Dean, there are four classifications of what is known as Diabetes Mellitus, Autoimmune [TypeOne], Lifestyle [Type 2], Monogenic [MODI], Environmental [Agent Orange].
The principal difference is that people with Autoimmune diabetes [and Monogenic diabetes] can NOT produce their own insulin or, if they do produce insulin the amount is insignificant.
People with Lifestyle diabetes, which has several categories and causes, DO produce insulin, but for varying reasons their bodies can not either draw the insulin through the walls of the blood vessels [lack the keys] or their bodies are overly large - there are other causes of T2.
Autoimmune and Monogenic are very similar in that insulin is not produced, but for different reasons. In autoimmune, the body falsely identifies beta-cells in the pancreas [that produce insulin] as enemies of the body and destroys them; monogenic, which is usually misidentified as TypeOne, is caused by a defective gene is passed to a child - this gene impedes the performance of beta-cells.
Environmental is caused by very heavy exposure to Agent Orange, a defoliant. It begin by attacking the nervous system, and then killing the pancreas, kidneys, eyes, etc. A real horror, but has been successfully for a few decades in the manner used to manage TypeOne.
Hello @Dean112, adjusting to type 1 is very gradual. It was that way for me in 1945 when I was diagnosed. I was 6 years old then. After 75 years with diabetes I am healthy with no serious complications.
Being diagnosed in this century will make it much easier for you. With the knowledge that now exists, the better insulins, and the devices you can use, you have an excellent chance to have a very long and healthy lifetime.
75 years - impressive - congratulationsđ!. I was diagnosed about 15 years after you and donât know how much changed regarding treatment between the time of your diagnosis and mine. Do you recall?
One fun thing about the forum is reminiscing about what was once state of the art and finding theyâre are people who know what it is! Some people hear the terms âurine test,â U40/U80/protamine zinc insulin and I imagine their response is . You might have some that Iâm not familiar with - I would love to hear if you care to share.
Congratulations again and I hope you have Joslin medals (or others) adorning your mantle.
So much useful information I thank you all!! There is a ton of information from various sources with a lot more experience. Iâm sad we are here but yet grateful newcomers, like myself have people with with more experience we can ask. Like many have said itâs a club no one wants to join. I am glad I did though
Hello @wadawabbit, while researching I found that it was 1959 that the types were finally named type 1 and type 2. That was 14 years after my diagnosis. You were diagnosed the year following, in 1960. Were you told you were type 1 then?
I donât recall any particular changes in type 1 treatment occurring between 1945 and 1960, but that was so long ago, I may have forgotten.
I have neuropathy in many parts of my body, but my eyes, kidneys and heart are in good shape. I hope you are also doing well now.
Here is a picture of my Joslin 75 year medal.
Thanks so much for sharing your medal pics @richardv ! As I recall the terms juvenile diabetic and Type 1 were used. I think Type 1 came into the picture sometime later - at least for me - but thereâs no one around to ask at least in my case. Iâm doing well myself - no complications.
First of all, feel great about opening up to strangers! We are here for you and welcome you! I am 44 and have had diabetes since I was 5. My symptoms were exactly like your and I lost a ton of weight which isnât ideal for an already slim 5 year old, but things balance out. Type 2 diabetes is different and wonât affect whether your child will get diabetes. Try not to worry about your beautiful baby, she likely wonât get it and if she does, youâll have plenty of time to worry about it then, but you may not as you learn to live with it yourself. It is so manageable. I would imagine you will be able to reintroduce steak to your life once you have found a balance with your food, exercise, blood sugar levels and insulin intake. Just wanna say, my aunt had type one diabetes and had 3 children and several grandchildren, not a single one of them got diabetes. Get those blood sugar numbers down, continue to eat well and get into an exercise routine - put your little one in a stroller and go for a brisk walk everyday. Doesnât have to be a crazy workout. This will feel hard when your blood sugar is high, once they come down, your energy level will bounce back. Also, if you manage your blood sugars in a good way, you will likely get sensation back in your foot, hopefully, but you will certainly avoid other complications that come with not properly taking care of yourself as a person with diabetes. I truly believe you will not be that person. The fact that you have opened up to a group of strangers, ha, is a great start and you want to be around and strong to raise that daughter of yours! Reach out anytime. We are all here to give advice and even more importantly, encouragement! It is overwhelming at first but it just becomes a part of life, yes, an annoying part for sure, but we live with it best we can, cuz we have to Be good to yourself,
Suzanne
Welcome to the club!!
Get an insulin pump as soon as you can. It will take away diet concerns and even âhaving to eatâ at X time concerns. I have had one for almost 30 years and other than inputting whatever carbs I am about to eat, you could not tell I am diabetic. I am 64 years old and have zero complications of any kind.
hey @Dean112 ⌠maybe? you can ask a pump rep to find out for you and have them explain your costs⌠my insurance covers pumps, but I have a $1,200 deductible so I would get a pump if I was going to spend my deductible anyway. good luck!
I think most plans cover pumps although a while back certain plans limited the ones they would cover. I think itâs pretty universal now but whatâs covered and amount you pay depends on your plan.
I suggest discussing your desire with your doctor - they or a nurse educator will give you an introduction into pump therapy so youâll understand what it does and doesnât do. You could research the pumps available (Tandem, Medtronic and Omnipod) to get the features of each and see which you believe would be best for you, and your doctor would set you up with a rep who would verify and determine your insurance coverage (do yourself a favor and let them do that - youâll avoid lots of confusion and headache) and place the order when youâre ready. They may also do the training.
Your doctorâs office might be familiar with which plans cover which pumps of itâs not universal.
Dean @Dean112 , by all means discuss with your doctor the pros and cons of YOU changing your therapy from injections to pump infusion - a pump IS NOT for everyone. At some point, you and your doctor will need to make the decision, as only a doctor can write the prescriptions for pumps and pump supplies.
Once it is decided that a pump is suitable for your diabetes management, do your research on pumps available and then contact the manufacturer for assistance [including you getting to hold various pumps in your hand]. The most simple way to get this process started is to visit the pump manufacturerâs website and select the âbuyâ option; YES, you will need to provide personal information including your current insurance plans and subscriber account numbers. A company representative will contact you and provide you with specific cost information and other relevant data.
As an example of out-of-pocket cost, for my Tandem t-Slim x2 pump [list price $7,000] ordered December 2018, my one-time DMI payment was around #750.00 US. Since then, all needed supplies have been delivered without cost.
Yes it did but the last time I had to get a new one, I had a large unpaid deductible. Going forward, I will have Medicare so it will be much less or nothing. If you have group insurance through an employer when I was working I never paid a single dime for mine but that has been years ago.
Hi Dean and welcome! I just wanted to let you know, you are not in this alone. We all have diabetes here and understand. I was diagnosed in 1964 at age 2 1/2 and have no complications. So, a long, healthy life is possible with T1D. The main thing is to get your blood sugars back in the normal range and keeping them there as much as possible. How you do this is up to you. Some of us use a pump and some take multiple daily injections (MDI). It is possible to have good control with both. The one thing that I think we all would agree helps the most is a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM).
Unlike finger sticks which only show you what your blood sugar is when you test, a CGM continually reads the glucose level in your interstitial fluid (the fluid surrounding your fat cells). You can see what your sugar level is and if it is rising or falling or staying level. This helps a lot.
As for coverage, you can let the pump/CGM manufacturers check, or you can call your insurance company yourself to ask what is covered. My experience has been that there is usually a preferred brand, but others can be approved (with prior authorization). Research them and decide which will work best for you when the time comes.
Anyway, youâll learn more about all of this as you go. I wouldnât worry so much about it right now. Just concentrate on getting the blood glucose back into normal range and adjusting your diet. This is the best thing you can do at the moment.
Please know, we are always here to answer any questions you might have. Many of us have lived with this disease for a long time and are happy to help!
Hi @pamcklein . You and I were diagnosed close to the same time, weâre nearly the same age at diagnosis, and share similar experience. Did you get your Joslin medal? I finally put in for mine last year - given that my medical records from back then are no longer aroundđł I thought it might be difficult to document my date but everything went through and I have a beautiful medal!
New diabetics commonly receive lists of foods they cannot have. Rather than looking at this negative list, I recommend creating a list of foods you can (and like to) eat. Start with vegetables you like or are willing to eat. I believe they are something that help me smile daily.
Before becoming a widow my (excellent cook) spouse helped me create cards with favorite meals on them. Now I can quickly find a healthful meal, that I have listed the carbohydrate count on for each item as prepared by my recipes. People often only eat 10 or 15 different meals.
Knowing the carbohydrate (carb) count of my favorite meals helps me tremendously.
Being extremely insulin sensitive, every item that goes in my mouth must be weighed (on my postal scale), evaluated for carbs. I do the math to determine exact carb consumption⌠then figure the number of units of insulin to be taken before the food can be eaten. This figuring involves a ratio, carbs: insulin, current blood glucose reading, anticipated exercise over the next 5 hours, any lingering unused bolus from insulin taken in the past 6 hours and my anticipated stress level. All this points to the fact that there is lots to learn to successfully live with our diabetes.
Though my contributions are rare, I was schooled as a dietitian and diagnosed in 1969 shy of a month after turning 9 years old. I feel everyday I continue existing makes me a winner. My diagnosing pediatrician told me Iâd âbe blind at 21 and dead at 27.â Fear is not a motivator in my opinion. I am now 60 and still see fine, while he is dead. Living with diabetes can be healthful.
Hi Karen @Beulah9 , you have shared here some wonderful insights about living well and happily while successfully and effectively managed your diabetes for so many years. And like you [I was diagnosed in 1957] we have outlived many of our peers, and the doctors who were telling us we wouldnât live long.
As many as 10 - 15 favorite meals? More like 10 or less really healthy and tasteful meals for us other than the âreaching-outâ taste experiences in pre-pandemic days of restaurants a couple of evenings every week, and travel.
But now during home isolation with plenty of time to prepare meals, our thoughtful daughter has arranged to deliver ânewâ foods along with outstanding recipes and guidance that have elevated my wife from good cook to Chef. And just about all meals fit into my life with diabetes; my TIR has been at least 90% in-range for the past year. Unlike restaurants, my wife will tell me which foods have âhidden carbsâ so Iâve been able to get the proper meal-bolus working to keep spikes to a minimum. For me, the one blessing showered on me by the rampant virus.
. You might have some that Iâm not familiar with - I would love to hear if you care to share.
Be good to yourself,