Posts Tagged ‘type 2 diabetic’

Type1 vs. Type2 Diabetes: Another Common Question.

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

I keep getting this question in the log files, so lets answer it.

Why does a type 1 diabetic have problems quicker than a type 2 diabetic?

I’m assuming the problems that are being asked about here, are physical problems, such as going blind, losing feet or legs to poor circulation and just simple things, like insulin reactions.

The simple answer, is that since a type 2 diabetic is still making insulin, they don’t have the blood sugar control issues that a type 1 diabetic is going to have. Lets take two hypothetical diabetics, one of each type, and see what happens to them in a given situation.

So, say our diabetics eat too much sugar and forget to take their medication: The type 2 diabetic’s sugar levels are going to slowly come down over time, because they are making insulin. The type 1’s blood glucose levels are going to continue to rise, until they get insulin, then it will still continue to rise for at least an hour, as the insulin starts to work.

The high glucose levels in the type 1’s blood actually makes it noticeably thicker, and as it goes through the body, it breaks the small blood vessels in the eyes and brain and along the nervous system, causing scar tissue. Too many high blood sugars will eventually lead to blindness, poor circulation and neuropathy. High blood sugars also give germs more food, so if you get a cut, it can turn into a bad infection really quick if your sugars aren’t under control. So, if you have a cut on your foot, and you have poor circulation and high blood sugars for the infection to grow with, you’re going to lose the foot and/or leg to gangrene or something like it.

Now, lets say our diabetics eat too little sugar for their dose of medication: The type 2 diabetic’s sugar levels are going to drop, then start back up quickly, because the type 2 diabetic is still making Glucagon. The type 1’s blood glucose levels are going to drop, and then continue to drop until their body has used up all the insulin and just naturally needs more insulin. The problem with this is that it can take hours for your body to correct itself, and by then you’d be dead because your brain can’t work without sugar.

Type 1’s who have insulin reactions lose millions of brain cells, and increase their chances of getting Alzheimer by 40% with the first bad insulin reaction, and each reaction just compounds the chances from there. A type 1’s body doesn’t produce Glucagon and store it, like a type 2’s does, so if you have an insulin reaction, and you don’t have sugar with you, you’re screwed.

Pay attention here!

If you are starting to have an insulin reaction, and don’t have any type of glucose, stress the hell out of yourself mentally! Adrenaline kills insulin!

When this happens to me, I tell myself I’m going to die, I call someone I need to tell off, or tell I love them, and I do it cause it scares the hell out of me. Walk up to a bull and punch it in the nose, stand on the top of a ladder on one leg (not really)…. You get the idea, scare the hell out of yourself, and you can kill the insulin reaction as long as it’s not too huge. While most of you might think I’m kidding, think about how much more insulin you have to take when you’re sick. Your body requires a lot more insulin because you are under stress. Even if you don’t eat anything, when you’re sick, you’ll notice that your blood sugars are higher, and that you have to take more insulin to knock them down.

I’m quitting for the night, because I’m tired, but, since I’ve imparted what looks like medical knowledge to you, I’m telling you right now, just to cover my ass, to talk to an endocrinologist or some such Doctor about what I’ve said, since I’m not a Doctor, nor do I play one on TV. I’m just a type 1 diabetic who’s still alive and kicking after 31 years…

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