Hi,
I’ve been a T1D for 17 years and thank goodness I don’t have any complications. However, when I was younger I was not very compliant. Now that I’m approaching middle age I worry about those years catching up with me. My endo mentioned something called metabolic memory. She said the longer you go without complications the more likely it is that you won’t develop any, within reason of course. Has anyone else heard of this? Does anyone else feel a little haunted by the past?
I can’t say I’ve ever heard of this in my 32 years of T1, but hey wouldn’t that be nice? Honestly, I don’t think many kids/teenagers with T! are well controlled due to hormone shifts, growing, and generally just trying to be a kid. I know I certainly wasn’t, for reasons both in and out of my control. I’ve always noticed that the language from research studies says that good control can prevent OR delay complications–meaning that even with good control, you MAY only be delaying complications. Not that everyone is doomed to complications, but honestly you just have to do your best and hope for the best.
Hi-
I was told by more than 1 endo that if you have not developed any complications after 25 years, it is likely that you will not develop any complications. It was inferred that complications are due to more than just how well controlled the diabetes is. I’ve been T1 for almost 48 years, was definitely NOT controlled at all during my youth, and still have no complications.