What’s the difference between type 1 & type 2 diabetes?

So, the words I would use to describe it, is that type 1 & type 2 diabetes are completely different illnesses with the same side effects. You’re most likely to develop type 1 as a child (which was the case for me) as I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was ten years old.

It was quite a horrible ordeal for me and my family as the doctors couldn’t find out what was wrong with me; they thought initially that I was suffering from a virus that would come to pass. I remember lying in agony in my bed, praying for the pain to go way, I just wanted it to be over with.

A doctor then came to see me at my parents’ house and realised that my body had entered a entered a stage of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) – a serious complication that can happen in people with diabetes if their body tarts to run out of insulin. They rushed me straight to hospital, and the doctors diagnosed me with type 1 diabetes, a condition I’ve been living with since that day.

How does it impact your day-to-day life?

Living with type 1 diabetes means facing an ongoing, arduous battle every day to maintain my body’s blood sugar levels. Allowing my blood sugar to rise too high will mean running the risk of developing further health complications in the long term, such as kidney disease or vision loss. However, allowing my blood sugar to drop down too much could potentially lead to greater danger for me by entering what’s known as a hypoglycaemic state, or ‘hypos’ as they are more commonly known.

People who encounter episodes of hypoglycaemia are often mistaken as being drunk and disorderly or on drugs as they make little sense and seem to be completely out of it. When your body enters this state, it shuts down parts of itself that it deems to be less important, such as parts of the brain.

The early warning signs of an oncoming hypoglycaemic episode can easily be missed, and before you can do anything about it, you’ve lost control of your senses and eventually you lose consciousness. I experience them roughly around every two years, and the last time I had an encounter was during my son’s bedtime story, after which I was woke up surrounded by three paramedics, attached to a drip.

Type 1 diabetes is a hidden disability, so people aren’t always going to be aware of your condition. Therefore, meeting new people at work can be quite challenging at times, and can add an extra layer of anxiety. In my role, sometimes I’ll have to show a colleague how to use a new piece of software – however, having a hypoglycaemic episode could happen anywhere, at any time, so I’m always conscious of it in the back of my mind.

How have Advanced helped to support you with diabetes? 

I have always found my experience at Advanced to be very understanding and considerate regarding my illness. I’m very grateful for the help and support that I've been given from my colleagues, team, and managers throughout my seven years with Advanced.

One of the biggest challenges I've faced at work is working with a team that's primarily based in India. This means I face an array of obstacles when I have to travel over to meet with, and collaborate with the rest of the team. Having type 1 diabetes means having all sorts of syringes, liquids, and needles on your person at all times (which you can imagine it not ideal when having to navigate through airport security). It means going through customs takes much longer for me than the average person, however, having the unwavering patience and reassurance from my manager on these trips has always made the process so much easier, and has taken away any stress or anxiety. 

I’m very grateful to be a part of an organisation like Advanced, filled with people who live by one of its core values: ‘One Advanced’. I remember being in the office once, struggling with low blood sugar levels, when my previous manager offered me a lift home so I could rest and recover. Having that support network here at Advanced, as well as having the flexibility of being able to work from home has helped me manage my type 1 diabetes effectively in both personal and professional capacities.

Why do you think it’s important to raise awareness of diabetes?

Raising awareness for people who live with diabetes is something I’m very passionate about, as there are so many misconceptions and stigmas due either to a lack of understanding, education, or perhaps a mixture of both.

Something that really frustrates me is when people try to throw cures at me; telling me to cut this food out of my diet, do more exercise, or introduce an intermittent fasting regime. Doing some of these may be beneficial to someone with type 2 diabetes, however, for someone like me who has type 1, it can be incredibly frustrating as type 1 diabetes simply has no cure. I understand people want to help you, but sometimes educating yourself can be the best way to help someone.

What advice would you give to someone who’s been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes?

What I’d say to someone who’s just been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes is simply: don’t let it stop you, and don’t let your condition hold you back. You know, it can give you strengths, and can make you become quite organised. Yes, it will be a bit of extra work to fit into your routine, but that’s something you should be proud of.

Why you think it's important for us to celebrate World Diabetes Day?

World Diabetes Day is important because it raises awareness of some of the day-to-day problems a person living with diabetes has to deal with. We commemorate this day on the birthday of the late Sir Frederick Grant Banting (14/11/2022) who 100 years ago discovered insulin alongside Charles Best, without whom I would not be sitting here typing this. Therefore, World Diabetes Day is all about spreading the message and raising awareness of the condition.