What is Type 1 Diabetes:
Type 1 Diabetes is an Auto-Immune Disease. It is a life long condition and there is currently no cure. Type 1 is usually diagnosed in children and young adults and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. Only about 5% of people with diabetes have this form of the disease.
In type 1 Diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin for the body to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy. This occurs because of the body's auto-immune response to itself. The body attacks it's own insulin producing cells in the pancreas, causing it to no longer produce enough insulin to effectively convert glucose into energy.
Without enough insulin in your body, glucose will not be able to be used for energy. If the glucose is not being used, it builds up in your bloodstream, which causes high blood sugar. This is a dangerous condition for a person's body and can make a person very sick! Without the energy provided by glucose the body will start to burn fat for fuel, which in turn causes ketones to develop.
Ketones are toxic to a persons body. The blood becomes highly acidic and starts to work overtime to flush the ketones from the body. This is why some of the first symptoms of diabetes are excessive thirst and urination. Ketones will be flushed from the body through a persons urine.
If excessively high blood sugars persist the body can be put into Diabetic ketoacidosis which is a life threatening condition.
A person with Diabetes MUST take insulin to stay alive. They MUST check their blood sugar up to 15 times a day by pricking their fingers. Insulin is injected by either a needle or insulin pump.
Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes:
Excessive Thirst
Lethargy and/or drowsiness
Mood Swings
Weight Loss
Extreme Hunger
Frequent Urination
Vision Changes
Heavy and/or labored breathing (common during ketoacidosis)
Sweet or fruity scented breath
Vomiting (caused by excessively high blood sugars and ketoacidosis)
Sugar or Ketones in Urine
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