Get to Know the Different Types of Diabetes

You know diabetes, right? Maybe your father or mother has it. Maybe you have it. But did you know there are different types of diabetes?

Alife-threatening complication of diabetes is diabetic ketoacidosis, due to a shortage of insulin. This causes symptoms like dehydration, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and diffıculty breathing. If it’s not caught early on, it can be fatal. Unfortunately, a signifıcant percentage of people experience diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis. There are two things that can help:

1. Knowing the symptoms:

Warning signs of Type 1 diabetes often appear suddenly and sometimes require immediate medical attention, and involve such things as extreme thirst, unexplained weight loss, dry mouth, frequent urination, fatigue, fruity breath odor, and sudden vision changes.

2. Knowing your risk status:

With an easy-to-use blood test taken at home, you can fınd out — before symptoms occur — if you are at risk of developing Type 1 diabetes. Kits are $55 plus tax, with the option to order a subsidized kit ($10 plus tax) if you are unable to afford the full-priced cost. You’ll receive your results, explanation of what they mean, and next steps through your account on the testing website.

After diagnosis

Did you know that in Type 1 diabetes, the average glucose levels for Black young adults are 10.7 percent, compared with 8.5 percent for white young adults? (For reference, 6.5 percent is regarded as diabetes, 8.5 percent is perceived as “good,” whereas 10.7 percent is considered “dangerous.”)

From prescription drugs to diabetes technology, JDRF is working to make sure every individual with Type 1 diabetes has the same opportunity to live a healthy, fulfılling life. We do this through:

Support and community building

Newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes? JDRF has the information you need to understand and manage the disease, including our Bag of Hope and No Limits Teen and Adult care kits.

JDRF volunteers are people who understand the demands of living with the disease, and are available to help anyone at any age.

Advocacy

Our Health Insurance Guide helps people understand how they can get help with prescription and insulin costs, how to choose a plan, and how to navigate losing coverage, denials and appeals, and applying for exceptions.

Clinical trials

JDRF has an online tool to help anyone fınd clinical trials in their area.

As the largest nonprofıt funder of Type 1 diabetes research, and a passionate advocate for policies and treatments that improve the quality of life for those living with the disease, JDRF exists so Type 1 diabetes won’t.

Our mission is to improve lives today and tomorrow by accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat Type 1 diabetes and its complications through research, advocacy, and community engagement. Learn more at jdrf.org