- Diabetes occurs when your body doesn't produce enough insulin or doesn't use insulin correctly. Insulin is produced by the pancreas and is needed to convert starches, sugars and other types of food products into energy. Diabetes causes an overabundance of sugar--or glucose--in the blood. When this occurs, blood sugar rises to unsafe levels.
- The symptoms of diabetes are similar no matter what the type. If you have diabetes, you may experience frequent urination, extreme thirst or hunger, weight loss, infections, fatigue, nausea and blurred vision.
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Type I diabetes is also called insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes, and while it is most commonly diagnosed in childhood, you can develop Type 1 diabetes when you are an adult. When you have Type 1, your body stops producing insulin or doesn't produce enough insulin to meet your body's needs due to an autoimmune disorder.
Treatment includes injections of insulin when needed, based on the results of home blood tests that measure glucose levels. An insulin pump delivers insulin 24 hours a day and may be helpful if you have trouble keeping your glucose level under control. The pump remains outside of your body, but delivers insulin through a catheter placed under your skin. - Type 2 diabetes, also called non-insulin dependent diabetes or adult-onset diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes. Being overweight puts you at risk of developing this type of diabetes at any age, although risk also increases with age. Your body produces insulin when you have Type 2 diabetes, but it may not produce enough or may have difficulty using insulin properly. If you have Type 2 diabetes, you may not need additional insulin, but may instead be prescribed oral medication that will help your body's insulin work more effectively. In some cases, these medications do not help, and insulin--either in a injectable or pump form--is needed.
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Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnant women and usually happens late in the pregnancy. All pregnant women are given an oral glucose tolerance test during the 24th to 28th weeks of pregnancy to detect this disease. While women with gestational diabetes may experience the classic symptoms of diabetes, they often do not notice any problem until they are tested for the disease. Gestational diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born, but women who have had this form of diabetes have a 50-percent increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes within 10 years.
Treatment includes controlling carbohydrates in your diet and exercising. If diet and exercise don't improve your condition, insulin injections may be necessary. Babies born to women with gestational diabetes are often larger than average, and your doctor may suggest delivering your baby several weeks early for this reason.
