Diabetes mellitus is a condition that millions of people have to suffer from and is a very common disease worldwide. This condition results from the inability of pancreas to produce the hormone insulin. The function of this hormone is to regulate the blood sugar level in the body. If left untreated, diabetes can be life threatening. It can lead to the failure of all your major organ systems including the heart and kidney. You might even loose your eyesight due to diabetes mellitus.
To know more about diabetes mellitus, you must know the different diabetes types. There are basically two diabetes types namely the Type 1 diabetes and the Type 2 diabetes with the third being the gestational diabetes. All the three have similar yet different symptoms and the modes of treatment are a bit different.
The most difficult of the diabetes types, the type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. Due to this condition the immune system attacks the insulin producing cells of the pancreas. This results in the destruction of those cells and they fail to produce insulin which is an essential requirement for regulation the blood sugar level of the body.
In order to lead a regular life, a person suffering from the type 1 diabetes has to take an insulin dosage everyday. The exact reason as to why a person develops an autoimmune disease like diabetes is still unknown. It is believed that the genetic and environmental factors come to play. The symptoms of this diabetes type include extreme hunger and thirst and frequent urination. The patient might suffer from blurred vision and is likely to feel tired and stressed always. Failure to get it treated in the early stage might even lead to the occurrence of the diabetic coma. Children and young adults are more likely to develop this type of diabetes.
The second of the diabetes types (type 2 diabetes) is a less severe form of this disease. It is generally the older people and obese people who get this type of diabetes. Women who have a history of gestational diabetes also develop type 2 diabetes in most of the cases.
This type of diabetes occurs when the pancreas is producing insulin but the body cannot utilize it to absorb glucose from the blood. Type 2 diabetes suffers may eventually develop type 1 diabetes. However there are numerous instances whereas a type 2 diabetic develops no symptoms at all. Type 2 diabetes can often be treated by modifying the diet, but if their condition worsens, insulin will be required.
Another not so common form of diabetes types is gestational diabetes. It is the pregnant women who develop this (hence the name gestational) and women who have a family history of diabetes are more prone to developing this during their pregnancy. Many women who develop gestational diabetes are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes at a later stage, although this is not absolutely certain.
If you fear you suffer from diabetes, or have already been diagnosed with the disease, you need to be under constant care of a doctor. You will also need a constant supply of diabetes testing equipment, and should try to find sources of cheap diabetic supplies, such as through mail order diabetic supplies companies. It is very important that you make sure you receive proper treatment if you suffer from diabetes – otherwise your life may be at risk!