Two Types: Compared

Now that you know a little something about juvenile (type 1) diabetes, you should know a little about the other type. Far more people have type 2 diabetes (an estimated 16 million in the U.S. alone, compared to 1 million with type 1), so you will probably get questions from people who mean well but who confuse your diabetes with type 2.

Type 1: Your immune system has destroyed the beta cells in your pancreas, so it can't produce the insulin your body needs. As beta cells stop functioning, you exhibit the symptoms of juvenile diabetes: frequent urination (sending out the unused excess glucose in your system), thirst, weight loss. These occur because of high blood sugar that results when the glucose is not used as the fuel your cells need.

Type 2: The body's cells have developed resistance to the insulin it produces, so that insulin is less effective in helping the cells use glucose. High blood sugar is the result. Rather than cause the "acute" symptoms of extremely high blood sugar (dramatic weight loss, passing out), patients can often continue to function with ongoing moderately high blood sugar that damages internal organs and generally can make them feel miserable (sluggish, tired, irritable).

Type 1: Caused by no fault of the person who has it; it is a problem in the body that currently can't be prevented.

Type 2: It is generally accepted that a large contributing factor to Type 2 diabetes is poor eating and exercise habits, which lead to excess weight. Genetics also plays a role.

Type 1: Can only be treated with daily insulin injections.

Type 2: Can be treated with diet and exercise changes or improvements, drugs to improve insulin effectiveness, or insulin injections.

Type 1: Patients will have it all of their lives, until a cure is found through scientific research.

Type 2: Patients can often have success controlling or curing the disease through changes in their own behavior, like losing weight and exercising more.