Diabetes becoming a disease of the young
By Mary Brophy Marcus, Reno Gazette-Journal
Some people say aiming to look sleek in your swimsuit or wedding duds is the biggest motivator for losing weight. But Mike Durbin’s incentive for dropping pounds beats all.
Three years ago, at age 24, Durbin’s doctor told him he had type 2 diabetes and congestive heart failure. More than 300 pounds at the time, Durbin knew that if he didn’t take action, he faced the possibility of an early death.
“I was probably pushing about 340 when I was first diagnosed. As far as the physical changes go, within about three months or so of being diagnosed I dropped about 40 pounds,” said Durbin, of Fort Wayne, Ind., who takes a dozen medications now.
Always a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, he said he had to learn to eat in moderation and now opts for sugar-free foods more often.
The experience has changed how he looks at his personal life, too. Durbin and his girlfriend of nine years postponed the idea of marriage, and he is not sure about starting a family.
“I don’t like the thought that I could have a kid, and he could end up with diabetes down the road. And one of the troubling thoughts I have is if something were to happen to me, (his girlfriend) would be left alone as a mother. You really have to stop and think about these things,” Durbin said.
