Ahhh Sugar

Around 5 or 6 years ago, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.  This means that my body isn't able to use insulin the right way.  Around 3 years ago, insulin injections were added to treatment plan as oral medications were not lowering my sugar levels as quickly as my doctor wanted.

This past weekend, I had to visit our local urgent care center because I was suffering from hyperglycemia.  For those unfamiliar with the term, hyperglycemia is the medical term for high blood sugar.  I learned that it is important to treat hyperglycemia, because if left untreated, hyperglycemia can become severe and lead to serious complications requiring emergency care, such as a diabetic coma.

I had planned to write this post yesterday, but decided to wait because I had an appointment with my family doctor to discuss what happened this weekend.  After reviewing the urgent care team's notes and lab work, he has come to the conclusion that 6 years ago, I was misdiagnosed.  He feels that I actually have type 1 diabetes.

This means that my body's immune system destroys the cells that release insulin, which will eventually eliminate insulin production from my body, if it hasn't already. It was decided that the best course of action was to bring the diabetic specialist in to guide me into more "intensive" insulin treatment.  Which likely means a change in diet, eating habits, and much more blood sugar testing.