Many people, even if they don’t have diabetes, are familiar with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Others may have also heard of gestational diabetes, which can affect women in the second half of their pregnancies. However, these are not the only forms of diabetes there are and there are even some kinds that people who have diabetes have never heard of. Here are some of the rarer forms.
Gestational diabetes is sometimes referred to as Type 4 diabetes, so you can correctly conclude that there must be a Type 3. Actually, there are multiple variants of Type 3. Sometimes diabetes that occurs in people who have Alzheimer’s disease is called Type 3. However, to avoid confusion with the Type 3 variants, it’s best just to consider this form of diabetes part of the Alzheimer’s umbrella.
The Type 3 variants are identified as Type 3a, Type 3b, Type 3c, and so on, all the way to Type 3h. These are all categorized as diabetes that’s caused by some form of genetic defect. For example, Type 3a refers to diabetes that’s caused by genetic defects in the pancreatic cells that make insulin.
Another type of diabetes that is caused by a genetic defect but not classified as a Type 3 is MODY, Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young. It’s quite rare, as it’s caused by a defect to a single gene. However, since a genetic component causes it, people who have it are more likely to pass it on than people who don’t have it.
In addition to diabetes forms that are caused by genetics, there are forms of diabetes that can develop when you already have a form of diabetes. These include brittle diabetes, which refers to Type 1 that’s hard to manage, and double diabetes, which is when people with Type 1 develop insulin resistance. Although these conditions might sound dire, they can be made manageable with the proper diet and if necessary, medication. As with most, if not all, forms of diabetes, the most important step to management are positive lifestyle changes.
