Types of diabetes: the many diabetes types to be aware of

Which of the diabetes types could I be suffering from? The different types of diabetes may require a unique treatment regimen depending of the peculiar cause of diabetes.  This treatment could include diet, physical activities and medication – insulin injections for type 1 diabetics and some type 2 diabetic sufferers.

There are many types of diabetes. The main ones are:

LADA

The acronym stands for Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults. This is because of the slow progression towards full blown diabetes.

MODY

This one is called Maturity onset diabetes of the young.

Brittle diabetes

This diabetes symptom is not really a unique type of diabetes. It occurs as a result of the inability of the patient to control the dramatic swings from suffering symptoms of hypoglucemia to suffering from symptoms of hyperglycemia.

Pre diabetes

This is also referred to as borderline diabetes. Sometimes healthcare professional say that you have a touch of diabetes. Yes I know it is a bit silly. It is either you have it or you don’t.

Diabetes type 1

This type is also referred to as juvenile diabetes or insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes type 2

This type of diabetes is also referred to as adult diabetes, maturity onset diabetes, non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or insulin resistant diabetes mellitus.

Gestational diabetes

This type of diabetes occurs during pregnancy. Normally, it occurs somewhere within the second trimester of pregnancy at about weeks 24 to 28.

Main diabetes types

The types mentioned above are grouped in a broad category called “sugar diabetes”. They are so called because of the relationship they play with the pancreas and blood glucose levels. Since we have sugar diabetes we also have water diabetes.

Water diabetes

There is another whole category of diabetes call “water diabetes” because it has nothing to do with insulin and high glucose levels.

Diabetes insipidus

This has to do with problems with the hormone which regulate water balance in the body (the anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) or vasopressin).

There are two main types of diabetes insipidus

• Central diabetes insipidus – is caused by damage to the hypothalamus where ADH is produced or pituitary gland where ADH is stored. These damages could be as a result of surgery, infection, tumour, or head injury.

• Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) – involves a defect in the parts of the kidneys that reabsorb water back into the bloodstream. NDI may occur as an inherited disorder or may be as a result of amyloidosis, polycystic kidney disease or as a result of the effects of certain drugs (for example, lithium)