My 80 year old mother who hadn't seen a Dr in 15 years goes to emergency room because "something was just wrong". Blood sugar at 1200, A1c at 18, diagnosis is type 1 ketoacidosis diabetes. Put on insulin and leaves hospital 2 days later at average 200-300 sugar levels.
By 3 months Dr's are confused at type 1 diagnosis as insulin dosages were continually self lowered, because of sub 70 sugar levels. By six months the insulin dose was so low it was dropped completely by my mother and no other medication has been taken for 5 years. A1c average is 6.
Home treatment was 45 carb per meal balanced diet (90% of time), removed some stress, and hug therapy (family makes sure big long hugs everytime the come and go). Doctors can't figure it out, but the CRN diabetes specialist is not surprised as she see's it all the time. Point - our bodies are beyond anything our brains can begin to understand.
Is it not true that once a person is diagnosed as having diabetes they have already had it for 5 years due to Beta cell burnout and that even though people will say they “cured” their diabetes they have only slowed the progression? Lastly is it also not true that all type 2 diabetics eventually become type 1’s? Thanks
It is true that insulin release is a predictor of eventual inability to appropriately manage blood sugar. To your second q, it depends how you define type 1 I suppose
Upon retirement I devoted a great deal of time to recover from obesity and focus on health. At 75 I am now far healthier than I was a 25, and 60 pounds lighter. Being on a Medicare Advantage no-cost plan mandates two "Are you still alive?" visits per year. Labs are done each time, and my doctor constantly wrings her hands over my cholesterol scores. They haven't changed in at least 30 years, and at one time were considered "good". I ignore this concern, focusing instead on the triglyceride to HDL ratio. It is currently 1.6, which is in the range of "You will live forever" set by Dr. Robert Lustig. My doctor freely admits that I know about nutrition than she, and we have an uneasy truce. I've never felt better, free of pain, prescriptions, and allergies that afflicted me for more than 60 years. At this point I honestly believe that an age of 100 is possible.
"Labs can be “within normal limits” while you are sick. Conversely, they can be “abnormal” while you are healthy."
I used to assume that these 'normal limits' were the same as 'healthy range' but NO! I am given to understand that these 'normal limits' are what is seen in 95% of the population tested and are always changing. Given that for the most part it is sick people who have more blood tests all this does is make an acceptance of 'normality' to be unhealthy figures!
Please do correct me if I am wrong, I was told about thede reference ranges by a GP.
My 80 year old mother who hadn't seen a Dr in 15 years goes to emergency room because "something was just wrong". Blood sugar at 1200, A1c at 18, diagnosis is type 1 ketoacidosis diabetes. Put on insulin and leaves hospital 2 days later at average 200-300 sugar levels.
By 3 months Dr's are confused at type 1 diagnosis as insulin dosages were continually self lowered, because of sub 70 sugar levels. By six months the insulin dose was so low it was dropped completely by my mother and no other medication has been taken for 5 years. A1c average is 6.
Home treatment was 45 carb per meal balanced diet (90% of time), removed some stress, and hug therapy (family makes sure big long hugs everytime the come and go). Doctors can't figure it out, but the CRN diabetes specialist is not surprised as she see's it all the time. Point - our bodies are beyond anything our brains can begin to understand.
Amazing that a doctor would diagnose de novo type 1 diabetes in an 80 yo. Thank you for sharing.
Very good.
Is it not true that once a person is diagnosed as having diabetes they have already had it for 5 years due to Beta cell burnout and that even though people will say they “cured” their diabetes they have only slowed the progression? Lastly is it also not true that all type 2 diabetics eventually become type 1’s? Thanks
It is true that insulin release is a predictor of eventual inability to appropriately manage blood sugar. To your second q, it depends how you define type 1 I suppose
Defined as the body no longer makes insulin.
Then, yes
Thank you! I often why even some health care professionals will claim that diabetes can be “cured”.
Diabetes can be cured.
Interesting…an endocrinologist used to say once the train leaves the station there’s no going back…it’s a one way ride to insulin.
Upon retirement I devoted a great deal of time to recover from obesity and focus on health. At 75 I am now far healthier than I was a 25, and 60 pounds lighter. Being on a Medicare Advantage no-cost plan mandates two "Are you still alive?" visits per year. Labs are done each time, and my doctor constantly wrings her hands over my cholesterol scores. They haven't changed in at least 30 years, and at one time were considered "good". I ignore this concern, focusing instead on the triglyceride to HDL ratio. It is currently 1.6, which is in the range of "You will live forever" set by Dr. Robert Lustig. My doctor freely admits that I know about nutrition than she, and we have an uneasy truce. I've never felt better, free of pain, prescriptions, and allergies that afflicted me for more than 60 years. At this point I honestly believe that an age of 100 is possible.
Keep it up, Jim!
Very cool. I didn’t know about a CGM. Wonder if the thing is easy to remove once you’re done with it.
They are.
"Labs can be “within normal limits” while you are sick. Conversely, they can be “abnormal” while you are healthy."
I used to assume that these 'normal limits' were the same as 'healthy range' but NO! I am given to understand that these 'normal limits' are what is seen in 95% of the population tested and are always changing. Given that for the most part it is sick people who have more blood tests all this does is make an acceptance of 'normality' to be unhealthy figures!
Please do correct me if I am wrong, I was told about thede reference ranges by a GP.
Thanks Remnant MD, an interesting read.
Many things wrong with lab derived normal ranges.