Hello lovely Ribbot Army <3
In case you did not notice, the title changed. I have decided to start doing fridays for physical conditions, mondays for mental conditions, then wednesday I will be sharing different medical devices. As always, if anyone has any they would like me to do feel free to DM me them <3
(people who asked to be tagged: @Crocheeeeet @FrogOnAMushroom)
This weeks topic is type one diabetes.
What is Type one diabetes?
Type one diabetes (or T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease that prevents your pancreas from making little to no insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates how much glucose (sugar) is in your blood. Without insulin blood sugar levels skyrocket (also called hyperglycemia) in those with T1D.
Symptoms
- Feeling excessive thirst
- Frequent urination
- Unexplained hunger
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Slow healing of injuries
If left untreated a person with T1D may develop a life threatening complication called diabetes-related ketoacidosis (DKA).
Symptoms of DKA include:
- Fruity smelling breath
- Nausea and vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Rapid breathing
- Drowsiness
- Confusion
- Loss of consciousness
What causes T1D?
T1D is developed when your immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin producing cells (islet) in the pancreas. The total destruction of the cells takes a few months through a year, ultimately ending in an ultimate lack of insulin.
It is important to note that T1D is not developed or affected by lifestyle or diet.
Some factors of developing T1D may include:
- One or both of your parents have it. If your mother has it you have a 1-4% chance of developing it, if your father has it you have a 3-8% chance of developing it, and if both parents have it, you have upwards of 30% chance of developing T1D.
- Environmental triggers such as certain chemicals, viruses, or infections that may trigger an autoimmune response.
Treatment and care
People with T1D need to routinely see an endocrinologist to manage their autoimmune disease. The endocrinologist will ensure proper management and treatment of their T1D.
The three main components to treatment include:
- Insulin
- Blood glucose monitoring
- Carbohydrate counting
People with T1D need synthetic insulin everyday multiple times a day in order to stay alive and healthy.
Treatment for T1D is very complicated and changes from person to person. There are so many ways to inject insulin, manage your diabetes, and so much more that all depends on age, weight, lifestyle, and overall health.
Further reading:
(which I highly recommend doing. This is a very complex disease which I barely skimmed over the top of)
-Type 1 diabetes - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic
-Type 1 Diabetes: Causes, Symptoms, Complications & Treatment
