New here… kinda new to diabetes. To cut a very long story short, diagnosed type 2 last September. Covid meant all consultations were done over phone. Thing is I’m fit and very slim BMI 19. At time of diagnosis was running 3-4 miles a day diet was fairly decent (sweet tooth at times) once I did get to see and endo he ran some test which showed slightly raised anti gad (55) hba1c around 6.5. So started on small amount of insulin (as antigad pointed to type 1) which gave me too many lows so over the last month I have controlled through fitness and diet. My a1c according to freestyle is 5.4 and I usually stay between around 5 bg most of the day on very low carb diet. Thing is my c-peptide came back as good insulin production possible resistance. So now nobody knows what I am? I have a history of suspected gestational diabetes (just scraped through on test) several episodes of high blood sugar Over the last 20 years but not high enough to be diabetic. I am insomniac and have suffered with stress for many years. I am 44 have 4 children and have no history of diabetes in immediate family. Sorry if I didn’t cut my long story short enough guys. Love to all you guys, this is hard work xxx
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Hello
- Thread starter EmmaL76
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Drummer
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- Type 2
I find that I sleep better and cope with stress more easily on the 40 gm of carbs a day I have settled on as my limit than when eating a 'healthy' high carb diet.
Being unable to cope with carbs can mean that the problem escalates year on year, and by eating a low carb diet a type two can begin to return to normal. It takes the pressure off and many people feel a lot better in many ways. Hopefully low carb will do the trick for you, if good insulin production continues.
Being unable to cope with carbs can mean that the problem escalates year on year, and by eating a low carb diet a type two can begin to return to normal. It takes the pressure off and many people feel a lot better in many ways. Hopefully low carb will do the trick for you, if good insulin production continues.
Hi Thankyou for your response. Yes this has been something I questioned but with my diabetes team your either 1 or 2 nothing in between. When I mentioned LADA to my endo he acted like he had never heard of it. I saw a private endo and he said there are lots of variations but that it’s not important I just have to stay in range. I had gestational diabetes over 20 years ago which is a factor in type 2 I believe and have had issues with blood sugar on and off since then but never high enough to be called diabetic until last September.
Inka
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome @EmmaL76 🙂 Did you have tests for all the Type 1 antibodies not just GAD? From what you’ve said about your C Peptide and your previous Gestational Diabetes, my money’s on Type 2
As long as you test and just keep an eye on things, I wouldn’t worry. It sounds like all’s going well for you 🙂
As long as you test and just keep an eye on things, I wouldn’t worry. It sounds like all’s going well for you 🙂
Inka
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- Type 1
Ah, ok - so I’m sticking with my Type 2 guess
Even though I’ve been treated as Type 1 for years, I recently had the antibodies tests because they were looking for missed cases of MODY (genetic diabetes). My tests confirmed I was Type 1. My consultant said that you needed two or more antibodies to be Type 1. I don’t remember exactly what she said about GAD or the name she called it, but she said they could be present in other conditions or with no conditions too, I think, if they were there but at a low level.Well this is all very interesting and complicated. My gut feeling is type 2. Although I am slim and work out, I have neglected myself in other ways, I wouldn’t say I have had an eating disorder, but I certainly have been through times where I have virtually starved myself to get to where I wanna be then chose the wrong foods because I’ve been so hungry! I havnt been kind to myself. So nice to hear your story, we don’t all tick the right boxes and each and every experience is unique. Thanks again. Im finding out more in one evening than in a year of talking to experts. It appreciated so much xx
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From memory checking for multiple antibodies is likely to reduce the risk of false positives.
What amazed me when going through the 2015 NICE thing, was how meagre the evidence was for antibody tests. Lots of chance for false negatives and errors. That’s why they aren’t routinely used. But they can help to clarify certain oddball diabetes presentations.
Another member @Robin (I think) whose Drs don’t really subscribe to LADA being a separate thing.
But balancing that there are data that show that diabetes which develops over the age of 18 seems to have slightly different pathology.
Interesting stuff!
And of course we have other members here who don’t fit into the standard neat boxes. Like those who initially presented as pretty classic T1, but whose insulin needs fell over time, and at least one @Northerner hasn’t taken basal insulin for years.
It’s a complex thing this diabetes lark!
Thankyou so much for your input. I have also heard that since Covid there has been an uptake in unusual cases which I’m sure will be studied going forward. It’s nice to be here, I’m sorry that others are going through this but also comforted they are, I’ve been told ooh your a strange one, tested for cancers and to be honest felt like a bit of a freak !
Robin
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- Type 1
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- She/Her
When I was being diagnosed at the hospital, 15 years ago, they just did GAD antibodies, as far as I know. (that’s all that was reported back in the letter to my GP) The hospital at the time seemed to be falling over themselves not to 'label'people. I had been misdiagnosed as Type 2 by my GP, and the hospital notes put me down as LADA at first, then six months later it changed to 'Auto immune'. They seemed to be going with the 'it doesn’t matter about labels, what's important is that you get the right treatment for you as an individual'. Then I went on holiday, and the first question the Travel Insurance form asked was 'Are you Type 1 or Type 2?' So I attempted to discuss this the next time I went for an appointment, and the registrar tied himself in knots trying to explain what type I had, without actually giving it a label.
Fast forward 5 years, (in the meantime I'd been discharged back to my GP for care, so hadn’t been to the hospital clinic) and I went to a talk at a new DUK local group, which had invited a consultant from the hospital to give a talk. Well, he went on about Type 1 this and Type 2 that, as if they’d never tried to abolish the labels! (He still didn’t mention LADA though)
So I expect it’s whatever's in fashion at the time.
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Well, that’s one thing I recommend you do whatever your type - be kind to yourself 🙂 Diabetes can be wearing and it’s important to set yourself realistic goals, reward yourself for small victories, and not beat yourself up for making mistakes. A lot of the battle is an emotional one.
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