And with Type 1 diabetes, the partners in crime…

Not to worry you any further, but this is important information. As you know after our discussions, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, meaning that the body turns its immune system on itself. In the case of diabetes, the cells that are destroyed are the pancreatic islet cells that make insulin.{{more}}

Autoimmune diseases can occur in isolation, or they can “travel in packs,” so to speak. As it turns out, there are some diseases that happen quite frequently in people who already have Type 1 diabetes. The reason I bring this up is so that you, and your medical team, can keep a special eye out for these other diseases. They can sneak up on you and some symptoms are not very specific, so you need to know what to look for, in order to recognize them early.

The most common other autoimmune disease to accompany Type 1 diabetes is autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD). One study put the incidence as high as 60% of folks having Type 1 diabetes developing thyroid disease at some time. Now over-active thyroid disease and under-active thyroid disease are included in this description. So, you can imagine that the symptoms would be quite different for both of these extremes! One of the most important groups to keep this in mind is pregnant women (or those planning on pregnancy soon). It is extremely important for women with Type 1 diabetes to have their blood tested for either active thyroid disease or antibodies that tell of an increased risk for developing thyroid disease later on. This can have significant impact on not only your ability to GET pregnant, but also the health of the pregnancy overall. Everyone with Type 1 diabetes should talk to their medical team about thyroid testing, because chances are high that you can have both diseases at some time in your life.

The other disease often associated with Type 1 diabetes is adrenal insufficiency. Now this is MUCH less common than thyroid disease, but it can be life threatening if not recognized, so it needs to be kept in mind as well. Symptoms are sometimes quite vague (fatigue) and some can mimic Type 1 diabetes (weight loss, belly pain). One big sign is sudden repeated low blood sugars where you had previously been going very steady on the same insulin regimen. Because adrenal glands make hormones that drive blood sugars, if your are suddenly dropping low time and time again, then it may be a sign that your adrenal glands are not working as well as they should. This is another disease to discuss at length with your doctor.

Some other autoimmune diseases that can accompany Type 1 diabetes are less common, but good to keep in mind. They include vitiligo (light spots/patches on the skin), pernicious anemia (B12 deficiency anemia), autoimmune liver disease, celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

And again, this is not to scare you by any means! The more information that you and your medical team have, the better your care will be. For many of these diseases, it is extremely important to catch them early and start treatment if possible, in order to slow the effects.

Until next week, stay safe and healthy Vincies!

Anita Ramsetty, MD endodocs@endocrinehelp.com

Medical Director Endocrine Care Group

www.endocrinehelp.com

Tel: 843-798-4227