Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness?

Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by 49yearsold on Monday October 19, 2020 @01:27PM (#24828618)

Diabetes - since my mid-30's - now am approaching 50. Have maxed out on all pills. Very soon will be put on insulin. Did lot of running for a decade or more. Diet control is my weak point and toughest to be disciplined about. Not that I gorge on sweets/candies - but rice, fried food is something I cannot do a clean breakup with. But as and when I can - do regular exercise (running) and diet control. Very difficult for me personally. Hope once I am on insulin - I can still lead reasonable decent life past 80. Not sure if I know anyone who had diabetes in their 30s and lived past 80s with reasonably good health. :-)

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by Ingosla on Monday October 19, 2020 @03:35PM (#24830023)

I was diagnosed 3 years ago,A1C was 11%. Doctor gave me 2x Mitformin and other meds and said I should probably start insulin within 6months.

I never took the meds they gave me. I started a keto diet righ away and never looked back. Now my tests have been all showing I'm in pre-diabetes range.

I eat healthy and walk everyday. I don't miss sugar anymore and I do have fast food once in a while.

What I eat: - Chicken, fish and some meat - eggs, salad, cheese, milk, tea, coffee - sugar free biscuits and sometimes sugar free Ice Cream - a lot of water - vegetables, and a special bread, no rice

I also found out that my insulin get released during lunch and later dinner, but not much during breakfast or after lunch. So I time how much I eat accordingly.

The nurse didn't believe her eyes when she saw my results and asked me about what diet I used.

I did prick my finger a LOT in the first 3 months but it was worth it, as I now know exactly what to eat and what to avoid.

I used a forum extensively (UK oriented) to follow my diet [1]. Hope this helps.

[1] https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/#diabetes-discussion.12

Edit: above is not a medical advice nor should you follow it to beat diabetes, it's only my personal experience.

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by juskrey on Monday October 19, 2020 @01:43PM (#24828783)

Fasting should help. A friend of mine reversed the process already in his 50s

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by outime on Monday October 19, 2020 @02:28PM (#24829330)

Fasting might be a bit risky at advanced ages but reducing carbs (not only sugar) to the minimum for quite a while and then being very conscious about the intake in the future is the key to success. Also you'll lose some weight which can be good if you're not that slim.

Source: two family members on his 50s and 60s completely cured, one was about to use insulin and the other one was using it already for about a year.

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by 49yearsold on Monday October 19, 2020 @02:52PM (#24829599)

I am vegetarian who eats eggs + dairy products; no meat or fish. So it is bit challenging to reduce carbs - but I hear you - I agree - reducing carbs should definitely help. Thanks.

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by ddorian43 on Tuesday October 20, 2020 @11:15AM (#24838289)

... have you looked at carnivore ?

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by 49yearsold on Monday October 19, 2020 @02:55PM (#24829615)

Intermittent fasting? 16/8 or something different? Thanks for any info you could share. I know this is not health advice forum - but still it is encouraging to hear positive anecdotes/references from others.

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by juskrey on Monday October 19, 2020 @10:24PM (#24833388)

He started to do one day of fasting once a week, and then occasional 2 to 5 days once a more prolonged period. making such efforts also invited more discipline with carbs and made easier to reduce number of meals per day to two. Not sure about vegetarianism, - another friend had to abandon it in order to overcome diabetes.

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by elil17 on Monday October 19, 2020 @01:49PM (#24828838)

I don't think they invited you to give them health advice.

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by temp0826 on Monday October 19, 2020 @02:07PM (#24829040)

Incoming downvotes...

Why should GP post at all then? Sounds like he or she has given up on something that some others have been able to defeat. I realize it’s hard to get over the idea that there isn’t a magic pill to “fix” you and allow you to continue treating your body/mind like a garbage can, and yah, big changes are hard. Looking for pity maybe?

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by mcguire on Monday October 19, 2020 @02:53PM (#24829600)

To answer the original question?

"I realize it’s hard to get over the idea that there isn’t a magic pill to “fix” you..."

Is that deliberate irony?

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by temp0826 on Monday October 19, 2020 @07:13PM (#24832101)

Found another one...

I meant it unironically when I wrote it. It’s a garbage attitude- we aren’t machines, meatbag

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by juskrey on Monday October 19, 2020 @01:53PM (#24828885)

I don't think we have rank subordination here

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by cpwright on Monday October 19, 2020 @02:41PM (#24829464)

I was diagnosed when I was 30 (A1C of 13). After maxing out pills (7 a day between Metformin, Glimperide, Onglyza, Invokana), I went to multiple daily injections, and then a pump with CGM. The pump is life changing as far as getting better control. It still isn't perfect (latest A1C of 7.5), but it makes a big positive difference.

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by 49yearsold on Monday October 19, 2020 @02:56PM (#24829627)

Thanks for sharing - at what age did you start insulin - if you don't mind sharing and how long it's been since you are on insulin/pump now?

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by cpwright on Monday October 19, 2020 @05:13PM (#24831084)

I'm 38 now. I have been on the pump/CGM (MM670G) for just under three years. I was on pills for 2-3 years, at first the metformin and glimiperide were enough and I got my A1C back to the sixes; but I maxed those out and it was climing agian. Then maxed out Onglyza, then maxed out Invokana at which point I switched to the pens.

The problem with the pens is that I would need 25 units of basal insulin and 25 units of the rapid acting insulin. You can't "undo" your 24 hour basal injection; so if you don't eat enough carbs or exercise too much you can go low. The pens are also not nearly as precise as a pump for delivering the rapid insulin.

After my A1C climbed back, my endocrinologist prescribed the pump and CGM closed loop system. We did a blood test that showed I was T1, which was enough for United Healthcare to pay for the CGM and not just the pump.

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by guybedo on Tuesday October 20, 2020 @09:56PM (#24844155)

fwiw you can have a look at https://www.virtahealth.com/. They are reversing T2D with ketogenic diets

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Re:Ask HN: How do you deal with chronic illness? by sjg007 on Monday October 19, 2020 @01:45PM (#24828805)

For your situation, is there a diet and exercise solution if you could do it?

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