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Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 Diabetes (Background)

Diabetes mellitus, or simply diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. This high blood sugar produces the classical symptoms of polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyphagia (increased hunger).

There are three main types of diabetes mellitus (DM).

• Type 1 DM results from the body’s failure to produce insulin, and presently requires the person to inject insulin or wear an insulin pump. This form was previously referred to as “insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus” (IDDM) or “juvenile diabetes”.

• Type 2 DM results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, sometimes combined with an absolute insulin deficiency. This form was previously referred to as non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or “adult-onset diabetes”.

• The third main form, gestational diabetes occurs when pregnant women without a previous diagnosis of diabetes develop a high blood glucose level. It may precede development of type 2 DM.

Other forms of diabetes mellitus include congenital diabetes, which is due to genetic defects of insulin secretion, cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, steroid diabetes induced by high doses of glucocorticoids, and several forms of monogenic diabetes.

All forms of diabetes have been treatable since insulin became available in 1921, and type 2 diabetes may be controlled with medications. Both types 1 and 2 are chronic conditions that cannot be cured. Pancreas transplants have been tried with limited success in type 1 DM; gastric bypass surgery has been successful in many with morbid obesity and type 2 DM. Gestational diabetes usually resolves after delivery.

Diabetes without proper treatments can cause many complications. Acute complications include hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, or nonketotic hyperosmolar coma. Serious long-term complications include cardiovascular disease, chronic renal failure, and diabetic retinopathy (retinal damage). Adequate treatment of diabetes is thus important, as well as blood pressure control and lifestyle factors such as smoking cessation and maintaining a healthy body weight.

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is characterized by loss of the insulin-producing beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, leading to insulin deficiency. This type can be further classified as immune-mediated or idiopathic. The majority of type 1 diabetes is of the immune-mediated nature, in which beta cell loss is a T-cell-mediatedautoimmune attack. There is no known preventive measure against type 1 diabetes, which causes approximately 10% of diabetes mellitus cases in North America and Europe. Most affected people are otherwise healthy and of a healthy weight when onset occurs. Sensitivity and responsiveness to insulin are usually normal, especially in the early stages. Type 1 diabetes can affect children or adults, but was traditionally termed “juvenile diabetes” because a majority of these diabetes cases were in children.

“Brittle” diabetes, also known as unstable diabetes or labile diabetes, is a term that was traditionally used to describe to dramatic and recurrent swings in glucose levels, often occurring for no apparent reason in insulin-dependent diabetes. This term, however, has no biologic basis and should not be used. There are many reasons for type 1 diabetes to be accompanied by irregular and unpredictable hyperglycemias, frequently with ketosis, and sometimes serious hypoglycemias, including an impaired counterregulatory response to hypoglycemia, occult infection, gastroparesis (which leads to erratic absorption of dietary carbohydrates), and endocrinopathies (e.g., Addison’s disease). These phenomena are believed to occur no more frequently than in 1% to 2% of persons with type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized by insulin resistance, which may be combined with relatively reduced insulin secretion. The defective responsiveness of body tissues to insulin is believed to involve the insulin receptor. However, the specific defects are not known. Diabetes mellitus cases due to a known defect are classified separately. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type.

In the early stage of type 2, the predominant abnormality is reduced insulin sensitivity. At this stage, hyperglycemia can be reversed by a variety of measures and medications that improve insulin sensitivity or reduce glucose production by the liver.

Gestational diabetes (Type 3)

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) resembles type 2 diabetes in several respects, involving a combination of relatively inadequate insulin secretion and responsiveness. It occurs in about 2%–5% of all pregnancies and may improve or disappear after delivery. Gestational diabetes is fully treatable, but requires careful medical supervision throughout the pregnancy. About 20%–50% of affected women develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

Though it may be transient, untreated gestational diabetes can damage the health of the fetus or mother. Risks to the baby include macrosomia (high birth weight), congenital cardiac and central nervous system anomalies, and skeletal muscle malformations. Increased fetal insulin may inhibit fetal surfactant production and cause respiratory distress syndrome. Hyperbilirubinemia may result from red blood cell destruction. In severe cases, perinatal death may occur, most commonly as a result of poor placental perfusion due to vascular impairment. Labor induction may be indicated with decreased placental function. A Caesarean section may be performed if there is marked fetal distress or an increased risk of injury associated with macrosomia, such as shoulder dystocia.

A 2008 study completed in the U.S. found the number of American women entering pregnancy with pre-existing diabetes is increasing. In fact, the rate of diabetes in expectant mothers has more than doubled in the past six years. This is particularly problematic as diabetes raises the risk of complications during pregnancy, as well as increasing the potential for the children of diabetic mothers to become diabetic in the future.

Source:  Wikipedia

Diabetes, and Diabetes Management (Scope)

I don’t know which is more daunting.  Diabetes, or managing diabetes. It takes a lot of effort, and constant commitment in order to perform the duties the pancreas is supposed to.  And sometimes annoying.  Extremely annoying.

There are quite a few forms, or different types of the chronic disease.  Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and Type 3 diabetes are the most common.

Before I endeavor in any form of keeping track of my health, I’m going to briefly write an overview of the three most common types of diabetes.  For a bit of background on the disease itself.

What I’m aiming for is using this blog as my personal health diary.  Develop a plan, both for eating, exercising, and medication.  Stick to this plan, record where I deviate, recognize pitfalls, and hopefully prevent it from happening again.

Firstly, I’ll be focusing on my eating habits.  Try to find a norm, where eating healthy won’t become an annoyance, or a “one-time” thing.  I wish to create an effective, healthy lifestyle.  Not a quick fix.

Secondly, I’ll analyse physical activity.  This is indeed very important.  Not only for a diabetic, but overall.  

Thirdly, medication.  Luckily, once I have my diet in order, together with daily exercise the medication will fall in place.  Just like a puzzle.

I’ll be keeping a detailed record.  From my weight, to blood pressure, to my HbA1C, to physical measurements of my body.  I’ll accompany these measurements with a photo as well.  Witnessing the progress visually, will also motivate me more, hopefully.

Let’s do this! LEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-ROOOOOOOYYYYYYYYY….

being in love

it’s quite fun being in love.  i really really enjoy it!  being with someone who you can spoil.  make her smile.  ooh wow, her smile!

i’m quite a romantic, or so i would hope.  i have all these ideas running through my head of how i can make her day just a little bit better.  from spoiling her, to doing the manly stuff.  the stuff a man is supposed to do!

manly stuff you wonder?  ya!  like being her gentleman.  opening the door for her, carrying her bags, etc.

now, on to the romantic stuff.  ever felt the need to woo the person you love?  hell, i get the need almost every time! for instance, had this awesome plan for our anniversary, gathered all the required resources, and nailed it!

the idea simply was, get her flowers.  but not just any flowers, five specific flowers.  each complementing an attribute, emotion, or quality of hers.  and i did just that.  so that was step 1 of my plan.

step 2, i placed a letter in her notebook, so that once she’s at the office she’ll open it.  in the letter, i only hinted at what she might expect for the rest of the day.

next up, deliver these flowers, individually, on an hourly basis.  luckily, at the time i was able to drive around, without any work related responsibilities.  the first flower i dropped off was around 10h00, the second was at 11h00.  this went until the last flower was dropped off at 14h00.  every flower, representing something i adore of her, had each a little envelope, titled with the attributes and qualities.  did i mention i sealed the envelopes, and letter with wax and an old school heart stamp?  written (printed - this is the digital age after all) in a stylish cursive text.  she likes my cologne, so, naturally, i scented the letters with the cologne.  an added extra!

so, by 14h00, she had five individual flowers, each with a note, that smelled like me.

step 3, i made a bouquet of the (five) flowers used.  it was huge!  wrote the last letter, sealed it with the same wax, using the same heart stamp, and sprayed my cologne over it.  this letter was simple.  ”individually, your qualities are beautiful.  but put all together, breathtakingly gorgeous!”  i left the bouquet in her room, for her to discover (not that it was hard, it was massive!) with the note attached to it.

however, i wasn’t done yet.  the next part of my plan entailed an evening dinner, where i would bestow a gift.  quite simply, it’s a ring.  but the presentation, once again, is what made it special.  i had a heart, made out of wire.  it worked like a locket, but you could see through it, and it was quite big.  easily filled the palm of your hand.  within the wired-heart-locket was a flower, a pink rose.  attached to the pink rose, was a ring.  the ring itself, has seven hearts, filled with 91 small diamonds.

needless to say, she loved it!

it’s fun being in love, don’t you think?