What causes Type 1 Diabetes?...state your theory

36 sounds like a lot…but how scary to have to decide to put your child at risk either way. When my kids were young, there was talk of the DPT shots being dangerous so some parents opted out and then more cases of Whooping Cough (the “P” I think,) were being seen. Hard choices.

I was diagnosed in Feb, but I am from the Caribbean so there goes your theory about the Vit D. Most of us who developed the desease as juveniles had some form of virus prior to diagnosis. It triggers the immune system to destroy the beta cells, causes hypothyroidsm and other autoimmune problems. In my case, it also attacked my liver and ended up with autoimmune hapetitis (I haven’t had a bout since I was 17, I am 50). I am the only type 1 in my family. In terms of race, diabetes, in general, is rampant among Native American, African American and Latino communities. However, with that said, most of my problems happened during the winter months in the tropic and here. There were some theories about enzyme changes during that time. The world (animals, tides, etc.) goes through changes with seasons, perhaps we do too. I think that the doctors are pretty clear about the issue of being triggered by the immmune system, however, I don’t think they really know the why’s. I heard that the finally found the DNA markers for it–there is hope for those who come after us.

I know this is “old” but thank you for sharing… As a “newbie” looking for answers and asking “why”, I find it so helpful to read everyone’s theories. WE are the experts on our bodies. Thank you for sharing your experience. I believe you and I feel grateful to you for “putting yourself out there”.

I was diagnosed in the height of June heat in Central Florida.

The only thing that had happened to me before that was a rather serious stomach virus and some kind of infection. I’m thinking that the virus is what triggered it for me. I also didn’t get my full MMR vaccine when I was a kid because of an allergic reaction to a sulfa component in the drug. I’m not sure what other vaccines you get as a kid though…

I had my first Hep B vaccine a few years after I was diagnosed. I would think that everyone has a slightly different reaction to the vaccine, though. Maybe your body couldn’t handle the vaccine?

I was allergic to Sulfa as a kid, too…

As much as I don’t believe in the pharm conspiracy, some pharm companies make money off of diabetes, not all. And most of their diabetes revenues comes from Type 2s. Type 1s make up a really small percentage of total diabetics (10% or less). They also use less than a quarter of a total market share of insulin (type 2s use more) I believe A cure for T1 will come from research into other autoimmune conditions, and will not funded by pharm companies who have a vested interest in maintaining their profits (that’s just common business sense)
But there are so many more big pharmaceutical companies who don’t have a slice of the diabetes market and would like to see their competitors lose money. And biotechs that do research in T1/autoimmune conditions don 't answer to “corporation X” that mean money making machine that squashes all the cures, they just answer to their stockholders and investors.
There is money to be made from a cure, many governments will save billions of dollars that they currently spend on diabetes care.

In 1954 I was diagnosed at the age of 3. I had had mumps and whooping cough - and so similar to your experience my immune system couldn’t take it. I have had type 1 for 55 years and am still going strong. No one else in my family has diabetes…not even type 2. Overweight - yes, alcoholic - yes…(neither one is me) but no one has diabetes. I would love to know why the immune system attacks the Beta cells …one theory was the mother’s immune system passing through to the child and killing the child’s beta cells ??? All I can say is living in Nairobi in my childhood and being the only child with Type 1 was very traumatic. Now there are so many people with it, technology is wonderful and I often wonder if I would still be “around” if technology had not evolved as it has.
Sheila

I was diagnosed while living in Kenya, East Africa…about a few miles from the Equator !! Plenty of sun there !!! I have had type 1 for 55 years and now live in the USA. I definitely think childhood vaccines is a theory that should be investigated…I actually had mumps and whooping cough…pertussis…which children don;t get anymore…I also received the polio vaccine; vaccine for smallpox and also “yellow fever” vaccine. My father was an alcoholic…so put that all together and I have more than a “double-whammy”. No one else in my family has type 1…go figure…
Sheila

Hey, finally someone who has outlasted me…I am 58 and have had type 1 for 55 years…congratulations…to you…(and me)…I definitely think the mumps and whooping cough and all the vaccines I had were the triggers here. ? who takes a small child to live in the tropics (well good old colonial Kenya) and then sticks them with small pox vaccines, polio vaccine, TB vaccines vaccine, yellow fever vaccine, typhoid, cholera…I can go on and on…but I am still alive - so am very grateful…WOW I hope to make 68 one day !!
Sheila

I was diagnosed when I was 12, three months after having the second shot in a series of three, of Hepatitis B vaccines. I’ve heard (and seen through some of these replies) similar stories. There is no family history of Type 1, but my paternal grandfather has developed Type 2.

In response to the conspiracy theory regarding pharmaceutical corporations… My own mother used to tell me that all the time. Very discouraging.

Hi Sheila. Have you heard the statement that if you have had Type 1 for 20 years and you have no complications then you will probably never havre complications from diabetes, as long as you have good control? I have read that many times. There are many dictors who tell their diabetic patients that. If you and I don’t get run over by a bus then we may live to be 100. Lol!

Richard

I found a websit that might help us with this http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/117739-overview . It is technical, but I believe most of us can understand it.

Hi:
Me too…not the flu shot but all those vaccines…I travelled to live in Kenya, East Africa with my parents at a very young age. At the age of 3 I developed mumps and whooping cough (pertussis)…then I developed type 1. During my 16 years living in East Africa I received many, many, shots…including smallpox vaccine, yellow fever vaccine, cholera, polio vaccine (which I understand is linked to the AIDS virus ) TB shot, typhoid… No one, absolutely no one knew what was wrong with me. My father too was an alcoholic, so some people think there is a link there. I struggled with my life, have two healthy children and am still “kicking” at 55 years with type 1. I too am on the MM pump and the CGM - I love it and the only sad thing is that I wish we had had this technology earlier. I also have thyroid - hypothyroidism now. Reading through all these comments I just wonder ??? WHY ??? Will we ever know ?
Sheila

It may have happened after the vaccines, but it almost certainly had nothing to do with them. It takes a long time for the beta cell destruction to get to a point where you are symptomatic, 6-7 years or more in many cases. Antibodies that indicate the hallmark autoimmune process of Type 1 show up long before you show the symptoms.

Well, those doctors are more or less correct. The MMR vaccine has actually been shown to have a slight statistically significant protective effect against Type 1. Jenny McCarthy is a fool. The alleged link between autism and vaccines has never had a shred of evidence behind it.

We have more vaccines now than in 1990 because we don’t like to see our kids die from pneumonia or rotavirus, or end up maimed or worse by chicken pox. Heck, before 1900 there were 0 vaccines- the fact that we have more now than in 1990 indicates progress.

I received the Hemp B 6 years before I was diagnosed w/ T1… I suppose your right Lauren my body just couldn’t handle it.

There is no evidence tying the Hep B vaccine to Type 1. In fact, there is no evidence tying any vaccine to Type 1. I know it sounds like a convenient explanation but in reality it has as much to do with Type 1 as the color of the shirt you were wearing before you were diagnosed.

I’m inclined to agree with Dan on the cause of T1 - Ferengi plot. Definitely. :slight_smile:

Chuck Norris telling me to “stop it” so my pancreas did.