What virus caused T1 in you?

Hmm. I am not aware of anyone in my family that has an auto-immune disease. The exception would be my first cousin once removed, who, I just recently found out (we are approximately the same age) also has T1D. This is a rather obscure connection, though. I thought it was strange when I found out about him, but I cannot think of any common relatives with auto-immune conditions.

Also, I had heard the vitamin D deficiency theory before, and related that it is most common for T1D to be diagnosed in the winter. I don't know how true that is, but I was diagnosed in June. I played sports in school and had spent a lot of time outdoors just prior to my diagnosis. I have no idea if I was sick - it's too long ago to remember.

GAD 65 and GAD 67 are enzymes. Enzymes that viruses use and also humans use them for synthesis of genes. These are encoded in the genes that are used in the brain and pancreas, blah blah blah,( I wont bore you with the technical stuff)

Gad 67 is thought be be the enzyme that triggers T1 auto immune responses. I know that GAD65 can slow the progression in Latent Autoimmune Diabetes, I don't think I understand all the connections though. I have a degree in Molecular Biology, but unfortunately almost nothing was known back when I was graduated.

In any case I think viruses that have this gene GAD1 trigger the auto immune response.
Lucky for us our brains are outside the reach of our immune systems or perhaps our brains would also be attacked ( that is my own theory, not to be confuse with anyone who knows this stuff well )

Well I was 12 when I was diagnosed.

I got really badly beaten up in the summer holidays of that year, my diabetes appeared (or got worse enough to be noticed) about 6 weeks later.

Doctors at the time thought the episode of stress was a contributing factor.

Who knows?

:)

A lot of responses on here, Timothy. A lot of theories go around and it's hard to know what to believe, especially in a disease that varies as often as the people who have it.

For me, I was dx'd with T1 about a year after my MMR booster at age 15. I know there's a small genetic factor in our family, but I fully believe the MMR vax pushed me over the edge. For further evidence, I point you towards my younger brother, who also developed T1 a year after his MMR booster. Coincidence? You tell me. Also, neither of us were "beanpoles" at the time, although we both lost a little weight.

All I can say is, there sure are more and more synthetic drugs out there to treat people who are living shorter and shorter lives. My belief is--eat a variety of healthy, real & natural foods, get plenty of exercise and you should get all the vitamins and minerals you need to support your body's functions as they were meant to be supported.

hmmm, interesting that you ask

I was also in my early 20s when I was diagnosed with type 1. Just weeks before I had a spot on my arm (I lived in a rental home on a horse farm), and was treated for, but not diagnosed for, Lymes disease.

I've been told several things. That Lymes is something that stays in your system forever, and I don't have it (again, don't know if this is true), and even if I did have it, that couldn't have been what 'caused' my diabetes.

Not one single person in my family has ever had Type 1. Type 2 yes, but, from what I'm told by family members, each was brought on by being overweight.

I'm typing this before I read the other replies, so I'll hush up and go see what I can learn from them!

ah! I just mentioned something about drug manufacturers fearing loss of money in the case of curing diabetes! Sad, but I can't help but wonder if there isn't some connection

my GOODNESS I hope this is not the case! My daughter, who is also (almost) 15, just had her boster.

I've been told that since no one else in our family has ever had Type 1, that the chances of her getting it is slim. I want to hold on to that belief soooo badly!

Interesting article on viruses and type 1 diabetes in the scientific
journal "Diabetes"

Viral Trigger for Type 1 Diabetes
Pros and Cons

Christophe M. Filippi and Matthias G. von Herrath
From the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California

Abstract:

The most popular hypothesis circulating within and beyond the scientific community is that viral infections enhance or elicit autoimmune disorders such as type 1 diabetes. Indeed, viruses can injure β-cells and have been isolated in pancreatic tissues from diabetic patients. However, accumulating evidence suggests that the opposite scenario, which is prevention or amelioration of type 1 diabetes, might be at least as common an outcome of viral infection. Here, we discuss epidemiological and experimental evidence for the main mechanisms accounting for the role of viruses in type 1 diabetes to better understand the complex relationship between viral infections and autoimmune diabetes.

Full text of the article is here:

http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/57/11/2863.full

Thanks for this.

Can't say if it was the cause, but I remember having a very bad stomach flu within a year of my diagnosis. (in the mid 80s)

Shingles