Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes happens when your immune system destroys cells in your pancreas called beta cells. They're the ones that make insulin which is what regulates your blood glucose levels. If the beta cells are destroyed and your body can’t make insulin naturally, you can administer insulin externally. That means you can successfully manage Type 1 diabetes with insulin. The goal of Type 1 diabetes management is to keep blood glucose levels as close to the normal range as possible. It sounds easy, but in reality, this can be very difficult to achieve.

To stay alive, people with Type 1 diabetes must have a regular supply of insulin through injections or an insulin pump and they test their blood glucose by pricking their fingers at least four times a day. People with Type 1 diabetes must be constantly prepared for potential hypoglycaemic (low blood sugar) and hyperglycaemic (high blood sugar) reactions, which can both be life threatening. This is why it’s so important to properly manage Type 1 diabetes.

High and low blood glucose levels:

• Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) is a common and dangerous condition for many people with Type 1 diabetes. It can be caused by eating less than usual, more exercise than normal or too much insulin administered.

• Hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar) occurs when the body has too much food or glucose, or too little insulin. It can be caused by a clog in insulin pump tubing, missing an insulin dose, eating more than usual, stress, less exercise than normal or illness.

It’s a balancing act to effectively manage diabetes and it can be life threatening if it’s not done properly. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. With the credentialled diabetes educators at D for Diabetes, we can help you effectively manage your condition so you can focus on the more fun things in life.