diabetes

[Jagarga]

a real illness? yes/no discuss.

[Barbarossa]

I'm pretty sure............ yes

[Gripper]

Seems pretty real to me ma in law.
Glad I ain't got it.

[DohMein]

Sure is real..... I am in the medical field and this disease can be a terrible thing to live with if not controlled.......

Peace

[weenden]

yes its real many in my family have it

[Smith]

My granddad had it. He died. But he also had cancer...anyways. Yes..its a real disease.

[Snee]

If you count allergies as illnesses, then yes. Otherwise, no.

[castlecrazy]

Agreed. It is far overrated

[Snee]

I don't know if it's overrated, but it can work like an allergy, in so far as it's an abnormal autoimmune reaction behind it. With type one, the immune system turns on the cells that create insulin, killing them, so basically it starts off as similar to an allergic reaction (when it's an allergic reaction the immune system attacks something (often harmless) coming from outside). Type two is different, though, in that the body builds up a resistance to insulin or decreases functionality in the cells producing insulin.

It's perfectly viable that someone can live a normal life with either type of diabetes (as long as you kept regular hours beforehand, the only change is that you will have to take pills (type two) or shots (type one)), so it doesn't have to cause discomfort or anything, thus it won't be an illness, if that is the case.

If there are any complications (which often happens, especially with older people), though, those may easily become illnesses.

[S!X]

My dad says if I keep drinking pop, energy drinks and all bullshit that I'll eventually get diabetes. I'm sure he's not joking.