Type 1 Diabetes

Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes may include:

• Increased thirst

• Increased hunger

• Unexplained weight loss

• Increased urination

• Feeling very tired

Treatment for Type 1 Diabetes:

Insulin has to be injected daily either by using an insulin pen or an insulin pump (please refer to our pages for insulin carry cases, insulin pump belts and insulin garter bands).

It’s very important you learn how to balance insulin doses with dietary intake and physical activity. It’s also important to use blood glucose testing to help you control your diabetes. The blood glucose meter will give you valuable readings that will show if your levels are too high or too low. Both the Core blood glucose meter and the Hi-Tech blood glucose meter are highly accurate and need the smallest amount of blood to perform a reading. Both can be used on alternative sites that are less painful than the finger tip. The hassle-free auto coding ability of our blood glucose meters make them a pleasure to use (please refer to our blood glucose meters page).

Following a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly will help maintain good blood glucose control and minimise the risk of long-term diabetes complications. If you’ve been advised to make changes to your diet, or you need advice, a diabetes dietitian can help you work out a diet plan. Speak to your doctor about being referred to a dietitian.

Short Term Type 1 Diabetes Complications:

Short term complications can occur if blood glucose levels go too low or if insulin injections are missed.

• Hypoglycemia - too low blood sugar level

• Ketoacidosis - blood glucose level becomes too high because of a missed insulin injection

Long Term Type 1 Complications:

• Heart disease

• Stroke

• Kidney disease

• Retinopathy (damage to the retina of the eye)

• Neuropathy (damage to nerves)

The chance of developing long-term complications is significantly reduced by monitoring and maintaining good control of your blood glucose levels and ensuring you attend all your diabetic complication screening appointments.

*This article is for information purposes only and is not medical advice. Always follow your doctor’s medical advice and seek medical help when necessary.