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• May 11, 2013 7:41 a.m.

  My husand was diagnosed with type 2, 10 years ago. Since then he has divorced me after 40+ years of marriage and married his girlfriend. His temper and bad choices have made our grown children not want anything to do with him. He has changed into someone I don't know, and devstated our family. Is this normal or abnormal thing to do? I am just thinking it is the diabties has affected his brain--or what?

  - Bev

• March 22, 2013 4:00 p.m.

  I am at a lose of what to do. My husband was diagnosed in 1992 to have diabetes. He did his insulin shots off and on for about a year and has not gone back to the doctor for his health. I want to help. His symptoms are getting really bad. He won't do anything about his health. I just read the letter from 02/10/13. Sounds just like my husband!!! I can see he is going downhill....he is only 57. I am just getting frustrated. Thanks for letting me vent also!

  - Kathy

• February 10, 2013 4:35 p.m.

  My husband, a registered nurse who's mother died from complications of diabetes including blindness and congestive heart failure. In spite of this cautionary tale and his medical background, his approach to his disease has been 'I'd rather eat what I want and die young than live a long life following a diet.' Needless to say, this has left him visually impaired and suffering from multiple other side effects of diabetes. I have tried everything I can think of to get him to become responsible for his health only to be berated and told to mind my own business. After almost losing his foot 2 years ago, he is doing so - so in terms of his health care. However he still doesn't exercise and overdoes his carbohydrate intake. I have little if any respect for him. Because he is overweight and has arthritis in his hip, he can't reach is feet, so I have to check for sores and apply cream -something he never did for himself - even when he could. We are unable to enjoy many of the things that couples our age enjoy because of his physical limitations. Disrespect and resentment are what I feel. Thanks for letting me vent.

  - Mary

• October 14, 2012 11:49 p.m.

  Friends, I've just moved back (10 days ago) to Texas from Australia to look after my Mother (74) who has just been through a heart procedure two weeks ago for atrial fibrillation. She has Type II diabetes, managed with medication. She's very frail and thin, and has been eating very little. I've gotten her to eat more, as I cook for her and ensure she eats. She just came out of the bedroom after being in bed for about 30 minutes, said she was sweating, and took her sugar reading, which was 44. I gave her OJ, and crackers and peanut butter. I know now that I am going to have to stay here in the house with my parents, as my dad simply doesn't notice whether my mother is eating and drinking enough. She's looked after him for 54 years, and he has no clue how to be her carer and provide the nutrition and care she needs. He's a good man, don't get me wrong, but just old school. It's my job now, to look after both of them. Didn't know I was coming home to this, but it's ok, I'm glad I am here. Thanks for reading.

  - Rachel

• August 22, 2012 8:29 p.m.

  on monday my docter told me i have diabetes i was upset cause he said it like he didnt care i feel real sad that poor people dodnt matter im poor how am i gona pay for medications medicare dosent pay for crap and medicade is only given to wemon who get pregnant and are single so , im sad my only hope is god thats it im really sad and i cant loose weight cause my legs are num im throwing up everyday

  - teresa

• June 26, 2012 3:16 p.m.

  Often there is a rise in the blood glucose early morning after a long period of fasting over night. The reason this this is the liver stores and releases glucose; especially in the early morning hours after a long fast.

  - Nancy and Peggy

• June 21, 2012 8:10 a.m.

  I take care of my husband and have a question. He took his glucose count at 10:00pm and it was 108. In the morning it was 200. Why would it go up without eating? If you have a resource for me to go to please submit that. Thank you

  - Ann

• May 23, 2012 10:32 a.m.

  I take care of my boyfriends mom n she has Alzhiemers n she has type 2 diabites. it is very hard to deal with both of them at the same time. June goes to the doctor alot. i have been doing taking care of June sence last year at this time. cuz she doesnt want to go into a Nursing Home, I can see her point on that one. stay home as long as possible. June has a daughter n son, they both help me out alot, but.... i have so many questions to ask!! But, I know her kids cant answer them, cuz they dont know either.. 1st ? Does diabties make yr lower back ache, like over yr Kidneys? 2nd ? Do u sleep alot? im sorry im asking to many question at one time. June is type 2.

  - Mary

• April 1, 2012 7:04 p.m.

  What numbers are high and what are the low numbers that are bad with diabetes?

  - Janice

• March 9, 2012 1:05 p.m.

  This is a reply to Ingrid. I hope that she checks back to read replys. I would like to tell her to stay positive and calm for your child/children. Show your child with diabetes that eveything will be okay. If she sees fear in you she will be fearful. She will look to you for assurance. Please check for insurance in you state that covers children and their medical/prescription needs. At least the cost of insulin/supplies for the most part completely /partially covered. In Penssylvania the offer Pa Chip. which covers all kids regardless of income. their are guidelines of course. It does get better when you get through the beginning stuff and get organized. I do know how you feel I have a ten year old daughter with Type 1. Stay strong,get to know the laws in your state for diabetes care in the school setting - make sure she is medically safe while at school. You are her best advocate! Keep doctor's appts. and test blood sugars when your suppossed to. Please stay strong - I know it can be very difficult and frustrating - keep going and teach/show your daughter she can have a happy, normal life while living with diabetes. Let her know you are their for her - you are going through this together and you are not going anywhere! Best of everything! Stay informed. Best of Luck - stay informed!

  - pat

• January 29, 2012 5:30 a.m.

  My husband is a type 1 diabetic and he has low blood sugar attacks. When he has the low blood sugar attacks and is unable to eat or drink, I put some granulated sugar and soda in a squirt gun, and aim to his lips, after about 4 to 5 squirts on his lips, he starts to be responsive and then he can drink from a cup so his blood sugar is raised in a timely manner. I thought I would share this idea with everyone because it has been the best solution for me!

  - Louise

• January 19, 2012 1:53 p.m.

  Garima: Check with the International Diabetes Foundation ( http://www.idf.org/). There are links to diabetes associations all over the world. They also have an online diabetes magazine and this month's article is on Type 1 Diabetes: http://www.idf.org/diabetesvoice . Hope this helps!

  - Nancy and Peggy

• January 18, 2012 1:12 p.m.

  i m from india,,my younger brother is having diabetes type 1 when he was 17 yrs old..now he is 24..we dont have a proper diabetic association in our country,,can u plz recommend a site wher i can get answers to my queries about his diet,,his insulin injections and montitoring and life style management

  - garima

• January 12, 2012 5:15 p.m.

  My dad is 44 years old and was diagnosed as adult onset of type 1 diabetes about 8 years ago. He has neuropathy and gastroparesis, and a peg (feeding) tube. Last tuesday he had a heart attack, and no one had ever told us that diabetics can have what the doctor called "silent" heart attacks, with few or none of the traditional heart attack symptoms. The only symptoms he had was pain in his neck and upper shoulders, nausea (which isn't unusual for him) and a light pain in his chest only when he moved (sitting to standing, laying down to sitting). I was floored when the doctor said heart attack. He came home this last saturday, and since then I have stayed home from work taking care of him, juggling caring for my house and 10 month old daughter as well. He's very weak, (not that he had much strength before) and can't do much on his own, and is scared to be home alone. His second night home he fell getting up to use the restroom, and at 5 am I was sleeping and couldn't help him. Today we took him to urgent care for extreme swelling all over his body. He had no color in his face, and had gained 28 lbs from water retention. His blood pressure and blood gas were both low. He's been admitted back to the hospital, and now it's the dreaded part that anyone who's cared for an ill loved one knows all to well: the waiting game. Sometime's I don't know how I can be expected to do all of this for him. How are you supposed to watch someone you care for, or in my case, someone who r

  - Crista

• January 12, 2012 5:15 p.m.

  slowly die from the inside out. Why is it I can stay strong through the phone calls letting family know how he's doing, talking to doctors and nurses and even to him, but the second I'm alone I break down and cry uncontrollably. Doin't get me wrong, I couldn't imagine trusting anyone else to care for him, and its a burden I'm willing to bear. I just never imagined things getting this bad. When I was 15 and he was diagnosed I remember thinking "Oh, he has diabetes. I guess we'll have to drink diet soda's from now on..." I just never imagined that 8 years later he would be as sick as he is. KEEP YOU'RE LOVED ONES CLOSE! As tough as it is, caring for them is worth every precious second! Best of luck to you all.

  - Crista

• November 15, 2011 6:07 p.m.

  I am a divorced mother of five children and my ten year old little girl was just hospitalized and diagnosed with having type 1 diabetes. I had to take a family leave from work with no pay and my ex does not help. It is hard enough for me to cope with my child being sick now I have to worry about how the bills are going to get paid. Since she has been released her sugar has still been high it has gone as high as 530. Can someone please tell me if there is some type of help for mothers who are caring for a ill child.

  - ingrid

• November 5, 2011 1:30 p.m.

  Sorry but I feel very bitter, I was diagnosed about a month ago.I am over 50 and quite overweight. I am trying to change my lifestyle. But the shocker is that I have noticed my husband not responding to me or being affectionate anymore and I pinpointed it to my diagnostic announcement. He is mad at me and blames me for the diabetes. How can I cope with that. Frankly I don't think I can forgive his lack of support. We have been married 29 years. I feel so let down.

  - Beatrice

• October 25, 2011 10:38 a.m.

  Monica: Janice has great advice. In addition to her diabetes team check out The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) (http://www.jdrf.org ). They have an online support group for those with type 1 diabetes and their families. JDRF Kids Online is a special section of the JDRF web site for children with type 1 diabetes and their peers. The site is located at http://kids.jdrf.org. You can share with other parents going through the same thing as your family. Best wishes.

  - Nancy and Peggy

• October 20, 2011 9:53 a.m.

  This is a response to Monica whose 3 year old daughter has diabetes. I've been married to a man that has had diabetes for 45 years. With how far medicine has come along, your little girl will grow and thrive to become a happy woman. She sounds like such a brave little girl to take her injections as you describe. I think you will come to adjust to living with diabetes, but for now it must be so scary. If I could offer any words of comfort, it would be to 1)Limit your extended family if they contribute to your stress. This can be done lovingly and respectfully. and 2)Be calm and accepting for your daughter's sake. She will want to feel "the same as" all of her peers. You will want to instill an attitude of "I can do it" in her as she grows with this disease. It will be OK. I can feel how much you love her through your words. Seek medical advice too.

  - Janice

• September 11, 2011 4:32 p.m.

  My almost 86 year old husband has just beedn diagnosed as Prediabetic. Since he is a doulbe amputee and wheelchair bound that lets out walking exercise. How can I help him in the food area? What kind of diet should he be on. His doctore was not specific other than to have him watch dairy products and drink 1 % milk.

  - Jane

• August 30, 2011 9:22 p.m.

  My former spouse was alcoholic diabetic,had several incidences of low blood sugars, combative behavior, terrible personality moods and a habit of taking too much insulin as he liked the high it gave him. I cared more about his health than he did. Hence the divorce as I could not live like that. Sad but I had to walk away from 32 yrs of marriage. The alcohol was the problem not the diabetes.

  - julie

• August 28, 2011 4:30 a.m.

  I am 71 ,TYPE 2 was diagnosed back in 1984. I accepted that as a challenge and caring by regular brisk walk 60 minutes not eating but tasting most foods and regular visiting my physcian.

  - Saeed

• August 23, 2011 3:16 p.m.

  My daughter was diagnosis with type 1 on aug 14 2011 just hours before her 3rd birthday. I have been trying to get an understanding of whats happing but I cant help but feel like im in a bad dream. Diabetes runs in my family, my daughter is the youngest to get it. Everyone else had there on set as adults or after pregancy. I keep trying to figure out was it something I did or did not do. I feel like if I had taken her to the hospital earlire that day maybe it would've been different. I'm afarid to sleep at night because I want to be able to hear her call for me if she needs me.I have to hear and see her breathe. My family has not given me the support I need. Just a lot of drama. They seem not to understand I am scared for my baby...both my babies. They don't listen when I try to explain things, they didnt want to listen when we were in the hopsital. I feel like I want to keep them away. My 3 year is handleing it better than I am. I don't giving her shot but I have to. She tells me it's ok mama..i'm ok mama...she just turn 3 and she hads grown up so fast already. My oldest girl just wont talk about it. I don't want to accept it. This has to be a bad dream my girls a so amazing and I love them with everything thats in me. I feel favored by GOD beacuse he choose me to be their mom. Yet, I ask why do they have to have illnesses? What do I do? I have to give my baby shots 4 times a day. No parent, no person should have to get use to having a illness or sickness. It's not fair

  - Monica

• July 13, 2011 4:53 a.m.

  How can I convince my wife to take care of herself with her type I diabetes. She is strong willed, always ran our household and our lives (dominant woman). Since the death of our 25 year old son, all she wants to do is to join him in death. She won't take her insulin, absolutely will not even get into the car to go to doctors, no way will even think of seeing mental health professionals. I am worried our family will end up in jail for violating the Vulnerable Adult Act laws.

  - Roger

• June 22, 2011 5:54 p.m.

  Has anyone ever heard of/or know a condition when a person can no longer lift their head. The muscles will not lift it??

  - Amanda