Diabetes is a serious disease that can vary in its severity and resulting complications. These variances usually depend on the type of diabetes a patient has. There are two main types of diabetes, as well as gestational diabetes, which occurs in women during pregnancy. Each type has its own symptoms and complications, and the type you have may very well influence your treatment and the preventative measures you may take.

Type One

Type one diabetes is an autoimmune disease. This means the immune system in the body turns against another part of the body. In the case of diabetes, beta cells that produce insulin in the pancreas are attacked. This results in interrupting the production of insulin, as the pancreas will then produce very little to no insulin as a result of the attacks. The reason for these attacks is unknown. The five to ten percent of people who are diagnosed with this type of diabetes must usually take insulin daily in order to survive. The disease usually shows onset in children or young adults, but symptoms can appear at any age. They include thirst, frequent urination, frequent hunger, weight loss, blurred vision, and extreme fatigue. In some cases, the person may enter into a life-threatening diabetic coma.

Type Two

Type two diabetes is the most common form of the disease, affecting about 90 to 95 percent of people, usually those who are older in age. People with a history of obesity or family members with the disease, or women who have had gestational diabetes, may be more likely to develop this form of the disease. About 80 percent of people with type two diabetes are overweight. In many cases, the pancreas usually makes a decent amount of insulin, but the body is not using it effectively. Glucose can build up gradually and cause certain tell tale symptoms. These symptoms include fatigue, nausea, frequent urination, thirst, weight loss, and blurred vision. Frequent infections may also occur. Some people may not experience symptoms until later in the disease. Although these are similar to the type one symptoms, they usually appear more gradually than those in type one diabetes.

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