One Sugardrop could save a life! Your life!
Knowing the signs of Type 1 diabetes is so important. Usually T1D comes on slowly, because your body starts to produce less insulin which causes blood sugar levels to rise to a dangerously high number. Like me, symptoms can be mistaken for other illnesses such as the flu, strep throat, mononucleosis even a urinary tract infection. My doctor sent me home twice telling me it was the flu and then pneumonia. Thankfully my mom insisted on a blood and urine test and I was diagnosed in time. Some people are not as lucky, and a misdiagnosis can lead to brain swelling, a coma or even death.
My grandparents are Type 2 diabetics. When I was diagnosed we had no awareness of Type 1 at all.
I learned that anyone can get T1D at any age. It doesn’t just happen to kids. There is no way to prevent getting T1D and there is no cure. Basically, my immune system attacked the beta cells in my pancreas and now I need insulin to live. We don’t know why people get T1D but many studies prove that there is a genetic and/or an environmental trigger. For me, my flu maybe was the trigger.
Everyone needs to know the early signs of T1D:
- Sudden weight loss even though you are hungry (I lost 12 lbs)
- unquenchable thirst (I could not stop drinking juice)
- blurry vision (I couldn't read words on the TV)
- decreased energy level (I could not get off the sofa)
- frequent urination (like...all the time)
- a fruity smell to the breath (I told my mom that my mouth tasted funny)
- wetting the bed when you didn’t before (thankfully this did not happen to me)
- heavy wet diapers in babies (no diapers here)
- stomach pain
- fatigue or weakness
- nausea or vomiting
- rapid, heavy breathing
- loss of consciousness
What to do if you have any of the signs:
Call your doctor immediately. A simple test for sugar in the urine is used for diagnosis (that is how I was sent to ER). If that test is positive, then a drop of blood from your finger will determine your sugar level and if you have diabetes.
Don’t ignore any of the signs. We were not aware and I was sick for much longer than I needed to be.
I started Sugardrop to help raise awareness of the early signs of T1D and to ask for a simple finger prick test at your doctor's office. It only takes one Sugardrop!
