I struggled along for 18 years before I developed complications. I noticed that my eyesight was declining and found out that I had the first stage of retinopathy called background retinpathy. Along about this time I also found that I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, neuropathy, glaucoma, thyroid trouble, and was spilling large amounts of protein in my urine (the first sign of kidney damage). These conditions were diagnosed by an endocrinologist. I was going to a family physician who did not know to test me for these complications prior to that.It is important that you have tests regularly to rule out any complications. After struggling with the complications for 6 years I eventually became legally blind as the retinopathy progressed to the proliferative stage and a victrectomy was unsucessful in repairing a hole in the macula (the central area of retina that gives us detailed vision). I also have developed renal insuffiency that has resulted in the inability of my bone marrow to reproduce enough red blood cells that has caused me to have anemia. So far I have received a blood transfusion to treat the anemia. My kidneys are unable to rid my body of different blood values such as phosphorous, triglycerides, cholesterol, potassium, uric acid,and alkaline phosphotase. My blood pressure is very high and I take a lot of medicine to control it as it has caused diastolic dysfunction of the heart. Diastollic dysfunction is where the lower chamber of the heart stays stiff and contracted instead of relaxing during diastole. This in turn causes the heart muscle to be enlarged and tachycardia or a fast heart beat.I take a beta blocker to treat this as it can and has led to congestive heart failure. The nueropathy has impaired my stomach's ability to be able to empty as fast as it should. My thyroid developed another large goiter on the right side several years ago and instead of surgery I opted for radioiodine treatment which sucessfully shrank it but I now have to take thyroid hormone to replace what was lost. I have had to had my medication adjusted 4 times (decreased) in the last year due to getting too much. I monitor my blood sugar 4 times a day (before each meal) and take an injection of regular humulin insulin according to what my sugar reading is 30 minutes before eating. At night I take an injection of humulin NPH (long acting insulin)