The difference between T1 and T2 diabetes

[Anita]

It seems that many people confuse between T1 and T2 diabetes, so I'll do my best to explain the difference.

People who suffer from Type 1 diabetes (also knows as T1 diabetes), do not produce enough insulin, or don't produce insulin at all, and as a result have problems in using the carbs they eat. Such people must inject insulin in order to keep themselves a live.

People who suffer from Type 2 diabetes (T2 diabetes) do generate insulin, it's just that their body tissues are not sensitive enough to it. People with T2 diabetes should be very careful of their diet and weight and should exercise regularly.

If anyone has any corrections or additions, please feel free to do it

[Sharah]

A nice basic summary, Anita.

T1s, after a possible honeymoon period, will be insulin dependent for the rest of their lives. For T2s the condition is progressive -in a recent posting to ASDUK Peter C outlined the all too common sequence from impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) to insulin dependant T2.

However it is possible to slow down the progression. Anita mentions the importance of diet and exercise for T2s and these are fundamental to slowing the progression of the condition. Because T2s, in the early stages at least, do not inject insulin the content of every meal is a medical decision; BG, exercise intentions and time of day are all factors to be considered.

As a T2 I think I have found this loss of casual eating one of the hardest things to cope with.

There are a few T1’s in my family, and my daughter was diagnosed T1 fifteen years ago when she was 16, so I thought that I understood diabetes and how to deal with it. But when I was diagnosed T2 two years ago I was surprised by the differences in how the two different conditions must be handled.

Breakfast came as one of the biggest shocks! My daughter has developed a good balance with her basal (background slow release) insulin and her suppertime snack. She does not usually have a high morning BG (ie no dawn phenomenon) so she injects her bolus (rapid response) insulin and can have porridge or toast for breakfast <envy> <envy> <envy>
Weight loss and exercise have helped to reduce my insulin resistance but oatmeal is no longer on my breakfast menu. AND I MISS IT!

Cheers

[aviv]

:idea:
T1 is most likely to be discovered at childhood- the individual will usually suffer from all the symptoms of high blood sugar levels, and as a result their endo will dx them as T1. This T1 [b:188242dbdb]can not be prevented[/b:188242dbdb] - ie, there's no evidence that any lifestyle can disencourage T1 diabetes.

T2 can be developed at any age, but is most likely to be developed somtimes in the adulthood. In most cases the T2 individual will be in a high-risk group- such as occurance of T2 diabetes in the family, statistically over-weight, etc. The most important is that there is scientific evidence that T2 diabetes [b:188242dbdb]can be prevented[/b:188242dbdb] by changing lifestyle- diet, sports, etc.
type 2 diabetes is also called "insulin resistance" - as was correctly described before, this is the inability of the body to use the insulin (released by the pancreas as a reaction to carbs digestion). The insulin resistance is not something that happens all of a sudden- it will usually happen over a the course of many years, with the individual developing a "carbs addiction", getting overweight (which is a clear symptom of the inability of the body respond to insulin, that results in getting the fat cells fatter).
:!: It's also important to say that the majority of the diabetic people are of Type 2 - as a direct result of the bad 20th century nutriotion. We consume so much distilled carbs with high GI (Glycemic Index) - white sugar, white flour, etc- that it jsut makes perfect sense that at some point our body will be overwhelmed with the amount of insulin (that is released directly as reaction to digesting those high GI carbs), that eventually our body will be resistant to insulin. Sad....

my $0.02... :shock:

[Gemstone]

There is exceptions to every rules so younger people with diabetes aren't always type 1. My son was diagnosed glucose intolerant when he was 14. He was always very thin. The Dr. said he expect that type 2 diabetes will develop within 5 years. He'll be 17 next month and begin to have hypos quite often so blood tests are now needed. I always wondered what would have happened if the pediatrician I had when my son was 5 years old had taken seriously the fact that he was waking up with hypo symptoms almost every morning and was never prescribed blood tests.

Gemstone

[aviv]

[quote:f29839145d="Gemstone"]I always wondered what would have happened if the pediatrician I had when my son was 5 years old had taken seriously the fact that he was waking up with hypo symptoms almost every morning and was never prescribed blood tests. [/quote:f29839145d]

Gemstone, can't you just sue that doc?! If it was obvious that he should have taken some procedures and he didn't, I guess, you can, can't you?

[Gemstone]

I always wondered what would have happened if the pediatrician I had when my son was 5 years old had taken seriously the fact that he was waking up with hypo symptoms almost every morning and was never prescribed blood tests.

Gemstone, can't you just sue that doc?! If it was obvious that he should have taken some procedures and he didn't, I guess, you can, can't you?

I doubt it. Being in Canada, law suits for malpractice are much rarer than in USA. And then, you know how diabetes is, to prove it would have change something... that's 12 years ago. Even today GP are badly informed about diabetes and taking it with a grain of salt.

Gemstone

[sweet-tooth]

[quote="aviv"]:idea:
.
"type 2 diabetes is also called "insulin resistance" - as was correctly described before, this is the inability of the body to use the insulin (released by the pancreas as a reaction to carbs digestion). The insulin resistance is not something that happens all of a sudden- it will usually happen over a the course of many years, [b:415449128a]with the individual developing a "carbs addiction" [/b:415449128a]
AVIV

Could you or anyone else for that matter please explain what you meant by the term "carb addition" with regards to T2 diabetics inrelation to what you were describing.


TTFN

[csr18]

I was diagnosed at 30 years old, had a honeymoon period on tablets of about 1 year then went onto Insulin.
So quite unusual to become Type1 (Adult onset) at an older age, but there is Type 1 in my family on my fathers side.

[Gemstone]

[quote="sweet-tooth"]

:idea:
.
"type 2 diabetes is also called "insulin resistance" - as was correctly described before, this is the inability of the body to use the insulin (released by the pancreas as a reaction to carbs digestion). The insulin resistance is not something that happens all of a sudden- it will usually happen over a the course of many years, with the individual developing a "carbs addiction"
AVIV

Could you or anyone else for that matter please explain what you meant by the term "carb addition" with regards to T2 diabetics inrelation to what you were describing.


TTFN

Type 2 is not only due to insulin resistance. It can also be due to the body not processing the blood sugar correctly be it because of the fat or whatever other reasons and /or also the pancreas not producing enough insulin. There is still a lot to learn about diabetes and there is not only one cause or every obese would have diabetes and no thin people would.

Carb addiction... all I can guess is that they means people who have a *sweet tooth* are most often T2 diabetic... but I don't agree with that either. I know people who are eating properly, never in excess, thin and fit and who have diabetes. Genes are the culprits in thoses cases. This is a bit like the question about the egg and the chicken...which came first!

[Gemstone]

I was diagnosed at 30 years old, had a honeymoon period on tablets of about 1 year then went onto Insulin.
So quite unusual to become Type1 (Adult onset) at an older age, but there is Type 1 in my family on my fathers side.

There is honeymoon only in Type 1 diabetes. Before this *epidemia* of Type 2, it was unusual to find Type 2 under 40 years old so all who were diagnosed up to 40 years old were Type 1. That's why that age was the limit. Not anymore. There is kids with Type 2 nowadays.