Type 1 diabetes
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes can develop very quickly (over a few days or weeks), particularly in children.
In older adults, the symptoms can often take longer to develop (a few months).
However, they should disappear when you start taking insulin and the conditionis under control.
The main symptoms of diabetes are:
Vomiting or heavy, deep breathing can also occur at a later stage. This is a dangerous sign and requires immediate admission to hospital for treatment.
You should seek urgent medical attention if you have diabetes and develop:
If you have diabetes, your blood glucose levels can become very low. This is known as hypoglycaemia (or a "hypo"), and it's triggered when injected insulin in your body moves too much glucose out of your bloodstream.
In most cases, hypoglycaemia occurs as a result of taking too much insulin, although it can also develop if you skip a meal, exercise very vigorously or drink alcohol on an empty stomach.
Symptoms of a "hypo" include:
A hypo can be brought under control simply by eating or drinking something sugary.
If itisn't brought under control, a hypocan cause confusion, slurred speech and eventually unconsciousness.
In this case, an emergency injection of a hormone called glucagon will be needed. Glucagon increases the glucose in your blood.
As people with type 1 diabetes cannot produce any insulin, their blood glucose levels may become very high.
When your blood glucose levels become too high, it's known as hyperglycaemia. The symptoms of hyperglycaemia may come on suddenly and include:
Left untreated, hyperglycaemia can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. This is a serious condition where the body breaks down fat and muscle as an alternative source of energy. This leads to a build-up of acids in your blood,which can cause vomiting, dehydration, unconsciousness and even death.
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone needed to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy.
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes can develop very quickly (over a few days or weeks), particularly in children. In older adults, the symptoms can often take longer to develop (a few months).
It's important for diabetes to be diagnosed early so treatment can be started as soon as possible. If you experience the symptoms of diabetes , visit your GP as soon as possible. They'll ask about your symptoms and may request blood and urine tests.
If you have type 1 diabetes, you'll probably need insulin injections. Treatment for diabetes aims to keep your blood glucose levels as normal as possible and to control your symptoms.
If diabetes isn't treated, it can lead to a number of different health problems. High glucose levels can damage blood vessels, nerves and organs. Even a mildly raised glucose level that doesn'tcause any symptoms can have damaging effects in the long term.
If you have type 1 diabetes, you'll need to look after your health very carefully. You have to start eating a healthy balanced diet, exercise regularly, quit smoking, limit your alcohol, etc.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to control the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood. Type 1 diabetes is often inherited (runs in families), so the autoimmune reaction may also be genetic.
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