I'm wondering about specific differences in Diabetes Type 1 and 2.?

I seem to be in the pre-diabetes range. My father had it. Here's the thing, first, I am 36, I eat very healthy, I excercise very regularly, my cholesterol is low, as is my blood pressure, my tryglicerides are low, my HDL is a little on the low side but I don't understand how I can have this....and I don't know if it could be type 1 possibly...My father had Type 2 but he was in his 40's when he developed it. My fasting blood sugar seems to be going up rapidly. None of my medications cause an increase in blood surgar...since I was a child I have had a problem with hypoglycemia but if I eat a proper snack I'm okay. I was curious if there is any way to tell which one I am likely to have and from what I've read usually you have to have high cholesterol and high tryglicerides and high blood pressure which I don't have.

In answer to Jade's question: My blood sugar was checked a couple of times last year and it was just under 100. I'm only referring to fasting levels by the way. My sister in-law got me a meter to test and mainly we thought we would use it to monitor when it was dropping- which since I've been eating better snacks I haven't had a problem with...so when I've done the fasting test it's been from 106 to 126 which is pre, and I've done more than one. I did one test that was random and I believe it was normal and there was no fasting with it- I am assuming it was normal because I don't know what it is supposed to be when you aren't fasting. I had probably eaten 4 hours prior to that one give or take and it was 126. I have gotten blood and urine tests for diabetes quite often since childhood because of various symptoms even though, no one had diabetes in the family until my father was in his 40's. He thought perhaps his father may have had it.

Type 1 diabetes is caused by the inability of the body to produce insulin, which is the hormone needed to transfer blood sugar to the body's cells.

Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition caused by the body cells' increasing resistance to the effects of insulin. The body continues to produce insulin, but the cells won't "open the door" to let the blood sugar in. Thus, the body produces ever increasing amounts of insulin in a effort to force the cells to accept the blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes can't be cured, but, since it is a progressive disease, changes in diet can halt or slow down the progress of the disease. You have to control your blood sugar through diet (get rid of the carbs!) to control Type 2 diabetes.

The way the doctor explained it to me when I was diagnosed a diabetic is that Type 1 usually starts at a young age and is caused by the person's body not making natural insulin anymore. Type 2 diabetes is ususually because your body is no longer either a.) not making enough natural insulin(which is made in the pancreas) or b.) no longer properly using the insulin that your body makes or sometimes its a combination of a and b. Type 1 requires a person to take shots of insulin or have an insulin pump. Type 2 can often be treated with diet controll, exercise and sometimes pils are needed. Also one kind of diabetes that you can have that you didnt mention is Gestational diabetes. This is what I had at first and then it turned into type 2. I never heard of it before it happened to me. Turns out when you are pregnant you can become a diabetic and it goes away after you have the baby. Its caused mostly because your body isnt making enough for both you and the baby and once the baby is born its no longer draining your supply so you go back to normal. Just thought Id include the extra info incase somebody else read this question and might be at risk for that one too. Hope my answer helped you some. Hope everything works out and you never get full blown diabetes. :)

Type 1 is when your body no longer produces insulin and type 2 is when your body does not produce enough insulin or can not effetily use the insulin it produces. Insulin is required to break the sugar down in your body. JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING you eat turns to sugar. Below is a link to the ADA which will halp you determine if you are in pre-diabetes. blood presure and colosterol levels can increase your risk but do not cause diebetes. No one is sure what does cause it. we do know that it is generally hereitary but not always.

Did you get a high blood sugar reading at the doctor's office or at home with your own blood sugar meter??

One high reading does not necessarily mean anything. The numbers depend on when the blood was checked after you last ate.

You usually have to have at least 2 high readings as well as signs and symptoms of diabetes to be diagnosed.

Type 1 diabetes is where the body has an absolute deficiency of insulin. Basically, you need to inject insulin because your body is not making any.

Type 2 diabetes is where the body is not releasing enough insulin, or the body is resistant to the insulin that is being released. So there is insulin present, but the body is not able to utilize it. These people usually need medications to make the body recognize the insulin that is present.

I would recommend following up with your doctor and continuing with you diet and exercise as you have been doing. You don't necessarily have to have other conditions present in order to be diagnosed with diabetes. It can happen to anyone. The people with the other conditions are at higher risk than a person without any conditions.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-1-...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-2-...

type 1 is young people who don't produce enough insulin...type 2 is older people who produce enough insulin, but have with insulin resistance, usually with increased weight . Young means teens...you are way past that. You are kind of young for type 2 also.

Make an appointment with an endocrinologist if you want the final word.