Diabetes Info & Links

Diabetes Mellitus is generally classed into two types:

• "Type I", which often (but not always!) starts in childhood years, is generally characterised by the complete lack of insulin in the body due to the death of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. (It can also be caused by the pancreas being removed by surgery due to cancer, infection, etc.)
• "Type II", which often (but not always!) starts in folks past 40, is generally characterised by a partial or total lack of insulin due to the insulin-producing cells inablility to meet the body's demand and/or insulin resistance, caused by insulin receptors in cells being unable to recognize the insulin existing in the blood stream and then effectively use it.

Treatment for Type I diabetes is insulin shots to replace the insulin that the pancreas is not creating. Treatment for Type II diabetes can be any, some, or all of: a change in eating habits, an increase in exercise, oral medications that cause the pancreas to produce more insulin, oral medication that reduces the amount of glucose released by the liver, oral medication to reduce insulin resistance, and/or insulin.

Classic symptoms of diabetes include:

• Excessive hunger (high blood sugars mean your body cannot properly break down food, so it is always demanding fuel)
• Frequent urination (your kidneys are creating more urine to try to lower your blood sugars. This can be very hard on your kidneys!)
• Excessive thirst (caused by the above, you are getting very dehydrated)
• Blurry vision (high blood sugars cause the liquid in your eyeballs to change consistency)
• A sudden weight loss (caused by your body being unable to break down food, so it starts literally eating itself to survive) _OR_ A slow but steady weight gain (caused by growing insulin resistance)
• Cuts that are slow to heal, infections that are hard to get rid of (especially fungi, which love sugar)

Myths about Diabetes

MYTH: Being fat "causes" type II diabetes.
TRUTH: This myth seems to exist because many type II diabetics are fat when they are diagnosed, and being fat can promote insulin resistance (and because too many doctors still have the knee-jerk reaction that "fat is bad"). Yet it is just, if not more likely that insulin resistance causes a slow steady weight gain.

MYTH: Losing weight "cures" diabetes.
TRUTH: Some folks claim that weight loss helps them better control their diabetes, because it reduces insulin resistance. It's important to remember two things: a. Insulin resistance occurs in both fat AND thin people. b. It is more likely the diet and exercise changes have helped.

MYTH: Diabetics should not eat sweets.
TRUTH: Diabetics can eat whatever they want. Many find that eating limited amounts of sweets at specific times - usually with and as part of a regular meal - can allow them to have treats and avoid blood sugar spikes.

MYTH: Diabetics require vigorous exercise.
TRUTH: All diabetics should regularly exercise- PERIOD. Whether you take walks, jog, swim, dance or do simple in-chair or in-bed calisthenics due to limited mobility, all you need to do is MOVE. Movement helps your body use your insulin more efficiently. Type I or type II, we all need to do it.

MYTH: Needing to use insulin to control type II diabetes means you aren't caring for yourself properly.
TRUTH: Think of this: If you had a headache so bad you couldn't work, would you refuse to take a painkiller? All diabetics must do what they need to to keep their blood sugars down & prevent long-term complications. Sometimes this means using insulin as part of treatment. Some folks are afraid of needles, some fear that they are on the "last resort" treatment, some have fool doctors who have implied that only "bad" diabetics need insulin. This is all nonsense. If pills cannot help or completly treat your diabetes, you need to add insulin. Do it, you will feel far better. (Note: ALL diabetics should have some regular insulin on hand to bring down very high blood sugars quickly. It's the only way to do so!)

MYTH: High blood sugars mean you are a bad diabetic.
TRUTH: High blood sugar can be caused by illness, stress, a medication change, a woman's monthly cycle, an allergy attack, ... a large pile of things. The only way to handle this is to keep testing (& testing!). Try to log when you test, when you've most recently eaten and when & how much medication and/or insulin you're taking. Share this info with your doctors to help you both to decide on possible medication changes.

To the diabetes links.

Back to the fa-diab main page.

(Last updated 3/29/00)