Type 1 diabetes

In type 1 diabetes, you have too much sugar (glucose) in your blood. And too little sugar gets into your body's cells. This is because your pancreas makes too little or no insulin. Insulin gets sugar into your cells. Sugar is needed as fuel for your body. Type 1 diabetes is not caused by unhealthy eating or too little exercise. Type 1 diabetes is more common in some families. In 1 out of 10 people with type 1 diabetes, this is the case.

What do you notice with type 1 diabetes?

If your blood sugar is too high, you may experience 1 or more of these symptoms:

• a lot of thirst and a dry mouth, which makes you drink a lot
• urinate a lot
• lose weight
• tire
• blurred vision

When you start using insulin, these symptoms become less.

What do you notice with type 1 diabetes?

If your blood sugar is too high, you may experience 1 or more of these symptoms:

• a lot of thirst and a dry mouth, which makes you drink a lot
• urinate a lot
• lose weight
• tire
• blurred vision

When you start using insulin, these symptoms become less.

How is type 1 diabetes treated?

You should using insulin every day. How much you need depends on how high your blood sugar is. And what you eat and do in a day.

Insulin means you get less sugar in your blood and the sugar goes to your cells.

You can get insulin in 3 ways:

• with an insulin pen
• with an insulin pump
• using an insulin pump with a sugar sensor attached
  This is called a (hybrid) closed loop system.

You get help in hospital from a diabetes team. This consists of a doctor, a nurse, a psychologist and a dietician. They give advice on how best to cope with type 1 diabetes. And advice on how to keep doing what you do every day.

What do you notice when you use too much or too little insulin?

You notice this when you use too much or too little insulin:

If you use too much insulin

If you use too much insulin, your blood sugar can get too low. This is called a hypo. You may then experience these symptoms:

• starve
• sweating
• vibrate
• giddy
• palpitations
• yawn
• fluster
• feel restless

You will learn from the diabetes team what to do best when you have a hypo. It usually means taking dextrose.

If you have far too little sugar in your blood, you may faint. The diabetes team will help you how to use neither too much nor too little insulin.
If you do pass out, someone should call 112 immediately.

Family, friends and your partner can learn how to give you the drug glucagon if you pass out. This will raise your blood sugar again.

If you use too little insulin

If you use too little insulin, your blood sugar can get too high. This is called a hyper. You may then experience these symptoms:

• thirst
• urinate a lot
• have a dry or sticky tongue
• despair
• being tired or sleepy
• not feel like eating
• nausea or vomiting
• stomach ache
• breathe quickly
• blurred vision

If you have way too much sugar in your blood, you can become dehydrated, faint or comatose. This is life-threatening. Someone should then direct 112 call.