An essay on Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes is a disease of metabolism where there is an inability to process blood sugar (glucose). Our body uses glucose as fuel for brain and muscle function--in other words, energy to drive the machine. In the diabetic the process of converting food to useable components is impaired.

Diabetes is recognized when glucose is not being utilized and when insulin function is not normal. There are many variations on the ratios of insulin to glucose. These can be measured by challenge tests and the resulting ratios can help in designing a therapeutic approach. Some signs of excess glucose in one's system may include fatigue, frequent urination and unusual thirst. There are many more signs and symptoms. The crux of the matter is that unabsorbed glucose is circulating in the blood stream, potentially causing problems to organs and tissues.

Insulin is produced in the pancreas. The pancreas may not be making enough insulin, or the receptor sites on cells are not accepting insulin. The latter is often labelled insulin resistance, syndrome X, or metabolic syndrome. Insulin is the door knob opening the door to bring glucose into the cell. When there is not enough insulin, or the door remains closed, glucose cannot enter and can't do its work.

Insulin and blood sugar want to be tightly regulated. When they are not, damage to organs and tissues ensues. Too much insulin--either by medication or body malfunction, adds greatly to the many long term damages and ravages of diabetes mellitus.

Glucose is manufactured in the body from carbohydrate sources. A small percentage can come from protein. As the blood sugar level rises, insulin is secreted from the pancreas and is transported to the intestine to be absorbed into the blood stream. Insulin lowers blood sugar by increasing the rate of glucose absorption into the cells throughout the body.

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, formerly called juvenile onset or insulin dependent (IDDM), occurs most often in children and adolescents. Exogenous insulin administration is necessary to manage this form of diabetes. Daily management is a learned skill and goal. The tighter the management, the lower amount of insulin that is needed. Using the lowest amount of insulin possible can dramatically increase the quality and quantity of one's life. We all should be able to grasp the importance and necessity of saving an extremity, eyes, kidneys, the heart, ability to walk, work, reproduce, years before the damage is obvious, acute and irreversible. A youngster, adolescent, or young adult can have a great deal of difficulty dealing with the stress of this disease, of having a disease, being different from peers, feeling restricted, constricted, deprived. Why me, woe is me, depression can overcome logic and reason--especially from a non-ill person's view point. Denial of disease, thwarting good management and lifestyle considerations, I'll take care of it tomorrow, next week, never, are not infrequent responses. (there is much more to this ongoing discussion. More posts will follow)