Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 & 2: Symptoms & Treatment

[gordda]

Diabetes Mellitus type one is when the beta cells can't produce insulin and is treatable by injection of insulin.
what is the difference between diabete mellitus type one and diabetes mellitus type 2 in terms of the symptons and treatment?
I thought diabetes mellitus type 2 is even if the body is given injection of insulin, the body will reject it. and to treat it by tablets that are composed of insulin or it is also treatable by diet and exercise. is that the jist of it.

 

[iansmith]

As far as I know, the symptomes between type 1 and type 2 are similar. Frequent urination, fatigue, losing weight, etc. The causes and treatment are different.

Type 2 diabetes is cause by the fact that body has become insensitive to insulin and the amount of insulin produce is insufficient. The body is still producing insulin and injecting insulin may help depending on the case. Insulin cannot be taken orally because it will be degraded by the digestive system. There is no tablet with insulin. You are probably referring to other medication taken by diabetes to enhance insulin production or that decrease blood glucose. There is a list of medication available for people that do not respond to diet and exercise treatment.
http://www.diabetes.org/type-2-diabetes/oral-medications.jsp

 

[hypatia]

http://www.nyp.org/health/cd_rom_content/adult/diabetes/oralmeds.htm
this site has a good description of the medications and there uses for type 2

 

[adrenaline]

Type I diabetes is not genetic

Type II has an 80% genetic transmission to offspring but an environmental trigger usually activates it (obesity and lack of activity). Hypogonadism may also trigger it.

Iansmith is right, type II diabetes is mainly due to insulin resistance (many times they produce more insulin than a non diabetic in the early stages then they progress to pancreatic failure and many may end up on insulin injections in the latter stages.)

Diet and exercise is the mainstay of treatment of diabetes and weight loss is a necessity if there is any chance of "reversing" the type II diabetes. The pills used for it are secretogues (pills that stimulate more insulin secretion for the beta cells) or they work by decreasing insulin resistance. The glitazones (actos and avandia) upregulate insulin receptors in ther peripheral cells (mainly muscle cells) and thus increases the efficiency of the endogenous insulin production and glucophage decreases hepatic glucose production and also works on insulin resistance.

There is also a Type 1.5 diabetes, a slow onset autoimmune diabetes...but that is another story.

 

[selfAdjoint]

Let me give my own experience. I have had Type II diabetes since 1986. There is some family influence, since one of my great grandfathers died of it, and I was also very obese. I originally took once-a-day insulin for it, and then was switched to oral medication when the newer drugs came out in the 90's. I now take 500mg of Metformin daily and that, plus exercise and a very lean diet, keep my non-spike blood sugar easily in the range 90 - 110.

But it turns out the disease has results that aren't entirely controlled by blood sugar range. So I have impaired circulation and a certain amount of neuropathy in my feet. And the doctor tells me that that can continue to progress in spite of the controlled blood sugar. Bummer! Who knew?

 

[hypatia]

My mother and sister have had neuropathy in there feet and legs long before type 2 was discovered. There Dr. told them that it should of triggered a alarm with there family Dr. That 90% of the time it means the onset of type2, sometimes years before other symptoms show.