Issue 45.17
Once upon a time there were two types of diabetes. Children developed type 1 and adults typically had type 2. Now we know that many children also develop type 2 and that type 1 diabetes often appears in adulthood.
If you think you know diabetes, you don’t. You may know that some women can get gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Typically this type of diabetes resembles type 2 and usually disappears after childbirth. However, did you know that scientists have also identified several other diabetes subtypes beyond type 1 and type 2?
One of these subtypes is called Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) and accounts for roughly 10 percent of people with diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, so is LADA and it is important to know that type 2 diabetes is not, but they can all cause similar complications. Confused yet? Well let me complicate it a little more by introducing type 3 diabetes. Type 3 diabetes is a title that has been proposed for Alzheimer’s disease which results from resistance to insulin in the brain. I read an article the other day that scientists are now proposing another subtype of diabetes, Type 3c. Type 3c diabetes is caused by damage to the pancreas from inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), tumors of the pancreas, or pancreatic surgery.
As an optometrist, I see people everyday with diabetic retinopathy, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States. The vast majority of what I see is a result of poor control of type 2 diabetes. However, I am often amazed at how many people are not sure what type of diabetes they have. Type 1? Type 2? Let’s not even get into the subtypes.
So why does it matter what type of diabetes you have? Well, in some cases it can be a matter of life and death. In most cases it will help your healthcare provider to give more effective treatment and it would help those living with the disease have a better blood glucose control and ultimately fewer complications. LADA and Type 3c are often misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes. It makes a difference in long term outcome so remember that knowledge is power. So know your body, know your health and know you have the power to make a difference.
Note about the author:
Dr. Terry is an optometrist at Richens Eye Center in St. George. In 2015 he lost his 5-year-old daughter, Kycie, to type 1 diabetes. Dr. Terry is passionate about timely diagnosis of all types of diabetes along with proper management that requires dedication by both the physician and the patient.