Information in regards to being DX in your 30's

Hello everyone, it’s been a little while! Hope all are well.

I have 2 questions. I was wondering if there was any new research on people diagnosed in their 30’s (best treatments, life expectancy, etc). Also, insulin advise.

To start I was diagnosed at 31 (April 2017) with an A1c of 8.6. My meds are 500mg met 4x’s daily, and I was on insulin (48u) with a daily avg bg of 140-270. I finally got over myself and started taking care of myself about 7 months ago. Also, I finally started the Keto diet and my A1c went down to 5.7, my avg bg is 90-115 (When I jump off the diet, I jump to about 100-140 but haven’t tested higher). Additionally, I pulled my self off the insulin b/c it was dropping my bg low 68.

That’s the short version of my story, but I was wondering what your thoughts were about me going off insulin? should I have stayed on (i can go on it again)? I ask about this b/c I very recently started freaking out about dying, and I want to do everything I can to live as long as I can. Also, I don’t have anyone I can relate/ talk to about this without sounding like I’m being negative or mellow dramatic.

Thank you in advance for your knowledge, and wisdom!
-Sean

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If you keep your A1c’s as good as your 5.7 that you mentioned, you should live many decades. I was dx’d at age 31 with Type 1 and for a long time I was scared to death about my long-term prospects AND my immediate issues with severe lows on the old animal insulins. I would freak every time I got low because they came so wickedly fast, as in dropping 100 points in 5 minutes. that is crazy fast and I didn’t know the numbers for years because I had no meter on which to test. I went from '78 to '92 with Tes Tapes (urine) and then visually read strips. It was a sucky time to be a diabetic on insulin. here I am at age 70, and with the help of a pump and G5 CGM, not to mention better insulins, my health is pretty good (excluding my knees, unrelated to diabetes). Keep your A1c’s under the mid sixes and you should do fine. Find the chart that shows average bg vs A1c to get a sense of what it means to have A1c’s that go north of 7. that should incentivize you to keep up the good work!

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Sean–
I love your post. As a T2 dxed in my 40s, I relate. First I admire that you “got over youself” & have seen such an improvement in your health! In my experience also, it is astounding how hard it is to get answers to these questions. My PCP is vague. My endo can be a little more direct, but the most I get from her is that “diabetes is progressive.”
To me it sounds like your decision to go off insulin was sensible. You are getting good control with diet & oral meds. Keep monitoring. Things could change & you might need to return to a low-dose of insulin.
I worry less about dying & think more about avoiding neuropathy, macular degeneration. But 8 years in, I don’t obsess anymore. I just take good care of myself & enjoy life.
Be well!

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Thank you @Deborah3. I agree about PCP’s. I actually have lost a bit of faith in the medical world since my diagnoses. My endo has been great so I usually email her with general questions. I am stocked up on insulin just in case I need to start again. I hope I don’t, but I’ve heard it over and over that insulin is the absolute best tool in the management and avoiding complications if started sooner then later in younger folks.

Over-all I seem to do fine mentally, but I seem to go through these mental breaks every few months about questions I can’t seem to find answers to. Perhaps I never will. Unfortunately, I was also cursed with the worry gene lol which doesn’t help lol.

Thank you again for your reply!

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Thank you @Dave44 for your kind responds.

WOW! It’s shocking and amazing to see how far the advancements in diabetic mgmt have come. I think I remember my grandparents using the strips (both were T1D’s). I am hopeful for a long and healthy life with low A1c’s.

Thank you again for your wisdom!

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