What is type 1 diabetes?

In most cases, type 1 diabetes develops early in life and is often diagnosed during childhood³.

Signs of type 1 diabetes include^2,4:

• Excessive urination  as your body expels excess glucose
• Extreme thirst  resulting from urination
• Muscle cramps  as fluid loss creates an imbalance in electrolytes in your blood
• Rapid weight loss  as your body uses fat for energy when cells cannot absorb glucose
• Tiredness and fatigue  as energy from glucose cannot reach your body’s cells
• Thrush/genital itching, yeast infections  as glucose in urine provides a breeding ground for fungus and bacteria
• Blurry vision  caused by high glucose levels in the fluid of your eye 
• Sweet or fruity-smelling breath  as acids are released when your body uses non-glucose energy sources 

If you or a loved one experience any of these symptoms, please seek medical support immediately.

The disease starts when the immune system attacks cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, the hormone that helps convert glucose into energy for the body’s cells^1,2. As more insulin-producing cells in the pancreas are destroyed, the body can no longer control its blood sugar levels and the symptoms of type 1 diabetes begin to appear².

Genetic and environmental factors are suspected to play a role in why a person develops type 1 diabetes².

If you show signs of having type 1 diabetes, your doctor may use urine tests to look for indications of diabetes⁵. Blood tests are required to make a diagnosis². There are several ways this can be done. An initial test can be a simple blood sugar test². Your test results, together with a few common symptoms, is sufficient for a diagnosis of diabetes². 

If you do not have the common symptoms, but your blood sugar or urine blood sugar level is high, additional blood tests can be taken to measure HbA_1C levels⁶. HbA_1C is a measure of how well controlled your blood sugar has been over three months, and it gives a good idea of how high or low, on average, your blood sugar levels have been⁶. This chart compares normal levels with those indicating type 1 or type 2 diabetes^6,7.

Since type 1 diabetes can develop quickly without any clear warning signs⁸, getting a diagnosis may come as quite a shock.

The best thing that you can do is take control of the situation and learn as much as possible about type 1 diabetes, the  treatment options  and how it can affect daily life. Talk to your doctor for more information and advice. There are also many resources available for and by diabetes communities worldwide. The more you know, the more prepared you will be to deal with the challenges ahead.

With good management of blood sugar levels and an overall healthy lifestyle, most people with type 1 diabetes can live a long and active life⁹.