We All Have Our Differences

      Most people who I discuss diabetes with very rarely know the differences between the two major types: Type 1 and Type 2.  Some people may not even realize there are multiple types.

      Type 1 diabetes, sometimes known as juvenile diabetes, can occur at any time in a person's life, but is usually diagnosed at infancy to age 30.  While the cause of Type 1 is not completely known yet, research indicates the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.  After a few years in a "honeymoon stage," where the pancreas is able to produce some insulin, patients need to deliver artificially produced insulin either through a syringe or pump.

      Type 2 diabetes usually develops in older patients, but has recently spiked in adolescent diagnoses.  The pancreas will still produce insulin, but does not produce enough or use it efficiently.  Type 2 diabetics can take additional insulin, but may be able to control their diabetes through diet and exercise alone.

      There are also lesser known forms of diabetes: monogenic and gestational diabetes. Monogenic diabetes is very rare, accounting for 1-2% of all cases.  Type 1 and Typ2 diabetes are polygenic, meaning the risk of developing them is related to multiple genes.  But in monogenic diabetes, the mutations occur in a single gene.  Mutations in monogenic diabetes reduce the body's ability to produce insulin and is often mistaken for Type 1 as a result.  Genetic testing can provide a proper diagnosis.

        Gestational diabetes affects 2-5% of all pregnant women.  During their pregnancies women will develop high blood sugars.  These usually go away after delivery, but those with gestational diabetes are at a greater risk for Type 2 later in life.

        Websites like the JDRF homepage and the American Diabetes Association website are additional tools and sources of information.  For a more in depth and scientific coverage, the convenient online edition of the Yale Diabetes Center's Facts and Guidelines is a great resource as well.  And this cute video gives a more personal explanation of life with diabetes:

      

         These informational websites serve as communities and support centers for those dealing with chronic illnesses.  Robert Putnam emphasizes the importance of such social capital and reciprocity in his book Bowling Alone. Through community involvement and charity, individuals can achieve greater societal goals, while receiving benefits on a personal level.  Websites and blogs dedicated to specific interests serve a similar purpose, in that they benefit those included in the interest with information and a support system, while also educating those outside the interest group.  The Internet simply creates a bigger community we can all be a part of.