Flourish - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 11
Diabetes develops when
your pancreas cannot make
insulin, not enough insulin, or
the insulin it does make does
not work e昀昀ec琀椀vely. When
this happens, you experience
high blood glucose levels.
Over 琀椀me, high blood glucose
levels can damage blood
vessels and nerves, resul琀椀ng
in long-term health problems
such as heart a琀琀acks, strokes
and complica琀椀ons with your
eyes, kidneys and feet.
There are several types
of diabetes, but the most
common are:
TYPE 1 DIABETES
Cause: The immune system
a琀琀acks the insulin-producing
cells in the pancreas.
Who it a昀昀ects: Usually
develops in children or young
adults, but it can happen at
any age.
Treatment: Requires daily
insulin injec琀椀ons or use of an
insulin pump.
TYPE 2 DIABETES
Cause: The body becomes
resistant to insulin or doesn’t
make enough of it.
Who it a昀昀ects: More common
in adults but increasingly seen
in younger people due to
lifestyle factors.
Treatment: Managed
with lifestyle changes,
oral medica琀椀ons and
some琀椀mes insulin.
GESTATIONAL DIABETES
Cause: Develops during
pregnancy and usually goes
away a昀琀er childbirth.
Risk: Increases the chance of
developing type 2 diabetes
later in life.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes
are o昀琀en referred to as the
4Ts. This stands for toilet,
thirsty, 琀椀red and thinner.
If you no琀椀ce you, or your
child, needing to urinate
frequently, being excessively
thirsty, feeling more 琀椀red
than usual and losing weight
rapidly, it is important to get
assessed as soon as possible.
While symptoms can develop
gradually, they o昀琀en develop
suddenly and can be lifethreatening. If this happens,
you should a琀琀end A&E and
say you suspect diabetes.
In type 2 diabetes, many
people have no symptoms
at all, while other signs can
go unno琀椀ced. By the 琀椀me
symptoms are no琀椀ced,
complica琀椀ons of diabetes may
already be present.
Common symptoms include:
• Being more thirsty than
usual
• Passing more urine
• Feeling 琀椀red and lethargic
• Always feeling hungry
• Having cuts that heal
slowly
• Itching, skin infec琀椀ons
• Urinary tract or fungal
infec琀椀ons
• Blurred vision
• Unexplained weight loss
(type 1 or type 2 diabetes)
• Gradually pu琀�ng on weight
(type 2 diabetes)
• Mood swings
• Headaches
• Feeling dizzy
• Leg cramps
