Diabetes is a medical condition that affects the majority of the U.S. population. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), nearly 38 million people are diagnosed with diabetes. Of these, 15 million are women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The statistics released by the ADA suggest that 29.2% of the population suffers from some type of diabetes lies in the age group of 55-70.
Various studies also suggest that every year, 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes. One of the common forms that affect the U.S. population is brittle diabetes. It is a severe condition in which blood sugar levels go from high to low or vice versa. If you have come across this term for the first time, it's time to get familiar with it. In this post, we will discuss the causes and effective ways to manage this form of diabetes.
Definition Of Brittle Diabetes
It is a severe condition in which the person faces the unregulated flow of blood sugar levels. Brittle toenails diabetes is also known as labile diabetes and is mostly seen in patients with type 1 diabetes. During this, you might experience a fluctuation in the sugar level that may go from low to high or vice versa.
The term is not described by the World Health Organization yet and is mainly associated with the symptoms when a patient has an uncontrolled blood sugar level. During labile diabetes, there is a swing in the blood sugar from severe to frequent, which leads to hypoglycemia( low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia(high blood sugar). That's why it is also called unstable diabetes, as frequent high or low blood sugar episodes can affect the lifestyle.
What Is Brittle Diabetes ICD 10?
Brittle diabetes ICD 10 is a billable specific ICD-10 CM code used to identify the type of blood sugar based on the symptoms experienced by different groups of people. Brittle diabetes mellitus uses the E11.649 code that contains the annotation used to define the disease based on its diagnosis and metabolism disorder.
Is Brittle Diabetes Associated With Type 1 Or Type 2?
A major question often asked related to the labile diabetes categorization, Is brittle diabetes type 1 or type 2? Various research shows that brittle diabetes is associated with type A and is seen in people with a family history of diabetes.
It is also essential to note that it is almost impossible to have brittle diabetes type 2 because the symptoms of it are different. In type 2 diabetes, a person experiences serious symptoms related to heart disease or kidney failure. So it is clear that brittle diabetes is associated with type A, not type B.
Symptoms Of Brittle Diabetes
When it comes to brittle diabetes symptoms, the early signs of it vary according to gender and age. In most cases, people don't experience early symptoms, and diagnosis is also difficult. However, people with brittle diabetes have sudden changes in their blood sugar.
It is indicated by low or high blood sugar that leads to blurred vision or dizziness. Since hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia is the major cause of labile diabetes, it is vital to understand the symptoms of diabetes in women in both conditions.
Here are the common symptoms of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar:
- Faster heartbeat
- Body shaking
- Dizziness
- Irritation
- Confused thoughts
- Difficulty in sleeping
- Frequent hunger
- Discolouration of skin
- Sweating
Here are the common symptoms of hyperglycemia or high blood sugar:
- Skin infection
- Slow healing wounds
- Blurriness in vision
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Frequent thirst
- Frequent urination
When hyperglycemia is left untreated, it can lead to serious diseases like diabetes-related ketoacidosis, which is a complication of diabetes. During this, you might face various problems like confusion, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and sweet-smelling poop. That's why it is recommended to contact the doctors if your blood sugar frequently gets higher.
Causes Of Brittle Diabetes
Diabetes is considered a hard-to-manage disease, and brittle diabetes is one of its parts. It can result from lifestyle changes that include unhealthy habits and an unbalanced diet. Brittle diabetes causes can be various that start from the type of diet you eat daily. Here are the common causes of labile diabetes:
Use Of Alcohol Or Drug
Do you take alcohol or drugs in high quantities? It is the warning sign that can be the major cause of brittle diabetes. People who consume alcohol in large volumes are more prone to develop labile or type 2 diabetes in the future. You need to limit consumption initially or try to avoid it completely in the future.
Unhealthy Food
The unhealthy eating disorder can also cause brittle diabetes. If your food contains saturated fats and excludes the right calories of protein, fiber, and low carb, your body might not get the essential nutrients. The high starch and sugar in the food can also affect the sugar level in the body, which causes serious conditions in the future.
Autoimmune Disorder
The autoimmune disorder directly affects the intestine, which fluctuates the level of blood sugar in the body. When our body's metabolism doesn't regulate, it blocks the vessels that create higher chances of developing brittle diabetes.
Apart from these, other causes of brittle diabetes may differ from person to person. It is advised to go for the diagnostic test to determine the main cause of labile diabetes. When you consult your doctor, the right guidance and medications can improve your condition.
How Does Brittle Diabetes Develop?
The reason behind developing brittle diabetes can be varied, as we described above. Whether it's a mental issue or a lifestyle change, our body behaves in opposite way. First of all, the diet you eat daily plays an important role in determining the blood sugar level in the body.
Another thing is stress which is a common issue among men and women. Stress releases the hormone that creates temporary insulin resistance that doesn't allow our body to produce the insulin in the required amount.
As a result, the blood sugar level frequently goes up and down and causes labile diabetes. During this, insulin resistance is temporary, so that you might feel frequent episodes of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.
It is best to contact the medical expert in such a condition and get the required test done. Your doctor might prescribe you insulin injections based on your current condition.
How Long Can I Live With Brittle Diabetes?
The life expectancy of brittle diabetes largely depends on the patient's health condition. According to an International Journal Of Medicine study, brittle diabetes life expectancy is around 45-65 years. During the study, most patients included a female diet at the mean age of 22.
Death was caused evenly throughout the mean period and caused due to chronic diseases like renal failure. However, the exact life expectancy of brittle diabetes is still hard to predict because the severe fluctuation in blood sugar is hard to control and can lead to death.
Can Brittle Diabetes Be Reversed?
There is no specific study that shows that brittle diabetes can be reversed. The symptoms and causes of this type of diabetes vary from person to person. It happens in different stages and frequent episodes of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia that show distinct characteristics.
As per the research of the National Library of Medicine, labile diabetes occurs in four specific stages with specific conditions associated with glycemic control. Only the factors caused by brittle diabetes can be reversed or mitigated in time. It is not right to say that there are chances of getting brittle diabetes reversed.
How Can I Manage Labile Diabetes?
Managing labile diabetes is the same as managing the other types of diabetes. Once you get diagnosed with it, the next step is to consult your doctors for possible treatment. One of the effective ways is to manage the blood glucose level by taking preventive measures. Apart from this, experts recommend other ways to control blood sugar in case of brittle diabetes.
Some of them are mentioned below:
Continuous Monitoring Of Glucose
As we mentioned above, the primary step in managing brittle diabetes is to monitor glucose continuously. It involves regularly testing the blood glucose and checking its level multiple times a day. Labile diabetes causes severe episodes of higher or lower levels of blood sugar, so it is vital to use continuous glucose monitoring.
During it, a sensor is placed under the skin that detects blood levels in the body. Once the sugar level goes up or down, it alerts you so that you can take the essential steps to control blood sugar.
Use Insulin Pump
One of the major causes of brittle diabetes is the lack of insulin in the body. To fulfill the requirement for insulin in the body, you can use a device called an insulin pump. It is attached to the narrow pipe tube that gives your body a specific amount of insulin. You can even carry it in your pocket, and the needle goes under the skin by which it supplies the insulin.
Pancreas Transplant
It is essential to understand that brittle diabetes results from insulin resistance in the body. Some people complain about the higher blood sugar level despite taking the treatment. In this condition, a pancreas transplant surgery is the only option. Our body has pancreatic glands that release insulin in response to glucose.
Insulin is the substance that instructs the cells to take glucose from the bloodstream and use it for energy. When our body's pancreas does not produce insulin, the whole process disrupts and causes the symptoms of brittle diabetes. A pancreas transplant can solve this problem and keep the glucose level balanced.
Manage Your Stress
Stress is also a prominent cause of brittle diabetes. Sometimes people can feel relief from high blood sugar by simply managing their stress. You can opt for various psychological treatments and perform breathing exercises.
Managing stress is not that difficult; a few lifestyle changes can bring positive results and control the level of blood sugar. You can even start taking antidepressants and other medications and consulting your doctor.
Take Care Of Diet
Last but not least, diet is one of the important aspects to keep in mind while managing brittle diabetes. Your daily diet plan for diabetes should not contain sugary substances and high fats. Emphasize adding fiber, proteins, and low carbs in the form of green veggies to your diet. If you have confusion regarding the diet plan, take the dietician's help.
Wrap Up
Brittle diabetes is a common condition in which the blood sugar level can be severely low to high. However, the glucose level is insufficient for those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. In America, the cases of labile diabetes are increasing significantly and affect different genders irrespective of age.
People with a family history have a higher chance of getting this type of diabetes. However, it can be easily managed by taking the insulation pump and monitoring the glucose. If your sugar level gets uncontrolled after taking every precautionary step, we suggest you request medical help on an urgent basis.
We hope you have a better understanding of brittle diabetes. If you find the information in this post helpful, share it with others. For more insightful and adaptive information, subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
