November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, which is intended to bring attention to those who battle the disease every day. As a physician, I clearly see the struggle patients with diabetes face and the complications that diabetes can produce in nearly every organ system — from the kidneys to the eyes; from blood vessels to the heart. As the father of a diabetic child, I live it every day alongside my teenager. Insulin pumps, finger-stick blood sugar tests and frequent doctor visits — these are just part of the story. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2017 report on diabetes, nearly 30 million Americans have diabetes — almost 10 percent of the U.S. population. The number of cases of diabetes continues to grow.
What Exactly Is Diabetes?
Diabetes comes in two forms or types: Type 1 (also known as juvenile or insulin dependent diabetes) and Type 2. In Type 1, an organ called the pancreas is no longer able to make insulin, a hormone that is essential for handling sugars in our body. Without insulin, we’re unable to use glucose as an energy source and, as a result, our blood sugar becomes dangerously high. The only treatment for Type 1 diabetes is insulin, which can be delivered either via shots or through a continuous infusion via an insulin pump. It is believed that Type 1 diabetes is a result of a complex interaction of both genetic and environmental factors. There is no cure for Type 1 diabetes. In contrast, Type 2 diabetes occurs when our bodies are not able to respond to insulin — we become insulin resistant. Type 2 diabetes is most often associated with obesity and something doctors call “metabolic syndrome.” This type of the disease can be reversed with weight loss and exercise in some cases, and it can also be treated with pills. Some patients with Type 2 diabetes also require insulin shots.
Type 1 diabetes accounts for only 5 percent of U.S. cases, but its incidence appears to be increasing. Type 1 is most often diagnosed before age 6 or in the teenage years. Type 2 diabetes is by far the most common form and is most often diagnosed in adulthood.
[See: The 12 Best Diets to Prevent and Manage Diabetes.]
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Symptoms of diabetes may include fatigue, frequent urination, excessive thirst, sudden weight loss or gain and excessive hunger. Symptoms develop quickly over weeks to months in Type 1, but may take years to develop in Type 2. Diabetes is diagnosed with a simple blood or urine test. Once the disease is diagnosed, treatment depends on which type of diabetes you have. Your doctor will develop a specific treatment plan for you and your family. Diabetes management requires lots of individual responsibility and involves family, friends, teachers and other school officials. The key to avoiding the complications associated with diabetes is to have a well thought out, comprehensive plan that allows you to have maximal flexibility while carefully controlling blood sugars every single day
Living With Diabetes
As the parent of a diabetic child, I can tell you firsthand that living with diabetes is hard. My child must pay close attention to everything she eats, and she must count carbohydrates and manage her insulin pump daily. In some cases, children with diabetes must check their blood sugar via a finger-stick more than 10 times daily. Pumps must be programmed and infusion sites changed multiple times each week. Changes in activity levels — such as a soccer game or a day spent watching TV — can result in unexpected high or low blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels can produce coma and be a medical emergency. Low blood sugar levels can result in seizures and death. Every single day is a challenge for these kids, teens and adults. However, these challenges can be met — and overcome — with careful attention to detail. Many successful business leaders, professional athletes and health care providers have diabetes and lead normal productive lives.
[See: The 12 Best Diets to Prevent and Manage Diabetes.]
What Can We Do?
Type 1 diabetes has no cure. For now, there are advances in technology that allow insulin-dependent kids like my daughter to utilize a near “closed loop” system. This means that patients wear an insulin pump as well as a glucose sensor. The sensor continuously monitors blood glucose and wirelessly transmits this information to the pump. The pump can either self-adjust or alert the wearer to adjust the rate of insulin infusion in real time (depending on the type of pump). There is also ongoing robust research in hopes of finding a cure for Type 1. Supporting non-profit research organizations such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation can go a long way toward finding a cure.
Given that Type 2 diabetes is so closely linked to obesity, we must make every effort to combat childhood obesity. Last year alone, the U.S. health care system spent over $150 billion dollars on obesity and obesity-related illnesses such as Type 2 diabetes. We must work to educate both children and adults on how best to prevent obesity. We must emphasize healthy food choices, daily exercise and better overall health habits.
Ultimately, we must support efforts to find a cure. We must also support those who have diabetes and work to prevent others from developing this disease. During November, make sure to participate in local and national fundraising campaigns and work with others to raise awareness of the diabetes epidemic around the world.
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The Diabetes Epidemic: What You Need to Know originally appeared on usnews.com
