Since there are a few diabetics in the family I truly believed that if you had Type 2 you followed a diet and pills.
type 1 was when you finally give yourself the needle
Sista and I had a debate over this yesterday and our brother's girlfriend who gives herself the needle 4 times a day - I said she was Type 1 - she/sista said she was Type 2.
It was indeed confirmed by the girlfriend she is indeed Type 2 and was given that type 2 because she is very overweight.
Easy......Type 1 needs insulin and diet.
Type 2 needs change of lifestyle +tablets and if that doesn't work, then Insulin. At least 30% of Type 2 will go on to need insulin injections.
My husband has type 2 diabetes which is controlled with tablets but he was warned that if he didn't get better control of his sugar levels through losing weight and diet, he would have to have insulin injections. Fortunately, he managed to avoid this by taking note of the advice.
I gave the "fat and lazy " label to Type 2 diabetics.
Islay answered that she was fat and lazy but didn't develop diabetes.
I countered and supported her by saying that Steve Redgrave has type 2 diabetes (hardly fat or lazy LOL)
NOW...Steve Redgrave was initially misdiagnosed by a UK specialist as a Type 1 diabetic, but was then reviewed and re-diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic.
Both my eldest brother and I are type 1 diabetics and helped my Grandfather when he ( as a type 2 diabetic) became insulin dependant, as Sqad says it's pretty common. Both my brother and I were very fit and well when we were diagnosed but being type 1 we probably would be, however I know of a girl who is 18 and type 2 because she stuffs herself and never moves.
To finish and complicate the thread even further......LOL.....it is possible for one person to have both types of diabetes at the same time.
Good post by Kvali.
I was diagnosed as diabetic 25 years ago...not an ounce of fat on me then or now...but remained confused about the Type 1/Type 2 labels. Which it was didn't really matter, as I very quickly had to go onto insulin. Consequently, I didn't bother asking my consultant which I had until about a year ago and she virtually said she wasn't too sure!
Thus, I've decided to go with Jennyjoan's definition:
Type 1 - insulin
Type 2 - controlled
So now I have self-diagnosed...I'm a Type 1 diabetic!