Hello :) and recent DKA experience

[digihat]

Good Afternoon everyone 🙂

I was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the summer following 2 hba1c which were both over 50. Over the last few months put a lot of time into diet changes, gym and losing weight. They were going for diet control which i thought was working and I was dong everything in right. In late November started feeling unwell gradually worsening over a few weeks it was after I threw my food up i went to doctors and they did some tests and found my Hbac1 was 100 which i still not sure how that happened. They then did a ketone urine strip test which sent me strait to A&E.

Was in hospital for about 4 days while they were getting me stabilised. Was told I was likely type 1 now and have to start using insulin going forward which ive been doing for about a month now. With long and rapid insulin being used in combination, thankfully needles dont bother me 🙂

Just started doing carb counting getting used to that. They have taken an antibody test to determine which type it is as could be type 2 still from what they tell me.

Just wondered if any had any similar experiences?

All the best

Digihat 🙂

 

[mitchsi]

Hi,
Sorry to hear of your recent issues, my story has some similarities as yours.
Early last year I went into no drinking, healthier eating, low carb and losing weight until July where I was feeling ‘off’ with classic symptons of type 1. Upon my return from hols (Aug) I was sent to hospital with high glucose (BG) and subsequently found out with high ketones and was in for dka for 5 days.
GAD and C-peptide confirmed T1D.
I was never diagnosed as type 2 but I do wonder if the low carb diet last year hid T1D symptoms.
If you’re confirmed as T1D could the 1st 2 high hba1c’s actually be due to T1D and not type2?
Did you have blurry vision at that time, huge thirst?
Do you remember being ill early last year before type2 diagnosis?

 

[digihat]

Hi,
Sorry to hear of your recent issues, my story has some similarities as yours.
Early last year I went into no drinking, healthier eating, low carb and losing weight until July where I was feeling ‘off’ with classic symptons of type 1. Upon my return from hols (Aug) I was sent to hospital with high glucose (BG) and subsequently found out with high ketones and was in for dka for 5 days.
GAD and C-peptide confirmed T1D.
I was never diagnosed as type 2 but I do wonder if the low carb diet last year hid T1D symptoms.
If you’re confirmed as T1D could the 1st 2 high hba1c’s actually be due to T1D and not type2?
Did you have blurry vision at that time, huge thirst?
Do you remember being ill early last year before type2 diagnosis?

Thanks for sharing your experience always helpful to hear what other people have been through.

The high blood sugar was found by accident as I got some private tests done with Bupa then followed up with GP. Had no other symptoms of anything been fine for months generally speaking was hoping I could get out of meds if I got it below 48. I gradually started feeling more tired then got thrush in mouth then the huge thirst kicked in lost track of the amount of liquids and nightly toilet visits. Lost over 30KG since last January, been told some of this will be the diabetes. I know DKA can happen with type 2 although rarer. Didn't have any blurry vision as far back as i can remember.

I've been feeling confused since it happened trying to figure out what set it off etc still no idea unfortunately will be a mystery. Diabetes nurses have been great with me since all this happened though 🙂

 

[Inka]

Welcome @digihat 🙂 Sadly, too many adults are just assumed to be Type 2 when they’re actually Type 1. I hope your tests give you confirmation.

We still don’t know what triggers the auto-immune attack in Type 1, but we do know it can start well before the person gets diagnosed (because the remaining beta cells struggle on until there are only around 20% left) and that Type 1 usually comes on more slowly in adulthood.

 

[mitchsi]

huge thirst kicked in lost track of the amount of liquids and nightly toilet visits

Yeah I found that, as it came on slow it was my wife that pointed it out the amount I was drinking.
It’s good to hear that you’re not alone and someone somewhere has experienced similar - I know I pleased to find this forum, it’s been a great help in several ways.
My HbA1C was 84 while in hospital and I had developed blurry vision during the month before hand - perhaps exasperated by heavy computer use.
I also can’t put a finger on why I developed T1D, very odd but it is what is.

Take it easy and good luck

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

The NICE guidelines would suggest sticking with a T1 diagnosis with the clinical presentation you described. One of the tricky things about getting diabetes classification correct is that the tests we have (like autoantibody) aren’t as clear cut as one would hope and carry the risk of false negatives.

1.1 Diagnosis and early care plan​

Initial diagnosis​

1.1.1​

Make an initial diagnosis of type 1 diabetes on clinical grounds in adults presenting with hyperglycaemia. Bear in mind that people with type 1 diabetes typically (but not always) have 1 or more of:

• ketosis
• rapid weight loss
• age of onset under 50 years
• body mass index (BMI) below 25 kg/m2
• personal and/or family history of autoimmune disease. [2015, amended 2022]

1.1.2​

Do not use age or BMI alone to exclude or diagnose type 1 diabetes in adults. [2022]

then…

1.1.6​

In people with a negative diabetes-specific autoantibody result, and if diabetes classification remains uncertain, consider measuring non-fasting serum C‑peptide (with a paired blood glucose). [2022]

and later…

Revisiting initial diagnosis​

1.1.7​

At subsequent clinical reviews, consider using serum C‑peptide to revisit the diabetes classification if there is doubt that type 1 diabetes is the correct diagnosis. [2022]

1.1.8​

Take into account that the discriminative value of serum C‑peptide to diagnose type 1 diabetes increases the longer the test is done after initial diagnosis of diabetes. [2022]

Recommendations | Type 1 diabetes in adults: diagnosis and management | Guidance | NICE

www.nice.org.uk