[willmakeit]

DH is 38 now and was diagnosed with Type 2 at 30. He has a great physique and is not overweight at all. He always exercised daily (treadmill and weights) since he was 18. He went through some emotional stress at that time and was totally unaware he could have diabetes until they found out when he went for his check up for life insurance purposes.

His dad and dad's brothers have DM and HT and have a history of heart illness too. He runs 1 mile daily and is controlled on metformin and amaryl. He is asked to control his diet strictly. He is constantly worried that he might get heart disease due to family histrory and stays depressed that complications like blindness/renal disease will come sooner as he had diabetes at a much younger age.

Does anyone else here has diabetes at a younger age and what are the steps to be taken to prevent any complications/heart diseases? Do these complications arise even with controlled diabetes? How can I help him to reduce this stress and look forward to a long life? We already control carbs and use good oils but are there any specific advices anyone has to offer to stay healthy in such cases?

[hefty1]

welcome wilmakeit. try posting in the diebetic thread forfall below yor post.
glen.

[Ellen]

WILLMAKEIT: I was diagnosed just about six months ago with Type 2, so I can't speak from experience. I DO read a LOT though. And research... Everything I have read says that tightly controlled diabetes puts complications at bay, indefinitely. It is high sugar levels that cause the complications, so if your husband has his sugars controlled, his chances of developing complications are no more than the average person's. The prognosis for diabetics is worlds better now than it was even ten years ago. It sounds like your husband is doing a great job of exercising and eating right. Tell him to relax his worries, just keep doing those healthy things and enjoy life!

[Mikkie]

From my experience, my dad was diagnosed around the same time as your husband. He is now in his 70's without ever having any complications. He was actually diagnosed before all the new meds and tests we have now!

My grandmother (mother's side) went undiagnosed for much of her life, but she lived to be in her 90's without any complications. Her death was unrelated to diabetes (although, I think they attribute any reason for death *unfairly* to diabetes)

My mother went undiagnosed for much of her life as well. She lived to be in her 70's, but died of cancer recently.

In any case, he should not be depressed about it because it sounds like he is in control of his health. If anything, I think a controlled diabetic is generally *more* healthy than many people because they are constantly watching their diet and exercise.

[bride2bethin]

Hi, I'm new to the boards but not to diabetes. Though i have type one which has a different cause and different treatment, the effects of high blood sugar are the same. Actually, your husband is in a great place! He is actively taking care of himself! Often times, the reason why complications with type two diabetes are so common is because it isn't detected for a number of years, and the people all ready were not taking care of themselves. He has been working out and taking care of himself, and trying to do everything right. Now, heart disease is more common, but that doesn't mean it will happen. I've had type one for 6 years and it didn't get diagnosed until I was severely underweight (78 pounds, 5'4" person) due to ketosis, lossing my hair, and was being told within a week I'd probably have died. Despite being so ill, I am healthy now (I gained weight after being put on steriods for a severe lung infection and just went off them a month or so ago).

And, soon continuous glucose moniters are going to start being covered by many insurance companies, so his control can be even better. Remind him not to sweat the small stuff. If he has a difficult patch, it doesn't doom him. In the words of my first endocronologist, diabetes is an art, not a science.

Just remind him of the advantage he had at being diagnosed at 30! Likliness of him being really type two for many years is pretty low at such an age, which is often the case before diagnosis as type two can be difficult to detect and can develop slower thantype one.

He'll be fine. Just remind him! Encourage him to post on the diabetes.org site, he'll realize that diabetes can be extremely detrimental to health, but it definetely doesn't have to be!