Type 2 vs Type 1
This is a guide to help Type 1 Diabetics and non Diabetics to learn and understand Type 2 Diabetics.
There are plenty of myths and assumptions that are accepted by Type 1 diabetics and non diabetics as factual information about Type 2 Diabetes. I often read comments made by Type 1 Diabetics that are inaccurate about Type 2 Diabetics. As a Type 2 Diabetic some of these statements have hurt my feelings and serve only to perpetuate common stereotypes about all diabetics in general. I want clarify the misinformation. I hope with this guide it will help each to see the other half doesn’t have it any “easier.” This “separate but equal policy” does not help anybody. I don’t claim to know everything but I am highlighting some of the more common misconceptions. Knowledge is key in understanding our disease and each other. Be your own advocate and research information before accepting something as a being true.
MYTH 1) Type 2 Diabetics have it easier than Type 1 Diabetics.
No diabetic has it easier than the next. Type 1′s see Type 2′s as having the “easier disease.” The symptoms may not be as dramatic but the affects are just the same. We all have to manually control an involuntary body function. The diabetic who has it easier is the one that is following a healthy diet and a medication regiment with a doctor (endocrinologist preferably). Let’s be honest telling people that you have the “harder disease” is just and ploy to gain sympathy points. I must say that we -Type 1 and Type2 – are all suffering in some fashion.
Any diabetic that is not doing anything about their condition or is in denial will be causing irreparable damage to their bodies. This “I got it worse than you” games are childish and only serves to create more separation in the Diabetic Community. Nobody gets a gold star for being the sickest person.
MYTH 2) Type 2 Diabetics just have to take a few pills and they are fine and cured.
This is rubbish. When a Type 2 diabetic is first diagnosed depending on the severity they may start with pills. There is literature that suggests Type 2′s should start with insulin first. Therapy is very individualize so continuing treatment will depend on what your body needs at the time. I have met a few Type 2 diabetics there were diagnosed when they went into comas and were given insulin. It may take weeks for the body to feel “normal” from months of an uncontrolled/undiagnosed diabetic. This is not easy. I don’t think people understand the mind grind of what happens to a Type 2 when your once super dependable body breaks down in a cry for help. You feel helpless. You wonder how do you tell your family and friends. You wonder how will they accept and respect the “new you” and your new limitations.
As every diabetic knows treatment is individualized. If the initial dose of oral med do not work, normally the dosage of the medication is increased. Other therapies may be added if they are not responding. A Type 2 person may have to go on insulin. The point of treatment is to become a healthier person. So why criticize a person’s ability to use medication in pill form or otherwise to aid in their treatment? Be grateful that people are receiving treatment for their condition. There is no cure for diabetes.
Do Type 1 diabetics compete with other Type 1 about who uses the most insulin?
MYTH 3) If a Type 2 Diabetic loses weight their diabetes will go away and they will be cured.
There is no cure for diabetes. I repeat there is no cure no matter you do. If a Type 2 diabetic or a Type 1 diabetic looses weight through diet and exercise it will help with their overall health but they will not be cured. Halle Berry, Dr. Oz and Drew Carey were completely wrong in suggesting they are magically “cured” or that their diabetes “just went away.” Diabetes does not supernaturally “go away.” Their symptoms will relax and they may be able to reduce their medications. On the flip side, if the person should return back to their old eating habits and do not exercise the symptoms will return. The damage that was done while achieving a healthy lifestyle can not be reversed. So the pancreas, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, nerves etc are still damaged. They do not repair themselves. Halle Berry has retracted her statement and has done commercials for diabetes awareness.
In some ethnic communities there are beliefs that if you take some herbs and do a holistic treatment that diabetes will go away. Again these treatments may relax symptoms to a degree but they will not cure diabetes for the same reason given above. Please do not be “hood winked” by people selling specialty supplements, devices or holistic cures for diabetes. If you have a question about a new product promising a cure or otherwise contact your doctor or at least go to a diabetic community blog and propose the question. You will find most of these are no better than snake oil.
MYTH 4) All Type 2 Diabetics are obese.
Not true. Contrary to popular belief there are diabetics that are thin and healthy. Some of the diabetic community websites have clubs dedicated to thin diabetics. There are morbidly obese people that do not have diabetes. There are plenty of Type 1 diabetics that are large and obese.
Type 2 Diabetes is wrongly associated with food intake. Type 2 is a metabolic dysfunction of the body. Insulin resistance plays a major role in the body’s lack of blood glucose absorption. Sure loosing weight will help the metabolism but this is common in other ailments too. Obesity is not a cause of diabetes. Please educate yourself !
MYTH 5) Type 2 Diabetics don’t use insulin.
Not true. Lots of Type 2 diabetics use insulin as in addition to oral medications. It may not be as much as a Type 1 but does it matter? Insulin is being used to help the condition. It is also false that a Type 2 will suddenly turn Type 1 because they are using insulin and oral medications. In a Type 2 there is still pancreatic function.
Again these games about who uses the most insulin or who has it worse are silly. Going on insulin does not mean your body is getting worse. Insulin is needed to help your body maintain proper BS levels in non diabetics and diabetics.
MYTH 6) Type 2 Diabetics gave themselves diabetes. Type 1 Diabetics just had it happen to them.
There is a strong genetic link in Type 2 diabetics. Type 2 normally runs in families. Nobody gives themselves diabetes. Nobody asked to be a diabetic. Do cancer patients compare their different cancer conditions with each other? There is literature that would suggest a genetic link for Type 2 diabetes that is stronger than Type 1. Type 2 develops from a series of factors in a person’s lifestyle which would include: sleep patterns, obesity, physical activity, stress, diet, etc. We struggle with the daily living with diabetes.
Type 2 diabetics have to learn to change habits that are have existed for decades to maintain a healthy life. We are older and have to make decisions on how to balance our households and employment when it suddenly happens. We may have to worry about future employment. We may be forced to sacrifice our insurance for our children’s health. We may have problems developing a support system of understanding family and friends that aren’t interested in diabetes. We have to evaluate the added expense of medication and doctor visits. This is not something we grew up with or even had the mindset of having this being apart of our lives. We go through denial. Some of us are scared of needles and pin pricks. We have to make decisions on if we are going to tell our family and friends and are they going to accept our new condition. Some family members like to ignore they are living with a diabetic which is hurtful. We worry about being a burden on the family. So the grass is not always greener on the other side.
MYTH 7) All Type 2 Diabetics are ADULTS.
Sadly, there is a growing phenomenon of children and young adults becoming Type 2 Diabetics. Literature has suggested the lack of physical activity and food habits maybe a cause. There are Native American and Canadian Indians that very high incidence of Type 2 diabetes in childhood.. Genetics and ethnicity are factors too.
MYTH 
All ethnic groups have the same chance of getting diabetes.
False! Non Caucasian groups are known to be more susceptible to Type 2 Diabetes. There is a plethora of literature on this topic. This highest incident of Type 2 diabetics are in China and India. They lead healthier lifestyles than the US. Type 1 Diabetes is more common in Caucasian groups.
MYTH 9) Type 1 Diabetics have a lack of understanding and are blissfully happy being ignorance to the Type 2 experience.
In some respects this is true. After reading articles about the Type 1/Type 2 rivalry one can only question the ignorant comments were made by uninformed Type 1 diabetics. From my experience, even informed Type 1 diabetes do not want to learn very much about Type 2 diabetes. It doesn’t take much time to research and find the truth about a question. Type 1′s chose not to understand the Type 2 experience and they continue to spread myths to gain sympathy from non-diabetics. This is sad. I repeat again nobody gets a gold star for being the sickest person. I would hope that ALL diabetics would take the time to research and learn about each other. I am sure basal is more than spice in tomato soup.
MYTH All Type 1 groups will accept and support Type 2 because we are all fighting diabetes together.
I can personally tell you this is not true. There are Type 1 Diabetics that do not care to support Type 2 diabetics or have them in their support groups. Not every city can have separate support groups for each Type of diabetes. But still some groups will not accept an outside member because of their diabetic type. This is extremely unemphatic not to mention predjudge. I would encourage people to that are in support groups to have this discussion about accepting people that maybe of any type of diabetes. Again we are all suffering and need support. It is more important to support each other than to be separated by something so trivial.
