You know when you don’t feel right. While you may not understand why you feel the way you do, you can tell that something is off, that you’re not yourself. That is the way many illnesses work; from a tickle in the throat to pain to fatigue, your body lets you know when there’s a problem. That is the way it works with type 1 diabetes. Many people develop diabetes symptoms without suspecting that they have the condition until and unless their doctor gives them a diagnosis.
But recognizing the symptoms of type 1 diabetes as early as possible will you get the treatment and motivate you to make the changes that will keep symptoms and complications to a minimum. Once you know you have type 1 diabetes, you can regain control of your life, manage the condition, and feel better overall.
Type 1 Diabetes Basics
Previously called juvenile diabetes, an inaccurate name because it appears in people of all ages, about five percent of the estimated 422 million people around the world who have diabetes have type 1.
When functioning properly, the body makes insulin-producing cells in the pancreas called islets which detect the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. Islets then release the right amount of insulin to normalize blood sugar levels and facilitate the release of glucose that will be used as energy. In type 1 diabetes, however, the body’s immune system attacks the islet cells in the pancreas.
Without islet cells, the body cannot produce its own insulin. As a result, the sugars stay in the bloodstream, essentially starving the cells of the energy they need to maintain the body’s essential functions. High blood glucose levels can cause severe short-term and long-term problems, including the risk of coma or death.
Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes
While type 2 diabetes symptoms tend to develop gradually, symptoms of type 1 diabetes can appear suddenly. If you experience any of the following common symptoms of type 1 diabetes, you should arrange an appointment with your physician:
- Constant thirst
- Frequent urination
- Increased hunger
- Blurry vision
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue and weakness
- Cuts or sores that are slow to heal
- More infections than usual
Symptoms sometimes manifest themselves after a viral illness. In some cases, a person will not receive a type 1 diagnosis until they develop diabetic ketoacidosis.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring: A New Way To Manage Blood Sugar
If you receive a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, you’ll soon learn how important monitoring your blood sugar is to staying healthy. That used to mean pricking a finger multiple times a day to obtain a sample. Now, Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) can make finger-pricking a thing of the past for many diabetes patients. CGM is a tested, safe, reliable, and accurate transceiver device that can help some individuals with type 1 diabetes monitor their blood sugar levels 24 hours a day without interrupting their day to obtain a sample.
Contact us today to see if you qualify for CGM and access our guide to continuous glucose monitoring.