Type I diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes, is usually diagnosed in children, teens, and young adults, but can develop at any age.
If you have type I diabetes, your pancreas does not make insulin, or makes very little. Insulin is a hormone that enables blood sugar to enter the cells in your body where it is then used for energy.
Without insulin, blood sugar cannot get into cells and builds up in the bloodstream. High blood sugar is damaging to the body and causes many of the symptoms and complications of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is less common than type II. Only about 5% of people with diabetes have type I.
Currently, no one knows how to prevent type I diabetes, but it can be managed by following your doctor’s recommendations for living a healthy lifestyle, controlling your blood sugar, getting regular health checkups, and getting diabetes self-management education.
You will need to keep an eye on your blood sugar levels and take treatment for your diabetes for the rest of your life. If you do not have good control of your blood sugar you will be at risk from damage to the blood vessels and nerves, with problems such as deterioration in eyesight, stroke, kidney disease and infections.
If you have type I diabetes, you will need to take insulin shots daily, or use an insulin pump, to manage your blood sugar levels and get the energy your body needs. Insulin is not taken in pill form, because the acid in your stomach would destroy it before it could get into your bloodstream.
Your doctor will work with you to figure out the most effective type and dosage of insulin for you.
You should understand the types of insulin
They are grouped by how fast their effects start to work and how long they last.
Rapid-onset fast-acting insulin
Rapid-onset fast-acting insulin is clear. It’s effects begin within 10 to 30 minutes, peak in 30 to 90 minutes, and last one to five hours. With this type of insulin, you must eat immediately after you inject.
Rapid-onset fast-acting insulin includes:
1. Aspart (Novalog)
2. Glulisine (Apidra)
3. Lispro (Humalog)
Short-acing insulin
Short-acting insulin is clear. It’s effect begins within 30 to 60 minutes, so you need to have your injection half an hour before your meal. The peak effect is in two to five hours, and it lasts two to eight hours.
Short-acting insulin includes:
1. Humulin R
2. Novolin R
3. Velosulin (used in insulin pumps)
Intermediate-acting insulin
Intermediate-acting insulin is a cloudy one. It has either protamine or zinc added to delay action. It’s effect begins within 60 to 90 minutes, peak at four to 12 hours, and last for 18 to 24 hours.
Intermediate-acting insulin includes:
1. Humulin N
2. Novolin N
Premixed Insulin
Preixed insulin is also cloudy. It is a combination of either a rapid-onset fast-acting insulin or a short-acting insulin, with an intermediate-acting insulin. It’s effect begins within 10 to 30 minutes, peak at 30 minutes up to 12 hours, and last 14 up to 24 hours. All times are depending on the mixed insulins.
Premixed insulin incudes:
1. Humalog Mix 25 (25% Rapid, 75% Intermediate NPH)
2. Humalog Mix 50 (50% Rapid, 50% Intermediate NPH)
3. Humulin 30/70
4. Mixtard 30/70
5. Mixtard 50/50
6. NovoMix 30 (30 % rapid, 70% intermediate)
Long-acting insulin
Long-acting insulin is clear. It’s effect begins within 30 minutes to two hours. It is released into your bloodstream at a relevantly constant rate. One or two injections can last 24 hours.
Long-acting insulin includes:
1. Degludec (Tresiba)
2. Detemir (Levemir)
2. Glargine (Basaglar, Lantus, Toujeo)
Why Use Insulin Pumps?
The number of people using insulin pump therapy to manage their diabetes is growing rapidly; roughly 250,000 people around the world use an insulin pump. Their reasons for choosing the pump are many, but generally “pumpers” all agree that it gives them tighter control and more flexibility — both in terms of their schedule and lifestyle.
There are many scientific studies that demonstrate that insulin pump therapy results in better outcomes for teens and adults with type 1 diabetes. There are also studies that show that insulin pump therapy works well in toddlers and pre-school children.
A new type of insulin
In 2015 an inhaled insulin called Afrezza became available in the U.S. This is a rapid-acting inhaled insulin taken at the beginning of each meal. It can be taken by adults with type I or type II diabetes. But, it must be used in combination with injectable long-acting insulin in patients with type I diabetes, and in type II patients who use long-acting insulin.