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Type 1 Diabetes: Living With Complications - Topic Overview
Is this topic for you?
This topic is about complications from diabetes, such as eye, kidney, heart, nerve, or blood vessel disease. If you need other diabetes information, see:
- Type 1 Diabetes, if you want to learn about type 1 diabetes.
- Type 1 Diabetes: Recently Diagnosed, if you have been told recently that you or your child has type 1 diabetes.
- Type 1 Diabetes: Living With the Disease, if you or your teen has type 1 diabetes. If you have not read the topic Type 1 Diabetes: Recently Diagnosed, you may want to read it first.
- Type 1 Diabetes: Children Living With the Disease, if your child age 11 or younger has type 1 diabetes. If you have not read the topic Type 1 Diabetes: Recently Diagnosed, you may want to read it first.
- Diabetic Retinopathy, Diabetic Nephropathy, or Diabetic Neuropathy, if you want more information on these complications of diabetes.
What is type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong disease that develops when the pancreas stops making insulin. Your body needs insulin to let sugar (glucose) move from the blood into the body's cells, where it can be used for energy or stored for later use.
If sugar cannot move from the blood into the cells, your blood sugar gets too high and your cells cannot work right. High blood sugar can harm your blood vessels and nerves and lead to problems with your eyes, heart, feet, kidneys, and other areas of the body. These problems are called complications.
What are the complications from diabetes?
The complications from diabetes are:
- Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). It can cause coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, stroke, or heart attack.
- Diabetic retinopathy. This is a type of eye disease that can lead to vision loss.
- Diabetic nephropathy. This kidney disease has no early symptoms, but it can lead to kidney failure.
- Diabetic neuropathy. This is a nerve disease that can affect your internal organs as well as your ability to sense touch and pain, especially in your feet.
What is it like to live with the complications?
Diabetes and its complications can change your life. Living with health problems caused by diabetes can be a constant struggle. It is a lot of work to monitor your health (such as foot care), keep up with your doctor appointments, and control your blood sugar. You may not always do everything exactly right, and it is normal to feel frustrated and sad at times. But don't give up. People with health problems from diabetes can still live full lives. If you are having trouble coping, talk to your doctor. Getting counseling or joining a diabetes support group may also help.
What are the symptoms of diabetes complications?
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Type 1 Diabetes: Living With Complications Topics
Indication
Uroxatral® (alfuzosin HCl 10 mg extended-release tablets) is an alpha1-blocker for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH.
Important Safety Information
Do not take UROXATRAL if you have liver problems or if you are taking antifungal drugs like ketoconazole or itraconazole, or HIV drugs like ritonavir.
UROXATRAL can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, especially when starting treatment. This may lead to fainting, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do any dangerous activity until you know how UROXATRAL will affect you. This is especially important if you already have a problem with low blood pressure or take medicines to treat high blood pressure. There may be an increased risk of low blood pressure and fainting when taking UROXATRAL in combination with blood pressure medication or nitrates, or erectile dysfunction medication.
If considering cataract surgery (clouding of the eyes), tell your eye surgeon that you are currently taking UROXATRAL or have previously been treated with an alpha-blocker.
Before taking UROXATRAL, tell your doctor if you have kidney problems.
Also, tell your doctor if you or any family member(s) have or take medications for a rare heart condition known as congenital prolongation of the QT interval.
BPH and prostate cancer can cause the same symptoms. However, UROXATRAL is not a treatment for prostate cancer.
The most common side effects with UROXATRAL are dizziness, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and tiredness.
Please see UROXATRAL full prescribing information.
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