Are there any risk factors for my boyfriend in the future? He's a diabetic.?

Question

My boyfriend has type 2 diabetes, he has the pump on his stomach that he uses to give himself insulin. Are there any risks for the future that I should keep a watch out for?

Answer 1

MANY type 2 diabetics use the pump.  It is a much simpler way to use insulin, and eliminates many mistakes.  There are more type 2 diabetics that are on insulin to control their diabetes than other realize.  They all think type ones are the only ones that have to use insulin.  Type 2 can actually be much harder to control than type 1, and many have chosen to use insulin when their doctors suggest it, because it give much better control and better quality of life.  

As long as your boyfriend is controlling his disease well, he may very well avoid many of the complications that can go along with diabetes of either type.  A pump is very accurate, and he doesn't have to worry about forgetting his medication.  As long as he gets some kind of daily exercise, and watches his diet, he should be good to go.  He does still need to check his blood sugars, and keep his doctors appointments every 3 or 4 months.  Have him teach you how he feels if he is getting low blood sugar, and make sure he carries a few snacks that contain good carbs with him.  Things like granola bars, or those individual packs of peanut butter crackers are good things to start eating as soon as he starts to feel a low coming on.  If it comes on bad all of a sudden, he should have some hard candy to suck on, or carry glucose tablets for that purpose.

Answer 2

Pumps are usually reserved for Type 1 Diabetics.  A pump in a Type 2 is rare.  I'm not saying it isn't possible, it just seems strange.   It may be that he is in the class of "Type 2" diabetic whose pancreas has completly failed -- in that case he is actually a Type 1 Diabetic, but a "late bloomer".

ANYWAY . . . .

If he takes care of himself properly and tunes his pump correctly, then there is little to worry about.  Learn to recognize the signs iof HYPOGLYCEMIA - low blood sugar.  This is a common problem for all pump users.

But the symptoms vary widely from individual to individual.  So you need to discuss this with HIM, and learn what to do to recognize this sutation and help him through it. [Hint: keep hard sugared candies in your purse, likebutterscoth or "Lemonheads']

Otherwise, he bears the same risk as any other diabeteci -- high blood pressure, high cholesterol, neuropathy (nerve damage), blindness, difficulty healing, gangrene, and amputations.

High blood pressure and high cholesterol puts him at risk for heart disease, heart attacks, hardening of the arteries, strokes, separated retinas, blindness, and erectile dysfunction.  There is even some scientific studies linking high cholesterol to Alzheimers.

Nerve damage  results in the inability to feel in the extremities.  Sometimes, diabetics get cuts and wounds that they don't know about. These get infected and the result is amputation of toes, fingers, feet, handsm, and legs.  Nerve damage can also affect the digestive tract making for chronic constipation and/or diarrhea.  Of course, nerve damage can also affect the sexual system, making is difficult or impossible to acheive an erection, and if nerve damage is the problem then drugs like Viagra won't help.

High blood sugars do uncontrolled damage to blood vessels, especially in the kidneys and eyes.  Most diabetic have kidney disease, and many end up on dialysis.  The blood vessels in the eyes are damaged, resulting in dettached retinas and blindness.

BUT . . . .ALL of these problems can be reduced or eliminated IF he keeps his pump loaded and tuned!  Keeping blood sugars in the normal range at all time will eliminate ALL of these problems, allowing him to live a long and active life.

Answer 3

I wish Gary would stop giving information unless it is reliable.  I have watched many of his answers and much of it is untrue and very unreliable.

Yes, it is true that many type 2 diabetics use insulin AND insulin pumps.  They do not use insulin because they don't watch their diet, or anything like that.  It is because the methods they tried did not work well enough for them and their doctors put them on insulin.  Many doctors will give their patients, no matter which type, insulin from the very beginning, simply because it give much better control.

The only thing you need to be aware of, is the signs of hypoglycemia and what to do in case of it.   Your boyfriend can tell you his own personal symptoms (everyone is different) and what he wants you to do.  Remember, that a man does not like to be told, to eat this, don't eat that.  Just choose your foods wisely when you go out and eat the same way he does.  That is how most people I know do that have boyfriends or spouses that have diabetes.  If you happen to notice wounds that are taking a long time to heal, you may mention that he should have it checked.  Other than that, he should certainly be able to take care of himself.  But do remember, that if you are ill, like a cold or the flu, you should have the common courtesy to stay away from him.  For many diabetics, even those that have very good control of their disease, being ill can throw off their blood sugar levels seriously, and cause them to need more insulin, and possibly be more seriously ill than a non diabetic.