Will I need lifelong insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 19-year-old female who has been feeling extremely thirsty, urinating frequently, and losing 15 pounds without any reason, even though I have been eating more lately. Moreover, I am always tired and weak, and my breath smells like fruit. Yesterday, I experienced nausea and dizziness. When I tested my blood glucose level by using my grandmother's glucose meter, the result was above 400 mg/dl.

My doctor recommended that I be hospitalized at once and said that I suffer from type 1 diabetes mellitus. This fact seems to be terrible since I assumed that diabetes develops among elderly people. How will this condition influence my future life? Will I need to take insulin injections throughout my life?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand the concern.

The symptoms that have been mentioned, such as intense thirst, extremely frequent urination, weight loss, although there was an increase in appetite, fatigue, vomiting, dizziness, breath with a sweet odor, and a level of glucose in the blood above 400 milligrams per deciliter, strongly indicate that type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) has just been diagnosed. Your pediatrician is right in his suggestion of urgent hospitalization.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system destroys the body's own beta cells that produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that provides the entry of glucose into the cells, where it can be used as a source of energy. Without insulin, glucose cannot get inside the cells but remains in the bloodstream. Under such circumstances, the body uses fat to produce energy and produces by-products called ketones. Large amounts of ketones may cause diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which is a severe and potentially lethal condition.

The presentation of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) includes nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fruity breath odor, dehydration, and altered consciousness. The patient needs hospital admission because DKA requires intravenous fluids, insulin administration (regular human insulin), and strict monitoring of metabolic and electrolyte balance correction. This disease is not caused by any improper dieting or lifestyle factors.

Despite being chronic, it is completely treatable and manageable. Many people with T1DM live full and productive lives, which involve participating in physical activity, studying, having a job, traveling, and raising families. Because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, the person must take insulin on a regular basis.

It is prescribed either in subcutaneous doses using special insulin syringes or insulin pens, or by an insulin pump. Rapid-acting insulin is frequently used in the form of Insulin lispro, Insulin aspart, or Insulin glulisine. Long-acting insulin is taken in the form of Insulin glargine or Insulin detemir. Sometimes people use continuous subcutaneous insulin injection with CGM.

With time, education from the diabetes care team will be useful in learning about carbohydrate counting, insulin dosage adjustment, identifying hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) levels, and participating safely at school and during physical exercises.

At first, the situation can seem too much to handle; however, with proper direction and regular checkups, many patients start feeling very comfortable handling themselves after a few months. After stabilization in the hospital and the introduction of insulin treatment, the patient usually feels relief from symptoms like increased thirst, tiredness, and vomiting.

Despite T1DM being a permanent illness, with today’s advancements in medicine, one can have good glucose regulation, stay free from complications, and live up to the expected life span without any problems.

I hope that I have been able to satisfy you with my response.

You can contact me on iCliniq for any other questions you might have.

Thank you.