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How many type 2's on this thread have No complications? And if you Do have complications and are a Type 2 what are they? Do you feel you could have avoided these complications and how would you have gone about it?

I was diagnoses with type 2 in april of 03 however i think the problems started about 2 years prior to that with the neuropathy the dr i was previously going to gave me a diagnosis of pre diabetes with neuropathy i think if i had know what i know today i would have insisted on my further diagnosis and treatment. :bouncing:

[How many type 2's on this thread have No complications? And if you Do have complications and are a Type 2 what are they? Do you feel you could have avoided these complications and how would you have gone about it?

I currently have no complications...but by that I am not saying that I did not have any before.

When I was sedentary, and at least 50 lbs overweight, I had developed undiagnosed type II that was not caught in 1997, during a routine physical. My fasting came back at 124 mg/dL and they wanted to dismiss it, thinking I had cheated and ate that morning. Well, after being foolish and avoiding physicals until 2000, I finally was diagnosed with a fasting of 328 mg/dL from the blood draw for the physical, then at the phys office, had 348 mg/dL (pretty sure that was fasting too since back then I skipped breakfast always). I was 33 when I was diagnosed. Fastforward to March 2002, plugging along, 227 lbs, taking my Amaryl (now up to 2 mg), to keep my HbA1c <7 and my levels <140 mg/dL (just barely I might add). At that point I would skip dessert, skip carbs, cram down 4 plates of prime rib, 3 plates of crab leg clusters, butter, all fat and protein. My sugars were OK, but did I do myself any favors? Nah, I had a heart attack at age 35--I played the game and lost.

Somehow, the MI followed by two stents (at that age) luckily triggered a rise in intelligence on my part. I changed how and what I ate, started to exercise, and dropped my weight down to 155 lbs. I am a little heavier now, part muscle, part just a little more fat again, but I looked gaunt at 155 lbs for my height (5'10").

Net effect of weight loss: no more hypertension (3 prescription meds gone), no more elevated triglycerides (1 med gone), no more diabetic complications (no more Amaryl). I now eat carbs, including desserts, provided I can reward myself so by keeping my weight down. I exercise regiously each and every day (by running 3 miles) and walking extra when I can.

There are other type IIs who cannot reverse their symptoms by losing weight and exercise. However, many of us can either reverse it (for lack of a better description) or perhaps term it: keep it controlled by diet and exercise. My example of what I can do now is eat 1/4 an apple pie, two huge scoops of vanilla ice cream and check my blood glucose via a meter every 15 min. I never spike above 130 mg/dL, even with that kind of abusive load.

The best thing a type II can do is get to a normal weight (if they aren't at one) and continue exercise; that is regardless of whether or not doing so reverses or controls your diabetes alone. I am convinced now (took a while...) that playing the oral med game to "get away" with a continued reckless lifestyle is not the way to go.

I was lucky--it was a lesson learned. Sure it came at a price, but I was fortunate that the price was so minimal damage to my heart from the two coronary arteries...that I have another chance. I am making the most of it.

Sorry that my story was so long. I wanted to convey both the downside of apathy when you are a type II, and the upside of what positive can be made out of the situation.

Good luck Susan.

I was diagnosed as type 2 about six months ago and have no complications. I keep good control of my blood sugar by limiting carbs. No way I could ever eat apple pie and ice cream without sending my glucose reading to the moon. I have had a few readings in the 170-180 range after eating a few extra carbs, though I try to limit it to under 20 per meal and keep the spike under 140.

I was diagnosed july of "03" with an a1c of 7.2, fasting bs of 145 at the timeI believe that the doc caught this just at the onset just by accident I went in for a routine exam, I weighed 295, curently at 230 so I have along ways to go,my last a1c was 5.7 do to walking 4 miles a day and limiting carbs to under 100 a day, no meds, but if I miss a day of walking or the tread mill my bs go up but never above 140 post meal, on a typical day before meals run 70-90 and post meal 110-125, but once in awhile Ill splurge and have something I not suppose too and it will jump to 160-170 so on those days I endup walking more,and it comes back down, I know not asll people can control this way,