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[sallymariea]

Hello all my name is sally and my dad had just been told he as diabetes, im very worried as he is 65 and due a major leg operation in 4 weeks. I hope people can help me and explain what is likely to happen in later years. Should i be worried???????

Thank you 😱)

Sally x (concerned daughter)

 

[AlisonM]

I'm fairly new at this but from what I've learned so far, what happens long term depends very much on the level of control your father can establish and that depends a lot on him. What is the op for?

 

[Northerner]

Hi Sally, welcome to the forum🙂 I'm sorry to hear of your dad's diagnosis. Diabetes is a serious condition, but the good news is that it can be controlled and it is possible to live a normal life with it, just by making a few adjustments to diet and lifestyle. In fact, we have some members here who are the same age as your dad and they have been managing extremely well for many years. If you have any questions, please ask them - we are a helpful and friendly bunch!🙂

 

[sallymariea]

I'm fairly new at this but from what I've learned so far, what happens long term depends very much on the level of control your father can establish and that depends a lot on him. What is the op for?

Hi Alison, he is having a total knee replacement. we do not know what type is is as yet till he goes back to the doctors next week. Im just a worry wart i suppose but im scared, neithr of us know hardly know anything about it. Although i have to say this website is very veery good and have passed it on for my dad to look at.

 

[sallymariea]

Hi Sally, welcome to the forum🙂 I'm sorry to hear of your dad's diagnosis. Diabetes is a serious condition, but the good news is that it can be controlled and it is possible to live a normal life with it, just by making a few adjustments to diet and lifestyle. In fact, we have some members here who are the same age as your dad and they have been managing extremely well for many years. If you have any questions, please ask them - we are a helpful and friendly bunch!🙂

I can tell that, thankyou so much for the reply. Im just concerned that if he had not had lots of tests for his operation that it would have gone unnoticed. What are the main tell tale signs? Is it hereditary?

 

[Northerner]

I can tell that, thankyou so much for the reply. Im just concerned that if he had not had lots of tests for his operation that it would have gone unnoticed. What are the main tell tale signs? Is it hereditary?

Diabetes can go undetected for some time, mainly because some of the symptoms are things that people put down to just getting older - thirst, needing to go to the loo more frequently, tiredness and moodiness. There is a genetic link so it is partly hereditary, but it doesn't necessarily mean that you will get it as there are also thought to be environmental factors involved. I hope that the operation goes well and that your dad is able to recover quickly. Your dad is more than welcome to join us if he wishes!

 

[AlisonM]

There is an hereditary component to Type 2 Diabetes in that, if a close relative* has it, you are more at risk, but no guarantee you will get it, especially if you take steps to prevent it. Diet and exercise are key for those with the disease and those at risk.

* Parent or grandparent.

 

[Caroline]

Hello all my name is sally and my dad had just been told he as diabetes, im very worried as he is 65 and due a major leg operation in 4 weeks. I hope people can help me and explain what is likely to happen in later years. Should i be worried???????

Thank you 😱)

Sally x (concerned daughter)

Diabetes can be controled and many control it very well, some with diet and exercise and some with tablets and some with a combination of both. My dad is in his 80's and manages very well on diet and pills. He still leads an active life too. The better the control now the less complications later.

I hope all will be well with the leg operation, but if in doubt seek medical advice.

 

[wallycorker]

Hi Sally,

Sorry to hear of your father's problems and that he has to have a major leg operation in 4 weeks. It'll be relevant as to whether the diabetes diagnosis of Type 2 or Type 1. Maybe Type 2 because that's the one that people tend to develop in later life - they used to call it 'age-onset' diabetes.

I'm 66 years old myself and I was diagnosed as a Type 2 myself just over nine years ago - and I'm fust fine. They are always concerned about operating on any person with diabetes because it does cause complications. I needed an operation for bowel cancer not long after my diagnosis and the hospital people were quite concerned but really, in my case, they didn't have any choice but to operate. The outcome was excellent and I recovered quickly - out of hospital in 8 days instead of the predicted 10 days minimum. Also, back at work in less than a month.

Diabetes is a very serious disease and can become quite nasty. However, any level of problem either for the operation or for life in general all comes down to how well people control their condition. Great control of diabetes can be effected through diet - mainly, cutting out sugary food but also in cutting back on starchy carbohydrate foods - i.e. cereals, bread, potatoes, pasta and rice. My diabetes worsened for eight years by following the NHS advice that I was given. However, I've normalised my blood glucose levels over the last eighteen months mainly by changing my diet.

You are right to be concerned but do not become over anxious because there is no reason why your father should have any major problems if he adjusts his diet to take control of his condition.

It's good to hear that he is having a knee replacement operation and not one related to his diabetic condition?

Maybe you can learn something about how to control Type 2 diabetes from my experiences that are documented in postings elsewhere on this forum:

This first one is about my current diet and might be useful to improve your father's blood glucose levels in the four weeks leading up to his operation:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=6435&highlight=reversal

This other posting is about how things happened to me over nine years and tells a story of how bad the advice is that is usually given to people with Type 2.

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=3961&highlight=reversal

I hope that everything will go well with his operation and that you will be able to get your father to take control of his condition.

Very best wishes to both of you - John