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Hello Northe, just catching up. Through this thread you've progressed from distressed to motivated - wow. Shows how and why you are able to achieve such brilliant HbA1cs... Such an inspiration.

Fingers mega-crossed that this is a blip for you with options you can put into action. Sigh. There are so many factors it seems in if when why complications of any sort rear their ugly heads - other conditions, genetics. As you say. But you've got control over the biggest factor, that's for sure. Well done in spades.

Take care.
 
Sorry to hear that. I also have backround retinopathy
 
Hi Northerner

I hope that everything is ok when you see the eye departmnent. It can always be worrying when you wait for the appointmnet but I hope that you are still feeling motivated. You may have already thought of this but I've found it increasingly helpful to take a list of questions with me to the eye department e.g. what's the confirmed diagnosis? Will it affect my sight? What's the prognosis? Will I need other tests? If yes what will those other tests involve and what are you looking for with the tests? Do I need treatment and, if yes, what's the treatment? If there is treatment what are the risks (if any)? Do I need to inform the DVLA? I'm sure that you've already thought of these questions but if not I hope that they help
 
AJLang said:
Hi Northerner

I hope that everything is ok when you see the eye departmnent. It can always be worrying when you wait for the appointmnet but I hope that you are still feeling motivated. You may have already thought of this but I've found it increasingly helpful to take a list of questions with me to the eye department e.g. what's the confirmed diagnosis? Will it affect my sight? What's the prognosis? Will I need other tests? If yes what will those other tests involve and what are you looking for with the tests? Do I need treatment and, if yes, what's the treatment? If there is treatment what are the risks (if any)? Do I need to inform the DVLA? I'm sure that you've already thought of these questions but if not I hope that they help
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Thanks very much for that AJ - I hadn't thought to ask any of those questions, but I will now! 🙂 I'm still motivated and maybe I have pushed it to the back of my mind so I don't get myself in a tizzy - could be why I didn't think of any questions. At the moment I'm working hard on being very good in the hope that my blood pressure will come down - I'm sure that's a major factor in all this. I'm seeing the GP tomorrow to see if I need a change of medication, or if things have improved since I last saw her.
 
Northerner. I have had this, and been through the treatment. It's not that bad, and if you need some reassurance the following may help. There is no need to panic, this is not life or death, and I saw it as just part of diabetes experience. I don't know how long they have been able to treat the condition, but I am guessing that in the early years it may not have been possible, and hence more blindness occurred.

My improved control about 8 years ago led to a drop in my H1 and I was subsequently diagnosed with background retinopathy a couple of years later. I had to have laser treatment which has not affected my vision at all but has prevented retinal bleeds. I still don't wear glasses and have no need for a dog or stick!!!
If you do need laser, don't be afraid of it. The procedure is simple. They place a lense onto your eye ball but do use some anaesthetic solution so it feels a bit like a contact lens I guess. The laser is then fired into the eye and it prickles a little but does not hurt. After the session your eye will be affected by bright light for about 5 hours so take some sunglasses with you. They only seem to do 1 eye at a time too. By the next morning there was no ill effects at all.
Good luck, although you won't need it.
 
Thanks for that Curdster, it helps when you know what might happen and reassuring when you describe it. I'm hoping that I won't need any treatment, but am hoping to go prepared for it (and not a gibbering wreck!)
 
Sorry to hear about your letter, I was really upset when I got mine. Think they must word them a bit different here as mine said I had diabetic maculopathy which needed treatment although I do also have background retinopathy. I had the lasers and it wasn't that bad, there was no pain, just fear and discomfort and my eye was sore for a few hours. Wishing you all the best with your appt.xx
 
I had my first screening in June this year results came back saying I had slight diabetes damage to my right eye otherwords slight retinopathy only DX in Jan this year with type 2 but have had hbp problems since the last 12 years I am blaming this for my results as my BG level are all within target range the only other explanation is I have had D for much longer before DX.
Hope everything goes ok but I know how you are feeling at the moment.
I don't have to go back until next year so fingers crossed it hasn't progressed.



Lanzlady
 
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