Brittle Diabetes:
Brittle diabetes is a term used to describe a diabetic condition that becomes hard to control. It is also called labile diabetes. In this condition, a person has huge swings of blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels might reach higher levels and cause hyperglycemia and plummet causing hypoglycemia. This condition can disrupt the quality of life of a person and is generally common among people with type 1 diabetes. Being a severe form of diabetes, it can be stressful, both physically and psychologically, for a patient and it can also lead to hospitalization. Known to commonly affect people among their 20s and 30s, especially women, brittle diabetes causes drastic symptoms. The symptoms include extreme hunger, trouble sleeping, severe headaches, shivering hands, weakness, dizziness, and irritability. These symptoms occur when the blood sugar levels go down. When the blood sugar levels spike, patients experience symptoms like increased urination and increased thirst, blurry vision, and dry skin. People with diabetes and hormonal imbalances, hypothyroidism, depression, obesity, and high stress levels are prone to brittle diabetes. Also, people who have gastrointestinal problems like malabsorption, and autonomic neuropathy are prone to brittle diabetes. Emotional stress, poor personal upkeep, and alcohol or drug use can also lead to brittle diabetes. Other conditions like adrenal insufficiency, Celiac disease, and abnormal insulin absorption can lead to brittle diabetes. People with psychological problems having diabetes should be cautious as the psychological issue can reinforce brittle diabetes. If left unmanaged, brittle diabetes can lead to diabetic coma, recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis, weight gain, thyroid disease, and diseases of the adrenal glands. Management of brittle diabetes involves stabilizing blood sugar levels and preventing hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Also, continuous glucose monitoring (See: Continuous Glucose Monitoring), and usage of subcutaneous insulin pumps (See: Insulin Pump) are considered effective strategies for managing brittle diabetes. Also, adequate psychological treatment is advised in order to avoid making brittle diabetes into a self-perpetuating condition. Apart from these medical practitioners measure the mean of daily differences, mean amplitude of glycemic excursions, low blood glucose index, and lability index in order to assess the condition and the progress of brittle diabetes.
