Type 2 Diabetes and Health Anxiety

[BackRoads]

So I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes back in April with an A1C of 8.5%. I know from previous blood tests that I had been diabetic for a year or less. I immediately changed my diet and lost 30 pounds. No meds. Fortunately, it has worked well so far. My A1C is now 5.2%.....completely normal. While I am happy with this, I still have extreme anxiety over allowing this to happen, and I wonder how much damage was done to my body during that time. I feel guilty about the past, and worry about the future. I realize neither of those things helps. Can anyone else relate?

[Pamplemousse]

The answer is... most likely none. T2 diabetes is a "slow burner" relatively speaking and it can take years for the more serious effects to show.

In the time frames you're suggesting, I'd say no effect, and well done for addressing the matter so promptly and effectively.

I'm T2 myself and have been for five years.

[BackRoads]

The answer is... most likely none. T2 diabetes is a "slow burner" relatively speaking and it can take years for the more serious effects to show.

In the time frames you're suggesting, I'd say no effect, and well done for addressing the matter so promptly and effectively.

I'm T2 myself and have been for five years.

So I take it you have had no complications so far? I also worry some because I was prediabetic for a few years as well. Opinions are mixed on whether that causes damage.

[Pamplemousse]

None whatsoever. No signs of retinopathy or neuropathy. To date, no impairment of kidney function (I say this because I am awaiting a test) and liver functions are all normal.

[Pamplemousse]

I should also add to the above that urea/creatinine levels are normal too. I now have online access to my test results and as a rule they sit nicely in the ranges of 'normal'.

[sarahsarah]

Same as Pamplemoose. I've been T2 for 5 years, I don't know what my HBA1C was on diagnosis (I'm assuming high because my fasting was 17.5) but with diet, exercise and low-dose Metformin, it's never been higher than 5.9 since.

As has been said, T2 is a slow-burner in terms of irreversible damage to your body. Keeping your A1C under control and having regular blood tests and check-ups may mean there is never any damage to your body.

Educate yourself about how to best control this condition for you (everyone is different) and you'll feel more in control. Unfortunately, medical advice is not always up-to-date when it comes to T2 so you may have to find it all out for yourself, which is no bad thing really as knowledge is power when it comes to diabetes.

[BackRoads]

Same as Pamplemoose. I've been T2 for 5 years, I don't know what my HBA1C was on diagnosis (I'm assuming high because my fasting was 17.5) but with diet, exercise and low-dose Metformin, it's never been higher than 5.9 since.

As has been said, T2 is a slow-burner in terms of irreversible damage to your body. Keeping your A1C under control and having regular blood tests and check-ups may mean there is never any damage to your body.

Educate yourself about how to best control this condition for you (everyone is different) and you'll feel more in control. Unfortunately, medical advice is not always up-to-date when it comes to T2 so you may have to find it all out for yourself, which is no bad thing really as knowledge is power when it comes to diabetes.

I test regularly, and seem to have pretty good control of it so far. I have found some good sources of info. I just wish I had changed my ways a decade ago! I started getting some burning pain in my feet and to a lesser degree in my hands, but this didn't start until about 6 weeks AFTER diagnosis, after lowering my blood sugar numbers significantly. I didn't notice any symptoms at diagnosis. Best I can tell I only spent about a year in diabetic range. Hoping that wasn't too damaging, and that my body is just adjusting.

[sarahsarah]

I was worried about this when I got diagnosed too but you soon learn to live with it, I promise you. I had every short-term T2 symptom going when I was diagnosed but they soon went away when I got my blood glucose numbers under control.

The long-term damage uncontrolled diabetes can cause that you're worried about is progressive over a long period of time. For example, your eyesight won't fail overnight, it takes years and years, so if you're having your annual retinal scan, any slight damage will be picked up well before it starts to affect your vision and you can be treated accordingly. Same with kidney function, feet, nerve damage and the vast majority of complications associated with this condition.

Keep up you with your regular A1C check and do what you can to keep that as low as possible, have your other blood and urine tests and make sure you attend your retinal screenings and get your feet checked and that's all you can do really. If you do that, you'll be ahead of the game.

T2 can be a pain in the arse to live with and if you ignore it, the consequences may be catastrophic eventually, but at the end of the day there is a lot you can do to try and make sure you stay healthy for as long as possible. Complications may never come along and if they do, you know you have caught them early and there's a lot that can be done to control or even reverse them.

[BackRoads]

I was worried about this when I got diagnosed too but you soon learn to live with it, I promise you. I had every short-term T2 symptom going when I was diagnosed but they soon went away when I got my blood glucose numbers under control.

The long-term damage uncontrolled diabetes can cause that you're worried about is progressive over a long period of time. For example, your eyesight won't fail overnight, it takes years and years, so if you're having your annual retinal scan, any slight damage will be picked up well before it starts to affect your vision and you can be treated accordingly. Same with kidney function, feet, nerve damage and the vast majority of complications associated with this condition.

Keep up you with your regular A1C check and do what you can to keep that as low as possible, have your other blood and urine tests and make sure you attend your retinal screenings and get your feet checked and that's all you can do really. If you do that, you'll be ahead of the game.

T2 can be a pain in the arse to live with and if you ignore it, the consequences may be catastrophic eventually, but at the end of the day there is a lot you can do to try and make sure you stay healthy for as long as possible. Complications may never come along and if they do, you know you have caught them early and there's a lot that can be done to control or even reverse them.

Thank you for this response. I certainly plan to do all that I can on my part. Glad to hear you are doing well.

[Pamplemousse]

I'd also add a friend of mine has been T2 for rather longer and it is interesting to note that even recently his GP suggested that he should, even with this condition, expect to live to 80+ in his current state of health.

T2 is eminently manageable; there are some schools of thought that now believe it to be reversible in some cases. But the important message here is that it need not be life-shortening.