Carol Ann Hawk

Type I Diabetes research paper

For my research topic for my nutrition class I picked Type I Diabetes. As I was supposed

to pick a nutrition related disease in my family. My paternal grandfather has Type II diabetes and

my great paternal Uncle Smokey had Type I Diabetes. No one in my mother’s family has any

type of diabetes. I was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes on my tenth birthday, my parents had no

idea that Diabetes even existed.

So what is Type one Diabetes? Type I Diabetes is a autoimmune disease, the immune

system for reasons that haven’t been uncovered begins to attack the beta cells in the pancreas.

Beta cells make the hormone Insulin which brings down blood sugar levels in the body. The

pancreas then produces little to none insulin on its own. It typically affects children but there

have be cases of diagnosis of adults as well. As for the cause research are still unsure but there

are theories. Having a relative with Diabetes can increase the chances of Diabetes, other

researchers have put forth that viral infections may be the cause. (JDRF, 2018)

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation reports that 1.25 million Americans are

afflicted with Type I diabetes and by the year 2050 it is projected that the number will rise to 5

million americans living with Type I Diabetes. (JDRF, 2018)

Insulin is used to treat Type I Diabetes. Analog Insulin, the newest and most used Insulin

has two types to treat the disease. Fast acting insulin such as Novolog, Humalog and Apidra are

used for meals, snacks and to correct Hyperglycemia (High Blood Sugar). Long acting Insulin is
used to sleep through the night, such as Levemir, Lantus, Toujeo, Basaglar and Tresiba. Insulin

pumps and closed loop systems are also rated as more effective to treat diabetes than injections.

Insulin is not a cure, it is a diabetic’s life support. That is an important distinction to remember,

there is little to no prevention available at this time. (Mayo, 2017)

Living with the disease is a financial, mental and physical burden. Insulin prices have

soared in recent years and so have the other tool necessary to manage diabetes. In 2005 a year

after I was first diagnosed a vial of novolog an analog insulin cost around $80 to $90 cash price,

now five pen needles for Novolog cash price is $691. The mental burden comes from the fact

that Type I Diabetes is a 24/7 disease, there are no vacations and currently there are no cures for

it.

In a British academic medical journal, ‘Support for young people with diabetes’ the

authors Carine de Beaufort and Peter Swift explain the correlation of depression and Diabetes.

The authors point out that poor metabolic control is linked with depression and anxiety They

suggest that patients with Type I Diabetes consider therapy to improve mental health. (Beaufort,

Swift, 2006)

Depression, low self esteem, suicidal thoughts and ideation, and anxiety are

complications of Type I Diabetes. In a WebMD article by Serena Gordon talks about how signs

of depression and self harm can be harder to identify in diabetes. The author expounds on the

fact that while Insulin is necessary for survival for diabetics, it can also be used to commit

suicide. Although this method can be hard to distinguish from an accident and can be missed.

The author urges for medical staffs at ER’s to look into this when a Diabetic patients come in for

hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and not just a mistake being made. That endocrinologists should
screen for depression and suicidal thought at check ups and appointments for patients. (Gordon,

2017)

The physical complications can be just as deadly, Hypoglycemia is when the blood sugar

dips below 70 mg/dl and Hyperglycemia is when the blood sugar goes above 130 mg/dl. There

are many factors that go in to hyperglycemia such as stress, eating simple carbohydrates,

menstruation, missed insulin dose, even exercise can cause fluctuations. Constant hyperglycemia

can cause nerve, kidney, heart, and brain damage. It can cause high blood pressure, foot and eye

damage, slow healing in body and stroke. (Oberg, 2018)

The symptoms of Type I Diabetes is associated with Weight loss, excessive thirst,

frequent urination, fatigue, hunger after meals, fruity breath, malaise, and sweet smelling urine.

There are several ways to diagnose Type I Diabetes such as checking blood sugar on a glucose

meter, a c-peptide test that measures how much insulin is being produced by the pancreas,

ketones in urine, and genetic testing as well. Type I Diabetics are recommended to avoid simple

carbohydrates, processed foods and foods high in sugar. Their diets should focus on fish,

chicken, beans, lots of vegetables. There are many recommended vitamin and mineral

supplements for Type I patients. Exercise is an important factor for Type I diabetics because

their disease can make it hard to lose weight. But it is crucial for diabetics to monitor their blood

sugar closely. As exercise can cause hypoglycemia and trigger the liver to release stored glucose

that can raise blood sugar levels. (Oberg, 2018)

Type I Diabetes is a serious disease, it's not something to joke about or make light about.

Patients with don’t get breaks as its like a full time 24/7 job that doesn’t give you vacations, a

sure way to pay for top care needed to stay healthy and is a never ending onslaught of depression
to fight. There is no such thing as a good or bad diabetic, some don't have the resources to take

care of their disease and some do. It doesn’t help when diabetics see media that simplifies their

disease into fat and sugar jokes. Or are told quit whining at least you don’t have cancer, or that if

they just ate right and exercised they wouldn't have diabetes. Or that they can’t eat that. If the

public was more educated on the different types and cause of diabetes. It would make awareness

of what diabetics faced in their struggle. Astronomical price increases for their life saving

medication Insulin and supplies. It is not right that diabetics are facing the choice between

paying their rent or paying for insulin and insurance. I hope this research paper has opened a

discussion on what Type I diabetes is.

 Works Cited

American Diabetes Association. “Type 1 Diabetes.” American Diabetes Association,

American Diabetes Association , www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/type-1/.

De Beaufort, Carine, and Peter Swift. “Support for Young People with Diabetes.” BMJ:

British Medical Journal, vol. 333, no. 7558, 2006, pp. 55–56. JSTOR, JSTOR,

www.jstor.org/stable/40698647.

Gordon, Serena. “Suicide by Insulin?” WebMD, WebMD, 18 May 2017,

www.webmd.com/diabetes/news/20170518/suicide-by-insulin#1.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. “Type 1 Diabetes Facts.” JDRF, JDRF,

www.jdrf.org/about/what-is-t1d/facts/.

Mayo Clinic. “Type 1 Diabetes.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education

and Research, 7 Aug. 2017,

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-1-diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20353011.

Oberg, Erica. “Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms, Treatment, Diet & Life Expectancy.”

MedicineNet, MedicineNet ,

www.medicinenet.com/type_1_diabetes/article.htm#what_are_risk_factors_for_developing_type

_1_diabetes.