Managing Diabetes

Is it actually possible to go ten months with Type 1 diabetes without any treatment and still be alive,
and basically feel fine—like, relatively healthy—but just dealing with some vision issues?
We're talking about a 26-year-old guy with Type 1.

It’s entirely possible.

But eventually, diabetes will show its true colors.
A few months before my diagnosis, I went through a whole litany of symptoms—though at the time, I just chalked them up to stress, burnout, and being plain exhausted. Then, suddenly, I was being admitted to the hospital with severe ketoacidosis.

So, who was the crush?
And how many months did this whole thing actually last?

For about seven or eight months, I was stuck in this constant state of exhaustion. It didn't matter if I slept for eight hours; I’d wake up feeling like I hadn't closed my eyes in three days. My vision would get blurry, and focusing on even the simplest task felt impossible.
At the time, though, I was living life at a hundred miles an hour. I was navigating massive shifts at work, grinding through my final semester at State University, and juggling two extra certification courses on top of it all.
Then, during that last month before they finally diagnosed me with diabetes, things took a turn. I was drinking liters upon liters of water just to stay afloat, and I felt like I was running to the restroom every five minutes. To make matters worse, I was getting these brutal leg cramps in the middle of the night. By the time I ended up in the ER, I was essentially in a coma. It was severe ketoacidosis. My doctor told me straight up: if I hadn't shown up when I did, I probably would have slipped into a full coma within a couple of days.
So, if you have even the slightest suspicion that something isn't right regarding diabetes, please, go get checked out.
A simple blood test and an early diagnosis can prevent a lot of catastrophe.

wiredcobra11 said:I was stuck in this constant fog for about 7 or 8 months straight. I’d wake up after a full eight hours of sleep feeling like I hadn't closed my eyes in three days. My vision was blurry, I couldn't focus on a single thing to save my life...
But honestly, I was living at 200 miles per hour back then. Massive shake-ups at work, finishing up my degree late at night, plus juggling two extra certification courses.
Then, in the month leading up to my diagnosis, I was basically drinking gallons of water and running to the bathroom every five minutes. I was getting these brutal leg cramps in the middle of the night, too. Long story short, I ended up being rushed to the hospital in what was essentially a coma state. It was severe ketoacidosis; the doctor told me if I hadn't shown up when I did, I probably would've slipped into a coma within a day or two.
So, if you have even a tiny suspicion that it might be diabetes, go get checked out.
A simple blood test and catching it early can prevent a whole lot of misery.

I don't know, man, some of this sounds pretty confusing to me.
I definitely had some diabetic symptoms myself, but unlike your experience,
that intense thirst and constant bathroom trips only lasted about two days right at the start,
so, like, ten months ago. Everything has been fine since then, especially once
the weather started warming up in the spring.
Over the winter, though, I was wiped out and sleepy, just like you described—
couldn't catch up on sleep no matter what... and my concentration tanked.
But a few things are tripping me up, like the knee issues.
From everything I've heard from other people living with diabetes, nobody mentioned
having problems with their knees, yet the day before the thirst kicked in, I got this weird sensation
in my left knee—it felt almost like nausea, but located in the joint,
and this weakness on the left side of my body. Now, how does that tie into diabetes?
Still, I had plenty of other red flags that pointed toward it,
including some vision stuff... like my sight going blurry every now and then.

😲

diabetes?!

Now I'm actually getting a little spooked. Sometimes I get hit with this massive wave of weakness—shaking like a leaf—and I have to just lie down for half an hour. Plus there's this weirdly sweet taste in my mouth, then everything just snaps back to normal. ?????

@ boldotter22

That "nausea" sensation in your knee? It could actually be neuropathy—a common complication stemming from diabetes.
Research suggests that upwards of ten or fifteen percent of diabetics also deal with rheumatoid issues, so that’s worth keeping on your radar.

@goldenotter3

The tremors and weakness you're feeling sound like hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. This happens quite frequently to folks when they're first diagnosed.
Sometimes the pancreas just overdoes it with the insulin secretion, leading to a crash.
Usually, with Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas isn't producing enough insulin at all, but occasionally it misfires and dumps too much into the system.
Also, having a sweet taste in your mouth is a very common symptom for diabetics.
Just type "diabetes symptoms" into Google and you'll see the list for yourself.

Regardless, getting checked out is straightforward. A few basic blood tests at a clinic like Quest Diagnostics and you'll have your answers.

I really hope it's nothing, but please, go get tested. You'll sleep better knowing for sure. And if it does turn out to be diabetes, catching it early means you can avoid some pretty nasty complications.

wiredcobra11 said:@ boldotter22

That weird "nauseous" feeling in your knee could actually be neuropathy, which is one of those nasty complications that pops up because of diabetes.
Plus, some studies suggest that about ten to fifteen percent of people dealing with diabetes also end up fighting off rheumatoid arthritis, so you definitely can't rule that out either.

Wait, how does it even work where diabetes complications start hitting before you even feel the actual symptoms?

😕

Complications don't just pop up out of nowhere before you feel sick. The real issue with diabetes is that, more often than not, the symptoms don't even show up until the disease has already gained significant ground.