[-jimi-]

I'm asking because I have a friend who never cared to take care of his diabetes. He has nerve damage from it. The last 7-8 years he has slowly changed. First I got annoyed, then I realized it's not something that I imagined or that would go away.

He is also heavily medicated and I've always blamed everything on the meds. Now I wonder if the diabetes is making things getting worse and worse. Docs have picked up on it but after a scan to rule out bleeding, clots or tumor, they think he is fine. He thinks he is fine.

He cannot reason, can't play board games, can't discuss anything. Talking is stripped down to Hi how are you? several times a day. If I tell him something, he won't remember. He doesn't remember people we used to know. It's hard to even understand we used to talk about real things. He tries to fake that he remembers, I might mention something that he didn't know and he claims he remember it, but it is not something that he ever came upon. Denial is very strong.

Then I heard cognitive functions can decline and memory can go very weak with diabetes, and he have had it for decades. I had actually not reflected on this, but I guess it might be true. Anyone seen this? If this is the case I guess he will never ever go back to normal.

And it must be hard for him, I don't understand how he functions because he doesn't remember half an hour ago. Stuck in a perpetual present time.

[bebop]

I have a friend her husband is like that. goes into fits of rage and doesn't remember it.

[pegasus]

Hello jimi, it can be difficult to manage diabetes and there are many complications that can come because of it. Short term memory loss can be for many reasons but may be more pronounced when the diabetes has not been managed. I don't know how old your friend is but there could be damage to the heart and brain leading to memory problems which lead to dementia. Sorry to sound so glum but please be there for him. Focus on past memories and then he will enjoy the conversation.