How did I get diabetes?

Nearly every person I meet asks me how I got diabetes, and my response is often met with confusion. "It just happened, the doctors aren't that sure." isn't a very informative answer, but it's all I've got. Type one diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the pancreas stops producing insulin—this is the hormone that regulates your blood sugar levels. Having type one means I have to administrate my own insulin through multiple injections every day. 

What is type one diabetes?

As mentioned above, type one diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the pancreas stops producing any insulin. Insulin is required in order for our bodies to regulate blood sugar levels, and without it, the consequences could be fatal. Someone with type one diabetes has too much glucose in their body, and while we need glucose to give us energy, too much isn't a good thing. As the pancreas no longer produces any insulin, or very small amounts there's nothing to regulate the glucose levels, so type one diabetics need to give insulin whenever they eat. Diabetics are most commonly diagnosed as children, however, adults can be diagnosed too.

What causes it?

The exact cause of type one diabetes is unknown. Which for those with the condition, is very frustrating to get your head around. What they do know is that it occurs when the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. Scientists believe it is caused by genetics and environmental factors, like a virus.

How is type one diabetes managed?

As there is no cure for the condition yet, type one diabetics manage and control their blood sugar levels by giving themselves multiple injections every day. This is typically by using two types of insulin. Basal insulin is a long-acting type that is administrated once a day and provides a background level of insulin, while bolus insulin is given whenever something is eaten. Some diabetes also use an insulin pump instead of injections, this is a device which you programme to provide insulin through a cannula. It sounds simple enough, but it's not as easy as giving a little bit of insulin every time a meal is eaten. It involves constant decisions, carbohydrate counting, insulin dose calculating, as well as considering the many factors that contribute to changing blood sugar levels, such as stress, illness and weather. Here's a very handy infographic of the 42 factors that affect blood glucose. Alongside this, too much insulin can cause hypoglycemia, and too little causes hyperglycemia, both of which have their own set of symptoms. 

How did I get type one diabetes?

I was diagnosed in July 2013 when I was 17 and honestly, I don't remember much. I was very unwell in the months leading up to my diagnosis. I was very thirsty because my blood sugars were too high and my body wanted to flush it out (I didn't know this then, obviously). As a result, I was going to the toilet constantly to get rid of the excess water I had been drinking. One clear memory is drinking litres of water in the middle of the night, every single night. This thirst felt like it could never be quenched, no matter how many glasses I drunk. I was constantly fatigued and felt very weak. I think at the worst of it, I couldn't get out of bed. I also lost a lot of weight very fast as a result of my body failing to get energy from glucose and taking it from other sources, like fat and muscle. I lost 3st and don't remember much other than going to the doctors and being sent to the hospital immediately. I have very few memories, other than a nurse instructing me how to give an injection, spending a few days in intensive care and enjoying the cheesy potatoes I often got with my hospital meals. 

(This was a few weeks before I was diagnosed and I was very unwell and thin)

If you have any questions, hmu