This type of diabetes has a number of names and these include T1DM, TID or IDDM. To have an idea of the gravity of the condition, about three million US citizens are battling with type 1 diabetes.
Knowing More
Type 1 diabetes is a type of diabetes, just as the name implies. In this disease, there is a defect in the production of insulin and this is detected in the level of sugar in the blood. Insulin is a substance that is needed to take up glucose. However, this type is quite different from others in the sense that it is a disease in which the body starts to destroy the pancreatic cells that produce insulin. Even though the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is not known, calling it juvenile diabetes is incorrect as it is now being diagnosed in many adults.
Signs and Symptoms
There are some very distinctive features of the disease. These include increased sensation of thirst and an increased rate of urination. In this situation, the excess glucose present in the be bloodstream causes the fluid to be removed from the tissues thus leading to thirst. In trying to cope with the thirst, you consume more fluid and end up urinating more.
One other symptom of type 1 diabetes: increased hunger (polyphagia). As there is no insulin for the cells to take up glucose, you become very tired easily and fatigue may even set in as well. Loss of weight can result in a case where the body draws on the fat reserves in a bid to provide some energy in the absence of glucose. In addition to these, blurred vision can also occur when fluid become withdrawn from the eye lenses making focus more difficult and harder.
Treatment
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As at the time of writing this, there is no panacea for type 1 diabetes even though scientists are putting in their best efforts to find a cure. Thus, the disease is one that one has to stay with for. However, there are ways for managing it to prevent complications such as stroke or cardiac attack. One way is to control the level of blood glucose, usually by injecting insulin. Drugs, hormones, illness and other conditions needs monitoring from time to time.
The Importance of Hope
Even though the disease is one that you must live with for life, the fact is that it is Armageddon for you and you can manage it. One very important thing for you to do is to control the level of blood glucose and maintain a positive disposition.
