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Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes

Meet Quinn who shares her experience on living with type 1 diabetes       

What is type 1 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when your body cannot make insulin or makes very little insulin2

Type 1 diabetes can be controlled by following your healthcare professional's advice2.

When living with type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes treatments

Type 1 diabetes treatments

Understanding the types of type 1 diabetes treatments available and how they get close to your body’s natural insulin response.

Diabetes day by day
6 min. read

Diabetes day by day

Good diabetes management requires awareness and careful planning for all types of environments and situations.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes

In most cases, type 1 diabetes develops early in life and is often diagnosed during childhood3.

Signs of type 1 diabetes include2,4:

  • Excessive urination  as your body expels excess glucose
  • Extreme thirst  resulting from urination
  • Muscle cramps  as fluid loss creates an imbalance in electrolytes in your blood
  • Rapid weight loss  as your body uses fat for energy when cells cannot absorb glucose
  • Tiredness and fatigue  as energy from glucose cannot reach your body’s cells
  • Thrush/genital itching, yeast infections  as glucose in urine provides a breeding ground for fungus and bacteria
  • Blurry vision  caused by high glucose levels in the fluid of your eye 
  • Sweet or fruity-smelling breath  as acids are released when your body uses non-glucose energy sources 

If you or a loved one experience any of these symptoms, please seek medical support immediately.

What causes type 1 diabetes? 

The disease starts when the immune system attacks cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, the hormone that helps convert glucose into energy for the body’s cells1,2. As more insulin-producing cells in the pancreas are destroyed, the body can no longer control its blood sugar levels and the symptoms of type 1 diabetes begin to appear2.

Genetic and environmental factors are suspected to play a role in why a person develops type 1 diabetes2.

Diagnosing type 1 diabetes

If you show signs of having type 1 diabetes, your doctor may use urine tests to look for indications of diabetes5. Blood tests are required to make a diagnosis2. There are several ways this can be done. An initial test can be a simple blood sugar test2. Your test results, together with a few common symptoms, is sufficient for a diagnosis of diabetes2

If you do not have the common symptoms, but your blood sugar or urine blood sugar level is high, additional blood tests can be taken to measure HbA1C levels6. HbA1C is a measure of how well controlled your blood sugar has been over three months, and it gives a good idea of how high or low, on average, your blood sugar levels have been6. This chart compares normal levels with those indicating type 1 or type 2 diabetes6,7.

Living with type 1 diabetes

Since type 1 diabetes can develop quickly without any clear warning signs8, getting a diagnosis may come as quite a shock.

The best thing that you can do is take control of the situation and learn as much as possible about type 1 diabetes, the  treatment options  and how it can affect daily life. Talk to your doctor for more information and advice. There are also many resources available for and by diabetes communities worldwide. The more you know, the more prepared you will be to deal with the challenges ahead.

With good management of blood sugar levels and an overall healthy lifestyle, most people with type 1 diabetes can live a long and active life9.

Get familiar with diabetes type 1 and 2, how to live your best life with diabetes

Living with diabetes

Living with diabetes

Tackling diabetes head-on can be stressful, emotional, and overwhelming¹⁰. Taking charge of your diagnosis early and tackling your situation head-on is a proactive way to get on top of this chronic condition.

About diabetes

About diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease occurring when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin (type 1 and type 2) or when the body cannot effectively make use of the insulin available (type 2)¹. Symptoms for type 1 diabetes appear quickly, while type 2 diabetes symptoms develop slowly and can go unrecognised for years⁸. 

Treatment for diabetes
1 min. read

Treatment for diabetes

Different treatment options are available for type 1 and type 2 diabetes depending on how far along you are with the illness¹. Lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise are usually the first treatment steps for type 2 diabetes, and in most cases followed by medication¹.

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References
  1. International Diabetes Federation. IDF Atlas 10th Edition, 2021. Available from: https://diabetesatlas.org/idfawp/resource-files/2021/07/IDF_Atlas_10th_Edition_2021.pdf
  2. NIDDK. Type 1 diabetes. Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/type-1-diabetes Last accessed: January 2024.
  3. Diabetes UK. Type 1 diabetes. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/types-of-diabetes/type-1. Last accessed January 2024.
  4. Diabetes.co.uk. Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms. Available at: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/type1-diabetes-symptoms.html. Last accessed: January 2024.
  5. Diabetes UK. Getting Tested For Diabetes. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/test-for-diabetes. Last accessed: January 2024.
  6. Diabetes UK. What is HBA1C? Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/hba1c#:~:text=The%20hemoglobin%20A1c%20(HbA1c)%20test,your%20diabetes%20is%20being%20controlled. Last accessed: January 2024.
  7. Diabetes.co.uk. Blood sugar level ranges. Available from: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html#:~:text=Normal%20and%20diabetic%20blood%20sugar%20ranges&text=Between%204.0%20to%205.4%20mmol,dL)%202%20hours%20after%20eating Last accessed: January 2024. 
  8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes Symptoms. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/symptoms.html . Last accessed: January 2024.  
  9. Diabetes.co.uk. Diabetes life expectancy. Available from: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-life-expectancy.html. Last accessed: January 2024.
  10. ElSayed NA, Aleppo G, Aroda VR, et al. 5. Facilitating Positive Health Behaviors and Well-being to Improve Health Outcomes: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2023. Diabetes Care. 2023;46:S68-S96. doi: 10.2337/dc23-S005