Do you have an(other) autoimmune disease?

[TwilightMidna]

Given that type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and autoimmune diseases like to bunch together, I'm curious to know if any Type 1s here are dealing with additional autoimmune diseases. Likewise, I know that some autoimmune diseases appear to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes (I'm thinking specifically of inflammatory arthritides but I'm sure there are others), so I'm also wondering whether we have any type 2s who are dealing with an autoimmune disease. I don't know very much about Type 3 and autoimmune diseases, so I'm interested to hear if anyone has any information on/experiences with that as well.

I personally have psoriasis (~35 years), psoriatic arthritis (~15 years) and type 1 diabetes/LADA (diagnosed last month).

I'm also interested to know if anyone is on an immunosuppressant and whether you feel that's had an impact on your diabetes at all? I've been taking methotrexate for the psoriatic arthritis since 2018 and I do wonder if that's played a role in how slowly my type 1/LADA came on, and whether it'll impact the disease going forward.

Hoping everyone is doing as well as possible today!

 

[Martin.A]

I have had several bouts of psoriasis since I was a child, ie it would flare up, hang around for a few weeks, then clear up. I would then be clear for 3 or 4 years before the same thing happened again. This cycle repeated itself right up until my 30s but while I still always have patches on my elbows and on one knee, and in my scalp (I hate that one because people think it's dandruff) I haven't had another bout of full-blown psoriasis since 1982. I still get prescriptions for Betnovate. So far, thankfully, no signs of psoriatic arthritis.

 

[PattiEvans]

Ohhh yes, several. Underactive thyroid, alopecia areata, mild psoroiasis (currently barely there, just a small patch on one elbow, but have had all my fingers split open).

 

[trophywench]

Just the underactive thyroid here - and that didn't rear it's head until sometime this century when I'd already had T1 for c. 30 years.

 

[TwilightMidna]

I have had several bouts of psoriasis since I was a child, ie it would flare up, hang around for a few weeks, then clear up. I would then be clear for 3 or 4 years before the same thing happened again. This cycle repeated itself right up until my 30s but while I still always have patches on my elbows and on one knee, and in my scalp (I hate that one because people think it's dandruff) I haven't had another bout of full-blown psoriasis since 1982. I still get prescriptions for Betnovate. So far, thankfully, no signs of psoriatic arthritis.

@Martin.A glad to hear that you haven't had a bad flare up in a while! Psoriasis does seem to like to hang on in there on the elbows, knees and scalp. Very stubborn areas! Yes, the comments about scalp psoriasis can be a challenge (on top of already trying to deal with the condition). One strong memory I have from my childhood is another child saying to me "you have dandruff" and feeling like I had to try to explain about psoriasis. Hoping the Betnovate keeps things under control and that the PsA stays away. Thanks so much for sharing!

 

[TwilightMidna]

Ohhh yes, several. Underactive thyroid, alopecia areata, mild psoroiasis (currently barely there, just a small patch on one elbow, but have had all my fingers split open).

@Pattidevans, that's a lot to cope with. I'm sure managing all of these conditions is a challenge at times (or all the time!). It's so hard when psoriasis affects the hands. I'm glad to hear that it's behaving itself for you currently. Hope that continues! Thank you for sharing. I always love connecting with others who have psoriasis.

 

[Tdm]

Only type 1 here...so far, touch wood...

 

[TwilightMidna]

Just the underactive thyroid here - and that didn't rear it's head until sometime this century when I'd already had T1 for c. 30 years.

@trophywench I have heard that an underactive thyroid is more common among people with type 1. It's interesting that yours came on so many years after the diabetes did. Were you very unwell with it or was it picked up early (if that's a thing) in your annual blood tests? I noticed I'll be having my thyroid function checked every year now. Appreciate you sharing!

 

[TwilightMidna]

Only type 1 here...so far, touch wood...

Keeping all fingers crossed that there are no more autoimmune diseases on your horizon. Goodness knows one is plenty to be dealing with!

 

[42istheanswer]

I'm diagnosed type 2 and not diagnosed with anything formally considered autoimmune. I do have hay-fever, eczema, asthma and IBS (with a family history of inflammatory bowel disease which is considered autoimmune - my aunt has been diagnosed since her 20s or so and my dad was diagnosed then undiagnosed a couple of years ago ). I have some hypermobility but have never been tested for rheumatic conditions - one of my children has and was diagnosed as generalised benign hypermobility with no rheumatic markers found, one of my siblings was and diagnosed as marfanoid as didn't quite meet criteria for marfan syndrome.

And when I was double checking that asthma/hayfever/eczema aren't considered autoimmune I did find this interesting link ...

 

[helli]

My mother (and grandmother) and me have Reynauds. Reading up on it, it could be auto-immune.
As no one else in my family (apart from a great aunt who is not a blood realtive!) has Type 1, I wondered if there was an auto-immune connection with the Rrynauds.
There again my father has psorias and I remember his tar baths stinking out the bathroom when he was very stressed. I appear to have missed out on that one (so far) but who knows.

Apart from Type 1 and Reynauds, I have nothing diagnosed as auto-immune but have had some tests recently for pernicious anaemia and coeliacs. Maybe there is more that want to join the auto-immune party.

 

[Martin.A]

@Martin.A glad to hear that you haven't had a bad flare up in a while! Psoriasis does seem to like to hang on in there on the elbows, knees and scalp. Very stubborn areas! Yes, the comments about scalp psoriasis can be a challenge (on top of already trying to deal with the condition). One strong memory I have from my childhood is another child saying to me "you have dandruff" and feeling like I had to try to explain about psoriasis. Hoping the Betnovate keeps things under control and that the PsA stays away. Thanks so much for sharing!

One downside of the 1982 flare up was that my girlfriend of 4 months dumped me. She didn't like the look of it at all.

 

[EmmaL76]

My mother (and grandmother) and me have Reynauds. Reading up on it, it could be auto-immune.
As no one else in my family (apart from a great aunt who is not a blood realtive!) has Type 1, I wondered if there was an auto-immune connection with the Rrynauds.
There again my father has psorias and I remember his tar baths stinking out the bathroom when he was very stressed. I appear to have missed out on that one (so far) but who knows.

Apart from Type 1 and Reynauds, I have nothing diagnosed as auto-immune but have had some tests recently for pernicious anaemia and coeliacs. Maybe there is more that want to join the auto-immune party.

Hey me too! Doesn’t even have to be particularly cold

 

[RichardsUsername]

Don't know if Vasculitis is one but today I can't lower my feet to the ground to walk the few steps into the kitchen because the pressure is so intense. So basically I'll have to wait hours before I can get up out of the chair.

 

[jjcypher]

Given that type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and autoimmune diseases like to bunch together, I'm curious to know if any Type 1s here are dealing with additional autoimmune diseases. Likewise, I know that some autoimmune diseases appear to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes (I'm thinking specifically of inflammatory arthritides but I'm sure there are others), so I'm also wondering whether we have any type 2s who are dealing with an autoimmune disease. I don't know very much about Type 3 and autoimmune diseases, so I'm interested to hear if anyone has any information on/experiences with that as well.

I personally have psoriasis (~35 years), psoriatic arthritis (~15 years) and type 1 diabetes/LADA (diagnosed last month).

I'm also interested to know if anyone is on an immunosuppressant and whether you feel that's had an impact on your diabetes at all? I've been taking methotrexate for the psoriatic arthritis since 2018 and I do wonder if that's played a role in how slowly my type 1/LADA came on, and whether it'll impact the disease going forward.

Hoping everyone is doing as well as possible today!

Im type 2 and also have fibromyalgia and chronic migraine condition currently struggling with the weather as my body hates sudden changes either way hot or cold trying my best to keep going as supporting my daughter with her 4 week old son

 

[trophywench]

No symptoms partic, I assumed not much hair on lower legs was the result of expensive and very regular waxing for 25ish years and I sposed people do feel the cold a bit more than they used to as they get a bit older, esp if they don't carry much weight. Just spotted on one of the annual D clinic by the endo standing in for the diabetologist that day, who started me on Levothyroxine. Dose adjusted upwards and downwards as necessary - most recently, down. Further TSH test fairly soon.

 

[Deb_l]

Type 2 and inflammatory bowel disease.

I’ve likely had the IBD for years (in hindsight) but put many symptoms down to IBS rather than IBD.

The IBD is well managed with the low carb diet that also manages the diabetes!! It’s a win, win!!

 

[100cas]

I’m a type 1 diagnosed aged 7 but was disgnosed with rheumatoid arthritis around the age of 4. My arthritis seems to rear its head rarely but quite badly and then go into remission for a good few years (thankfully).

@TwilightMidna I was on methotrexate during my last rheumatoid arthritis flare up. I don’t think I noticed a big impact directly on blood sugars however the arthritis made it hard for me to exercise so that had an impact (and could maybe have masked any methotrexate issues), I also really suffer with fatigue when my arthritis is bad. The main side effect from the methotrexate was feeling a bit sick for the day after taking it each week.

 

[gll]

T2 (maybe - was on insulin within 7 months of diagnosis)
Psoriasis on face, scalp and elbows (mild ish I think - GP deals with it aka never got it confirmed with dermatology but lotions, shampoos and steroid creams keep it to a dull roar)
Investigations underway for IBD (blood markers for inflammation for 2 years and "somethings not right" GI symptoms for 10 months and very positive tests for inflammation in bowel so far)

 

[TwilightMidna]

I'm diagnosed type 2 and not diagnosed with anything formally considered autoimmune. I do have hay-fever, eczema, asthma and IBS (with a family history of inflammatory bowel disease which is considered autoimmune - my aunt has been diagnosed since her 20s or so and my dad was diagnosed then undiagnosed a couple of years ago ). I have some hypermobility but have never been tested for rheumatic conditions - one of my children has and was diagnosed as generalised benign hypermobility with no rheumatic markers found, one of my siblings was and diagnosed as marfanoid as didn't quite meet criteria for marfan syndrome.

And when I was double checking that asthma/hayfever/eczema aren't considered autoimmune I did find this interesting link ...

@42istheanswer that link is interesting! I know some people with eczema are treated with immunosuppressants. My psoriatic arthritis was initially misdiagnosed as hypermobility (goodness knows how - I can't do any of the things on the Beighton scale). A few of my joints are "lax" though. That's quite a few conditions you are dealing with. I don't know too much about the ins and outs of IBS and IBD but I imagine the symptoms can be quite similar? Did you have tests done to rule out the IBD with your family history?