Thursday, March 1, 2012

Long Term Side Effects of Diabetes - What Scares You?

I’m not sure if everyone understands, I know that few choose to talk about it, but there are millions of people out there that have been diagnosed with diabetes and their scared, feeling as if there is no hope. They are worried about the long term side effects of their diabetes. Amputation, blindness and heart disease.
Just ask your doctor, or do the research yourself about all the side effects of the disease and it’s enough to scare the living shit out of you. I am constantly running into someone that has a story about a loved one that had diabetes and eventually went blind, or had to have a leg amputated, or eventually died. “YIKES!”

This is scary stuff, but you can reduce the risk of diabetic complications. When I was first diagnosed about seven years ago I was told that if I chose to ignore the disease and continue on my marry way  I would ultimately fall victim to one of the many possible complications of ill managed diabetes.

Look, I grew up with an older brother who was paralyzed from the waist down and unable to walk, born with only one kidney that he eventually lost in his early twenties. I don't want to have to go through even a little of what my older brother had to, so I choose to fight while I can! My older brother was born with most of his disabilities, and though he fought for many years he eventually lost his battle. But not before spending almost twenty five years on dialysis. He was sad to die, but glad to be done with dialysis. I will try and do everything I can to avoid the complications of diabetes.
It bums me out and I get pissed off when I think about my diabetes controlling me. I want to try and do everything I can to avoid the not so inevitable long term side effects of diabetes. This desire to overcome is what I sometimes draw on for my motivation. What ever your motivation may be, find it and hang on. We are in a fight for our lives, but with a little hard work, some determination mixed in with desire we can gain control and kick diabetes in the butt! 
or the stomach!

I have only had diabetes a short time, but it seems to me that all these things I have heard from others about a loved one suffering from some horrible side effect caused by their diabetes might have been in some cases avoided if they would have fought a little harder to try and control their diabetes better. I am sure that most of these poeple fought to live, but maybe they didn't clearly understand that with a healthful diet and exercise they could have lived a longer, perhaps even avoiding some of the long term side effects of diabetes.

I have read tons of literature about how we as diabetics can live a long and healthy life with diabetes. These complications that happened to your loved ones, be it your grandmother or your uncle, didn’t have to happen. We as diabetics can live a long and healthy life. Serious complications do not have to happen.
Actually from all reports it is not diabetes that will end up hurting you, but poorly controlled diabetes might. Poorly controlled diabetes is more than likely what killed your loved one.
I was told by my doctor that if I keep my A1C below 7.0% I will have a much lower risk of running into serious problems. So taking good care of myself and keeping a tight control over my diabetes will allow me to live a long and healthy life just like someone who does not have diabetes.

This means, regular trips to the doctor, managing my cholesterol, watching my blood pressure, checking my feet regularly, exercising and eating right. I think that there is also a little bit of luck involved, but if you will do these things the fight for your life will be a lot easier than if you choose to ignore the problem all together.
You really can make a dent in this disease and change the overall outcome if you will become fully informed, take positive actions. You can live an active, long fulfilling life filled with adventure and fun if you get the information you need.
So take a big bite out of life and together we can help the world in the fight against diabetes!

Fight For Your LIfe!




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