He isn't alone as a long-term survivor. Since 1970, almost 3,500 men and women who have lived with the disease for a half century have been recognized by the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston with bronze 50-year medals. Forty-five of them, including Mr. Wallace, have passed the 75-year mark.
The only known cure for Type 1 diabetes is either a pancreas transplant or a transplant of the specialized pancreatic cells that produce insulin. But with a shortage of available organs and 1.6 million people in the U.S. living with the disease, a cure for the vast majority is not possible.
Living till 100 years of age with diabetes is not just possible, it's simple, says diabetologist Dr V Mohan. “All it takes is a little self-control.”
People With Diabetes Can Live Longer by Meeting Their Treatment Goals. Life expectancy can be increased by 3 years or in some cases as much as 10 years. At age 50, life expectancy- the number of years a person is expected to live- is 6 years shorter for people with type 2 diabetes than for people without it.
What is known is that people having access to better insulins and newer technology has increased the lifespan of people with diabetes longer than ever before. Some people have even lived with diabetes for seven and eight decades! It's important to know the risks of having a lifelong illness, but to not lose hope.
Diabetes Life Expectancy
The average life expectancy of a type 2 diabetic patient is between 77 to 81 years. However, it is not uncommon for diabetics to live past the age of 85, should they be able to maintain good blood sugar levels and lengthen their lifespan.
Not only does diabetes change over time, Palinski-Wade points out, but so does your body. For example, as you age, you may experience complications from diabetes, such as nerve pain, or develop an unrelated condition, such as osteoarthritis, that could make exercise more challenging, she says.
Diabetics clearly should avoid heavy drinking (i.e., more than 10 to 12 drinks per day), because it can cause ketoacidosis and hypertriglyceridemia. Moreover, heavy drinking in a fasting state can cause hypoglycemia and ultimately increase diabetics' risk of death from noncardiovascular causes.
People often assume that if you're skinny, you're healthy — people only get diabetes if they're overweight. Right? Not necessarily. “Diabetes isn't related to how you look,” explains Misty Kosak, a dietitian and diabetes educator at Geisinger Community Medical Center.
You can develop type 2 diabetes at any age, even during childhood. However, type 2 diabetes occurs most often in middle-aged and older people. You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are age 45 or older, have a family history of diabetes, or are overweight or have obesity.
The age-standardized death rate due to diabetes was estimated at 20.9 deaths per 100,000 population.
But yes, it may be possible to put your type 2 diabetes into remission. This is when your blood sugar levels are below the diabetes range and you don't need to take diabetes medication anymore. This could be life-changing.
Type 1 diabetes is considered worse than type 2 because it is an autoimmune disease, so there isn't a cure. Also, in a 2010 report⁴ from the UK, it's estimated that the life expectancy of people with type 2 diabetes can be reduced by up to 10 years, while type 1 can reduce life expectancy by 20 years or more.
Diet soda has links to weight gain and metabolic syndrome, which can make diabetes worse or increase the risk of it developing. Some sweeteners in diet soda even cause insulin spikes in the blood which worsens insulin sensitivity over time and can eventually raise blood sugar levels.
Diabetics should avoid coke or any soft drinks as much as possible. Coke Zero is sugar-free. However, the sugar substitutes it contains may not necessarily be a healthier option for people looking to reduce their blood sugar levels.
Avoid low-alcohol wines – these often have more sugar than normal ones. If you do choose these, just stick to a glass or two. Try to limit drinks with a lot of sugar, such as sweet sherries, sweet wines and liqueurs.
A person living with type 2 diabetes who maintains an active lifestyle, eats a healthy diet, refrains from smoking, and receives prompt treatment for complications, such as infections or cardiovascular disease has a higher likelihood of a better outlook.
Before Frederick Banting's discovery and purification of insulin in 1922, a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (formerly known as “juvenile diabetes”) was a death sentence. Parents in some cases prolonged their children's lives by putting them on a “starvation diet,” slashing their calorie intake to 500 or less a day.
The case of a three-year-old girl in the US who developed type 2 diabetes has driven doctors to raise fresh concerns about diet in childhood. The child had a version of the illness more commonly seen in older people. She weighed 35 kg (5.5 stone) when she saw specialists.
Indeed, myocardial infarction is the leading cause of death among individuals with diabetes mellitus.
Patients with Type 1 DM and with Type 2 DM are expected to have an average life of 70.96 and 75.19 years at the end of observed period. The combined diabetic life expectancy is 74.64 years—comparable to the life expectancy in the general population.
It can cause symptoms like excessive thirst, needing to pee a lot and tiredness. It can also increase your risk of getting serious problems with your eyes, heart and nerves. It's a lifelong condition that can affect your everyday life. You may need to change your diet, take medicines and have regular check-ups.