Facts you need to Know about Type I Diabetes

Type I diabetes can appear ruthlessly and without warning.  The progression of symptoms can be as fast as a few hours and severe enough to put you in the emergency department.  Unfortunately, Type I diabetes can often hit you while you are suffering through a completely separate illness – sneaking up on you while you think you’re treating something dramatically different.

That’s why anyone, diabetics or not, should be familiar with the typical symptoms of diabetes and basic info about the disease, because without proper treatment as soon as possible, ignored Type I diabetes can result in coma or death.

Type I diabetes is a condition in which the body does not produce enough insulin – a hormone that helps cells ingest sugar as an energy source.  You need this energy to do absolutely everything including walking, talking, eating, sleeping and breathing.

So, if you’re suddenly thirsty all day, urinating too frequently, losing weight but always eating like a horse, vomiting, too tired or weak then you should see a doctor right away.  Without attention, the sugar build-up in your blood can start to cause serious weakness, confusion or hallucinations.  And after that…things get worse.

Talk to your doctor about what you can do to help prevent diabetes, or how to stay healthy while living with the disease.  Yes, it can be scary to find out you have diabetes, but relax.  Though serious, patients can live long, happy and healthy lives.  So stay informed, and stay positive.  We’re here to help.

July 23 2007 | General Info | No Comments »

Does Diabetes run in families?

A fuzzy relationship exists between diabetes and genetics. Diabetes does appear to have some inherited component to it although no evidence points to genetics as the only reason. Genetics probably plays more of a role in determining an individual’s susceptibility to diabetes rather than being an actual cause. Often, an environmental trigger can set off the chain of events that leads to a diabetes diagnosis.

So the answer is a yes and no. Children in families with diabetes may be more susceptible to than others but will need some sort of trigger to cause the onset of disease.

July 14 2007 | General Info | No Comments »