Living With Diabetes

Once a patient is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes his life expectancy gets reduced to a great extent. After immediate treatment that involves remedy of diabetic ketoacidosis and high blood glucose level, all efforts are zoomed onto prolonging longevity. This dreaded disease also leads to several complications that may end a patient's life such as kidney failure. Other consequences are blindness , amputation of limbs, vascular diseases and nerve damage.

Once immediate treatment is over a life long strategy is to be chalked out to fight against it. It involves education about symptoms and complications, learning mode of insulin usage, proper food planning, weight control, types of exercises and self testing of blood glucose level.

The pancreas of a Type 1 diabetic is unable to make insulin so, every day intake of insulin through injections or in rare case through infusion pumps is mandatory. Injections are needed to be given from 1 to 4 times a day, depending upon the requirement.

Next comes the diet for which it is better to consult a dietitian. Nutritional counseling helps greatly in maintaining a restricted diet.

Exercise on a regular basis is an integral part of treatment. It helps greatly in lowering down the sugar level in blood. But, precautions should be taken while doing exercise.

Regular self testing of blood glucose level is suggested, to remain well informed about any abnormality. It can be done with the help of a device called glucometre.

Type 1 patients are more likely to get foot problem as nerves and blood vessels get damaged as a result of the disease. The problem involves foot's inability to sense trauma or pressure. Body's immune system gets destroyed and the patients may develop severe skin infections.

Patient may face low blood sugar as a result of too much insulin and excessive exercise so something comprising of sugar must be eaten to nullify it. Its symptoms are headache, hunger, extreme weakness, excessive sweating and nervousness.

Problem of high ketone arises due to substitution of fat as an energy source due to absence of glucose in cells. Fats break down and poisonous ketone acids are formed in blood and urine. Alarm bells are stomach pain, vomiting, dry skin and mouth, flushed face and rapid breathing.

If blood glucose is not properly controlled, Diabetic Neuropathy might be the outcome. After 10 to 20 years, symptoms like numbness and tingling start to appear. So, it is essential that type 1 diabetics must live under constant monitoring and care to pull on with their life.