104 Comments
Do you have any diabetes-related complications? Please share more about your experiences in the comments.
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62 years T1D with diabetic proliferative retinopathy – 1977 had tons of laser surgery for it and saved my eyesight. Had a “fluid leak” according to an eye specialist in Maryland and said it was not from my T1D – but have no central vision in my left eye – legally blind, cataracts, CKD stage 3 that has since been corrected by me stopping the Ibuprofen I was taking, carpal tunnel, frozen shoulders, (surgery on the right), Graves’ disease, hypertension, trigger fingers and Dupuytrenās contractures
All in All I feel I’m doing great.
Kudos to all of you that have little to no complications!
Boy Karen, you sound like me! 59 years w/type 1. Have had 7 trigger fingers, 2 carpal tunnels, frozen shoulder, thyroid, gastroparesis, slight neuropathy in my legs, and a vitrectomy. All these surgeries were done more than 10 years ago. The only thing that bothers me right now is the gastroparesis and the slight neuropathy in the legs but only if I donāt take my neurontin.
T1D for 44 years and blessed to still be complication-free. Have used an insulin pump for 29 years and adopted CGM as soon as it became available. While not a cure, technology makes good control possible.
Not sure what the question is asking. I have bad eyesight and bad teeth from dry mouth. (I was a bad teen diabetic) I have not had a limb removed or gone blind. I have RA which is common with T1D. Sorry just confused and not the first time. lol
I thought my trigger finger was caused by using index finger to operate welding tool and my carpal tunnel was caused by hand pressure on bike handle bars. But hcbI.nim.nih.gov shows high diabetes frequency. Both problems resolved quickly & easily long ago. I thought my frozen left shoulder was result of rotary cuff injury via bike accident. Quickly resolved thru acupuncture at the time. Easy & painless lens replacement surgery paid by Medicare resolved issue of cataracts. Pre blood glucose meter era, I had seizures usually in morning awakening with tongue or check bitten, confusion, furniture tipped over or food spilled, until awareness slowly returned. Yeah, after recovering Iād be depressed, self-blame. (Yet, insulin shock was once a therapy for emotionally disturbed folks! I call this Nazi medicine.) Anti-seizure pills solved this, and now Iāve got CGM. Some minor neuropathy in feet but I have foot inspections w/ toenail trims every 3 months. 100 reps of Kegel exercises minimize my incidents of urinary incontinence. Also do one-legged stands w/ hands over kitchen counter for better balance, but bike riding and roller skating are over. š Now if I could just score some anabolic steroid for ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION! š Sildenafil (Viagra) is not working! But my presents doctors refuse, citing risk of heart attack. I donāt want quantities bodybuilders use, just a tad bit.
High blood pressure
Yes. Living with T1D in my body for over 60 years has had an affect on my physical body. Starting with autoimmune beta cell destruction in my pancreas, and a lifetime of struggle to control rollercoaster blood glucose dysfunction, living with diabetes has affected my eyes, nerves, joints, bones, cardiovascular functions, skin, and kidneys. Body changes from living with T1D for 60 + years has resulted in stable retinopathy in both eyes; progressive, yet stable, peripheral neuropathy and neuropathic bone and joint changes in my hands, fingers, feet and toes; autonomic neuropathy causing hypoglycemia unawareness, cardiac autonomic slow heart rate; and progressive, yet stable, kidney damage. I don’t call them complications – I refer to them as co-morbid conditions. They are what they are and I have learned to accept them, and the challenges they present, by caring for myself to carry on living life to the fullest instead of being in denial, or feeling angry, or ashamed, or “poor me” sorry that I have them.
Only complication that I have is diabetic retinopathy (mild at this point but still requires treatments about 4 times a year.
Maybe? When I went for a scope for ulcers, there was still food in my belly from 12+hrs prior. The guy said it was gastroparesis, but I havenāt formally been worked up for it and talked with my doctor. I have had issues with throwing up stuff from long ago meals though š¤·š»āāļø
Retinopathy both eyes with multiple laser surgeries, dkd/ckd (only 1 kidney not D related), htn, high cholesterol.
Also, multi joint issues, adhesive capsules, etc.
I have heart disease, retinopathy, neuropathy, hypothyroidism, arthritis and a few other minor things. Iāve been a diabetic almost 50 years but feel pretty good overall.
Hypertension, hypothyroidism, CAD, neuropathy, trigger fingers, Dupuytrenās, frozen shoulder. RA as well if that counts.
i have neuropathy. no eye or kidney problems.
but I have very bad family history of heart disease and have had several procedures for that
also trigger
fingers
Low blood glucose unawareness and calcification of my tertiary arteries.
Unclearā¦. Went to several doctors recently and they radically contradicted themselves on multiple diagnoses. So I cannot say with any certainty
Retinopathy but have had it fixed and am doing well. Small amount of neuropathy/carpal tunnel in hands.
35 years and no complications so far. Some people count hypo unawareness as a complication but I don’t really consider that to be one.
Never even thought about that as a complication.
Unsure. I have other autoimmune issues but some were before T1 diagnosis and stand on their own. Noticed drier skin and dry mouth and dry eyes.
I have a slight case of tingling in my feet. So slight that most of the time I really have to think about it to feel it. The feeling has not gotten any worse in decades. Being 50 years diabetic, I feel very lucky to not have anything worse.
I should have read other comments first as I do have other things go wrong too. I have hypothyroidism, and have had frozen shoulder and trigger finger also. However, I had an extremely physical job and other co-workers got hand and shoulder problems too. So was the shoulder and finger problem diabetes-related? Could be. My trigger-finger got fixed with surgery. The frozen shoulder mended itself after about 2-3 years.
Eyes!
Have already had multiple laser treatments, leading, eventually to surgery for Diabetic Retinopathy in one eye only (so far).
Have had multiple eye injections over the past 7+ years for Diabetic Macular Edema.
Otherwise, I have not developed any other complications over the past 46 years of having T1D.
Retinopathy and cataracts. (glaucome likely just inherited)
trigger finger, carpal tunnel
hypoglycemia unawareness
lipoatrophy
low D3/calcium
PTSD
There might be more, but I think that’s the list!
Tingling in both legs.
Only 1 long term one… diabetic dermopathy, the translucent red scaly circular spots on my lower legs. Had them since as I approached puberty. Diagnosed at age 6. Recently developed hypothyroidism, but not sure it’s related to T1D. I’ve had extremely high stress levels the last 3 years. Caregiving a terminal family member has meant unpredictable schedules and Lee than perfect meals also.
Mild non-proliferative retinopathy, diagnosed at 10 years post T1D diagnosis, has not progressed and may be improving as I improve my A1c/TIR.
Background (mild non-proliferative) retinopathy, stable x decades. I had protein in urine in 1981 when I first started doing fingersticks and had horrible control at baseline, but not for decades w A1c below 7 and good blood pressure control, <120/70 usually on an ARB agent. (ARB's are kidney protective). Have had trigger fingers, frozen shoulder as well.
Diabetic retinopathy in both eyes and a macular pucker in my left eye.
Retinopathy