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How Long Can You Live With Diabetes Without Treatment


Causes Of Low Blood Sugar

Reversing Type 2 diabetes starts with ignoring the guidelines | Sarah Hallberg | TEDxPurdueU

Low blood sugar is common for people with type 1 diabetes and can occur in people with type 2 diabetes taking insulin or certain medications. The average person with type 1 diabetes may experience up to two episodes of mild low blood sugar each week, and thats only counting episodes with symptoms. If you add in lows without symptoms and the ones that happen overnight, the number would likely be higher.

How To Lower Blood Sugar With Diet

What happens if you remove foods that raise your blood sugar from your diet? Is there anything good left to eat? We think so. In fact, we have a whole guide on the best foods to control diabetes.

But a picture is worth a thousand words. These are just a few of the delicious foods that dont raise blood sugar for just about everyone:

Many people with type 2 diabetes are now choosing a diet based primarily on low-carb foods, and many clinicians are catching on as well.14


A person with type 2 diabete will often notice that, starting with the first meal, their blood sugar improves. The need for medications, especially insulin, is usually dramatically reduced. Substantial weight loss and health marker improvements often follow.15 Finally, people usually feel better and have more energy and alertness. 16

Choosing foods low in carbs is an effective way to help you control your blood sugar and is safe for most people. However, if you are taking medications for your diabetes, you must work with your healthcare provider to adjust your medications when you change your diet since the need for medications, especially insulin, may be greatly reduced.17

If you are looking for a doctor who will work with you to control your diabetes with a change in diet, our map may help you find one.

Whats The Difference Between Untreated Type 1 Diabetes And Untreated Type 2 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is when your pancreas doesnt produce any insulin at all. If left untreated, it can cause atherosclerosis , heart disease, stroke, and eye and kidney diseases.

On the other hand, type 2 diabetes occurs when your pancreas doesnt produce enough insulin or your body cannot use insulin effectively. Uncontrolled type 2 diabetes can lead to vision loss, kidney failure, and lower limb amputation.


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Why Building A Diabetes Care Team Is Critical For Effective Treatment

Your first resource for managing your type 2 diabetes should be your primary care provider. Dungan notes that most patients with type 2 diabetes can rely on their primary care provider alone for treatment. But its important for people with type 2 diabetes to also stay up-to-date on diet and treatment recommendations by coordinating with a certified diabetes care and education specialist , a dietitian, a nurse, or a pharmacist, Dungan says. That education should occur at the time of diagnosis and periodically over time, such as after the start of insulin therapy, Dungan explains.

As for other healthcare professionals, Dungan notes that many diabetes clinics have dietitians, pharmacists, social workers, and mental health specialists on staff, all of whom can contribute to your diabetes management program.

Each patients needs will differ slightly, Dungan says. For instance, if you cant control your blood sugar with standard treatments or if you have frequent or severe hypoglycemia, you should consider seeing an endocrinologist, she says. If you develop complications, like heart disease, kidney disease, or foot ulcers, you may need to see specialists who can help with those conditions.

Each year, everyone with diabetes should see an eye care professional who has experience treating patients with diabetes, Dungan says.


Diabetes And Renal Failure: Everything You Need To Know

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By Elisabeth Almekinder RN, BA, CDE

Unfortunately, renal failure or nephropathy and unmanaged diabetes go hand in hand. In addition, 50 percent of people with diabetes will experience some form of kidney damage in their lifetime, even if they never experience kidney failure or end up on dialysis.

In this article, we will look at how renal failure and insufficiency can have an impact on people with diabetes, and how people with diabetes can avoid renal failure and dialysis. We will look at risk factors, causes, and symptoms, as we explore the relationship between renal failure, diabetes, and high blood glucose.

We will also look at what happens to a person with diabetes when their kidneys fail. We will discuss dialysis and kidney transplantation.

First, lets see what Lydia had to say when she contacted TheDiabetesCouncil.


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How Type 2 Diabetes Affects Life Expectancy

Diabetes and lifespan

Type 2 diabetes typically shows up later in life, although the incidence in younger people is increasing. The disease, which is characterized by high blood glucose , or hyperglycemia, usually results from a combination of unhealthy lifestyle habits, obesity, and genes. Over time, untreated hyperglycemia can lead to serious, life-threatening complications. Type 2 diabetes also puts you at risk for certain health conditions that can reduce your life expectancy.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , diabetes is the 7th most common cause of death in the United States. However, there is no defining statistic to tell you how long youll live with type 2 diabetes. The better you have your diabetes under control, the lower your risk for developing associated conditions that may shorten your lifespan.

The top cause of death for people with type 2 diabetes is cardiovascular disease. This is due to the fact that high blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels, and also because people with type 2 diabetes often have high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and other factors that increase the risk of heart disease.


Why Is Insulin For Dogs So Important

Since lack of insulin in your dog’s body is the problem, injecting insulin is the only way to manage this condition. Therefore, insulin is the only adequate treatment for a dog with diabetes, and there are different types of it.

While additional exercise and losing weight will improve the quality of your diabetic dog’s life, insulin will be the main medicament for maintaining the condition. Appropriately adjusting diet for a diabetic dog can help a little further with managing the condition.

You can give insulin to dogs as a syringe shot, but recently, insulin pens have become very popular among pet owners. When using a syringe, you’ll need to buy a box of them and a bottle of insulin then inject it the standard way, while with an insulin pen, you’ll be applying a needle tip, choosing a dosage, and then just press a button.

In the past, vets tried to prescribe some other medications, such as oral hyperglycemic, but they proved ineffective as virtually all dogs have the insulin-dependent type of diabetes.

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Types Of Kidney Failure

Related to the kidneys, two bean-shaped organs located in the upper abdominal cavity, there are two different kinds of failure.

First, there is Acute Kidney Failure. This kind of kidney failure is usually reversible, and there is usually a cause for it. In Chronic Kidney Failure, there is usually also a cause, but the damage is irreversible.

In Chronic Kidney failure, the damage is not an acute attack on the kidneys, but rather a chronic wearing down of the kidneys functioning over time. People with diabetes can have acute kidney failure. However, they most often have chronic kidney failure.

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Chronic Renal failure in people with diabetes, or diabetic kidney disease

For our purposes, we will focus on chronic kidney failure.


Chronic kidney failure in people with diabetes can be referred to as diabetic kidney disease. In chronic kidney failure with diabetes, there is a decrease in urine, or an absence of urine, or an increase in the level of waste products in the blood as indicated by increased creatinine or urea levels in the bloodstream. Blood loss and protein loss in the urine can also signal kidney insufficiency or failure.

Two kinds of diabetic kidney disease

There are two kinds of diabetic kidney disease. The type that you may have is related to the amount of protein that is found in your urine. The two kinds of diabetic kidney disease are:

Dogs That Are Predisposed To Diabetes

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Dr. OKell says that the Samoyed, Miniature Poodle, Toy Poodle, Pug, Tibetan Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier, Fox Terrier, Bichon Frisé, Dachshund and Siberian Husky are among the most likely breeds to develop diabetes over the course of their lives, though all dogs can develop the disease.

Another major factor is age. Dogs most commonly develop diabetes at an age of five years or greater, Dr. OKell says, adding that occasionally, dogs can become diabetic at a younger age or even be born with it. However, these cases are rare.

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Type 1 Diabetes Disclaimer

This article is not for people with Type 1 diabetes because it is imperative that people with Type 1 diabetes require insulin every day without question. A person with Type 1 diabetes produces very little, or no insulin. Without insulin, you cannot convert food into usable energy. Simply put, without insulin, a person with Type 1 diabetes cannot survive. 2

When Robert contacted TheDiabetesCouncil, he was concerned that one day he would have to take insulin shots for his Type 2 diabetes. He had heard a few of his friends with diabetes at church talking about how they had to take insulin injections. Robert was afraid of needles, and the thought of giving himself a shot scared him.

Is Robert going to need to start taking insulin, or is there any way he can avoid it at this point? If he avoids it, what effects would this have on his health? Will he develop long term complications of diabetes if he doesnt start giving himself shots of insulin?

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At TheDiabetesCouncil, we decided to take a look at this particular question in depth, for Robert and for others with diabetes who might benefit from reading this information.


Is Type 2 Diabetes Serious

Around 90% of people with diabetes in the UK have type 2. It is serious condition and can be lifelong.

If left untreated, high sugar levels in your blood can seriously damage parts of your body, including your eyes, heart and feet. These are called the complications of diabetes. But with the right treatment and care, you can live well with type 2 diabetes and reduce your risk of developing them.

Learn more about diabetes complications.

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What Should I Ask My Doctor About Kidney Disease And Heart Disease

Some questions to ask your doctor include


  • What is my blood pressure? What should it be?
  • How often should I have my blood pressure checked?
  • Should I be taking medicines to control my blood pressure?
  • Should I be on a special diet?
  • What are my cholesterol numbers? What should they be?
  • How much exercise should I be getting?
  • Where can I get help to quit smoking?

Longer Life With A Kidney Transplant Than Without One

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It should be noted that the average life expectancy of someone on dialysis is only five years. Research has tended to favor a transplant over long term kidney dialysis. Transplant patients generally live longer than dialysis patients.

You will go through a major surgery, with a long recovery period. There is a possibility of transplant rejection. However, after the organ transplant, you may have more energy, fewer diet restrictions, and an overall better quality of life. Patients have fewer complications to report.

If you obtain your kidney for transplant from a living donor, you can expect to live anywhere from 12 to 20 years. If your kidney came from a donor who is deceased, then you can expect to be around for the next 8 to 12 years. If you can manage to have a kidney transplant before you end up on dialysis, then you could live 10-15 years longer than someone on dialysis.

Its possible that you may have to be on dialysis for a time while waiting on an organ for transplant. They will need to locate a good match for you whether it is from a deceased donor or from a living donor. This is due to being on dialysis for a long time can shorten the life of a new kidney after the transplant. Still, a transplant is preferred in most cases over dialysis.

For more information and frequently asked questions on pre-emptive transplantation, go to:


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How Is Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosed

Doctors can say for sure if a person has diabetes by testing blood samples for glucose. When high blood sugars show that a child has diabetes, other blood tests are usually done to help doctors find out if the child has type 1 or type 2 diabetes, because management and treatment of the diabetes may differ based on type.

If diabetes is suspected or confirmed, the doctor may refer your child to a pediatric endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of kids with diseases of the endocrine system, such as diabetes and growth disorders.

What Are The Tests For Kidney Disease

Tests for kidney disease include a blood test and a urine test. Both tests can be done in your doctors office or at a commercial facility.

  • The blood test checks your GFR, which tells how well your kidneys are filtering. GFR stands for glomerular filtration rate.
  • The urine test checks for albumin in your urine. Albumin is a protein that can pass into the urine when the kidneys are damaged.

If these tests show you have kidney disease, you may need to repeat these tests on a regular basis. More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Testing for Kidney Disease.


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How Can I Prevent Kidney Disease And Heart Disease

You cannot always prevent kidney disease and heart disease. However, you can lower your chance of having kidney disease and heart disease by taking the following steps:

  • See your health care provider as directed.
  • Keep your blood pressure below 140/90. Follow your providers advice on how to stay at or below your target.
  • Control your blood glucose if you have diabetes.
  • Have your blood and urine checked as your provider instructs.
  • Try to keep your cholesterol numbers in a healthy range. Talk with your provider about your cholesterol goals.
  • Control your weight. If you are overweight, talk with your provider about how you can lose weight.
  • Be physically active 30 minutes a day most days of the week.
  • Take all medicines as prescribed.
  • Eat healthysee Eating, Diet, and Nutrition.

Treating And Managing Your Dogs Diabetes

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Can a dog with diabetes be cured? Its possible, but unlikely.

Diabetes is usually permanent in dogs, Dr. OKell says, though cases of insulin resistance caused by pregnancy or diestrus can sometimes disappear if the dog is spayed very early after diagnosis. However, even in these instances, theres a risk for recurrence later in life, she says.

Even so, diabetes does not have to impact your dogs quality of life. Dogs with diabetes dont know they are sick, and when treated properly, they do not feel sick. In fact, they can still do all the things they love .

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Insulin Treatments: A Common Option

While lifestyle and dietary changes may assist a cat in managing diabetes, Koble notes that many cats will need to receive insulin shots before going into remission.

Insulin, as Koble explains, is a hormone that is made in the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels. The more insulin secreted, the lower the blood sugar will drop. The less insulin that is secreted, the higher the blood sugar will remain. When there is not enough insulin, blood sugar remains high, resulting in diabetes.

For cats that do require insulin, most cats need a dose every 12 hours. Koble adds, All insulin is safe when used properly.

Any cat with diabetes will have to maintain visits with their vets based on their diagnosis. Some require frequent office visits for blood sugar measurements and some prefer to empower clients to do monitoring at home, Koble explains. If a cat is well regulated and doing well, there may be up to six months on average between recommended visits.

Symptoms Of Type 2 Diabetes

These tend to show up after your glucose has been high for a long time.

  • Yeast infections. Both men and women with diabetes can get these. Yeast feeds on glucose, so having plenty around makes it thrive. Infections can grow in any warm, moist fold of skin, including:
  • Between fingers and toes
  • Under breasts
  • In or around sex organs
  • Slow-healing sores or cuts. Over time, high blood sugar can affect your blood flow and cause nerve damage that makes it hard for your body to heal wounds.
  • Pain or numbness in your feet or legs. This is another result of nerve damage.
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    Causes Of Renal Failure

    As we have said, diabetes is the cause of renal failure in almost half of all cases. From the chart below, we can see that the most prevalent cause of kidney failure is diabetes, followed by high blood pressure, glomerulonephritis, cystic diseases, urological diseases, and other factors.

    How many people with diabetes actually get kidney failure?

    From a study of veterans, we can see the prevalence of renal disease in those with diabetes is largely male and Caucasian. When looking at ESRD associated with diabetes, the prevalence was higher among males, and higher among those of the black population.

    44,671 of the 415,910 veterans with diabetes had a diagnosis of any renal disease. With the average age of 67 years, about 98% were male and 60% were of white ethnicity. The prevalence of diabetic nephropathy was 6.0%. ESRD was present in 4.2% of subjects. ESRD caused by diabetes-associated prevalence was higher amongst black compared to white veterans and male compared female veterans.

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