Type 1 – Diabetes

Type 1 - Diabetes occurs when there is too much glucose in the blood.

In this article:

What is Type 1 - Diabetes?

Diagnosis

Advice & Support

Symptoms

Treatment

Causes

How Chemist Online can help

What is Type 1 - Diabetes?
Diabetes can be categorised into 2 types:

Type 1 – Diabetes: Although it is much less common than Type 2 – Diabetes, Type 1 – Diabetes still affects over 2 million people in the UK alone.

We get glucose (sugar) from food. It gives us energy and helps our cells to function properly. Type 1 – Diabetes develops when there is an excessive amount of glucose in the blood (and your body stops making a pancreatic generated hormone called insulin which keeps your blood glucose levels under control). Too much glucose can damage your blood cells over time, make you feel ill, and lead to extremely serious medical problems.

Type 1 – Diabetes generally occurs in children of young adults.

Type 2 – Diabetes: Type 2 – Diabetes is different because it occurs in people over 40 years of age and develops gradually over time. Cells resist (or reject) the sufficient amounts of insulin the pancreas creates, and so therefore fail to be stimulated by it. This has knock-on effect which causes the insulin generating cells in the pancreas to become exhausted and stop functioning properly.

This article will focus upon Type 1 – Diabetes and seek to explain the impact it has on people’s lives.

Symptoms
Symptoms of Type 1 - Diabetes include:

A persistent, raging thirst

A need to pass urine frequently

Fatigue

Weight loss

Muscle wasting

Problems with vision (images can appear blurred)

Constipation

Skin infections

Itchiness and irritation around the penis or vagina

Regular bouts of thrush

Causes
As we have seen, Type 1 – Diabetes develops when your body stops producing sufficient amounts of insulin to keep your blood glucose levels under control. A lack of insulin means that the glucose is not dispersed naturally and evenly to into your cells through your bloodstream.

It is not known why the body fails to produce enough insulin in some people but does in others, although one theory suggests that is may be due to a problem with the immune system – possibly and autoimmune reaction.

Other suggested causes of Type 1 - Diabetes include:

Viral or bacterial infection

Exposure to cow’s milk at a very young age (i.e. during infancy)

Environmental problems, such as exposure to dangerous chemical toxins in some foods

Also, some people may have a genetic predisposition to developing Type 1 – Diabetes. This means that condition may have been passed down from a previous generation within the effected person’s family.

Diagnosis
If you are suffering from the aforementioned symptoms and think that you may be diabetic, arrange to make an appointment with your GP. After taking your medical history, he or she will ask you some questions about your symptoms and then make a confirmed diagnosis by requesting a urine sample from you. You will then be referred to specialist diabetes care team.

Treatment
Despite worldwide medical research into Type 1 – Diabetes, as yet the condition cannot be cured. However, to help keep your blood glucose levels under control you will be shown by your specialist care team how to administer insulin injections, so that you can then do them by yourself. Most people with Type 1 - Diabetes usually have 2 or 3 injections each day. You will also be shown how to monitor your blood glucose levels at home so that you know exactly how much insulin you need to keep your blood glucose levels under control.

As well as insulin injections, try to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet which is low in fat, high in fibre, and includes plenty of fruit and vegetables.

How Chemist Online can help
Through this website we have a range of products available to buy which can help you to monitor your blood glucose levels, such as Ascensia Autodisc which is automatically calibrated. This means there are no chips or codes to use, which in turn reduces human error. We can also off you Multistix 10 SG x 100 Reagent Glucose testing strips.



www.chemistonline.co.uk


Advice & Support
Diabetes UK – The charity for people with diabetes
MacLeod House
10 Parkway
London
NW1 7AA
Tel: 0845 120 2960 Careline & Careline Scotland (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm)
Website: www.diabetes.org.uk
UK e-mail: careline@diabetes.org.uk, Scotland: carelinescotland@diabetes.org.uk


This information and advice is not intended to replace the advice of your GP or chemist. Chemist Online is also not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based upon the content of the Chemist Online website. Chemist Online is also not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.


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Keywords: Medicines, Health, Beauty

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