Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young -Procedures, Side effects, Recovery time, Costs and alternatives

Maturity-onset diabetes of the young is also referred to as MODY which is a very uncommon type of diabetes which is hereditary. Similar to Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes maturity-onset diabetes of the young or MODY also has an impact on how the body utilizes the sugar and stores them from the food. MODY is a disease which occurs in a person due to the change or mutation in any one of the genes. Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are very different from MODY, as they are caused due to the combination of different genes and also obesity. The major reason for MODY is when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin due to the mutation of genes. Insulin helps in controlling the blood sugars.

MODY is a hereditary disease, so by any chance, if any of the family members are having this disease then the possibility of you having the disease is nearly 50 percent. It can go through various generations as well, all the three generations having the disease. Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is a rare kind of diabetes that runs in families. MODY is unlike Type 2 diabetes which is caused by obesity, the person having MODY has a healthy weight. This disease occurs at an early age, during teens and adulthood mostly. The treatment of this disease is based on which type of MODY the patient has. Based on the mutation of the genes, there are various types of MODY and the treatment is also based upon the type.

Types of MODY:

1. MODY 1 and MODY 4: In these types of MODYs, the patient is given more of sulfonylureas. It helps to increase the level of insulin by making the pancreas produce more insulin. In rare cases, the patient has to intake insulin as well.
2. MODY 2: Proper diet and exercises are enough for the treatment of this type. Medicines are often not required for this.
3. MODY 3: At the beginning of the stage, diet and exercises workout is very much enough for this type; but as the stage passes the patient has to start taking sulfonylureas and insulin in order to increase the insulin level in the body.
4. MODY 5: For MODY 5, intake of insulin is a must. If not treated properly, then other organs like the kidney can also be affected. So treatment should be started at a proper time.
5. MODY 6: This is the last type of MODY which usually occurs after the age of 40. The treatment can be done by giving insulin to the patient.

The treatment is started based on which type of MODY the patient has. Symptoms also differ based on the type and based on which gene has been mutated. There are cases where there will be no visible symptoms of the disease. The main sign of the disease is high blood sugar level. Some symptoms are mentioned below:

• All-time hunger or thirst
• Peeing very often
• Blurred vision
• Skin infections
• The loss in weight
• Fatigue

The diagnosis of this disease is a bit complicated, as the symptoms are so mild that it cannot be diagnosed initially. In the first seating with the doctor, only a high increase in the blood sugar levels can be diagnosed. But with regular seating with the doctor, when they figure out your family history of diabetes, it can be diagnosed. There are blood tests which are particularly for the diagnosis of MODY. Once the symptoms are confirmed, then there are genetics tests which are used in order to find out which type of MODY the patient is suffering from. Usually, a sample of saliva or blood is taken from the patient and sent for the lab test.

Patients who are suffering from this genetic disorder or who have an history of diabetes in their family are thus required to undergo the examination for this disease and thereby undergo the treatment for this disease.

Those patients who don't fall under this cateogory of the disease and are not having any sympotms of this disease need not undergo this treatment.

MODY is similar to all other types of diabetes. Increased level of blood sugar is a major sign of this disease. If the treatment is not taken at a proper interval of time, then the complications can be severe. The ignorance in the treatment can be harmful to the patient. Few complications which the patient may face are:

• They can suffer from heart disease.
• Eye damage is one of the major complications of this disease. The patient can also
suffer from blindness in case if proper treatment is not taken.
• Foot problems may occur to the patient.
• Skin infections and problems are one of the side-effects.
• Severe nerve damage can also be caused.

Hence, it is really important to diagnose the disease at the right time and get the required treatment of the same. Once the complications increase, it is very difficult to control the side-effects.In case any of these side effects persists or there any other health issues arising during or after treatment, it is advised to kindly consult the health specialistimmediately.

MODY is a disease which cannot be treated completely but the symptoms and complications can be suppressed and reduced over time by taking proper medications.

Once the disease is diagnosed, the patient has to be very careful about their eating anddiet habits. Even small ignorance in diet habits can lead to severe complications. So it is better to maintain the medications and stick to a healthy diet. Regular exercises can also help in regulating and maintaining insulin levels. The patient has to take care of their medicines; it should be taken on regular time intervals and not to be missed even for once.

MODY is a disease which cannot be cured completely, as it is hereditary some part will always be there. The best we can do is to take proper medications and minimize the symptoms. Thus, only supportive therapy can be given and the treatment aims in providing releif throughout the persons life.

Regular medicines and insulin may not cost much but if the complication is severe and has reached to other organs like kidney then maybe it can add up to a bill. The consultation fees can range from 1000 t0 4000 INR and the treatment cost can thus range from 5000 to 25,000 monthly.

Since this is a rare kind of genetic disease the results of the treatment are only supportive in nature and not permanent.

Diagnosing the disease at its early stage and treating it one time is the best that a patient can do for this disease.