How dangerous is uncontrolled diabetes?

[spinbaby]

So, last night a friend cheerfully tells me how she got sick on vacation and had to go see a doctor. He told her that her blood sugar was at 220 and that she should see her doctor the second she got home. Three weeks later she still hasn't been to the doctor because, "I'm too busy and besides, I want to lose weight first."

I want to club her over the head and drag her to the doctor but she insists it's no emergency. Thoughts?

[Enraged_Ape]

1. Life-threatening

Tell your friend to seek medical treatment immediately. She can lose the weight later.

[demnan]

2. Uncontrolled diabetes can be fatal

Diabetes damages your kidneys, your eyesight and your limbs. Ask her if she wants to be blind, on dialysis or lose her legs - or maybe all three.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Here are the consequences

1.- Loss os eyesight

2.- Loss of renal function (Kidneys)

3.- Loose the abilty to feel, which can lead long term to loosing a limb

4.- Cardiac problems

You know minor thigns like that. As is they will put her on a diet, to avoid certain things (Candy, lots of carbs), things like that. They will first try diet though

[Enraged_Ape]

4. At the very least, she'll need a hemoglobin A1c test...

to see how long the problem has gone on. Her physician will decide how it should be treated.

As a physical therapist, I've treated too many people with diabetic non-healing wounds. They're nasty. She doesn't want one.

[LeftCoast]

5. A blood sugar of 220 is "diabetic" but not extremely so

However, her average blood sugar could be much higher. In any case, the other posters are correct, diabetes can be fatal and the longer it goes unchecked the more organ damage will occur. She needs to get in and get this dealt with.

[spinbaby]

12. Her reasoning is...

...that it's probably gone on for quite a while with no damage so a few more weeks won't make a difference.

[calico1]

6. All the things listed here.

Plus she can end up getting limbs amputated if it get serious enough. She should get treatment now. I have a few in my family. Its not a disease to take lightly and fool around with.

[libertad]

7. They would have wanted to have her tested if it had been 130.

I think 220 is pretty high. I was a gestational diabetic and my reading (at the highest) was in the 140's.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

8. Extremely dangerous

organ damage, eye damage, nerve damage, and on and on and on. Lipoic Acid, (time release version only for a diagnosed person) has the ability to increase glucose metabolization and therefore lower sugar levels. It is an antioxidant that just happens to be recommended for the compications of diabetes by the ADA. Carrying this one step further as I like to do... it can help prevent them from occurring in the first place. People in the know... doctors in the know.. such as the ones who have graduated from Bastyr university.... approach wellness in this manner. It is something worth checking out.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15000428
Development of a sustained release dosage form for alpha-lipoic acid. II. Evaluation in human volunteers.
>>Because of the pulsed sustained release of alpha-lipoic acid, the dosage form described here seems to be highly beneficial in order to stimulate the glucose uptake in the case of diabetes type II.<<

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12498513

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11351356

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=pubmed
Abstract Prevention and partial reversal of diabetes-induced changes in enteric nerves of the rat ileum by combined treatment with alpha-lipoic acid and evening primrose oil.
Auton Neurosci. 2004 Mar 31;111(1):57-65.
PMID: 15109939

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15134511
Lipoic acid as a potential therapy for chronic diseases associated with oxidative stress.
Curr Med Chem. 2004 May;11(9):1135-46.
PMID: 15134511

www.lipoic.com

[ScreamingMeemie]

9. Diabetic Shock is fatal.

It's a serious emergency.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

10. It's deadly

My brother kept his in check, and he STILL lost his leg to it. It eventually killed him. He was 40.

[mrboba1]

11. my brother in law died from uncontrolled diabetes

he never took care of himself and died from kidney failure at age 31...

Tell her that.

[LDS Jock]

13. can be deadly.. like with my mother

who died at only 59 from complications from diabetes. She refused to see a doctor unless absolutely forced, refused to take care of herself as they directly and paid for it with a premature death. I miss her greatly. Do whatever you can to get your friend to go.

[Cheswick2.0]

14. death

she could die. She will lose weight on a diabetic diet if she does what she should.

[truthspeaker]

15. well, it can kill you.

How attached are you to this friend?

[ProfessorGAC]

16. My Dad. . .

. . .had diabetes under very good control for several years. He was diligent about diet, checking his blood sugar, and taking his shots.

However, after about 15 years, they lost the ability to control it. His liver and kidneys just fell apart! He wasted away, but not over years and years, but more like months and months. When he died, he was completely incapable of breaking down protein and carbohydrates. His blood ammonia level was approaching 10ppm. (12ppm is dead!) It's an unpleasant way to go.

It's pernicious illness, and your friend should do something about it NOW!
The Professor

[ze_dscherman]

17. Hyperglycemia can lead into to coma

220 is pretty high, but not fatal, still her condition could worsen quickly without her notice! So, it could become an emergency much quicker than she thinks. Tell her she MUST see a doctor immediately. And she should see a specialist in diabetes, if possible.

The problem with diabetes is that it usually kills slowly. It may take years for symptoms to become real bad, but she will have severe problems if she does not control it. She won't feel the damage done until it is already to late. Does she know for how long she has this condition?

Tell her also, that she will benefit immediately from the treatment. With a glucose level as high as hers, she should already become thirsty easily, have to pee a lot and feel tired. Also, she will be much more prone to infections, and wounds will heal much slower.

I know that many people try to deny they are diabetics for a long time - because I did the same.