To the diabetic, who says, that diabetes is easy to manage. Maybe you are still in the honeymoon. That makes many things easier. Like having a good a1c. Because your pancreas does still work a bit. And you survived a very dangerous hypo. Others could have died. The effect of hypos on people variates.
Here is some statistics about diabetes complications and comorbids from the American Diabetes Association:
Hypoglycemia: In 2011, about 282,000 emergency room visits for adults aged 18 years or older had hypoglycemia as the first-listed diagnosis and diabetes as another diagnosis.
Hypertension: In 2009–2012, of adults aged 18 years or older with diagnosed diabetes, 71% had blood pressure greater than or equal to 140/90 millimeters of mercury or used prescription medications to lower high blood pressure.
Dyslipidemia: In 2009–2012, of adults aged 18 years or older with diagnosed diabetes, 65% had blood LDL cholesterol greater than or equal to 100 mg/dl or used cholesterol-lowering medications.
CVD Death Rates: In 2003–2006, after adjusting for population age differences, cardiovascular disease death rates were about 1.7 times higher among adults aged 18 years or older with diagnosed diabetes than among adults without diagnosed diabetes.
Heart Attack Rates: In 2010, after adjusting for population age differences, hospitalization rates for heart attack were 1.8 times higher among adults aged 20 years or older with diagnosed diabetes than among adults without diagnosed diabetes.
Stroke: In 2010, after adjusting for population age differences, hospitalization rates for stroke were 1.5 times higher among adults with diagnosed diabetes aged 20 years or older compared to those without diagnosed diabetes.
Blindness and Eye Problems: In 2005–2008, of adults with diabetes aged 40 years or older, 4.2 million (28.5%) people had diabetic retinopathy, damage to the small blood vessels in the retina that may result in loss of vision.
Kidney Disease: Diabetes was listed as the primary cause of kidney failure in 44% of all new cases in 2011.
In 2011, 49,677 people of all ages began treatment for kidney failure due to diabetes.
In 2011, a total of 228,924 people of all ages with kidney failure due to diabetes were living on chronic dialysis or with a kidney transplant.
Amputations: In 2010, about 73,000 non-traumatic lower-limb amputations were performed in adults aged 20 years or older with diagnosed diabetes.
About 60% of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations among people aged 20 years or older occur in people with diagnosed diabetes.
It’s nice that you have found a way of coping. Keep it up. But it’s not okay to judge all the diabetics who struggle with problems. It’s totally okay to be sad or angry… And just because it’s okay for you doesn’t mean it’s okay for the others. And telling them “they are lucky” doesn’t help anyone.
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