Hello, i am a type 2 diabetic, was diagnosed 2 years ago, however this message is not about me..... My cousin was diagnosed with type 2 just over 8 months ago, she is totally in denial about having diabetes, she continues to eat junk food, carry outs, sweets, chocolate ,crisps ,Alcohol etc, she usually binges on these foods on a daily basis, i have told her many times about the complications that can and prob will occur if she continues to eat rubbish, she thinks im just trying to scare her and that it will take years for complications to happen by which time she says she will improve her eating, It isnt like she is a youngster or anything she is 52 years old, she just isnt taking her diabetes seriously. I was hoping that if i showed her what other people had to say about her ignoring her diabetes that she might just accept things better and start to change her ways. i would be grateful for anybody's input .... maybe just maybe she will take things seriously if she hears it from other people. i am really worried about her.
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type 2
- Thread starter jane58
- Start date
stephenS50
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi. Sorry to hear your cousin is not taking her diabetes seriously. Sadly diabetes is very easy to ignore but it will certainly not ignore you (or your cousin) and once the complications start to develop, you can't turn the clock back. It is then about learning to live with those complications and perhaps have unpleasant treatments like having injections into your eyes to prevent your sight deteriorating any further or being in constant pain with medication which just about takes the edge off it some of the time and perhaps losing your independence and being reliant on your loved ones to look after you. I think that is one of the things which many of us find motivational..... not prematurely becoming a burden to our nearest and dearest.
I really hope your cousin will come to her senses soon and start to take care of her health before it is too late.
I really hope your cousin will come to her senses soon and start to take care of her health before it is too late.
Vonny
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Sadly for your cousin, by the time the complications start, it will probably be too late for any changes in diet and lifestyle to have any effect. If she acts now, there is every chance that complications won't occur. It was the thought of losing my sight, having a foot amputated or being unable to walk due to neuropathy, which spurred me into action. I'm also now happier and healthier than I've been for years.
Maybe she could reduce bingeing gradually? Say cut out one bad thing at a time? Anything has to be an improvement on the diet you describe.
Wishing you well with your discussions x
Maybe she could reduce bingeing gradually? Say cut out one bad thing at a time? Anything has to be an improvement on the diet you describe.
Wishing you well with your discussions x
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but also about your cousin’s diagnosis.
Sadly this isn’t an uncommon reaction. A diagnosis with diabetes can come with a form of grieving. the feelings involved can be overwhelming and illogical - including anger, denial, bargaining, and depression.
Acting as if nothing has changed, or wanting to defer any action until later (if I have this nice thing now, I’ll be extra good later). or simply raging against the unfairness of it (why has this happened to me - other people can still enjoy these things so why can’t I). These are all feelings that many of us will resonate with at various points in our diabetes journey.
Hopefully with some gentle encouragement, and some suggestions that positive changes are there to be had without having to live like a monk forever, your cousin will come to see that avoiding action might be counterproductive.
Often you don’t realise how weary, worn down and lethargic you have been feeling. Erratic and elevated blood glucose levels can be exhausting and are linked with low mood, but this may have come on quite gradually. Making a few positive changes can give you more energy, a clearer mind, and a brighter outlook.
And adjusting towards more glucose friendly options isn’t all sawdust and self denial. Lots of members here enjoy plenty of treats and goodies - just ones that are more BG friendly. 🙂
Sadly this isn’t an uncommon reaction. A diagnosis with diabetes can come with a form of grieving. the feelings involved can be overwhelming and illogical - including anger, denial, bargaining, and depression.
Acting as if nothing has changed, or wanting to defer any action until later (if I have this nice thing now, I’ll be extra good later). or simply raging against the unfairness of it (why has this happened to me - other people can still enjoy these things so why can’t I). These are all feelings that many of us will resonate with at various points in our diabetes journey.
Hopefully with some gentle encouragement, and some suggestions that positive changes are there to be had without having to live like a monk forever, your cousin will come to see that avoiding action might be counterproductive.
Often you don’t realise how weary, worn down and lethargic you have been feeling. Erratic and elevated blood glucose levels can be exhausting and are linked with low mood, but this may have come on quite gradually. Making a few positive changes can give you more energy, a clearer mind, and a brighter outlook.
And adjusting towards more glucose friendly options isn’t all sawdust and self denial. Lots of members here enjoy plenty of treats and goodies - just ones that are more BG friendly. 🙂
goodybags
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi @jane58 welcome to the forum
firstly well done for finding the forum yourself and your concern for your cousin
from what you say your cousin isn’t eating healthily
nor managing her condition sensibly
does she know her HbA1c ? Is she on any medication ?
tell her real people are on this forum
some of who who previously did as she still is and didn’t eat the correct things (Like me)
previously like her
I simply didn’t care, I didn’t realise at the time
my HbA1c was regularly over 100 for probably years
I’ve recently through the NHS app starting looking at my blood test results
I was starting to get Liver & Kidney Damage, Fatty Liver disease
OBESE at my heaviest my BMI was over 40, and for the last 10 years I’ve been under treatment at the eye clinic following the realisation my eye sight was failing
I’ve been taking Insulin (twice daily) on top of the usual medication us T2’s would be on.
but on finding this forum and changing my ways
Like you I’ve lost weight I’m still on several meds Inc insulin
and still go to the eye clinic at least once a month
I’m hopeful she might realise to not to late to change her ways
the sooner she does the less damage
I could post you pictures of infected toes yes my toes previously had ulcers and was unable to wear shoes
and the photos of my eyes following treatments (usually this is injections for me)
I shan’t post them publicly
It wasn’t a pretty sight
My father was Diabetic but he never knew until he was in ill health
he had his leg amputated at the knee, to save his life
but went on to Die only 10 years after he was medically retired following heart failure aged 59
younger than I am now
anyway it sounds like you’ve taken good care of yourself
firstly well done for finding the forum yourself and your concern for your cousin
from what you say your cousin isn’t eating healthily
nor managing her condition sensibly
does she know her HbA1c ? Is she on any medication ?
tell her real people are on this forum
some of who who previously did as she still is and didn’t eat the correct things (Like me)
previously like her
I simply didn’t care, I didn’t realise at the time
my HbA1c was regularly over 100 for probably years
I’ve recently through the NHS app starting looking at my blood test results
I was starting to get Liver & Kidney Damage, Fatty Liver disease
OBESE at my heaviest my BMI was over 40, and for the last 10 years I’ve been under treatment at the eye clinic following the realisation my eye sight was failing
I’ve been taking Insulin (twice daily) on top of the usual medication us T2’s would be on.
but on finding this forum and changing my ways
Like you I’ve lost weight I’m still on several meds Inc insulin
and still go to the eye clinic at least once a month
I’m hopeful she might realise to not to late to change her ways
the sooner she does the less damage
I could post you pictures of infected toes yes my toes previously had ulcers and was unable to wear shoes
and the photos of my eyes following treatments (usually this is injections for me)
I shan’t post them publicly
It wasn’t a pretty sight
My father was Diabetic but he never knew until he was in ill health
he had his leg amputated at the knee, to save his life
but went on to Die only 10 years after he was medically retired following heart failure aged 59
younger than I am now
anyway it sounds like you’ve taken good care of yourself
Hello @jane58 like your cousin I have recently been diagnosed with diabetes (roughly two weeks ago). However, perhaps the message to give to your cousin is this, diagnosis is not when you got the illness but when you find out about it. I have probably been diabetic for some time now. I have been having some serious bouts of illness over the past twelve months as evidenced by chest infections lasting longer than normal (they are normally short term and resolve without antibiotics), a minor cut on my ankle taking over four months to heal, issues with the soles of my feet feeling swollen and slightly sore which are down to peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes rather than pounding the streets of Frankfurt where I used to live.
Your cousin needs to be made aware that the diagnosis is only the point at which you can start to address the problem, the damage has been happening for sometime and is likely to get worse now she knows she has a major health problem.
By the way I am 63 and as someone else aid my diabetes is atypical as I am 6'2", 13 stone 4 lbs and have a good approach to food, following my return from years of working away. If diabetes can damage my feet and delay injuries from healing, your cousin is likely to suffer the same or worse consequences.
Your cousin needs to be made aware that the diagnosis is only the point at which you can start to address the problem, the damage has been happening for sometime and is likely to get worse now she knows she has a major health problem.
By the way I am 63 and as someone else aid my diabetes is atypical as I am 6'2", 13 stone 4 lbs and have a good approach to food, following my return from years of working away. If diabetes can damage my feet and delay injuries from healing, your cousin is likely to suffer the same or worse consequences.
