Another newbie LADA

[Louise Staffell]

Hi there - thank you for your time. I haven't ever used a forum but my GP suggested it after my new diagnosis of LADA.
I am a little concerned and wondered if any of you could help - I am on 2mg metformin and gliclazide but my sugars still range from 26 to Hi on my meter.
Is this causing me health damage or should I just wait until I next see the GP who has mentioned insulin?

I have a permanent headache and am still thirsty all the time.

Thanks in advance 🙂

 

[khskel]

Get an appointment as soon as possible. It sounds like insulin required now. You could end up with diabetic ketoacidosis with levels like that.

 

[Alister]

LADA is a variant of Type 1 which means oral drugs are not going to have any significant affect (you may still be producing a little insulin @ this stage so they may be helping a little but your meter reading tend to suggest otherwise)
long term Insulin is the only thing that will have any affect on your BG levels. This needs to be arranges sooner rather than later, especialy if you are feeling unwell as this could turn serious quickly.

do not wait for your GP, book an appointment now & get the correct treatment started as soon as possible (if you cant get to the GP to quickly then go to A & E).

 

[Louise Staffell]

Thank you very much guys - I am trying to make an appointment now

 

[Martin9]

If you can't get appointment , A&E, bloods are too high ...

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

I agree, if you can't see your GP today or if your GP doesn't take you seriously, please go to A&E - you need insulin right away. Metformin is not going to be any help to you at all if you're LADA, and those levels are dangerous.

Well done to your GP for directing you here though, and welcome to the forum!

 

[SB2015]

Thank you very much guys - I am trying to make an appointment now

I am hoping that you have now seen your GO and are already on insulin. As others have said if you have LADA it is equivalent to having T1, and you need insulin. The oral meds are giong Otto make little difference especially as your BG levels are already consistently high. Some LADA people benefit by oral meds to start with as they have a few Beta cells still hanging on in their, but it is insulin that you need.

If you have not seen your GP yet u will need to go to A&E with the levels your u have quoted, otherwise you are in danger of giong into Ketoacidosis. This is a serious life threatening condition.

 

[Louise Staffell]

Thanks for all of your advice - spent half a week in hospital and now on insulin trying to learn how to count carbs!

 

[Eddy Edson]

Thanks for all of your advice - spent half a week in hospital and now on insulin trying to learn how to count carbs!

Glad you found the right help!

 

[PhoebeC]

Glad you got help. Any questions please ask, you are not alone.

 

[SB2015]

Thanks for all of your advice - spent half a week in hospital and now on insulin trying to learn how to count carbs!

Glad that you got the right help, but sorry that it required you to end up in hospital. I was a late starter with T1 like you (LADA) and found this forum very helpful for all my questions however silly they may seem. So just ask.

For carb counting I found the book Carbs and Cals very useful at the start, and there is an app for this that you can get for your phone, which makes easier when you are out and about. At home we have become good at working out how to interpret the varied labels on ingredients, checking whether the info is ‘as cooked’ or for 1/4 pack, ... it gets easier and I can now quote the carbs for loads of (sensible) biscuits, estimate carbs for different bread, ...

The other resource that I have found to be very informative, easy to read and well explained is Type 1 Diabetes in Children, adolescents and young adults by Ragnar Hanas. Ignore the age reference, I was 53 at diagnosis, and T1 is T1 (or LADA or MODY).

As I said do ask anything and someone will be along with helpful advice and support.

 

[trophywench]

I have to say - I've never heard of different insulins making a difference - only that each of us needs to be on the one(s) that suit us personally the best -to live the lives we want and need to have. I love both Novorapid and Levemir and I did great on them when I was still on MDI but it's possible to control BG even more finely on a pump than MDI for everyone if they are prepared to learn how to make the finer more frequent adjustments that pumping entails.

In return - we are rewarded by better controlled BG for longer periods of every single day of our lives - and that bit's especially important when a lady is TTC or pregnant !

 

[Diabetes UK]

Glad to hear that you have been given medication that will bring your bg levels down to a safer level, but sorry to hear that you were in hospital before receiving insulin. There are lots of knowledgeable carb-counting experts here, who all started somewhere. So, just take it one step at a time and keep asking questions, there will always (almost) be someone to here answer.

In the meantime, as @SB2015 mentioned, there are some useful resources on carb counting (see the 'useful link..' thread), plus at some point. when you are feeling a bit better, you can ask your GP to refer you onto a carb counting course like DAFNE.

 

[Louise Staffell]

Thanks for all of your support and advise - it is really helpful x

 

[SB2015]

Thanks for all of your support and advise - it is really helpful x

Keep in touch Louise, and let us know how you get on.