Dazed and confused

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @DancingStar

I think @Proud to be erratic was also diagnosed with type 3c following a whipples procedure?

And yes @Merryterry, you certainly aren’t along in meeting HCPs who are less than familiar with type 3c as a category. I think @eggyg has some tall tales to tell!

I would link you to the page on the DUK website, but it seems to have gone missing. There is a small mention half way down this page though (just below the paragraph on LADA)

Types of diabetes

Diabetes is a complicated condition which can take many different forms. In addition to the more common types of diabetes - type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes, there are a range of other types of diabetes, which are just as important. About 2% of people have these other types of diabetes.

www.diabetes.org.uk

 

[eggyg]

Hi @DancingStar i had a distal pancreatectomy 15 years ago ( opposite to Whipple, I had t’other end cut off), it was three years before I became diabetic. I was told I was Type 2, given Metformin and told to lose weight! I wasn’t overweight, maybe a bit pleasantly plump, as my mam used to say. Of course this didn’t work, and with the help of this lovely forum I found out about Type 3c and insulin. After four years on Metformin I was started on a mixed insulin, tiny amounts twice a day. Still didn’t work, I asked about a MDI routine and started on that. But as I wasn’t classed as a real Type 1 I wasn’t “ allowed” to attend a carb counting course! I learnt as much as I could from here and my own research but continued to badger my DSN about going on a course. By this stage I’d never been to a diabetes clinic or seen an endocrinologist ( still haven’t). I think they got sick of me and they “allowed” me to go on a week long DAFNE course. There the DSN at the hospital changed my diagnosis to Type 1 to enable me to access the same things as a Type 1. All this took from 2010 to 2018! I now have the Libre prescribed, which is the best thing since sliced bread. My TIR ( time in range is 3.9-10) for the last 90 days is 96%. And I definitely don’t carb count onions, or any other veg, but you will learn. There’s lots of guesstimating but as I have been doing it for quite a while now I’m quite good at it.
Being Type 3c is a pain at times but on the whole it’s the same principles as Type 1 but with Creon! I don’t get many hypos, but when I do it’s usually been my own fault, too much insulin, lots of exercise I haven’t accounted for, or forgetting to eat as I’ve got distracted. Cut your self some slack re weighing the veg, as has been said, rice, pasta, bread and potatoes, of course, and any sweet things obviously. I don’t even count legumes as I’ve found over the years they don’t affect me. I cook absolutely everything from scratch, including bread. And like most of us have the same meals so you get to know exactly how things affect you. As for going out to eat, I always aim to be higher as obviously we haven’t a clue the size of portions. You can always do a correction as @rebrascora mentioned. Being diabetic, any flavour, is hard work at times and we have a lot to deal with,but in our cases, let’s be thankful we’re still here to tell the tale. It could so easily have gone the other way. Good luck, and any questions, and I mean any, however daft you think they are, please ask. Elaine.

 

[Kitt]

Many thanks for all of your replies, you've given me lots of useful advice and tips.

I'm sure my consultant didn't mention Type 3c - he just said that he'd be treating me as a T1. I'll ask him next time I go to the clinic, which is just under 4 months away. I do take Creon with my food.

I have struggled a bit this week - I went out for the day on Tuesday. Thought I was all prepared. Firstly I didn't realise how much a lot of walking would impact my blood glucose level. I felt a bit weird so tested my blood glucose and it was 4 so I think I was just in time to stave off a hypo. Then at lunchtime I ordered my food, calculated my insulin dose, reached in my bag for the pen to inject and it wasn't there - left at home on the kitchen table

Then Wednesday night I woke up having a hypo. Managed to measure glucose and it was 2.7. I was shaking so much I dropped the sweets I was about to eat and my hubby had to pick them up for me. I was very scared. The emotional/psychologic effect was as severe as the the physical symptoms I was feeling.

When you have hypos like that how long does it take for you to recover? It was a long time before I felt comfortable/confident enough to get back into bed. I feel very anxious about having a hypo when I'm asleep and not waking up.

Hi Dancing Star. I'm really sorry that hypo was so scary. The first few are so hard. I was diagnosed in early Dec 22 (T1 I think) and had my 1st hypo at work. I ate oatcakes thinking they'd work faster than they did. Seriously, what was I thinking? I cried the whole way home in the car afterwards. They have gotten easier though and the fear is lessening. They still are not pleasant but the initial panic will die down for you hopefully. My brother was diagnosed T1 at age 4, my mother told me that hypos will always wake you up, if that is any comfort to you.

 

[DancingStar]

@Kit I understand the crying in the car. I took cancer in my stride but diabetes seems to have floored me. I don't think my family understand the psychological effect it has. Your mum's words have reassured me, thank you.