So the more I read about the big D, the more I get the impression that where you start off, and what you do early on, is one of the biggest determinants of your later success. There’s documentation of the “legacy effect” of early tight control; longer honeymoons and increased long-term control for those who are diagnosed early and establish early tight control; etc. Anyone think there’s something to this? Part of me thinks that it’s just good habits, but another part of me suspects that there might be some physiological component (maybe some sort of “glycemic memory” effect?) to the phenomenon of early tight control creating better outcomes later down the road. Thoughts/anecdotes?
What about us old timers, who were diagnosed before the days of glucose meters & fast acting insulins. In those days of twice yearly blood test there was no way to know if control was good or not. Yet here I am after 50 years & only 1 real side effect, retinopathy in my left eye.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t aim for tight control now that it is more achievable, but I think other factors help the development or not of side effects.
All I know is that good control begets good control. When I’ve been behaving myself, my BGs tend to level out lower than when I’ve been bad. My body definitely has a “groove” where it likes to sit, and if I’ve been eating too many carbs, I’ll sit around 120 (and not come down in spite of taking a little insulin), but when I’ve been really watching it, I can sit around 80. I just need to behave myself more often! 