I pop in daily shouting Happy Birthday to members, wishing them a "Great Me Day"...as well, I greet new comers with cheer and a navigational map to TuDiabetes. In doing so, I have noticed a phenomena of sorts. There's something of a mystery in the diagnostic dates. Very many are diagnosed on or thereabouts Christmas (December 25th). Interesting!! What IS that?
Has anyone else noticed? Are you "one of them"? Do you have a theory?
Please share your views!!
I always list my diagnosis date as 12/25/1963, as that was the date I was hospitalized for "juvenile" diabetes. I have posted before that my parents knew for as long as a month prior to that date, but the pediatrician who diagnosed me said let me enjoy the holidays. By Christmas, I was so worn out, tired, etc. that I couldn't stand up after a run on my new skis. Dad carried me home and I went to the hospital that afternoon.
Talk about a grand way to spoil Christmas!!!
As to why that time of year, I have no idea. Maybe because it is winter, exercise has reduced, food consumption of not good for you foods is higher due to the fall/winter holidays.... Symptoms are not curtailed by eating correctly and exercising?
Month-wise, I was diagnosed in January. But it was the holidays that made me wake up to the fact that there was a problem. I was explaining way the thirst, tiredness, and other symptoms. But losing 15 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years while eating every holiday treat that I wanted (which was a lot due to the unknown high BG hunger) scared me enough to make that visit to the doctor.
So my theory, for the those without immediate-DKA onset, is that the carby festivities related to pie, cookies, mashed potatoes, etc just bring to the forefront an issue that was already there. Or mess with an already-tired pancreas.
Yes, I was diagnosed mid-January 1984 after enjoying a ski vacation with relatives over the Christmas holidays. I was able to eat everything I wanted and still lose weight. When I returned to school in January I had a hard time seeing the white board and I couldn't understand or follow the material being presented. It was my blurry eyesight that prompted me to see a doctor.
I think that human physiology is in rhythm with the dark time of year; it's more stressful for us. The Christmas holiday and its pagan antecedents is the cultural antidote to the winter solstice.
Yes...I don't mean to imply that the phenomenon is related to the holiday per say...but more pertaining to that "time" of the year.
If I had to guess, I think I'd agree with roodgirl that all the carbiness of the holidays and winter comfort food can trigger something that's already there. I know my D was triggered by high doses of steroids, which caused very high BGs. I wouldn't be surprised if it were the same with food-related high BG. Interesting that you noticed Linda :) Maybe there's something here we haven't seen yet....
I have always felt that my T2 was caused by eating extra carbs both due to poverty and the dr. telling me to eat Low GI. When I found out what that entailed I realised I was already eating that way so since wholegrain breads are emphasised in all talk on Low GI I bravely added more bread to my diet (I have never really liked bread). Lo and behold I very quickly became diabetic (in March).
You'd have a good overview with all the welcomes & birthdays. Wondering if it's an odd coincidence because diagnosis date & the date we're actually officially a PWD can be far apart, so I'm going with holiday goodies tipping the scales.
I was diagnosed in May. My endo said I was probably on the diabetic path for at least five years before. Since a little kid, I've always gotten ill in the spring.
I was diagnosed in May as well! But the drs. speculate it was a serious illness I got around the holidays that did my pancreas in....
I was diagnosed in late March but had been losing weight for several weeks. Oddly enough, I went to a diabetes conference in March (professional org.) and while there my gums were so inflamed that I could not eat anything. Returning home, I dug out some sample test strips and checked myself and had a 4+ BG and ketones. Went to dr. and confirmed self-diagnosis. Talk about feeling like a dummy! By the way, the inflammation was not due to gum disease as it went away as soon as I got on insulin.
My question would be whether winter is the issue. It would be interesting to know if more are diagnosed in winter vs summer. Or cool vs hot weather. Not sure of the logic of that but, given your question, this is speculation.
I'm not sure how long it took my beta cells to be killed off but the symptoms showed up in Dec. It didn't make a difference to me at age 3, since I didn't notice any difference. We didn't have sugary stuff in the house(unless unknowing people brought it while visiting), since my 2 brothers were dxd. some years before me and weren't allowed candy, cakes,etc. We were however allowed potatoes, breads, buns, pasta, biscuits,rice,and so on. Who knew?
Could this phenomena be related to vitamin D and daylight? Type 1s have been shown to have lower vitamin D levels. Vitamin D levels are often lower in the winter when there is less daylight. The winter equinox (when there is the least daylight) occurs on December 21st.
My guess is that diagnosis date may be related to the equinox, but it is much easier to remember christmas as it plays a larger part in our lives?
For what its worth I was diagnosed in late March a few weeks after a couple bad illnesses.
There's a phenomena online where people are selective about the personal data they share. I wonder how many people list January 1 as their birthdays? You can still tell their age from the year listed, but don't know their specific birth date.
I wonder if something similar is going on with diagnosis dates?
Could be!!