Diagnosing diabetes is not difficult for most doctors. Getting the right diagnosis, however, can be. How is that so?
With the number of people newly diagnosed with diabetes on the rise, reports have surfaced that some people are being misdiagnosed with Type 2 diabetes when they actually have Type 1. It may seem that being diagnosed with one type or the other is not that significant but, in reality, treating Type 2 when you have Type 1 can be dangerous.
The Differences
When people have Type 1 diabetes, their bodies destroy insulin releasing cells. This ultimately stops the body from releasing insulin. When the body doesn’t have insulin, the cells don’t absorb sugar and don’t produce energy.
People with Type 2 diabetes cannot use the insulin their bodies produce as rapidly as they should be able to. Type 2 diabetes is often referred to as insulin resistance. Left untreated, Type 2 causes the body to make less insulin.
The Danger
People diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes need insulin. When they are misdiagnosed with Type 2, they are typically told to try to change their diet, exercise more and perhaps take oral medication to bring the condition under control. This can lead to high blood sugar.
High blood sugar can cause people to feel on edge. They may have changes in behavior and mood. They may also feel weak and lethargic.
Some patients have found that they never feel quite right after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, despite their best efforts to control their disease. Seeking a second opinion has been the answer for many patients and, in some cases, they have been told they were misdiagnosed and have Type 1. Once the disease is treated correctly, with insulin, these patients see a remarkable improvement in their health.
If you have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and don’t feel as though you are able to get your diabetes under control, ask your doctor to run an antibody test to be sure you have been diagnosed with the correct type. It just may be that you were misdiagnosed.
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