|
Home |
|
D-Day: My Diagnosis Day Story |
|
This ain't your Grandpa's Diabetes |
|
My Funny Diabetes Song |
|
Diabetic Vent: My T-shirt Store |
|
Diabetic Alert Dogs |
|
Dot's Freakishly Long Tail |
|
Lil Dot’s Spot |
|
My Own Spot |
|
Connect-the-Dots |
|
Camp Sweeney |
|
Really Cute Dog Vests |
|
Related Links |
|
HSP Scam?? $$$??? |
|
Dot Impersonators! |
|
Waterloo 5K Race for Diabetes |
|
What is diabetes? |
|
This ain’t your Grandpa's diabetes!
The difference: There are two different kinds of diabetes. Type 1 & Type 2. Most people do not know the difference between the two but they are actually very different. In fact, the only thing they have in common is the word "diabetes" and a few similar symptoms. Other than that they are totally different diseases, caused by totally different reasons, & have vastly different treatments. Type 2 diabetes is almost always a slowly progressing adult onset problem caused by lifestyle factors & possibly heredity. In Type 2 the pancreas still produces insulin but the release of the insulin gradually slows down. It can often be prevented and controlled by a healthy diet & active lifestyle. It is sometimes treated with oral medication and sometimes with insulin but a Type 2 diabetic may never have to depend on insulin like a Type 1 does. When I say I'm diabetic, people often act like they know all about it because their Grandpa or some other older relative has diabetes. Well, let me tell you - this ain’t your Grandpa's diabetes! I have Type 1 diabetes or diabetes mellitus or what used to be called Juvenile Diabetes. It most often strikes in childhood and is quick & vicious. It is an auto-immune disease in which your own body attacks your own pancreas rendering it virtually useless and it does not have one thing to do with what you ate or your lifestyle or if you are obese or not. In fact I lost over 10 pounds in just three days right before I was diagnosed. Type 1 diabetics are always insulin dependent every day, 24 hours a day, for the rest of their life. There is no cure. Insulin is not a cure; it is just a life support for Type 1 diabetics. Diabetes is a disorder which impairs the body's ability to transport food energy into the cells. Normally, as food is digested, it is converted into glucose - a type of sugar - that is transported to cells throughout the body by insulin. There, it is "burned" or used as an energy source. Insulin, a hormone produced by "beta cells" within the pancreas, provides the chemical transportation system for glucose. Without it, the energy from food cannot get into the cells, and cannot be used. In other words, I have to take insulin so that the sugar from my food can get into my cells. Type I diabetes is a totally different disorder from Type 2 and much more difficult to control. Although its exact cause remains unknown, its effects are clearly understood. It begins when the body suddenly begins to destroy its own beta cells, perhaps as a reaction to a virus. Once this mysterious process begins, it can continue until virtually all of the body's insulin-producing cells are destroyed. Once gone, they are never replaced. The onset of Type I diabetes is sudden and severe. Within a week or two, its victims lose weight and become dangerously dehydrated. Without prompt medical intervention, they may experience crippling damage to vital organs, including the brain. The most serious cases result in death. My symptoms developed in three days and I was diagnosed on the 4th day. Once they have overcome the initial crisis, Type I diabetics learn to manage their disorder by regularly administering synthetic insulin and by balancing their physical activities with a carefully prescribed diet. Blood sugar levels must be monitored four times daily to closely correlate all three elements. Essentially, the mind now must perform what the body used to do on its own, by providing the exact amount of insulin necessary to accommodate food and activity levels. It's a daunting task, one that requires a clear understanding of the mechanics of diabetes, a well-developed sense of discipline, and a high level of commitment. Managing diabetes can be particularly difficult for children, who may not understand how or why they have suddenly become so different from their friends and classmates. The temptation simply to ignore the disorder may be great. Although every child wants to be thought of as special, none wishes to be considered different. Denial may be accompanied by anger and fear, emotions that are often reinforced unintentionally by families of children with diabetes. Defensive barriers may go up, disguised as behavioral problems, as children try to convince themselves and others that they really are normal. All of these reactions become obstacles to the successful management of diabetes. Unfortunately, the consequences of such responses may not be evident until years later. Resilient young bodies can often endure youthful inattentiveness without apparent consequence, but invisible harm is being done. In the span of 25 to 30 years, crippling and irreversible damage can occur, including blindness, circulatory inadequacies, even death.
Signs & Symptoms of Diabetes See your doctor immediately if you have the following symptoms: extreme thirst extreme hunger excessive urination rapid weight loss lethargy weakness blurred vision fruity smell to your breath nausea vomiting
Hypo & Hyper Signs of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar: headache shakiness dizziness weakness hunger sweating fast heartbeat irritability fatigue feeling of anxiousness trouble thinking clearly impaired vision slurred speech
Signs of hyperglycemia or high blood sugar: headache dry mouth lethargy extreme thirst extreme hunger excessive urination trouble concentrating blurred vision decreased healing dry skin nausea
All about Type 1
Counting carbs, insulin delivery, maintaining normal blood glucose, and exercise. This is my life! Treatment for type 1 diabetes is a lifelong commitment of blood sugar monitoring, insulin, healthy eating and regular exercise — even for kids. As I grow and my body changes, so will my diabetes treatment plan. Over the years, I will need different doses or types of insulin, a new meal plan or other treatment changes. Blood sugar monitoring: I check & record my blood sugar four or more times a day. Usually, much more. This requires frequent finger sticks. But it's the only way to make sure that my blood sugar level remains within my target range. Even if I take insulin and eat on a rigid schedule, the amount of sugar in my blood can change unpredictably. It can change in response to: Food: What and how much I eats will affect my blood sugar level. Blood sugar is typically highest one to two hours after a meal. Physical activity: Physical activity causes my cells to burn the glucose that comes from my food. The more active I am, the lower my blood sugar level. But not always – many times the adrenaline that my body produces during exercise causes my blood sugar to shoot way up instead of lowering it. I never know. Medication: I need insulin to lower my blood sugar. But any other medications I take may affect my blood sugar level as well. Illness: During a cold or other illness, my body will produce hormones that raise my blood sugar level. In addition, a fever increases my metabolism. As a result, I may need to take more frequent or larger doses of insulin. In addition to daily blood sugar monitoring, my endocrinologist requires regular glycated hemoglobin (A1C) testing. This blood test indicates my average blood sugar level for the past three months. It works by measuring the percentage of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. The higher my blood sugar levels, the more hemoglobin I will have with sugar attached. My last A1C was 7.6. Eeek! Better than the one before which was 8.4. In a non-diabetic person, their A1C should be between 4 and 6. Insulin and other medications Anyone who has type 1 diabetes needs insulin treatment to survive. Because stomach enzymes interfere with insulin taken by mouth, oral insulin isn't an option for lowering blood sugar. Often, insulin is injected using a fine needle syringe or an insulin pen — a device that looks like an ink pen, except the cartridge is filled with insulin. An insulin pump may also be an option. The pump is a device about the size of a cell phone worn on the outside of the body. A tube connects the reservoir of insulin to a catheter that's inserted under the skin of the abdomen or another site. The pump is programmed to dispense specific amounts of insulin automatically. It can be adjusted to deliver more or less insulin depending on meals, activity level and blood sugar level. I’m hoping to get a pump soon. I’m looking at the Cozmo pump because I like that I can customize it to my own needs. Right now I’m on Lantus – that’s my long-acting insulin and I take it by drawing it up into a syringe. My short-acting insulin that I take before meals is Novolog and I use a pen device to administer it. Healthy eating Contrary to popular perception, there's no diabetes diet. I can eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains — foods that are high in nutrition and low in fat and calories — and fewer fats and sweets. In fact, it's the best eating plan for the entire family. Even sugary foods are OK once in a while, as long as I take enough insulin for them. I have to count every carb of every food I eat so I know how much insulin to take. I need to try to eat the same amount of food with the same proportion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats at the same time every day. I also have to eat a snack before bedtime every night to keep my blood sugar from dropping during the night. Physical activity Everyone needs regular aerobic exercise, and children who have type 1 diabetes are no exception. I am in athletics at school and I’ve also joined the cross country track team at the high school. I love to run and was surprised that I could outrun most of the high school girls and even some of the boys. Remember that physical activity lowers blood sugar or can raise it because of adrenaline. I have to check my blood sugar more often than usual for a few weeks to see how this new activity affects me. I have to adjust my meal plan, snacks, & insulin doses to compensate for the increased activity. Long-term complications Long-term complications of Type 1 diabetes develop gradually. The earlier a child develops diabetes — and the less controlled their blood sugar — the higher the risk of complications. Eventually, diabetes complications may be disabling or even life-threatening. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when I was 11 years old. Heart and blood vessel disease. Diabetes dramatically increases my risk of various cardiovascular problems, including coronary artery disease with chest pain (angina), heart attack, stroke, narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and high blood pressure. Nerve damage (neuropathy). Excess sugar can injure the walls of the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that nourish my nerves, especially in the legs. This can cause tingling, numbness, burning or pain that usually begins at the tips of the toes or fingers and over a period of months or years gradually spreads upward. Left untreated, I could lose all sense of feeling in the affected limbs. I have a double-whammy when it comes to neuropathy because my whole family has a hereditary neuropathy that I am already showing symptoms of. Kidney damage (nephropathy). The kidneys contain millions of tiny blood vessel clusters that filter waste from my blood. Diabetes can damage this delicate filtering system. Severe damage can lead to kidney failure or irreversible end-stage kidney disease, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant. Eye damage. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels of the retina (diabetic retinopathy). Diabetes can also lead to cataracts and a greater risk of glaucoma. By adulthood, diabetes is a leading cause of blindness. Foot damage. Nerve damage in the feet or poor blood flow to the feet increases the risk of various foot complications. Left untreated, cuts and blisters can become serious infections. I had an ingrown toe-nail & had to have minor surgery to fix it. I also had problems with it healing and developed an infection. Skin conditions. Diabetes makes me more susceptible to skin problems, including bacterial infections, fungal infections and itching. Osteoporosis. Diabetes may lead to lower than normal bone mineral density, increasing my risk of osteoporosis as an adult. This may be a problem for me since I was allergic to milk and dairy products until I was 8 yrs. old and had a hard time getting calcium. Well, that’s all about diabetes – the long story. The short story is that I have Type 1 diabetes for life, and it ain’t your Grandpa’s diabetes! |
