If we think of our system like a brand new car we might be able to better visualize.

We all know as a car gets older it starts to fall apart and develop problems. Our system is no different.

If we drove that brand new car like an idiot, constantly over heated it, didn't change the oil for the first few years it would still likely run fine for maybe 5 years but eventually it would be "in need of a tow to the junk yard".

If we cared for it - usually minimally (keep it tuned up, oil changed, maybe sprayed with undercoat every year) at 20 years old it would still look and run pretty well.

And even if after abusing it for a good few years it would be near impossible to restore to it's former glory (without a very fat wallet). Our system can not be as easily repaired with a can of "bondo" - some things would just be rusted too bad or too worn out.

Diabetes, even if it is well controlled puts some strain on our system. The trick to living long with it is to try not to burn out too early.

Also, the longer you have had diabetes the tougher it becomes to "correct a problem that arises" - you can't re-grow Pancreatic function so if you have been "driving with your foot on the floor" for too long you blow the engine and there is currently No Body Shop that can install a new pancreas for us.

So treat your system like a new car that you plan on keeping "forever" - get control of your levels and keep them as good as you can as long as you can.

If you do you can take a drive in your like new 30 year old classic car instead of standing at the curb with your walker waiting for the Uber to pick you up....

@A DiabetesTeam Member I did a piece a good while back on the sub-types of Type 2 which was quite long and detailed but will try and put a condensed version here (because it was probably a couple years back - too much digging to find)

80% of Type 2's fall into the same sub-type which is called Metabolic Syndrome.

It is a Type 2 that is "mostly" insulin resistant with some insulin deficiency and most times will include 2 or more of (Type 2, Hypertension, High Cholesterol, Overweight or Obese, High Triglycerides).

This the "poster child" really of the Type 2 sub-types.

Beyond that there is a "Severely Insulin Deficient, but not auto-immune". Until recently that sub-type was very rare, only about 5% of Type 2's AND that are almost universally normal weight or even slightly underweight at diagnosis.

Covid (the virus itself but not the vaccines which are not virus or even live virus for that matter) does attack the Pancreas in a similar manner to what a Type 1 diabetic would experience (however Type 1 is auto-immune, not an "outside agent" doing the attack.

In this sub-type the (patient) simply does not have the insulin producing capacity to meet their needs and "will become" insulin dependent at some point (less then 4 out of 10 of Metabolic Syndrome Type 2's will ever need insulin).

There is also "severely insulin resistant" Type 2 - that one is almost exclusively present in someone diagnosed as Morbidly Obese - weight, for most sub-types, is the single largest factor in our level of Insulin Resistance - so they are producing enough insulin to meet their needs but their body simply ignores it. That eventually leads to Pancreas burn out (since it will hyper produce trying to get the desired benefit).

Again, less than 5% are (clinically) severely insulin resistant.

There is an "age related" Type 2 - when we get really old we simply start "falling apart" - so more simply getting worn out then metabolic but it otherwise fits in well with the other sub-types and is treated with the same meds.

The last sub-type is called MODY (Mature Onset Diabetes in the Young) - kids more and more are being diagnosed with Type 2 - mostly because they lay around with a phone glued to their hands, eat tons of crap and are obese because society has placed "positive body image above health" - someone forgot to tell them you don't need to be skinny but if you are too overweight the Beast will get you.

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A Diabete...

First let me say just keep on yapping! I find your yapping very informative and quite helpful! I was just turning 62 when I was diagnosed. Wasn’t what I wanted for my birthday that’s for sure. Had myself quite the pity party. I’m over that now and doing everything I can to educate myself on diabetes and how to keep it under control. One thing I’ve learned, diabetic cookbooks are NOT diabetic friendly. Low carb low fat using whole foods are best. Being gluten free I’m used to using alternative flours but while I’ve heard others say gluten free is lower carb I say, not really. They are very high in sugar. I prefer to find recipes I can tweak as necessary. I’ve actually found because of my diagnoses I’m exercising and that in turn has helped lower my blood pressure without meds. I’m losing weight and really with the exception of the arthritis I’m feeling better than I have in a while. So in my effort to control my diabetes I’ve seen benefits.
While I want to see my fasting numbers lower I need to give it time and learn what works best for me.

@A DiabetesTeam Member - sorry just re-reading my answer to you, it may not be completely clear about the Covid induced Type 2.

I can "only be the result" of getting infected with the virus itself. The vaccines can NOT induce at least that (sub-type) of Type 2.

Type 2 can be "triggered" by medications, with any of the Steroids' being the most common (triggers - don't cause but kinda push your metabolism over the edge by causing your system to be flooded with metabolic sugars).

So I would guess that getting a Covid Vaccine (or any vaccine or even just getting the regular flu), which would result in your own body producing "anti-bodies" which would result in the release of metabolic sugars (to fuel the anti-boides) could have been the "last straw" which pushed you over the edge.

However, your metabolism would have been "messed up" long before that final push. So the vaccine could have been the "trigger" and led to the diagnosis sooner then it would have been otherwise.

But it did not "cause it".

(personal observation on my part)

After the first dose of the vaccine my blood sugar was elevated for about 3 days - expected, told me I was producing anti-bodies against Covid.

Second dose, similar.

After the booster my Fasting Numbers (for sure) were quite elevated (for me) for over 2 weeks - again, can be explained as "producing anti-bodies".

Then everything settled back to "normal for me".

Had I have been "on the line" before diagnosis that couple of weeks of elevated sugars could have finally caused my pancreas to throw up it's hands and say "I have had enough of trying to deal with your elevated sugars", but I would have had to have been standing on the edge of the cliff "before that".

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A Diabete...

Hey @A DiabetesTeam Member I can't even fathom the (plight) of a Type 1 Diabetic.

Some of you may not even remember a time when you didn't have diabetes and weren't treating with insulin.

You really should be seen as an inspiration for those Type 2's that think it is "so hard" because they have been dealing with it for a few years.

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A Diabete...