How Come You Do Not See Older People ?

[Karl Otto]

I get the same old message from allot of people on boards like this one and others. They tell me constantly that people whom have Celiac Disease and Diabetes do not make it pass their 50th birtday and, then they tell me they usual die off before the age of 50. I just do not see that at all. I am currently 57 year old and, even my VA Doctor ask me how come, I am still alive today. Either I have beaten the odds or, they are in-correct in their thinking. I have had the symptoms of Diabetes and Celiac Disease sense my 21st birtday. There have been times when, I thought, I was surely dieing because I was so sick. I laid down on my living room floor in front of the television rolling around on the floor sick as a dog. Each time, I went to the doctors, they never gave me any blood tests or give me any explanation why I was so sick all the time after meals and in between meals. That is another story. So, is there any truth to the way everyone is thinking that people with Celiac and Diabetes do not live over their 50th birtday with these diseases?

[luvs2eat]

I can imagine that people with UNTREATED diabetes and celiac disease might come to early ends, but with treatment... meaning a completely gluten free diet for celiacs... I don't believe people with celiac disease live any less long than anyone else. I know diabetes is a degenerative disease, but with proper treatment and lifestyle changes... I don't see why people with diabetes live any less long than people without it!

You've gotten hold of some interesting... and incorrect... information there!

[srall]

My mother is 68 this year and has both celiac and diabetes. She is a retired dietician so I'm sure a lifetime of diet and exercise has helped her.

[kate1]

my mum has diebetes, underactive thyroid and I suspect coeliac too although with the coeliac she has never been aware of it.Its only since my diagnosis that i believe she has it with the pain in her side and the bowels although I suspect she would be in denial lol.

She is 90 in June!!!!!!

[Emilushka]

Diabetes can really shorten your life if you don't manage it. Uncontrolled blood sugars ultimately lead to heart disease, poor healing, and lots of other complications. Controlled diabetes, however, doesn't cause problems.

The same goes for Celiac. If your immune system is attacking your guts like crazy, you're not going to do well. If you stick to the diet and let your immune system calm down, there's no reason you should be in any extra trouble.

Doctors tend to see a lot of people who just don't want to be bothered with really controlling their sugars because initially, diabetics don't feel that bad. Many of them can run around with crazy high blood sugars for years, doing damage that they aren't even considering, and they don't learn to take care of their sugars because they feel like they don't have to. That's not quite the case with Celiac, as I'm sure we're all aware. Celiac symptoms are pretty prominent a lot of the time and it's worth your efforts to get and stay gluten-free.

So maybe the doctors are just jaded. I'm a 27-year-old Celiac and I expect to live to be 90, and there's no reason why I can't. Unless I get hit by a bus or something.

[kareng]

it's attitudes like those doctors have that keep older people from being diagnosed. Those doctors assume it's a childhood disease, that if untreated, will kill you after 20 years of malnutrition. There have been many articles reproduced on this forum that say that celiac disease can be triggered in adults. Also, that more elderly people are being diagnosed with this.

Maybe reprint a few of those articles to give these docs.

Emiluska, look both easy before crossing the street! That should help!

[missy'smom]

Come visit our local celiac disease support group. You'll find that there are many of various ages who have both diabetes and celiac disease. I am 40 and have both and plan to live a long time. I've still got 40 years ahead of me. As others have said, management is key. The body has a lot of ability to heal if we give it a break. Also diabetes doesn't have to be a progressive disease with nasty inevitable compilcations. Many find that a low-carbohydrate diet keeps their blood glucose under control. Dr. Richard Bernstein is a physician near 80 years old, still practicing, in great health, has reversed some of his complications, T1 since 13 years old. Take that as inspiration!

[Takala]

What nonsense.

I'm in my fifties and have tried to eat low carb high fiber and lower sugar for most of my adult life, plus exercising. The only thing that got me into trouble was the vegetarian craze in the eighties, although the baking practice has come in handy, as now if I want something breadlike, I make it. Some of the younger gluten intolerant ones automatically expect the store bought stuff in the cellophane wrappers to be edible and whole grain.

My mother was diabetic (type 2) and made it to her mid seventies.

If you drink like a fish and eat a lot of white floured, sugary junk food and don't exercise, and then try to make up for it with just insulin, then yeah, I could see where you might have a slight problem.

I've looked at some of those sample diet menus for type 1's and thought, wow, are they trying to kill people with this ? Ick ! And now it turns out that those "new" medicines that they were pushing for type 2 caused people to pack on weight. Just brilliant !

[luvs2eat]

And then there are diabetics (I know one) who don't make any lifestyle/diet changes and simply adjust their insulin dosage to accommodate the bad food choices and portions! Yikes!

[Fire Fairy]

My Grandmother died this year at 94. She had diabetes (type 2) and I strongly suspect undiagnosed Celiac disease.

My brother has type 1 diabetes which I suspect was brought on by Celiac disease. He is one of those who doesn't take care of himself and eats what he likes.

[notme]

And then there are diabetics (I know one) who don't make any lifestyle/diet changes and simply adjust their insulin dosage to accommodate the bad food choices and portions! Yikes!

my son!! (dx'd type 1 diabetes when he was 19) he is 25 now - and i sat right there and listened to the endocrinologist tell him to adjust his insulin accordingly "if he wasn't good at the diet"... he is now on a different insurance/prescription drug program and also a single dad, so he is smartening up a little being that it's cheaper to adjust his diet than pay for extra insulin. kills me to watch what he eats sometimes and i always worry when he eats at our house gluten-free if it is worse for him as far as carbs (rice, rice pasta, corn, potato-wise) and sugars

[ravenwoodglass]

If I had not finally been diagnosed 8 years ago there is no doubt I would not be here as I was very close to death by then. My mom passed when only a year older than I am of what was undoubtedly a celiac related cancer and my twin had autoimmune liver destruction that was also likely from celiac and passed in his teens. I am now in my midfifties and healthier than I have ever been in my entire life. Doctors really need to get more proactive and start testing more. I am someone who firmly believes we should do what some other countries do and routinely test both in childhood and in adulthood. I sometimes wonder how many living off meds for IBS and having a wealth of other diseases could get their lives back and live much, much longer if they were only at least tested. I expect to be around for quite some time longer as long as the heart and kidney damage from years of inflammation don't catch up with me.

[missy'smom]

Here's link to Dr. Bernstein's very inspiring personal story. He played and important role in that fact that patients have personal glucose meters today. Open Original Shared Link