I’ve seen a few posts on covid so wanted to pass this along.
Basically T1D aren’t the risk it’s T2D.
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Great and interesting study/article, thanks for posting it!
I think once again the word diabetes has been misused in all of the COVID-19 information. I as well have read multiple articles about T1D patients with COVID-19 overall not falling too far outside of the normal patient box, especially when controlled and managed well. I have though read multiple articles about T2D and the unfortunate exacerbating conditions that they are afflicted with that contribute very negatively to their prognosis and condition with COVID-19. Someone the other day mentioned my 90% greater chance of severe complications from COVID-19 and that I should be very scared. I questioned why she said I had a 90% chance of having severe complications and she stated she read people with diabetes were experiencing this rate of severe complications (We in the end determined overall she had heard a BMI over 40 was the 90% cause, and many times T2D is associated with obesity so the term diabetes got mixed into what she read). Me, a 39 year old T1D with a healthy body weight, very active exercise routine, and a 5.9 A1C with little to no complications in the 20 years I have been T1D and the term diabetes simply attached to her mind that I was in big time trouble. I’m still worried about COVID-19, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t believe I fall into the diabetes bucket that people are throwing all diabetics into regarding this virus.
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I totally agree. It’s not just covid but broadly things are lumped together for both types when it’s T2D with bigger concerns. I’ve had it 47-yrs well controlled and honestly I’m someone who just believes we are all going to die one day. Manage reasonable risk but live life. If you’re living in fear that’s unhealthy. Be smart. Live life! Stay positive too.
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I wish they would refer to T2D as something other than Diabetes. One thing I’ve come to dislike as a Mom of a newly diagnosed teen is the constant confusion people have regarding the 2 totally different conditions.
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I 100% agree. It’s frustrating as an adult now as folks say “you don’t look like a diabetic. You’re not overweight” etc. it takes a long time to explain the etiology to those who care to learn. I understand why they stopped using juvenile or adult diabetes but at least it gave a distinction.
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It is interesting how the name “Diabetes Mellitus” came about, and how it is used.
Up until 1975 when a medical journal article was
published, suggesting differences in treatment methodology, diabetes was diabetes. In 1976 The ADA published an article in its magazine suggesting two names for the different diabetes; one was “childhood diabetes” and the other “[politically incorrect] diabetes”. The “sensitive” politically incorrect name was later dropped in favor of A-Type and B-Type.
It is interesting, now in hind-sight, that about a half-dozen different conditions all are named for one common symptom. “Diabetes Mellitus” is simply a two word Greek expression describing a symptom - not a medical condition.
I have a bit of interest in medical terminology - did a bit of online study a while back - but couldn’t recall what “mellitus” meant, so I Googled it.
“The name diabetes mellitus refers to these symptoms: diabetes, from the Greek diabainein, meaning “to pass through,” describes the copious urination, and mellitus , from the Latin meaning "sweetened with honey,” refers to sugar in the urine.)"
I get what you and @mollie1 are saying. But at the same time every condition has its own vocabulary, terminology, or type; and the people who have it are the ones with the most knowledge. We of course know the distinctions between the types, and terms or brands such as A1C, CGM, Tandem and Omnipod are part of our world. But when I hear people taking about Hapatitis-A, -B or -C I don’t know the difference; if people discuss their experience with one chemotherapy drug versus another I have no idea what they’re taking about. “It would be great if people were more informed about…” is a concept I’m pretty sure appears in forums for any condition you can name - not to mention orphan illnesses with not even any treatment, and only a handful of patients worldwide. Frustrating as it is, the best we can do is take it as an opportunity to educate.
Been around long time with name changes and it’s only added to confusion. Wish JDRF would lead to change as doesn’t cost money and will help reduce medical confusion.
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I’m a nurse of 26 years and many conditions have changed in name in my field alone during my career to reflect a more accurate depiction of the actual condition as more information has come to light over time and with study, or to alleviate confusion.
My son dislikes being called “diabetic” But doesn’t seem to mind “Insulin Dependent”. So that’s what we’re going with for now. Sometimes I just say “my son has an insulin pump” and leave it at that.
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Soon after I found this community I found posts with very strong feelings about whether to say “I have diabetes” or “I’m diabetic.” I really don’t mean to open that up again here - just wanted to say thank you for sharing another option.
I’m old school diabetic. 47-yrs. in medicine as well. Honestly to me I don’t care either way but the blurred lines between T2 and T1 drives me crazy. But each person had their unique frustrations.
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Fun fact: more people with type 2 diabetes are insulin dependent than people with type 1. Sounds crazy right but there are 140 million diabetics in the US 10% (10 million) are type 1 and all of them use insulin. 14% Of all type 2 require insulin and that’s 12.6 million. (USA specific, based on CDC data). Happy Friday!
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A discussion of Endocrinologists I heard, not so many people with Type 2 diabetes who use insulin are DEPENDENT on using inulin. but rather choose to use insulin as an “easy way” - easier than modifying poor life-style choices.
This was in the discussion, presentation concerning the high cost os insulin and part of the “why” people who actually NEED to use have difficulty getting insulin.
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On the flip side of the coin - and I admit this is from many many years ago - I had seen retorts comparing complications for those with Type 1 vs Type 2. The prevalence was greater (relative percentages aside) with Type 2 and I asked my doctor about it. He said it was because people with Type 2 often need to start taking insulin but are reluctant to. That was back in the day…
Associations of type 1 and type 2 diabetes with COVID-19-related mortality in England: a whole-population study - The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology has an article in Lancet (a British Medical Journal) showing both Type 1 and Type 2 increase the risk of in-hospital death with Covid 19.
Type 1, type 2 diabetes linked to higher odds of COVID-19 mortality in England shows that those with Type 1 diabetes die 3.5 times as often as those without diabetes, and patients with Type 2 at 2 times the rate in those without diabetes from Covid 19. The effect was worse for those under 70 years old.
If you’re uncontrolled and in DKA as many were due to other concerns yes risk will be higher. There’s lots of data out there. I’m in Endo research and the science of fear is not solid science. Many rushed studies aren’t even peer reviewed, lack any P value or CI to be worth the paper they’re written on. I’ve personally been exposed numerous times and yet never sick. T1D x 47-years.
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