I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 5 years ago (diet controlled) but back in January this year I was told that my blood sugar had gone up. I have been been doing a finger prick test about 3 times a day for the last 2 months and my readings are an average of 16mmol. I have just seen my diabetic nurse and because I cannot take the normal type of medicine due to a suspected heart problem so she is going to put me on insulin. I asked if it is possible to go from type 2 to type 1 but I didn't get a satisfactory answer. Does anybody know what the answer is. Also, is it possible to have a test done to see if the pancreas is giving out insulin? Thanks for any advice.
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Confused -Advice please
- Thread starter siamese
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I think if you were type 1 (and consequently misdiagnosed because type 1 is an auto-immune disease where the body destroys the pancreas as opposed to type 2 where the body cannot use insulin properly eventually leading to excess insulin production and then pancreas failure), your BG levels would be much higher than you say because you wouldn't be producing any insulin at all. 16mmol/L is high, but you'd be in the 20's plus, so I think you are still producing some insulin naturally.
In terms of type 2, it is possible to be producing insulin initially but then the pancreas eventually 'gives out'. In that case you would be, symptom-wise, no different to a type 1, except that you got there by a different route.
There are tests to see how much insulin the pancreas is producing (C-peptide test?), but I understand them to be quite expensive.
Andy 🙂
In terms of type 2, it is possible to be producing insulin initially but then the pancreas eventually 'gives out'. In that case you would be, symptom-wise, no different to a type 1, except that you got there by a different route.
There are tests to see how much insulin the pancreas is producing (C-peptide test?), but I understand them to be quite expensive.
Andy 🙂
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Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi siamese, welcome to the forum 🙂 I'm sorry to hear that your situation now requires insulin, but the good news is that it is the best treatment to get your blood sugar levels under good control 🙂
It's not the case that you become a Type 1 because you commence insulin treatment. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the body's immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin - fr this reason, Type 1s always need insulin. With Type 2, insulin is still produced, but it is not used very well, so the body cannot use the energy from your blood sugar very efficiently and your levels climb. If you are unable to keep the levels under control with the support of other medication, then insulin will be required to supplement any that might still be being produced by your pancreas. There is a test to see if your pancreas is producing insulin, called the C-peptide test, but as this is expensive it is not usually performed except in circumstances where the diagnosis of Type 1 or Type 2 is unclear.
Please don't worry about using insulin. It's not a 'failure' on your part to need it, people can vary greatly in what they need to stay healthy 🙂
If you have any questions, please do ask and we will be happy to help! 🙂
It's not the case that you become a Type 1 because you commence insulin treatment. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the body's immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin - fr this reason, Type 1s always need insulin. With Type 2, insulin is still produced, but it is not used very well, so the body cannot use the energy from your blood sugar very efficiently and your levels climb. If you are unable to keep the levels under control with the support of other medication, then insulin will be required to supplement any that might still be being produced by your pancreas. There is a test to see if your pancreas is producing insulin, called the C-peptide test, but as this is expensive it is not usually performed except in circumstances where the diagnosis of Type 1 or Type 2 is unclear.
Please don't worry about using insulin. It's not a 'failure' on your part to need it, people can vary greatly in what they need to stay healthy 🙂
If you have any questions, please do ask and we will be happy to help! 🙂
Copepod
Much missed Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome to the forum, siamese (any connection with cats or fighting fish, by the way?)
Many people consider type 2 diabetes to be a progressive condition, so it's not unusual for other medications to have to be added through your diabetes "career". However, it's relatively unusual to go directly from diet controlled (presumbly, you're also using exercise / physical activity as well as diet?) to insulin, without passing through some tablets (there are many types, so usually at least one is suitable for people with heart / kidney / liver problems) and other injectables. Usually, any other problems, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol etc need to be treated, too, by a combination of livestyle, diet and medication.
So, definitely worth trying to get some answers from "diabetic nurse" (does that mean a nurse in your GP surgery, who has some, but perhaps not much, specialist training in diabetes; or diabetes specialist nurse in / from hospital diabetes clinic?) - and if they don't know, then GP / diabetes clinic doctor etc.
Many people consider type 2 diabetes to be a progressive condition, so it's not unusual for other medications to have to be added through your diabetes "career". However, it's relatively unusual to go directly from diet controlled (presumbly, you're also using exercise / physical activity as well as diet?) to insulin, without passing through some tablets (there are many types, so usually at least one is suitable for people with heart / kidney / liver problems) and other injectables. Usually, any other problems, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol etc need to be treated, too, by a combination of livestyle, diet and medication.
So, definitely worth trying to get some answers from "diabetic nurse" (does that mean a nurse in your GP surgery, who has some, but perhaps not much, specialist training in diabetes; or diabetes specialist nurse in / from hospital diabetes clinic?) - and if they don't know, then GP / diabetes clinic doctor etc.
Thank you Andy HB, Northerner and Copepod (yes, the connection is siamese cats) for your speedy reply and welcome to the forum.
What you have all said makes perfect sense and is reassuring. Sometimes my readings go up to about 20 or 21 but the average is what I mentioned earlier. The diabetic nurse is at my local GP surgery but I'm not sure how well qualified she is. She said I couldn't take metformin and another type of tablet would wreck my pancreas within 5 years. I still get confused sometimes about diabetes. I didn't think I would get it because I am reasonably slim, don't drink much alcohol, don't smoke and do walk outdoors quite a bit. Both my parents are type 2 and so was my grandma.
Thanks again for your help and reassurance, I wish I had this from the diabetic nurse.
What you have all said makes perfect sense and is reassuring. Sometimes my readings go up to about 20 or 21 but the average is what I mentioned earlier. The diabetic nurse is at my local GP surgery but I'm not sure how well qualified she is. She said I couldn't take metformin and another type of tablet would wreck my pancreas within 5 years. I still get confused sometimes about diabetes. I didn't think I would get it because I am reasonably slim, don't drink much alcohol, don't smoke and do walk outdoors quite a bit. Both my parents are type 2 and so was my grandma.
Thanks again for your help and reassurance, I wish I had this from the diabetic nurse.
PattiEvans
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Type2 diabetes is strongly genetic despite all the media hype about it being a Lifestyle disease. Many people get it who lead very healthy lifestyles because they have inherited the gene from their families.
Insulin is nothing to fear and will make you feel much better, because although you may think you feel OK, at those levels it's likely you are actually feeling really quite awful, but it comes on so slowly that you don't realise.
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