I’m 19 and I was just diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I’ve heard of people with type 1 who gradually got their pancreas to produce insulin so they no longer needed insulin injections. Now, they take pills. Is this true? Could this ever happen to me?

I really don’t know how to answer to your question. Your age seem to be more suitable for type 1 diabetes than type 2 diabetes. This is an important thing on which to focus. In the first case, the onset of the disease is due to the complete destruction of the cells that produce insulin. Apart from a period called the honeymoon, during which the insulin doses can be slightly reduced, the only therapy available to date is insulin, given only by injections or an insulin pump. If your type of diabetes is type 2, it could be possible that, for a longer or shorter period, you can use only tablets (hypoglycemic drugs) or diet alone.

I think that your type of diabetes is type 1. In order to verify this point, you can ask your diabetes team to check for some autoantibodies (anti-GAD, anti-insulin and anti-islet cell) that are specific for the form of diabetes that depends on insulin injection.

Lastly, if you are struggling with insulin injections, you should consider using an insulin pump, which is very useful for living a simpler life with diabetes.

AS