Can private healthcare be used to get a definitive diagnosis?

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scottwatters

scottwatters

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Other Type
Hi all,

Recently at work we've had a 'learning week' of sorts, and I dialled in to one of the sessions around working with a chronic condition. On the call, lots of people kept swearing by the private healthcare provided through our work, and I wondered if it could be used for diabetes.

While I know I'm diabetic, I have still not got a definitive answer of what type I am. So far, I've been told I'm not type 1, might be type 2, might need to go on insulin, won't need to go on insulin, might be MODY. I've been waiting nearly 7 months to get my results back for my MODY diagnosis and still continuing on with my original dosage of gliclazide.

Is there some way that getting a diagnosis could be covered through private healthcare so that I can get a final diagnosis quicker? Has anyone had any experience of this? I know that it doesn't cover ongoing treatment, which is fine, I'm just purely interested in finding out what type I am, mainly for closure! :rofl:
 
Leadinglights said:
I think you would have to look at the details of the healthcare provision from your employer as they may exclude any diagnostic tests if you are already in the NHS system for those.
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Yeah it could be worth actually contacting them first to see if it would be covered.
 
@scottwatters I’m astounded that you are still waiting for your results. Have you checked up to see if it’s been lost in the post? I paid private (a one off fee) then all my testing was pushed through nhs. I’m still not much further forward. Currently LADA, but I’ve been told that even though I’m antibody positive if I keep my blood sugars in range without insulin for another 2 years I will go down as an unusual phenotype type 2.
 
I can't speak for the diagnosis part as I already knew I was diabetic before my company healthcare started. I am with DHL who use AXA and they are brilliant at tests for diagnosis and follow up. I have had no issues with cover ever even with the complications diabetes has caused me.
 
EmmaL76 said:
@scottwatters I’m astounded that you are still waiting for your results. Have you checked up to see if it’s been lost in the post? I paid private (a one off fee) then all my testing was pushed through nhs. I’m still not much further forward. Currently LADA, but I’ve been told that even though I’m antibody positive if I keep my blood sugars in range without insulin for another 2 years I will go down as an unusual phenotype type 2.
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I hadn't actually considered it getting lost in the post - that's something I need to check. I mean, now at 7mths wait after being told it would take around 3...
 
Hope you manage to find out what happened to your results @scottwatters

7 months doesn‘t seem right at all!
 
Okay so I phoned the Doctor today. They posted my letter this morning. Perfect timing, eh? :rofl:

They found no link to any of the different MODY types. At least I've got closure now, but I'm still no further on with getting a T1/T2 diagnosis :(
 
Welcome to the club scotty, did they run all the antibody tests for type 1 ?
 
How’s your BG been recently ? Are you just managing with diet, sorry if I’ve asked this stuff before
 
EmmaL76 said:
Welcome to the club scotty, did they run all the antibody tests for type 1 ?
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Again, not too sure. I neglected to ask when I was first getting all the blood tests done, which I regret now :rofl:

I can't find my letter but I just vaguely remember it saying that my antibodies test came back negative.

I have my annual review in Feb but I'm tempted to see if I can get blood tests arranged through AXA and if I'm covered for it.
 
EmmaL76 said:
How’s your BG been recently ? Are you just managing with diet, sorry if I’ve asked this stuff before
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Honestly I've not even been checking recently. I've been feeling just "meh" with the whole situation and just disregarded my health tbh. I've done a couple of finger prick tests and they were about 10-16, but I really need to get back into the swing of things.

I think I'm going to buy a couple of more Libre sensors. It's linked to the hospital so they can check it too, and it's personally more convenient for me because I hate finger pricks :rofl:. As of now I'm still managing everything via gliclazide. My dose got bumped up when I phoned the doctor when I was on holiday because I was consistently 18mmol/ml and over.

EDIT: I think it was mainly due to the waiting on results that I started neglecting it a bit. But now that I'm at least one step forward I'll have that motivation again
 
I think the best thing it to get a definite answer on which antibodies where done and what the result was. That will definitely rule out type 1. That will only leave you will the unusual phenotype type 2. It is a head scratcher as your quite young and I remember you saying you were slim. last questions I promise… have you ever been overweight ? Any diabetes in the family ?
 
EmmaL76 said:
I think the best thing it to get a definite answer on which antibodies where done and what the result was. That will definitely rule out type 1. That will only leave you will the unusual phenotype type 2. It is a head scratcher as your quite young and I remember you saying you were slim. last questions I promise… have you ever been overweight ? Any diabetes in the family ?
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To be honest I thought there only was 1 test but if there's multiple antibodies tests it's definitely worth looking into.

Hahaha I don't mind all the questions! I've never been overweight. I'm 5"11 - 73kg so I think that's why they kind of 'red flagged' me because it was so unusual.

Diabetes does run in the family. My great aunt had it, my grandad has it (T2), my mum got diagnosed after me (T2) and then there's me! I think that's why I'm so surprised it's NOT genetic MODY.
 
Yes I believe there are 4 Antibodies in total but someone may correct me on that. Antigad 65 (gada) is the one most commonly seen I think. I’m classed as borderline with a gad result of 55 it should be under 4 or 5 I think. This means at some point there has been an autoimmune attack on my beta cells but I currently manage on lowish carb as insulin just didn’t work well for me and my c peptide showed average insulin production. Ahh that’s a point, have you had c peptide done? That would defo be a good test to get done .
 
EmmaL76 said:
Yes I believe there are 4 Antibodies in total but someone may correct me on that. Antigad 65 (gada) is the one most commonly seen I think. I’m classed as borderline with a gad result of 55 it should be under 4 or 5 I think. This means at some point there has been an autoimmune attack on my beta cells but I currently manage on lowish carb as insulin just didn’t work well for me and my c peptide showed average insulin production. Ahh that’s a point, have you had c peptide done? That would defo be a good test to get done .
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I can definitely ask about it - that might be the next step
 
scottwatters said:
I can definitely ask about it - that might be the next step
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Just will give you more of an idea of what’s happening , will show how much insulin you are producing. My consultant told me that skinny type 2’s will usually always end up on insulin at some point and that there is a mechanism at play that isn’t fully understood yet. We are broke in a slightly different way :rofl: Good luck, I will stop probing you now
 
EmmaL76 said:
Just will give you more of an idea of what’s happening , will show how much insulin you are producing. My consultant told me that skinny type 2’s will usually always end up on insulin at some point and that there is a mechanism at play that isn’t fully understood yet. We are broke in a slightly different way :rofl: Good luck, I will stop probing you now
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So the letter I got before my antibody results letter said that I'm still producing "reasonable amounts of natural insulin" but the doctor keeps reiterating that I might be very early T1. Just need to keep an eye out now I suppose, and look to get those tests.
 
Reasonable amounts, sounds like mine. Type 2’s can often have high circulating insulin. It’s all so confusing.
 
EmmaL76 said:
Reasonable amounts, sounds like mine. Type 2’s can often have high circulating insulin. It’s all so confusing.
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I know, and that's why it's tricky explaining to others that diabetes isn't as black and white as Type 1/Type 2. Folk end up thinking I'm taking the piss when I say there's more than two types :rofl:
 
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