Type 1 diabetes occurs when a person’s pancreas doesn’t make insulin or makes very little of it.
Insulin is what helps blood sugar enter the cells in the body to help with energy.
If left untreated, the condition could be life-threatening so it's essential that treatment starts early.
There is a lot of misconception surrounding Type 1 diabetes, with many believing it is similar to Type 2 and therefore a person’s lifestyle and diet contributes, but this is not the case.
Hollyoaks star Rory Douglas-Speed, 30, lives with Type 1 and revealed how it impacts his life and why it is so often stigmatised exclusively with The Mirror.
“I was only a young lad when I was diagnosed - around eight or nine, so as you can imagine it was definitely a shock," Rory, who has played Joel Dexter in the Channel 4 soap since 2016, said.
"But the support and assistance provided by the NHS was just amazing; really, if it wasn’t for them I don’t think I would have adjusted so quickly.
“One of the biggest myths about Type 1 diabetes is that it’s caused by your lifestyle, which is simply not true.
"Essentially, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin."
Difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
Although both conditions have similarities, there is a lot of differences between the two.
Type 2 diabetes is mainly attributed to an unhealthy lifestyle, whereas type 1 is a genetic condition that usually shows up early in a person’s life.
“With Type 1 diabetes, your immune system is attacking and destroying the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas,” explained Diabetes UK.
Early signs of type 1 diabetes
“I was one of those people who has all of the obvious symptoms," said Rory. "I was running to the toilet every few minutes, I was drinking excessively to try and quench my thirst, and at the same time, I was rapidly losing weight.
“I remember watching The Lord Of The Rings when it was just out and I was starting to experience symptoms. I have this memory of missing most of it because I was at the toilet so much. And that’s a long film.”
Common symptoms of the onset of Type 1 diabetes are blurry vision, chronic thirst, urinary issues, weight loss and mood changes.
These can often be mistaken for symptoms of other common illnesses, but according to the latest figures, approximately 400,000 people are currently living with Type 1 diabetes in the UK, including around 29,000 children.
To manage his condition safely, Rory must eat a careful diet and tries to avoid frozen food and carbs.
"I find that my blood sugar and insulin compatibility is much easier to handle if I’m eating a healthy, balanced diet," he explained.
"For anyone that has just been diagnosed, my advice would be - as ridiculous as it sounds - try to take it in your stride.
"It really isn’t the end of the world. Remember it’s all about hormones.
"Insulin itself is a hormone, so the more relaxed your approach is to Type 1, the smoother your days will be when it comes to sugar control.”
Rory is currently supporting the #BlueBalloonChallenge, which kicked off last month and will continue to run up until World Diabetes Day on November 14.
Organised by Medtronic, the global leader in healthcare technology, the challenge invites members of the public to step into the shoes of those who live with diabetes by posting a photo or film themselves as they try to keep a balloon in the air, a metaphor for the constant balancing act required to manage diabetes.
For every post, Medtronic will donate €5 to Life For A Child, a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing life-saving insulin and basic medical devices to children with diabetes in developing countries.
READ NEXT:
