Diabetes Long Term Complications Eligibility?

by Brooke
(Green Cove Springs)

QUESTION: I do not have complications yet, but however, I have had diabetes for 13 years. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 5.

I have had high blood sugars for years, really high (300's) I have high blood sugars everyday. How can I tell if I will suffer from long-term complications from this?


ANSWER: Hi Brooke,

According to what you are saying, I think you have an "uncontrollable diabetes". I hope your doctor knows this to take further actions.

Now, coming to your long-term complications concern, nobody can tell you for sure if you will have them in future or not.

However, it remains the fact that you are having persistent high blood sugar levels for many years now. This means your body cells are craving sugar; while bloodstream is overloaded with sugar.

Your kidneys are also overloaded with lots of work to clean your bloodstream from excessive sugar (which, in fact, it is the sugar your body needs, but cannot take it).

As a consequence, they could be damaged for first. Therefore, please check them regularly.

Next, your liver is also very busy to deposit glucose in fat or glycogen in order to clean bloodstream.

At the end, the liver will cease becoming fatty or cirrhotic. Therefore, please, check also your liver regularly.

Your brain gets fuel from glucose. But, if cannot, then it will become "hungrier and hungrier", and will end up with some mental disorders.

I am not telling all these to frighten you, but hopefully they will serve as a strong motivation for you to better understand your situation.

I want you to understand where you are failing; work close to your medical team to know why your blood sugar does not come down in order to prevent complications.

At the end, no body can tell you exactly if you are going to have complications or not. But, one thing is for sure: "Try to stabilize your blood glucose at levels less than 150 to avoid further damages".

All the best!

Dr.Alba