I was wondering if anyone knows of someone in their older ages who has had diabetes since a young age who ended up with no complications? I would love to hear of some. It is rear that I see or hear of a elderly diabetic that has had no diabetic complications. They say you will be fine if it is controled but I have yet to meet the proof.
Hello, yeah when I have been to the D clinics, I have met a few of the older ones who have had D since childhood, I must admit though that I have met more who have complications. It is possible though.
I may not meet your criteria Christine, but for the record : I am almost 69 years of age, living with type 1 diabetes for over 26 years ( not young : 42 1/2 ) and no complications other than osteoporosis and a thyroid , that does not work ( autoimmune related ) . Capable and willing to participate in 1/2 marathons .
Stay well , live well Christine.
Hi Christine:
I do not quite meet your criteri because I have some retinopathy, some glaucoma and some diabetic neuropathy, but I have been a type 1 for 64 years and I lead a full and normal life and enjoy life to its fullest.
my great aunt!! she’s been type one since she was 12 or so and is now 92. no complications from diabetes what so ever. she has a few issues but the docs told her it’s old age…things like slight memory loss and achy joints and so forth. i’m proud of her. she made it through the earlier years when they didn’t know much about the disease. i’m hoping i got some of her good genes!!
Amanda , I hope great Aunt got some medals …this is wonderful to read this …gives me lots of HOPE …
sounds like you are on a good path too…running half marathons at the age of 69!! that’s great!! i hope i can be doing that at that age!! my aunt gives me a lot of hope too since i was nine when i was diagnosed. i’m hoping to surpass her great accomplishment one day!! 
thank you kiddo…not sure if this is the correct lingo …do we care ?? hang in there …I know you will .
there was a Canadian hero named Gordon Sinclair junior lived well till 73 had diabetes since youth. And a lot of this was before meters.
She should get the Congressional Medal of Honor having the disease so long and surviving.
B.B. King
92 really?! That is amazing!! I love to hear this stuff…it’s not very often you hear the good news. But that is very good news. What a strong lady. Stories like that make me stronger…makes me want to try even that much harder…gives me hope Thanks
After some amount of time, who can tell the difference between diabetic complications and the normal process of aging?
Look, I have had diabetes for 34 years now and I’m not too worried about complications if I get to age 70 or higher. Because something is going to get me, diabetes or not.
Hi my name is Gloria
I have diabetes since I was 9 and now Iam 61 I have Glaucoma in my left eye I was parlazli?? when I was two and can’t use my left side very good,had belles palsay three thimes, trigger fingers 7 times on my fingers.I tell you don’t ever get two finger done at once 1 on left hand and 1 on right hand could’t do any thing be myself it was hard my mom God Bless her did everything for me. thanks for listening. Hope to get more friends herethank-you
Gloria Gibbons
yes that’s what I am saying. I know old age brings on complications…I just dont want to go blind or lose a leg…those things scare me. Also I was wondering if people diagnose earlier on in life if they see these things earier in life as well…at a younger age. I guess it all depends on the person…when I was in my early teens there was a guy that hung out with us that had diabetes. I always seen him drinking regular pop…eating chocolate bars…I knew he was in for it…he never listened to me though. He went blind in his left eye at the age of 24…so I guess most of it does mattter on how well you take care of yourself. He would do these things with no worries… I freak out by a few highs I see once in a while…cause you never know!
You hear of all the highs bring these things on…what about the lows…what long term effect do we get from those…'cause that’s what I get the most…ALOT of low sugars…
Dear Christine.
Do what it takes to maintain the BG as close as possible to the normal range and you will do fine. with Obama undoing the harm that George did to diabetics there is now a possibility of a cure for the younger ones of us so much more the reason to take care of your self.
The fearless diabetic that you mentioned was brave but not smart and proved that BG in the 300’s and 400’s are not good.
To get good control you have to take some lows. Try to be conscious of them by carefully noting how you feel
Just remember that until very recently doctors were telling people with diabetes that A1cs of 8% or 9% were great. They were telling them it was dangerous to eat low carb diets. They were telling them low fat diets filled with carbs would prevent heart disease (the exact opposite of the truth.)
So people were running extremely high blood sugars and getting terrible complications.
I’m in year 11 since diagnosis. A1cs mostly in the 5%s. No complications except for some tendon problems which are associated with “prediabetes” which I have had since my 20s. My eyes are perfect. Kidneys normal. I ate very low carb for 7 years and since getting insulin keep carbs to about 100-110 a day.
I have been diabetic for 44 years (since age 28) and am complication free. I am very active and lead a healthy life…I maintain an A1C around 5.7, and walk at least 2 miles daily…Stay active - that’s the secret!
Jenny , my Internist around the year 2000 did not think an A1C of 7.8 % was good , he wanted lower numbers , however he suggested in my case more insulin …the reason why A1C was high …lots of rebounds . So there is more to the story obviously . And looking back about 20 plus years ago not one of my specialists , here in BC , Canada wanted my A1C the numbers you are mentioning . And we , my team and I are working hard on getting A1c lower with the help of using an insulin pump.Are Canadian doctors differently trained than doctors in your country ??.
The Canadian Diabetes Association Clinical Guide lines( revised in 2008 ) are used as a model in numerous other countries .
By 2000 most decent doctors were telling people to shoot for 7%. But that was the result of the DCCT trials published in 1992. Before that, Dr. Bernstein was the only MD calling for lower A1cs. Here’s an article from the New York Times "Vindication for a Diabetes Expert published in 1993 describing this.
Even now, though, I read in a family practice publication that most family doctors don’t even begin treating Type 2s until they have spent a year with A1cs over 8%. Then they start them on oral drugs. I know this is true in my region as my brother was recently diagnosed. He was not given a prescription for strips or a meter. His doctor just told him “don’t eat white sugar or flour” and told to come back in six months. His fasting bgs are well over 125 mg/dl (7 mmol/l)