can anyone tell me if there are any differences in type 1+2. ie. eyes, feet, diets, cholesterol, retinopathy and any other conditions associated with diabetes. I have just had an argument with my sister who says I should'nt be on insulin as I'm type 2 (but have other medical problems), she thinks the doctors and dsn have made a mistake and I should be type 1 instead, I am now concerned what i am??
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differences in type 1 and type 2
- Thread starter HartHen61
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Steff
Little Miss Chatterbox
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hart theres many people in here who are type 2 and have stayed a type 2 even when they have gone onto insulin it is quite common, so your sister is wrong if she assumes your status changes to a type 1 just cause your on insulin.
Regarding the things you mention eyes etc etc, weather your type 1 2 lada or mody you can get retinopathy or issues with your feet.Im not to sure on the diet side of things but someone will be along thats more clued up.They are tests that can be done to detemine for definate your type if you so wish to go down that route.
Regarding the things you mention eyes etc etc, weather your type 1 2 lada or mody you can get retinopathy or issues with your feet.Im not to sure on the diet side of things but someone will be along thats more clued up.They are tests that can be done to detemine for definate your type if you so wish to go down that route.
thanks steffi I new someone would come along and assure me, I have only been on insulin for 4 weeks but as yet my bgs are still very high, maybe it takes a litle while to go down, oh! I have also just found out today that I have background retinopathy, another one to add to the list, I seem to be getting used to this (at last). It seems the list is never ending.
Steff
Little Miss Chatterbox
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
As in life it all seems to happen at once and diabetes can become so minottumous,i dont know about insulin but im on injections something called byetta and that did decrease my readings within the first 3-5 weeks so it will happen x Sorry to hear about the backgroud retinopathy
margie
Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I assume your sister has a medical degree ....... ask her to explain this.
I knew someone who was seriously ill - a whole lot of problems hit them at once. As a consequence they were on so much medication that causes blood sugar to rise that insulin was required to normalise things. However, on recovery the meds were reduced as was the insulin and he came of it. He was not type 1 - his diabetes was induced by the meds. He is at increased risk of developing type 2.
In short needing insulin does not equal being type 1.
I knew someone who was seriously ill - a whole lot of problems hit them at once. As a consequence they were on so much medication that causes blood sugar to rise that insulin was required to normalise things. However, on recovery the meds were reduced as was the insulin and he came of it. He was not type 1 - his diabetes was induced by the meds. He is at increased risk of developing type 2.
In short needing insulin does not equal being type 1.
Steff
Little Miss Chatterbox
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Well said Shiv ive had it said to me on more then one occasion by freinds and family that surely your a type 1 now your on injections and im not even on insulin I just stand and explain to them and it soon shuts them up.
mcdonagh47
Banned
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
You're Type 2 still.
90% of diabetics are T2 and 10% type 1.
40% of Type 2s are on injected insulin ( and most will end up on it in time).So Type 2s on insulin,such as yourself, outnumber Type 1s by 4 to 1 anyway.
Type 2s form the major market for insulin and that's why it was suggested a couple of months ago that T2s on insulin should be denied the modern, expensive, analogue insulins and be put back on the old, cheaper "Human" insulins from the 1980s.
Robster65
Senior Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I had my retinopathy screening the other day and the chap there said that, as a diabetic, my eyes will always deteriorate, but better control slows it down.
Basically, youre very unlikely to be diabetic and NOT have background retinopathy.
The good news is that, with the right treatment and a proactive approach, you can reverse some of the effects and reduce the likelihood of others.
And your sister, on this occasion, is more wrong than mrs wrong from wrongsville !😛
Rob
Basically, youre very unlikely to be diabetic and NOT have background retinopathy.
The good news is that, with the right treatment and a proactive approach, you can reverse some of the effects and reduce the likelihood of others.
And your sister, on this occasion, is more wrong than mrs wrong from wrongsville !😛
Rob
Mark T
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
For the various different types of diabetes the Report of the Expert Committee on the Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus is worth reading 😉
You will notice in that document that Type 1 and Type 2 are two of the many possible causes of diabetes. Possibly you fall in the category "drug induced".
Being on insulin does not equal Type 1, that misconception is apparently one of the main causes of miss-classification by GP's according to a report I saw.
You will notice in that document that Type 1 and Type 2 are two of the many possible causes of diabetes. Possibly you fall in the category "drug induced".
Being on insulin does not equal Type 1, that misconception is apparently one of the main causes of miss-classification by GP's according to a report I saw.
Thank you for all your comments and advice, my only concern is that I cannot stop taking steroids for my COPD and Asthma is there any point in continuing with the insulin if it is all due down to steroids and not making any difference to my bg readings, they are just as high 20+ as they were 2 years ago. I get very stressed each time i do my bg because I am doing everything my dsn says and feel that I dont know what is right anymore.
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Although it may not seem to be working, there can be little doubt that the insulin is helping, but it's likely that the doses are not yet at the correct dosage to help get your levels down consistently. What are your waking levels like there days? Are they better than before the insulin? One thing you should not do is blame yourself in any way for the levels you are getting. You are clearly doing the best you can and following the advice of your DSN, so although the readings may be disappointing, try not to think of them as some sort of failure on your part - that is most certainly NOT the case! Things are clearly complicated, given your other conditions which it is very important to control, so it may take longer to get things right than with a person who does not have these considerations.
Don't lose hope, my dear - I know it is frustrating and upsetting, but you will get there! Keep records of everything so that you can discuss with your doctor/DSN and look for ways to improve things. I hope improvements happen soon 🙂
Mark T
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Yes, those 20+ reading will be causing glucose toxicity (amongst other things) and that will be damaging your ?-cells. So there is a possibility you could end up dependent on insulin.
From what I read somewhere the steroids cause massive insulin resistance which makes the insulin much less effective - so your dose will need to be fairly large to be really effective. I think the Type 1's take something upward of 200 units per day - but your DSN is probably not trying to jump you directly into that sort of range.
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
It sounds to me like your insulin doses still need to be increased. I'm afraid I don't know much about how Humulin works. You will get there - just keep letting your DSN know regularly that your readings are still high and no doubt you will be asked to up the dose gradually. What dose are you on currently, and when did you last increase it?
Millies Mum
New Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent of person with diabetes
Type 1 or 2?
Hi,
I have a daughter with type 1 diabetes and the distinction I was told was that to have Type 1 diabetes you have to be diagnosed as a child. Hope this helps 🙂 Shell.
Hi,
I have a daughter with type 1 diabetes and the distinction I was told was that to have Type 1 diabetes you have to be diagnosed as a child. Hope this helps 🙂 Shell.
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi Shell, I'm afraid that's not true - I was 49! 🙂 Type 1 usually occurs in the under 40s, and Type 2 in the over 40s, but there's no hard and fast rule. Childeren are very rarely diagnosed with Type2, although apparently that is increasing as childhood obesity becomes more of a problem. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease which destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. Type 2 is due to insulin resistance, where insulin may be being produced in abundance, but the body's cells can't use it properly so it's not effective at keeping levels in range.
p.s. welcome to the forum 🙂
shiv
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Yep, like Alan says this just isn't true 🙂 type 1 is autoimmune and can happen at any point in life, although it is much more common to be diagnosed as a child.
On the other side of the spectrum, there are children that are diagnosed with type 2 - it's very rare, but does happen.
randomange
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi HartHen, Steroids are hell on BG levels, but with enough insulin you *will* start to see a difference. 🙂 I would imagine at the moment your dose is just not high enough to make a dent in the insulin resistance the steroids are causing, but if you can work with your DSN and keep raising the dose until you see an effect, eventually you will see your numbers start to come down. 🙂
Is your DSN keeping track of your BG levels and helping you adjust your insulin dose?
I am type 2 and have only been on insulin for 4 weeks, I ring my dsn every 3-4 days and I tell her what my bg's have been like she then tells me what dose I should increase to at the moment i'm on 10 in the morning and 30 at night and have just increased my glikazide to 2 in a morning and 2 at night plus metformin 1000 twice a day,my last hB1Ac was 11.7 in April, my weight is steadily going down have lost over a stone in 4 months, its not much but its getting there, thanks again to you all.
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