New T2D DX for 21 year old niece

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Eddy Edson

Eddy Edson

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Prelim diagnosis last week, I think based mainly on random finger prick read of 20 mmol/L at GP surgery. Follow ups this week. Doc apparently certain that it is T2D, however.

Nice NY gift, poor kid. She has apparent genetic propensity for T2D on both sides of the family, overweight, eats a whole ot of crap like most other kids. She also has "slow processing", is recovering from some psychotic episodes earlier last year, and her mother died a few months ago from multiple organ failures apparently stemming from sarcoidosis, way back.

She's also one of the nicest people you could hope to meet.

She's going to need a lot of help, I think. Here in Oz there don't seem to be any particularly useful/accessible resources targeting young adult T2D's online. Does anybody know of anything in the UK or elsewhere?
 
I don’t know any resources but I just wanted to say that that’s really sad about your niece, how’s she taken the diagnosis?
 
Lily123 said:
I don’t know any resources but I just wanted to say that that’s really sad about your niece, how’s she taken the diagnosis?
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Thanks!

She thinks it's unfair because she's cut down on bubble tea recently 🙂

She is an only child of indulgent parents and I worry that she won't have the self discipline or family/social support needed to get it under control via liestyle changes. Without that, I guess it's likely that insulin will be indicated, at least in the short term, and I worry about how she will deal with that ...

On the flip side, we have a pretty good health system here, particularly for younger folks & at least in terms of availability, so it's likely whe'll have enough HCP support if she can make use of it.

As somebody who has managed to get my T2D reversed via sustained weight loss, I have an urge to sit her down & lecture her to be exactly like me. But I'm also grown up enough to recognise that in the hisotry of the world very few young people have benefitted from uncle lectures 🙂

Also, the relationship with food is completely different: in the family narrative I have "starved myself" & adopted strange ascetic dietary habits not appropriate for normal people like avoiding bubble tea etc etc. Also, I don't have an Instagram account. So my value as role model is probably pretty low, unfortunately.
 
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Sorry to hear this @Eddy Edson A rubbishy start to the New Year, for sure. I found this which has information about medication and some stats:

https://diabetesonthenet.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/dotnc2519274b32a2592fc5b8ff8deb6c7b0.pdf

I think I’d try to focus on the positive angle eg that if she loses some weight she could improve things. As for dietary changes, you’re quite right that young people generally don’t like to be told anything by ‘oldies’ (ie anyone over 35). I’ve found you generally have to lead them down a path dotted with clues and allow them to find the answer themselves. Carefully phrased questioning that leads them to the answer is much better than telling.

I believe @Lucyr was diagnosed at a young age and has her Type 2 well-controlled. She might have some helpful advice.
 
Inka said:
Sorry to hear this @Eddy Edson A rubbishy start to the New Year, for sure. I found this which has information about medication and some stats:

https://diabetesonthenet.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/dotnc2519274b32a2592fc5b8ff8deb6c7b0.pdf

I think I’d try to focus on the positive angle eg that if she loses some weight she could improve things. As for dietary changes, you’re quite right that young people generally don’t like to be told anything by ‘oldies’ (ie anyone over 35). I’ve found you generally have to lead them down a path dotted with clues and allow them to find the answer themselves. Carefully phrased questioning that leads them to the answer is much better than telling.

I believe @Lucyr was diagnosed at a young age and has her Type 2 well-controlled. She might have some helpful advice.
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Thanks Inka. Wise words!

I saw that paper earlier. One take away for me was the 2018-era interest in GLP-1R agonists for young people. I don't think Wegovy-level dosages are generally approved here yet but I'm trying to track down a trial which I think might still be recruiting. EDIT: Damn, trial is just for 18 years & under.
 
Eddy Edson said:
Prelim diagnosis last week, I think based mainly on random finger prick read of 20 mmol/L at GP surgery. Follow ups this week. Doc apparently certain that it is T2D, however.

Nice NY gift, poor kid. She has apparent genetic propensity for T2D on both sides of the family, overweight, eats a whole ot of crap like most other kids. She also has "slow processing", is recovering from some psychotic episodes earlier last year, and her mother died a few months ago from multiple organ failures apparently stemming from sarcoidosis, way back.

She's also one of the nicest people you could hope to meet.

She's going to need a lot of help, I think. Here in Oz there don't seem to be any particularly useful/accessible resources targeting young adult T2D's online. Does anybody know of anything in the UK or elsewhere?
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What a bummer. All I can say she is fortunate to have you as an uncle with all your understanding of Diabetes. Even if she doesn't think so! I suspect she will creep back and ask for advice from you. That would be my strategy.
 
Hi
There is reality check Australian website for young adults although aimed at type 1. I used to read posts as on insulin and relevant info.
I was diagnosed with type 2 when I was 25 in January 1995 and found all the uk diabetes info aimed at older adults. At least more awareness of younger people getting type 2 although sad young people getting it.
I was under hospital care and not given much advice on dealing with it, but told would be on insulin in 5 days or 5 years and was from December 1998 after trying all the meds available!
I’m still not very good at taking advice and can’t remember what was said to me except lose weight, but just put it on.
I had to google bubble tea as never heard of it and doubt will ever try it. But I remember trying orange julius when 23 in Singapore- a mix of oj and milk, weird but the craze there. My niece 24 has had bubble tea and yes it’s here too!
 
I was diagnosed T2 age 20, now 34. It was a bit of a shock as I had no family history of diabetes of any type. I’m not sure of any advice that comes to mind but I like the advice above about helping people to discover things for themselves rather than telling them what to do. I certainly respond better to that type of approach myself. She may find testing blood sugars useful in the discovering what works so that could be something to support with, as you’d already know how to interpret results etc.

Afraid I’ve never had bubble tea or used instagram but happy to chat if she decides to join the forum.
 
The only thing I’d add actually, is to be careful not to speak of insulin as a threat. In the UK it is often used as that, and whilst some people can manage their diabetes without medication, others need it. It’s best to have a more neutral approach I think, encouraging changes that can support blood glucose improvements without medication but recognising that they do have a place in treatment. When you’re diagnosed so young, it probably is likely you’ll need medications at some point, and having an open mind to that helps at that point.

I got through every medication going and was on basal/bolus insulin within the first couple of years. I’d hate to go back to tablets or no medication now, I’d feel so ill without insulin as my blood sugars just weren’t controllable without it. I also have much more freedom of diet with insulin and am happy to inject to achieve that. I’m not encouraging insulin here just saying be careful with language and recognise that it’s best to be open to all the options in case they’re needed in future, and as everyone’s preference in how they manage their diabetes is individual.
 
Lucyr said:
The only thing I’d add actually, is to be careful not to speak of insulin as a threat. In the UK it is often used as that, and whilst some people can manage their diabetes without medication, others need it. It’s best to have a more neutral approach I think, encouraging changes that can support blood glucose improvements without medication but recognising that they do have a place in treatment. When you’re diagnosed so young, it probably is likely you’ll need medications at some point, and having an open mind to that helps at that point.

I got through every medication going and was on basal/bolus insulin within the first couple of years. I’d hate to go back to tablets or no medication now, I’d feel so ill without insulin as my blood sugars just weren’t controllable without it. I also have much more freedom of diet with insulin and am happy to inject to achieve that. I’m not encouraging insulin here just saying be careful with language and recognise that it’s best to be open to all the options in case they’re needed in future, and as everyone’s preference in how they manage their diabetes is individual.
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Thanks @Lucyr !

I'd be encouraging her to be OK with insulin if that was the advice of her docs - I can see it as being a good option for her. But maybe also a bit sensitive - her mother who died recently had steroid-induced T1D & the associations may be troubling for her.
 
Eddy Edson said:
Thanks @Lucyr !

I'd be encouraging her to be OK with insulin if that was the advice of her docs - I can see it as being a good option for her. But maybe also a bit sensitive - her mother who died recently had steroid-induced T1D & the associations may be troubling for her.
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Steroid- induced Type 1? Or have I misread? I feel really bad for this to happen but for you niece to recently have lost her mother as well such a sad truth. At least she has you as a supportive uncle!
 
A tricky one @Eddy Edson

I’ve been trying to help/advise my great niece for a few years, so possibly an even bigger generational gap. She has cystic fibrosis and was addicted to Haribos, Jaffa cakes and hot chocolate. Way too much sugar in her diet. People with CF are more prone to diabetes, but you can’t tell teenagers anything, even when they turn 20 and then 21. When she and her sister were young they loved visiting their grandparents because their grandmother (my sil) was ready for them with a big bag of sweets for each of them. Yikes.

I’ve had to be patient and decide when to be blunt and when to just say, “I’m not going to give you advise, you’re a woman (or adult) now. However, I will tell you what I would do in your situation.”
I recently had to say to her, “You complain that your father yells at you, but I’ve seen you poking him with a sharp stick. That’s why he gets angry, so why are you making life more difficult for yourself and those around you.”

So I’ve found it’s a combination of approaches that are now after a few years showing results.

I’m sure you’re old and wise enough to know this but it may help in a small way for me to say it.
 
Jade said:
Hi
There is reality check Australian website for young adults although aimed at type 1. I used to read posts as on insulin and relevant info.
I was diagnosed with type 2 when I was 25 in January 1995 and found all the uk diabetes info aimed at older adults. At least more awareness of younger people getting type 2 although sad young people getting it.
I was under hospital care and not given much advice on dealing with it, but told would be on insulin in 5 days or 5 years and was from December 1998 after trying all the meds available!
I’m still not very good at taking advice and can’t remember what was said to me except lose weight, but just put it on.
I had to google bubble tea as never heard of it and doubt will ever try it. But I remember trying orange julius when 23 in Singapore- a mix of oj and milk, weird but the craze there. My niece 24 has had bubble tea and yes it’s here too!
Click to expand...
Thanks @Jade

Reality Check seems to be defunct, unfortunately :(
 
Lily123 said:
Steroid- induced Type 1? Or have I misread? I feel really bad for this to happen but for you niece to recently have lost her mother as well such a sad truth. At least she has you as a supportive uncle!
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She's also got 17 zillion friends around the place so plenty of support, hopefully.

I thought it was steroid-induced T1 but now I look around I see that typically it's more like T2. Dunno - anyway she was an insulin user.
 
Eddy Edson said:
She's also got 17 zillion friends around the place so plenty of support, hopefully.

I thought it was steroid-induced T1 but now I look around I see that typically it's more like T2. Dunno - anyway she was an insulin user.
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Many friends means plenty of support!
 
HenryBennett said:
A tricky one @Eddy Edson

I’ve been trying to help/advise my great niece for a few years, so possibly an even bigger generational gap. She has cystic fibrosis and was addicted to Haribos, Jaffa cakes and hot chocolate. Way too much sugar in her diet. People with CF are more prone to diabetes, but you can’t tell teenagers anything, even when they turn 20 and then 21. When she and her sister were young they loved visiting their grandparents because their grandmother (my sil) was ready for them with a big bag of sweets for each of them. Yikes.

I’ve had to be patient and decide when to be blunt and when to just say, “I’m not going to give you advise, you’re a woman (or adult) now. However, I will tell you what I would do in your situation.”
I recently had to say to her, “You complain that your father yells at you, but I’ve seen you poking him with a sharp stick. That’s why he gets angry, so why are you making life more difficult for yourself and those around you.”

So I’ve found it’s a combination of approaches that are now after a few years showing results.

I’m sure you’re old and wise enough to know this but it may help in a small way for me to say it.
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Thanks @HenryBennett !

We should bring back National Service, draft all these youngsters into the Army & send them away to get sorted out 🙂
 
Eddy Edson said:
Thanks @HenryBennett !

We should bring back National Service, draft all these youngsters into the Army & send them away to get sorted out 🙂
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They certainly wouldn’t be questioning vaccinations!
 
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