Type 1 Diabetes is a highly manageable illness, but it currently has no cure. Patients who are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes need insulin and a well-crafted diet plan by a licensed dietitian. Constant care and regular check-ups are essential to managing this disease.
Complications, which eventually lead to death, usually arise when the patient does not adhere to the advice of their doctor. Statistics show that sixty percent of patients are able to live long and productive lives; the rest suffer from a lot of complications including retinopathy (eye disease which can lead to blindness), gastroparesis (inability of the stomach to move food), neuropathy, and end-stage renal disease to name a few.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), survival rests solely on how well the patient can follow their prescribed plan. Most patients who do not develop any complications within 10-20 years can live long healthy lives. Factors like motivation, awareness, intelligence level and the patient’s education usually determine the survival rate of Type 1 Diabetes.
As of this writing, new and exciting research is being done to prevent and cure Diabetes. JDRF Australia is working on a cure that aims to allow the body to produce insulin and for the body to stop attacking its own B-cells. Another cure that is being worked on is enhancing the survival of B-cells so that they can be transplanted to diagnosed patients. In terms of prevention, since testing can now be done for an individual’s genetic risk, diet modifications have been found to delay the onset of diabetes to at least five years.
So, while the disease cannot be prevented or cured yet, it can definitely be managed. Continuous research has also expanded the understanding of the disease and doctors and scientists are using that knowledge to develop a cure.
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-1-diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20353011
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/117739-treatment
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK343332/
https://www.jdrf.org.au/research/curing-type-1-diabetes
http://www.diabetes.org/research-and-practice/we-are-research-leaders/type-1-research-highlights/?loc=rp-slabnav
Comments
I can tell you from the experience of 50 years with T1 diabetes that this is the way you can be sure of never having an A1c below 7.5.
You have to do what works for you, despite what your doctor prescribes.
And every year for the last 50 I have heard that diabetes will be cured in five years. So don’t hold your breath.