Others Other treatment options include total lymph node irradiation. Most lymphocytes are very sensitive and easily damaged by x-rays. Such treatment reduces the number of lymphocytes in the blood and alters the immune system's interactions and responses to antigens. Patients undergoing this treatment also suffer side effects including fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, weight loss and occasionally shingles. This is due to the auto-immune destruction of pancreatic beta cells which usually begins between ten and 20 years of age.
Treatment is usually by injecting insulin.
Type 2 diabetes is not thought to be auto-immune in origin. It usually occurs in middle life. The main symptoms are severe lethargy, dry skin and hair, and damage to the nerves in the limbs. More women suffer from the disease than men in a ratio of five to one. Treatment is long-term replacement using thyroxine tablets.