So, you can ask your doctor to check for type 3c if you’ve had pancreatic problems and can explain your reasons why. But remember, we know that type 3c is linked to problems with the pancreas. Diagnosing type 3c diabetesĭiagnosis and management of type 3c diabetes can be challenging, partly due to lack of awareness of the condition. It is important to remember not everyone with chronic pancreatitis or the other conditions here will develop type 3c diabetes and the severity of the condition will depend on the damage caused to the pancreas, the amount of the pancreas removed during surgery and the health of any remaining organ. The main causes of type 3c diabetes are shown in the graph below. There is a lack of awareness amongst the general public and some health care professionals. When there isn’t enough insulin in the body the blood glucose levels begin to rise above the normal level and if left untreated this can lead to complications.Īpproximately 9% of all diabetes cases are type 3c but the condition is under diagnosed. It can also occur if you have had surgery on your pancreas or if it is removed completely. This can happen due to an illness or condition that affects or damages the pancreas. Type 3c Diabetes (or Pancreatogenic Diabetes) can develop when the pancreas stops producing enough of the hormone called insulin.
Insulin is one of these hormones and it is needed to allow the glucose (or sugar) in our blood, from the food we eat to enter our cells and fuel our bodies and provide us with energy. One of the functions of the pancreas is to produce hormones to keep blood glucose levels within a normal range (between 3.5-7 mmols/l).