4 posts tagged “type 1 diabetes symptoms”

It does not always take a long time for the onset of Type 1 Diabetes. This type of diabetes can form in only a matter of weeks, so it is important that you know the symptoms that will alert you to the need of a checkup by your physician. Since Type 1 Diabetes is a long-term illness, it is imperative in the successful management of the disease to get an early diagnosis.

Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms

The initial Type 1 Diabetes symptoms can come on strongly and suddenly, and include:

•    An increase in the production of urine caused as the body tries to rid itself of excess glucose in the urine

•    Excessive thirst

•    Weight loss

•    Increased appetite

•    Fatigue caused by the inability of the body to convert glucose into energy

•    Blurred vision

•    Nausea and vomiting

•    Irritability and mood changes

Early Diagnosis and Management of Type 1 Diabetes

The importance of early diagnosis and management of Type 1 Diabetes symptoms is due to the fact that other complications can arise from diabetes that is not treated. Some of these complications can be life threatening, thus the need to quickly seek a medical diagnosis if more than one of the above Type 1 Diabetes symptoms becomes present. Some of these complications include:

•    Retinopathy –this is a disorder of the eyes that occurs when the tiny blood vessels at the back of the eye become damaged by high blood sugar. Early detection and treatment, as well as managing your blood sugar is essential in order to avoid blindness, which can result if this disorder is left untreated.

•    Neuropathy – nerve damage caused by high blood sugar that can lead to pain and numbness in certain areas. Peripheral neuropathy is the most common form and affects the nerves in the legs, feet, and hands. Autonomic neuropathy is less common and involves the nerves that control such body functions as digestion and urination.

•    Nephropathy – damage to the kidneys that is caused by high blood sugar. If diabetes and nephropathy is left untreated, it can lead to kidney failure.

•    Diabetic ketoacidosis – This occurs when the body produces acidic substances called ketones to as a substitute energy fuel that is usually derived from glucose. The symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis include abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, lethargy, fatigue, and if left untreated can result in coma or death.

•    Hypoglycemia – This condition can be caused when too much insulin is taken and not enough carbohydrates are consumed to balance out the extra insulin. The symptoms of this condition can include irritability, blurry vision, trembling, headache, sudden sweating, dizziness and weakness, and confusion. If not treated, hypoglycemia can lead to a coma.

•    Atherosclerosis – this condition involves heart and blood vessel problems that result from unmanaged high blood sugar. People who have Type 1 Diabetes are at a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, and other problems associated with poor circulation.

•    Foot problems – foot problems are often associated with diabetes. People who suffer from peripheral neuropathy, which can cause numbness in the feet, often do not notice sores on their feet, which can lead to infection. Sores that are left untreated for a long period of time are at risk for gangrene, which is the death of soft tissue because of a lack of blood flow. This can lead to the need for amputation of the foot, and even the leg or part of the leg.

The Importance of Management

The complications above demonstrate the importance of recognizing Type 1 Diabetes symptoms as quickly as possible. Once a physician has diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes, it is imperative that you find a plan of management that is suitable to you as an individual and treat the disease as a long-term illness that can cause adverse complications if left untreated. Managing your Type 1 Diabetes involves more than just cutting down on the sweets – proper management of your diabetes will include an entire lifestyle change as well as medications in some cases. A healthy lifestyle should always include, first and foremost, a healthy diet along with a regular exercise routine. 

Dr John Anne is a herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on Herbs and Alternative health. For more helpful information read about Diabetes Diagnosis at Diabetes Treatment.

Juvenile Diabetes

For many years, Type 1 Diabetes has been referred to as Juvenile Diabetes. Most often, the people who are diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes are children and young adults. Insulin is a natural hormone found in your body that helps the body to convert sugar, starches, and other foods into the energy that is needed to sustain life. People are diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when their body fails to produce enough insulin to properly convert the intake of sugars and starches into energy.

Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease – a disease that results in the body’s failure to fight infections naturally. Autoimmune diseases cause the body to begin attacking its own cells. In Type 1 Diabetes, the cells that are attacked are the beta cells in the pancreas that produce the insulin that turns sugars and starches into the energy needed for your body to function properly.

Cause and Length of Illness

Though the cause of Type 1 Diabetes is unclear, there are several things that we do know about this disease. Type 1 Diabetes is a lifelong, yet often manageable disease. Lifestyle and genetics play a large role in the onset and diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes. It is not contagious like a cold; therefore Type 1 Diabetes cannot be passed from one person to another. Diabetes is not caused from eating sweets. One symptom of diabetes is that the body fails to produce the hormone that turns sugars and starches into energy – but consuming sugars and starches do not cause the disease.

What To Do if You Are Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes

If you are diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, the first thing that you should do is to avoid panicking. Type 1 Diabetes is a serious and lifelong illness, though in many cases it can be successfully managed with the proper care and diet. Maintaining your overall health is the first step to successfully managing diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes can sometimes lead to other, more serious health conditions – such as heart attack and stroke. While maintaining a healthy lifestyle may not prevent the onset of these other illnesses, it may increase the onset of the illnesses and can help to lessen the effects of these illnesses dramatically. Skin disorders can also be caused by diabetes; therefore, it is important to maintain a routine regimen of skin care that may help to delay or even avoid the onset of skin diseases associated with diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes could place you at a higher risk for contracting gum diseases and other mouth-related problems. It is important to maintain a proper oral hygiene regimen in order to reduce the risks of illnesses associated with the mouth. Proper eye care and early detection of problems can contribute to saving your sight. Blindness is often associated with diabetes. Nerve damage or poor blood flow associated with Type 1 Diabetes can cause a diabetic to develop many different types of foot problems. It is important that you follow some basic guidelines that will help you protect your feet and avoid the onset of foot-related problems.

Lifestyle choices can help or hinder your management of Type 1 Diabetes. It is very important that you maintain a healthy lifestyle, complete with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and proper hygiene. In that fashion, there are some things that you should completely avoid or limit.

Smoking is a habit that contributes to the deterioration of your health, especially if you have been diagnosed with a disease that already affects your health, such as Type 1 Diabetes. Smoking is definitely something that should be avoided – and is a good idea even if you have not been diagnosed with diabetes. While alcohol consumption should be limited, it is not completely necessary to avoid all consumption of alcohol. If your diabetes is under control and if you are free of any of the health problems associated with diabetes that can be made worse by alcohol consumption, such as nerve damage or high blood pressure, it is often okay to have the occasional social drink. Stress is also something that can contribute to increasing the affects of Type 1 Diabetes. While stress cannot always be avoided, it is essential to both your physical and your mental health to learn how to handle stress in a healthy manner.

Dr John Anne is an herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on Herbs and Alternative health. If you are looking for more useful information then  Read about Diabetes Causes at Diabetes Treatment Website.

In medical parlance, this disease is known as "diabetes mellitus" - diabetes from the Greek word for siphon, to illustrate the excessive thirst and urination, which is characteristic of this condition, and mellitus from the Latin word for honey - as urine of a diabetic person contains sugar and is sweet.

Commonly, this disease is called diabetes.

There are many types of diabetes, but the three most common are:

1.    Type 1 diabetes

2.    Type 2 diabetes

3.    Gestational diabetes

1. Type 1 diabetes (also known as insulin dependent diabetes):

This is an autoimmune disease where the body's own immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. The pancreas then produces little or no insulin. It can appear at any age, although mostly under 30 (very often in childhood or during teens), and is caused by environmental factors such as viruses, diet or people genetically predisposed. This type of diabetes, is also known as juvenile-onset diabetes.
It is not really known what causes type 1 diabetes and it is not caused by eating too much sugar or sweets.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes usually develop over a short period, although beta cell destruction can begin much earlier. Common symptoms include increased thirst and urination, constant hunger, weight loss, blurred vision, and extreme weakness. If not timely diagnosed and treated with insulin, a person with type 1 diabetes can go into life-threatening diabetic coma, also known as diabetic ketoacidosis.

2. Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes):

This is the most common form of diabetes, affecting 85-90% of all diagnosed people. It is also known as late-onset diabetes, and is characterised by insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency.

Type 2 diabetes is genetic in origin, but other factors such as excess weight, sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure, ethnicity and faulty diet are its major risk factors. Symptoms may not show up for many years, and by the time they crop up, considerable harm may have been done to the body.

In this condition, the pancreas is usually producing enough insulin, but for reasons unknown, the body cannot use the insulin effectively – termed as insulin resistance. As a result, glucose builds up in the blood and the body cannot make proficient use of its main source of energy.

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop gradually. Symptoms include weakness, nausea, frequent urination, excess thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, frequent infections, and slow healing of wounds. Some people may show no symptoms.

Type 2  diabetes is a progressive, lifetime condition; and over time, it may be difficult to keep the blood glucose level in the target range. However, good diabetes care and management can prevent or delay the onset of complications.

One can do this by:

1.    Eating healthy meals and snacks

2.    Following regular physical activity

3.    Taking diabetes medications (including insulin), if prescribed.

3. Gestational diabetes:

Gestational diabetes develops only during pregnancy. In most cases, all diabetic symptoms disappear following delivery. Women who have had gestational diabetes have a 20 to 50 % chance of developing type 2 diabetes within 5 to 10 years, especially if they were overweight before the pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes is not caused by a lack of insulin, but by blocking effects of other hormones (estrogen, cortisol, and human placental lactogen) on the insulin that is produced, a condition referred to as insulin resistance. Normally, the pancreas is able to make additional insulin to overcome insulin resistance. However, when the production of insulin is not enough to overcome the effect of the placental hormones, gestational diabetes results.

Carbohydrate intolerance is diagnosed during pregnancy through an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). While the carbohydrate intolerance usually returns to normal level after delivery, the mother has a significant risk of developing permanent diabetes later on; while the baby is more likely to develop obesity and impaired glucose tolerance and/or diabetes later in life.

Risk factors include a family history of diabetes, increasing maternal age, obesity and being a member of a ethnic group with a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
 
The complications of gestational diabetes are usually manageable and preventable. The key to prevention is careful control of blood sugar levels as soon as the diagnosis of gestational diabetes is made.

Other types of diabetes -

4. Diabetes insipidus:

Diabetes insipidus is an uncommon condition, that occurs when the kidneys are unable to conserve water as they perform their function of filtering blood. The anti-diuretic hormone (ADH, also called vasopressin) controls the amount of water conserved. Diseases of the kidney (for example, polycystic kidney disease) and the effects of certain drugs may also cause nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

The common symptoms are excessive urination and extreme thirst.
 
5. Syndrome X:

Syndrome X, also known as the "metabolic syndrome" or "Insulin Resistance Syndrome", is a condition that is linked to an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.
It is characterised by abdominal obesity, elevated levels of triglycerides, low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels. Other symptoms include smoking, high fat and calorie diet, pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome.

This is more common in older people than in younger people. In addition, women were more likely to have the syndrome than men.

For more helpful information visit Types of Diabetes and Diabetic Food
 

The symptoms of diabetes most of the time begin gradually, and can be difficult to identify initially. They may include fatigue, sudden weight loss, blurred vision, slow healing of wounds, frequent urination - especially at night, and excessive thirst. When there is extra glucose in the blood, the body gets rid of it through frequent urination. The loss of fluids induces extreme thirst, leading to more frequent urination.

A doctor may also suspect a patient to have diabetes if he has health problems related to diabetes, such as heart disease, changes in vision, numbness in the feet and legs or sores that are slow to heal. These symptoms do not mean that the person has diabetes, but anyone with these problems should definitely see a doctor.

A person with diabetes may actually show no symptoms. Type 2 diabetes, in particular, develops slowly, even for years before it is diagnosed. When symptoms develop, they vary from person to person. The two symptoms that occur in most people with the disease are increased thirst and frequent urination.

The way these symptoms develop differs for Type I and Type II diabetes. In Type I diabetes, they usually show up slowly in children or adolescents over a period of a few days or weeks. In Type II diabetes, symptoms develop even more slowly, over a period of years - in adults over the age of forty. Adults often do not realize they have diabetes mellitus. The condition may only be discovered maybe during a routine physical examination for some other ailment.

Recent studies indicate that the early detection of diabetes symptoms and treatment can decrease the chance of developing the complications of diabetes.

Type - 1 diabetes symptoms:

Symptoms of Type - I diabetes often come suddenly and very severely. They include:

• exceptional thirst (polydipsia)
• dry mouth
• frequent urination (polyuria)
• weight loss
• feeling weak and tired
• blurred vision

Type - 2 diabetes symptoms:

Mostly, people with Type 2 diabetes don't notice any symptoms, or the symptoms are experienced gradually. They include:

• blurred vision
• cuts or wounds that heal slowly
• itchy skin
• increased thirst
• dry mouth
• frequent urination
• leg pain

Gestational diabetes symptoms:

• increased thirst
• increased urination
• weight loss in spite of good appetite
• fatigue and weakness
• nausea and vomiting
• frequent infections including those of the bladder, vagina and skin
• blurred vision
• irritability

Other warning symptoms of diabetes mellitus include:

• Flu-like symptoms - like a viral illness, along with fatigue, weakness and loss of appetite.
• Weight gain or loss – as the body is trying to compensate for lost fluids and sugar, one tends to eat more than usual and gain weight. On the other hand, one may also eat more than normal, but still lose weight because the muscle tissues don't get enough glucose to generate growth and energy. In fact, most people with type 1 diabetes are at or below their normal weight.  
• Blurred vision - high levels of blood sugar draw out fluid from the tissues in the body including the lenses of the eyes. For most people this causes only mild vision problems. Nevertheless, for others, the effects may be much more serious, even blindness. 
• Slow healing sores or frequent infection - bladder and vaginal infections can be a particular problem for women. 
• Nerve damage (neuropathy) – excess sugar in blood can lead to loss of sensation in hands and feet. One may also experience burning pain in legs, feet, arms and hands. Many men, above the age of 50 and older with diabetes may experience some degree of sexual dysfunction from damage to the nerves that help produce an erection. 
• Swollen and tender gums - Diabetes increases the risk of infection in gums and in the bones that hold teeth in place. One may also develop sores or pockets of pus in gums.
• Frequent yeast infections. 
• Velvety dark skin changes of the neck, armpit and groin, called acanthosis nigricans.
• Numbness and tingling of the hands and feet
• Impotency

Diabetes sometimes goes unrecognized early, because people usually think they are urinating more, simply because they are drinking more. It is better to get oneself checked by a doctor before one starts restricting his fluid intake.

If one has any of these symptoms, contact a professional doctor right away to be tested. Even people with pre-diabetes can have an increased risk from heart disease as seen in people with diabetes.

Visit Diabetes Symptoms at Diabetes Treatment and Information for more helpful Information