genetic.) Anyways, my first toe on my right foot feels not completely numb, but a little. Like there’s not enough circulation in my feet. When I press on my legs there’s an indent in it from water retention, but it’s not from retaining water like periods or pregnancy! It’s been there for a few months. My heels are hard, like the skin is really tough and it wasn’t always like that. You can’t tell looking at it but feels it is really awful. Sometimes my back right where my kidneys are have this sharp pain, and I can see but I see so many little spots in like the light if I’m looking up at the sky when it’s bright out and stuff. (not the spots you see from looking at a light too long, like floating stuff. but I can still see.) I’m going to my doctor, but I’m scared. Of knowing that I have complications and stuff. And of laser surgery and all of that! I wish now I had taken better care of myself. Can I turn this around though? Or at least stop it from getting worse?
Sorry about all the typos in there, I didn’t realize I had so many. I was typing kind of fast.
You’re welcome Zack, but I’d see a doctor. I’m sure you’d be in a much worse condition (dead) if you were a diabetic for 2 long years without insulin.
Sonj, I appreciate your concern my having diabetes hasn’t made my life as difficult as you’re making it sound. I wasn’t referring to my life sucking (which it really hasn’t in a lot of ways.) because of diabetes. But what HAS happened in my life made me attempt suicide twice, things I have no business mentioniong. I’ve been to theropy for it though. I went to the gym last night, and have been eating healthier. I’m going to keep it up and hopefully restore my health.
wmponygirl and dingding, your answers were the best. There were so many great answers though. I’m glad to know that I’m not alone in all of this. You both made me realize that the most and have more hope in most of this being reversable. So thank you so so much for your answers!

It’s no use telling you to stop worrying. Once we realize what a royal mess we have made of our health and make the decision to do something about it, we start to worry over everything. You are always going to worry about your diabetes and every little cold/illness. I am and will always be the same way. I as diagnosed at 13 and in the middle of the rebellious teenage years. I sometimes wish I had been diagnosed at a very young age so that I could have grown up with the lifestyle.

I am now running into complications as well. I started getting laser treatments for retinopathy late last year. Not fun. I have the water retention also. My doc called it "pitting" and sent me to a nephrologist. I was very lucky in that aspect because he said that after looking at my blood work my kidneys were still functioning pretty well. He put me on a bp medicine that also has a diuretic in it.

I can give you some advice about what works for me but nothing beats going to a doctor. The lower back pain may be from kidney infections/UTI’s. That is some thing that we diabetics are prone to. As for your feet, this might sound like a pretty standard answer but regular exercise helps. It keeps the blood flowing. Also be sure to check your feet FREQUENTLY for blisters/injuries. I have problems with dry skin on my feet and I am always rubbing lotion into them.

It’s never too late to start living a healthier lifestyle. Some of these conditions can’t be reversed, but they can be treated and the progression delayed. Don’t focus on the past. That’s not going to change anything. You have to focus on what’s ahead of you so that you can get back on track.

I am also available for email so don’t hesitate to fire off a message if you need anything.

Good luck!

diabetes complications pictures? 5

my 14 yr old son, is diabetic, and he has high blood sugars and I have to make him test, he won’t do it.
I want to find some pictures of real people who have had serious complications to maybe make it more real to him?

According to all research and clinical practice experience, "scare tactics" simply do not work as motivators for teens with diabetes. Teens tend to think that they’re "invincible" or "it won’t happen to them". It’s all part of that stage of life. In some cases, the fear of complications may make them feel like they are inevitable and the teen will just "give up" trying to take care of themselves.

I can think of what needs to be done here:

-Your son is overwhelmed by living with such a consuming and scary disease. Every day with no break. Sometimes kids just want to be kids. What are YOU doing to help him manage? Can YOU take over his management for a while until he comes around? Perhaps he just wants a break.

-Focus on the immediate short term. Tell him that if he wants to look healthy, play sports, go to college, and get/keep a girlfriend, he must be in control of his diabetes. If he ends up in a coma on a date, that might be the end of his relationship if not his life. Don’t allow him to stay overnight with his friends unless he can show you that he will take care of himself. It’s YOUR job to reinforce this. If he tests his blood glucose, he can go out, etc.

-Really talk to him. Find out his fears and wishes. Look for diabetes camps and/or diabetic support groups for teens in your area. I am assuming he has Type 1 diabetes, which is overall fairly uncommon. Perhaps he just needs to meet another teen living with the same issues he does? Diabetes (especially Type 1) can be a very hard disease to manage and cope with. Your son must be his pancreas 24-7 while his friends don’t have to think twice about such things. He may feel sick, depressed, and overwhlemed by the constant threat of immediate AND long term complications and early death. He may really benefit from a mental health professional who is familiar with diabetes in teens. To often people "blame the diabetic" without giving them the resources to cope with such a life-changing disease.

This is my advice. You can always try taking him to a local hospital to show him "diabetes complications" but in my opinion, that is not necessarily the best answer.

It’s like showing an alcoholic what alcoholism does to a family. They obviously are aware of the situation, what they need is *support* and tools to cope with and overcome their problem.

I believe there is a program called "Cumberland House" that helps teens with (primarily Type 1) diabetes with similar problems as your son. What you refer to is quite common.

Lastly, there is only so much you can do. In the end, he will have to come to terms with his condition and learn to manage it if he wants to live some sort of "normal" life. Unfortunately with diabetes, there really are no choices. Some kids do end up in and out of the hospital throughout their short life, and yes, some of those kids *do* die. Some people simply just can’t cope or manage. But I do not blame the diabetic, I blame the fact that we do not have a cure for this horrible disease yet. So many ignorant doctors and nurses have no idea how hard it is to live with Type 1 diabetes. My advice to them is to spend a week with a Type 1 child/teen, and then tell me how easy they think it is. Insulin does not replace a pancreas.

Whatever you do, support your son, do not blame him.

I wish your family all the best, and please try to get your son some help.

Diabetes/complications? 1

need a nursing care plan guide for patient with diabetes, complications include peripheral vascular disease, and another with below knee amputation

So, it sounds like you need to go to the textbooks or look on the internet. I couldn’t or wouldn’t do this. Not ethical to give you what I would do. Might not be satisfactory for your instructor or whoever.

Does good control of diabetes prevent the onset of eye complications? 8

My aunt controlled her diabetes with insulin injections for many years, but then one day she smashed her thumb with a hammer, foolishly took aspirin for the pain, which thins the blood, got a hemmorhage in her eye, and lost the eye. Please have a long discussion with your doctor related to what you need to avoid. If you take extra good care of yourself and know what to avoid, you’ll save yourself a LOT of heartache.

diabetes complications….? 3

i have heard lots of bad stories
about people that diabetes complications.

my question is…
is it possible to get complications
even if you blood sugar is in good control???

sorry if this is a dumb question
i just want to know

thanks in advance for the answers

It’s possible, but not likely that you will have severe complications as long as you keep you blood sugar under control. However, if you smoke or drink or do drugs, you will be more at risk than other smokers, drinkers and drug users. You should also try to exercise and eat healthy to help avoid complications

do people still have diabetes complications even if they have treatment for diabetes if so why? 5

Yes. Sometimes a person was diabetic long enough to begin the damage process before being diagnosed and treated. It can be years before you notice the damage, but often it is these symptoms which a person originally sees a doctor for (and ends up diagnosed as diabetic).

Sometimes they have recurrent, periodic episodes of high sugars that can cause problems that won’t be noticable for many years.

Sometimes the type of damage will occur anyway, even with treatment and good control. There is more to diabetes than just sugar, and some of it we are only now beginning to understand.

Diabetes complications…do they increase during puberty? 1

Do diabetes complications increase during puberty? Please answer with lots of details and, if possible, references/websites I can refer to. Thank you.

do you mean is it more difficult to maintain control of your blood sugar levels? Yes, I believe it is.

try www.diabetes.com for information.

Diabetes complications…do they increase during puberty? 1

Do diabetes complications increase during puberty? Please answer with lots of details and, if possible, references/websites I can refer to. Thank you.

do you mean is it more difficult to maintain control of your blood sugar levels? Yes, I believe it is.

try www.diabetes.com for information.

Did you know that Diabetes is a risk factor for complications in Gastric Bypass? 4

Spectrum and Risk Factors of Complications After Gastric Bypass

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Spectrum and Risk Factors of Complications After Gastric Bypass

Guilherme M. Campos, MD, PhD; Ruxandra Ciovica, MD; Stanley J. Rogers, MD; Andrew M. Posselt, MD, PhD; Eric Vittinghoff, PhD; Mark Takata, MD; John P. Cello, MD

Arch Surg. 2007;142(10):969-975.

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the spectrum of and risk factors for complications after gastric bypass (GBP).

Design Prospective cohort study.

Setting Academic tertiary referral center.

Patients All morbidly obese patients who underwent open or laparoscopic GBP between January 2003 and December 2006.

Main Outcome Measures Complications were stratified by grade: grade I, only bedside procedure; grade II, therapeutic intervention but without lasting disability; grade III, irreversible deficits; and grade IV, death. Data were analyzed using logistic regression to identify independent risk factors of complications after GBP. Predictors investigated were age, race, sex, marital and insurance status, body mass index, obesity-associated comorbidities, American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Class, operating room time, open or laparoscopic approach, and surgeon experience.

Results Of the 404 morbidly obese patients who underwent consecutive open (n = 72) or laparoscopic (n = 332) GBP, 74 (18.3%) experienced 107 complications. Grade I and II complications were more frequent after open GBP (grade I, 19.4% after open vs 3.9% after laparoscopic operations, P < .001; grade II, 20.8% after open vs 8.4% after laparoscopic operations, P < .001), and 55% were wound related. Grades III and IV complications occurred in only 4 patients (1%), and frequency was similar for open and laparoscopic cases. Three factors were independently predictive of complications: diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR], 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-3.3; P = .02), early surgeon experience (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.4-4.2; P = .001), and open approach (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 2.1-7.3; P < .001).

Conclusions Complications occurred in 18.3% of patients, but 95% were treated without leading to lasting disability.
Presence of diabetes, early surgeon experience, and an open approach are risk factors of complications.
There is also 58% increased chance of suicide among GB recipients.

NIH complication rate from 20-40%

New Jersey study 10% surgery for bowel obstruction

Acute Kidney function problems 8.5%

I’m not suprised..DM complicates and is a risk factor for many things