Diabetes occurs:

When the pancreas does not produce any insulin, or
The pancreas produces very little insulin, or
When the body does not respond appropriately to insulin,
a condition called "insulin resistance."

Diabetes is a lifelong disease. As yet, there is no cure. People with diabetes need to manage their disease to stay healthy.

For All Your Blood Glucose Meters and Diabetic Supplies See Anne-Marie!


Falls Pharmacy's Senior PharmacyCompounding Technician
Anne-Marie Taddeo C.Ph.T.

Diabetes........to understand the different types of this condition, it is important to understand what diabetes is. Normally, our bodies convert the food we eat into a type of sugar called glucose. This glucose is then carried throughout our bodies by our bloodstream. With the help of insulin, a hormone that is made in the pancreas, our bodies turn the glucose into energy. In a person with diabetes, this doesn't happen. There can be several reasons for this:


What Are the Types of Diabetes?
Type 1 Diabetes. Type 1 diabetes occurs because the
insulin-producing cells of the pancreas (called beta cells)
are damaged; they produce little or no insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes must use
insulin injections to control their blood glucose.

The damage to the insulin-producing cells in
type 1 diabetes occurs over a period of years.
However, the symptoms of type 1 diabetes may
occur over a period of days to weeks.
Type 1 diabetes most commonly starts in people
under the age of 20, but may occur at any age.

Type 2 Diabetes. Unlike people with type 1 diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes produce insulin. However, the insulin they produce is either not enough or doesn't work properly in the body. When there isn't enough insulin or the insulin is not used as it should be, glucose can't get into the body's cells.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes mellitus,
affecting millions of people world wide.
While over 91% of these cases can be prevented,
it remains for adults the leading cause of related
complications such as blindness, non-traumatic
amputations and chronic kidney failure requiring dialysis.
Type 2 diabetes usually starts in people over
age 40 who are overweight; but can occur
in people who are not overweight.
Sometimes referred to as "adult-onset diabetes,"
Type 2 diabetes has started to appear in children
because of the rise in obesity in young people.

Some people can manage their type 2 diabetes by controlling their weight, watching their diet, and exercising regularly. Others may also need to take a pill that helps their body use insulin better, or take insulin injections.

Often, doctors are able to detect the likelihood of type 2 diabetes before the condition actually occurs. Commonly referred to as pre-diabetes, this condition occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that 16 million Americans have pre-diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes. Gestational diabetes is triggered by pregnancy. Hormone changes during pregnancy can affect insulin's ability to work properly, resulting in high blood glucose levels.

Pregnant women who have an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes are those who are over 25 years old, are above their normal body weight before pregnancy, have a family history of diabetes or are Hispanic, black, Aboriginal, or Asian.

Usually, blood glucose levels return to normal after childbirth. However, women who have had gestational diabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

What Are the Symptoms of Diabetes?

The symptoms of type 1 diabetes often occur suddenly and can be severe. They include:

Increased thirst
Increased hunger (especially after eating)
Dry mouth
Frequent urination
Unexplained weight loss (even though you are eating and feel hungry)
Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
Blurred vision
Numbness or tingling of the hands or feet
Loss of consciousness (rare)

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes may be the same as those listed above. Most often, there are no symptoms or a very gradual development of the above symptoms. Other symptoms may include:

Slow-healing sores or cuts
Itching of the skin (usually in the vaginal or groin area)
Yeast infections
Recent weight gain

How Is Diabetes Managed?

At the present time, diabetes can't be cured, but it can be treated and controlled. The goals of managing diabetes are to:

Keep your blood glucose levels as near to normal as possible by balancing food intake with medication and activity.
Maintain your blood cholesterol and triglyceride (lipid) levels as near their normal ranges as possible by decreasing the total amount of fat to 30% or less of your total daily calories and by reducing saturated fat and cholesterol.
Control your blood pressure. Your blood pressure should not go over 130/80.
Slow or possibly prevent the development of diabetes-related health problems.
You hold the keys to managing your diabetes by:

Planning what you eat and following a balanced meal plan.
Exercising regularly.
Taking medicine, if prescribed, and closely following the guidelines on how and when to take it.
Monitoring your blood glucose and blood pressure levels at home.
Keeping your appointments with your healthcare providers and having laboratory tests as ordered by your doctor.
What you do at home every day affects your blood glucose more than what your doctor can do every few months during your checkups.

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