My Life in Pieces : Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)

This is a follow-up to my 4/20 blog about my then 15 year old son being diagnosed with T1D. His diagnosis threw us a curve ball that knocked us all for a loop. During my research and being a mom of a T1D warrior, I have found a lot of useful information to dismiss the typical beliefs of Type 1 diabetes. It’s amazing to me how many people don’t know about t 1 Diabetes (T1D), but the more research I do, I understand why. So, this is my attempt to help people understand T1D.

First, here are the symptoms of Type 1. Please keep in mind, many of these are very similar to common illnesses and can be easily overlooked. If you notice any of these symptoms, please seek medical help immediately and let a doctor make the determination. Recognizing the signs may save a life.

SYMPTOMS OF TYPE 1 DIABETES:

• Extreme thirst

• Frequent urination

• Drowsiness and lethargy

• Sugar in urine

• Sudden vision changes; blurry vision

• Increased appetite, even though you’re eating

• Sudden weight loss

• Fruity, sweet, or wine-like odor on breath

• Heavy, labored breathing

• Stupor or unconsciousness

If you notice one or more of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately. Have your doctor let you know what's going on, but make sure you go to the doctor right away - it could save a life.

Diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes.

There are a few different ways to diagnose diabetes. Since I am only referring to T1D and my own experience with my son, I am only going to talk about the A1C. For more information, please go to the American Diabetes Association webpage on diagnosing diabetes. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diagnosis/

Diabetes is diagnosed at an A1C of 6.5% or higher. The A1C (sometimes, it’s also referred to HA1C) test measures the average blood glucose levels present in your body for the last 2-3 months. It’s a very easy test – it’s just a finger prick and a drop of blood.

Result	A1C
Normal	Less than 5.7%
Prediabetes	5.7% to 6.4%
Diabetes	6.5% or higher

Now for T1D facts. Most of the information I’m giving you I got from either the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDFR) or the American Diabetes Association.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease. A person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, which is a hormone people need to get energy from food. A person can get T1D at any age and suddenly, although it is typically diagnosed during childhood, which is why it’s commonly referred to as juvenile diabetes. However, a person can be diagnosed with T1D up to the age of 40.

Only 5% of the people with diabetes have T1D.

The causes of T1D aren’t understood yet and doctors & researches don't know what triggers it to start. However, they believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers play a role.

There is nothing you can do to prevent T1D.

People with T1D did not get it from eating too much sugar. It is caused by genetics and unknown factors that trigger the onset.

There is no cure for T1D. People with T1D must take insulin to control their blood sugar but it is not a cure nor does it prevent serious side effects that are possible with T1D.

T1D cannot be controlled with diet.

People with T1D must take insulin daily to live. Without it, they will die.

Diabetes is the 7^th leading cause of death in the United States. Diabetes causes more deaths a year than breast cancer and AIDS combined. Having diabetes almost doubles your chance of having a heart attack.

People with T1D can eat carbs and sweets. They can eat anything they want. Portion control is key but they have to count the amount of carbs they eat and take the correct dosage of insulin no matter how much they eat.

Diabetes is not contagious. You can’t catch it like the common cold or the flu.

Millions of people around the world live with T1D. Again, there isn’t a cure, but researchers are looking for a cure every day. You can help by donating to either JDFR or American Diabetes Association. There are also various fundraisers throughout the country. My kids and I did the Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes in November 2015. This was the first thing my son wanted to sign up for after being diagnosed. We will be walking in the JDFR walk in April of this year too.