Type 1 is genetic, but a lot of factors need to come together in order to induce an immune response. Mostly that’s a virus.
Some people don’t remember being I’ll or maybe we’re but didn’t notice it. Sometimes you could be sick 2 months before and cell death is slow so you don’t connect the events.
I was still sick with coxsackie b virus which a known trigger. I had very fast onset of diabetes.
I have no family with type1 but I have Scandinavian in my blood and we are at a much higher risk for developing it than the average person.
Just because we have not yet discovered the specific gene or maybe it’s more than one, doesn’t mean it’s isn’t there.
It’s an immune response just like cancer. There are many types and they don’t all have the same cause.
In cancer the body doesn’t recognize the threat of a mutated cell. In diabetics our bodies over react to a pathogen.
And yet there are many like myself with medically drug induced diabetes (which is categorized under Type 2 because it caused by both beta cell dysfunction and insulin resistance from the drug, rather than Type 1 , which is caused by auto-immune response or malfunction of the immune system) who don’t have any relatives with diabetes type 2 or type 1. None.
This is another reason, I get frustrated at the simplicity of just grouping people as either Type 1 or Type 2. Type 2 diabetes is seen so much as one that is focused on being developed over a long period of time, dominated primarily by insulin resistance caused by high BMI. Yet drug induced diabetes happens over a short period of time, is often dominated by beta cell death vs insulin resistance, some may be an equal combination of the two, and people may be either of healthy BMI or increased BMI. Therefore, in these ways they do not generally or necessarily “fit” the Type 2 model.
Yes. Very common for SIDM to be temporary and go away once drug treatment is over. I have also read of cases where it has returned later. I wonder if both damage to beta cell function and insulin resistance played a part.
And yes, definitely steroids increase blood sugar levels. Frustrating. So those who are already diabetic, no matter what the type of diabetes, need to be very mindful of this as do their healthcare providers while on treatment with corticosteroids/glucocorticoid steroids. In my experience they all aren’t aware or understand the significance either. I know my asthma doctor doesn’t think my inhaled glucocorticoid steroids should raise my blood glucose levels. He doesn’t think it’s enough like the oral prednisone or methylprednisolone. However, my blood sugar goes up after I use my inhaled medications, and if I have to take a higher does it goes up higher in response. I first noticed this with my CGM. Then I looked it up and found it is indeed those inhaled medications. Fortunately, it doesn’t go up as high or stay up as long as with the oral doses or as with injections of depomedrol, methylprednisolone, etc., but even half a dose, 1 puff, of my inhaler will cause a temporary 30 point increase in BG.
