As the title says. Do you ever feel this way with your diabetes? I'm 25 and sometimes I am worse off, energy wise, than my parents in their mid 50's. I've had type 1 for almost 11 years (no visible complications) and it took me about 8 years to feel somewhat normal after my diagnosis. I've finally gained some visible muscle mass and a normal weight. I was really skinny and tired in the past, even with an A1c in the 6% range at that time. I still feel like I'm physically old most of the time, even if I do feel better than I have since my diagnosis.
I am lucky in the genetic aging department, as almost all of my family members, on both sides, either reach their late 80's to mid 90's. I lost in the genetic autoimmune department, though... Lol! There are a lot of autoimmune diseases on my mother's side of the family.
Anyway, I still get carded on occasion when I (very rarely) buy alcohol, and it has an age limit of 18, so I don't LOOK old, I just feel like I am. I don't if this makes sense to anyone? :)
Have you checked in with your doctors to discuss this?
I have always felt pretty energetic, and when I went to my 40th high school reunion, I received a lot of compliments on how youthful I looked.
Like you, I am in a good gene pool for longevity, so I am confident that if I do the right things on a daily basis, I should be able to live a long, healthy life.
As the saying goes, "Well-managed Diabetes is the leading cause of ... NOTHING!"
Hey Lemonz, I feel off a lot but it is hard to know how much is related to the swings of bg up and down versus aging. I believe the #1 factor for aging is attitude. Feeling excited and appreciative keeps us young. Aside from attitude, I suspect the most significant physical factors (in the US) that affect aging are 1) smoking and 2) food. I have read that some of the longest living people got that way by not eating too much food. Health-wise, we can all benefit from maximizing high quality food (veggies) and not consuming more calories than needed. In this abundant 1st world country we force our bodies to spend a lot of energy processing unneeded food. But, but is life worth living without sundaes? :)
A variety of direct effects of diabetes can affect energy and overall feeling "good" vs. "blah".
High BG, of course, will make you listless and sleepy.
What many don't know is that unstable sugars will too. I.e. large swings. When I start the day with a reasonably big high (>150), especially if it's really stubborn coming down and takes 3-4 hours, I feel tired and yucky most of the day, no matter how tight I keep control after that.
Sensitivity to BG excursions is highly individualized. Some people can peak +100 mg/dl after a meal and notice nothing. Others, like me, will have the rest of the day screwed in terms of energy and well-being regardless of getting BG back where it should be.
This is part of why I've developed such intensive, micro-management of my BG. I go to extensive lengths, compared to most PWD, to start my BG in the 80s when i eat, and keep it under 130-140 peaking. If I swing much more than that, or peak somewhere in the 200s, I've lost the "feel good" battle for that day.
Nope. I pretty much feel younger than my 60+ years. Knock on wood, fairly healthy (other than the obvious, DM), moderately active, just 18 lbs (at the moment) overweight. Can't complain! Besides which, meds that I've been on for a number of years have fixed my long term GERD/hiatal hernia issues that plagued me from my 20's to late 30's. Cataract surgery has given me better sight (slightly better than 20/20 in one eye, 20/20 in the other) than I had when younger. Colors are vivid and distance vision is awesomely sharp. Only need glasses to see close-up. No more expense for expensive prescription sunglasses!
I do think it ages us faster because it takes a toll on our organ systems. However, if you don't feel well and don't have complications, its probably much more likely that you need some med adjustments. I'm 33, no complications, diabetic over 20 years, and I get quite weak when I rollercoaster. But, I look like a baby. Sometimes, when I'm reading at the park, creepy men ask me where I go to high school. That's not to say that my organs aren't aging faster, due to diabetes. I don't feel like I'm 16 anymore, but I have a good, high energy level when the sugars are where they ought to be. I feel great, now that I am not rollercoastering between 30 and 400.
I'm curious... what demands physically are you under? Also caught something else you implied, any INVISABLE commplications prey tell? Most are entirely invisible...
You have a disease that requires wicked vigilance, whether you want to or not. Unobserved or witnessed like a prisoner in solitary, IT does not care. It always tries to set fire to your world and will offer you rude gestures if you catch it doing so.
Could your vigil be a problem to this energy? Physically tired or emotionally tired can be different creatures. Is diabetes a weight tied around your throat?
With age our bodies and our brain chemistry change are you asking realistic things from your body or you think something is truly wrong. Consider in five years you might not be able to stay up all night anymore without knowing it the next day. Now not so much it's easy to play that game. Is your expectation. Realistic... thought I should ask be sure.
What are we talking about exactly, feeling older, no energy. Examples???
Yes, definitely. Since diagnosis and two hospitalizations, fluctuating blood sugars and the exhaustion of all of that and taking care of this disease 24/7 I have aged a lot. I think D ages you physiologically faster, with early menopause for many type 1 women and other things like that. This may not be the case for all.
My energy levels are much lower. The only time I feel truly energetic now is if I have come up from a low and have drunk juice or glucose tabs, as I rise, I feel high energy, like in the past, and euphoric, until too much of a spike. In normal range now I feel weak, dizzy and fatigued most of the time. My theory is D and being on insulin causes a chronic state of not receiving proper nutrients on some level.
I am just like Dave here, if I get much above 200 at any point in the day the rest of the day will feel very blah. And there is a distinct weird sensation that I feel when my blood sugar is changing rapidly and just a rapid change makes me feel just slightly unwell.
I've been diabetic since I was an infant so I don't have any sense of how much energy a person should have. But whatever that amount is, I have less than that unless my control is just super tight. If my BGs are good for several days in a row I feel very different, like superhuman and I wonder "is this how everyone else feels all the time?!?"
I am really hopeful about afrezza since I have been overall so much more stable this week than usual!
I truly believe it comes down to your whole outlook towards life with diabetes or should I say mindset. I've had my ups and downs through out the +43 years of living with this great disease, it has taught me a lot. Admittedly probably the most important thing for me over the years was finding a great endocrinologist that made a huge difference in every way that I deal with T1D. As I always say, "it can only get better" which is inscribed on my Road ID bracelet and make sure you've got a great network of family and/or friends. Have a great day and by all means do not let diabetes get you down. Cheers........
