Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes - what’s the difference?

There are many different types of diabetes but there are two types which are the most common, type 1 and type 2. According to Diabetes UK, type 1 affects 8% of everyone who has diabetes and type 2 affects about 90%.

Many people get the two types confused or don’t even know that there is more than one type of diabetes, keep reading to find out more about the difference between the two types and how to spot the signs.

The difference

If you have either of these types of diabetes, it means you have too much glucose (a type of sugar) in your blood. However, the main difference between the two types is how this happens.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition - your body has attacked the cells that make insulin (a hormone) meaning that your body cannot make it anymore. Our bodies need insulin to help take the glucose from our blood into our cells which helps give us energy. So without insulin, the glucose level in your blood will get too high.

Type 2 differs as it means your body doesn’t make enough insulin or your insulin isn’t working like it is supposed to, this is typically known as insulin resistance.

Managing and treating your diabetes

When it comes to type 1 and type 2 diabetes, depending on which type you have, your treatment will be different.

A diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes will require you to take insulin to control your blood sugar levels. You will also need to regularly test your blood glucose levels and ensure you are controlling and counting the amount of carbs you eat and drink.

A diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes will mean you need to focus heavily on living a healthy lifestyle. Doing this will help you manage your weight and also help manage your diabetes as a result. However, this type of diabetes can also still require you to take medication too. When you are diagnosed, your GP will inform you of all of the precautions you should take to manage your condition.

What to look out for

Although the two most common types are caused by different things, they still share a lot of the same symptoms. Look out for the following:

• Going to the toilet a lot, especially at night
• Genital thrush or itching
• Feeling more thirsty than usual
• Losing weight, without trying to
• Feeling more tired than usual
• Blurred vision
• Cuts and wounds taking longer to heal

Sky was just 8 years old

You might be surprised to hear that type 1 diabetes often arises during childhood, according to Diabetes UK, with the average age for a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes at just 13 years old.

Dionne, who took out a critical illness policy with Busy Bee life insurance just 3 years ago was shocked when she found out she could make a claim on her critical illness policy for her (now 9 year old) daughter Sky.

During a routine call to review her life insurance policy because she was re-mortgaging, Dionne was advised by one of our protection specialists that she could claim on her critical illness cover but not for herself, for her little girl Sky who had recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

What happened next?

After finding out that the eldest of her two daughters, Sky, was eligible to claim on the children’s element of her critical illness policy (a part she forgot was even included in her cover), there was just a small amount of time that elapsed between finding out she could make a claim and having the money in her bank account.

Dionne recalls her thoughts on her experience, “It went from one minute not remembering I had a policy and two months later having money in my bank account - it’s incredible. In terms of the process we went through to claim this cover, I had no issues at all. As soon as I sent the claim form off and the nurses confirmed her diagnosis, the payment was made. It was such a short, non stressful process.”

Can either type 1 or type 2 be cured?

Sadly, there is not yet a cure for either type of diabetes.

However, there is evidence to suggest that those who change their diet or even have surgery could put their diabetes into remission by losing weight. Additionally, Diabetes UK is also funding vital research into projects to help transform treatment and care and also to find out a cure for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

The 4 T’s

When it comes to spotting diabetes, it is important to look out for the 4 T’s, especially when it comes to children. Obviously, very young children aren’t able to communicate like us adults so aren’t able to let us know if they aren’t feeling well so looking out for the 4 T’s is crucial in spotting the signs of diabetes in your little ones. Look out for:

Toilet - Is your child going to the toilet more frequently to pass urine? This could also be recognised if they’re wetting the bed again (if they didn’t previously) and with babies, look out for heavier nappies than normal. Also watch out if they’re getting out of bed during the night as this could be a sign.

Thirsty - Feeling like you can never quench your thirst is a sure fire sign of Type 1 Diabetes. Watch out if your little one is asking for water more, if they are drinking their drinks faster or if they are generally drinking more.

Tired - If your child is displaying signs of being tired such as playing less often, complaining of being tired, not playing as often and less energy for the things they normally enjoy.

Thinner - Look out for signs of your child losing weight or looking thinner than usual.

Living with diabetes

Having diabetes can come as a shock and bring about so many emotions but it’s important to remember that a diagnosis of diabetes doesn’t define you. There is a lot of professional help and support out there. Diabetes UK is committed to spreading awareness about this condition and how you can access help. Apart from Diabetes UK, there are other ways you can find support, such as:

Opening up to your loved ones. Whether this is by talking to your friends and/or family about your diagnosis or simply just how you are coping with living with diabetes, it is better than keeping things bottled up! Keeping your loved ones in the loop of your diabetes and how you care for it ensures they will be able to support you every step of the way.

Get to know others with diabetes. It may feel hard reaching out to others and talking about your condition at first. However, getting to know people who share the same condition as you could mean they may understand you on a deeper level than those who don’t have diabetes.

Make notes in between appointments. Keeping a regular log of your symptoms and feelings in between your appointments ensures that you won’t miss anything when providing updates to your doctor. This is important as they will then have the full picture of your diabetes.

Research and take ownership. Looking into your own condition after diagnosis is a given but really spend time searching for information about how you can help yourself and cope with your condition. Find out what your rights are regarding sick days and take ownership of your diabetes diagnosis by learning about yourself and your condition. The more you know - the better!