The doc will do a fasting BG test, and/or an HbA1c test, and a C-peptide test. The first two are to evaluate whether or not you’ve got DM, and the third is to measure your insulin production level. T1s have near-zero (or zero) insulin production; T3c’s have very low insulin production; T2s have elevated insulin production. Insulin is produced by beta cells in the islets of Langerhans (pancreatic islets). Type 1 diabetes mellitus (which is only about 10% of cases) occurs when a viral infection triggers an auto-immune reaction against the beta cells in genetically susceptible persons. The destruction of beta cells can go on for years, usually in childhood; when they’re depleted to about 10% of the original number, the signs and symptoms of DM begin to occur.
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