Hello Simon, I am pleased that you have joined us. I know a lady on Facebook who has four children, and three of them are type 1. There is no diabetes among her relatives, but her husband and several of his relatives are type 1. If type 1 occurs due to genetics, it can come through either parent's bloodline. Most type 1 diabetes is not genetic. There is no type 1 among any of my relatives. I was diagnosed in 1945, when I was 6. My diabetes resulted from too many childhood illnesses back in the days when there no vaccines. After chickenpox and mumps I started showing all the classic symptoms of diabetes. Illnesses that weaken the body and damage the pancreas is a very common cause of type 1. Approximately 70% of type 1 diabetics in the US do not have any relatives with type 1. Type 2 is much more likely than type 1 to be due to genetics. I have now been type 1 for 65 years and am very healthy.
Simon, if you get your blood sugar under good control, you may find that your complications can be reversed. If not, then the complications will probably slow down and stop progressing. Good control is the way to help complications, and prevent additional ones. I had mild neuropathy and retinopathy in early 2007 but all my symptoms disappeared after a few months of using an insulin pump. The improved control provided by pumping was the key to my success.
How is your control Simon? What is your A1c? Please ask any questions that you may have.
Richard