hi

[Adam1972]

Hello. I'm just starting out on my diabetes journey with a mix of apprehension and worry. This forum looks like people offer good advice based on their experiences so I'm glad to be here. I was taken to hospital with DKA mid April. Stayed in for a week. Left hospital with medication - levemir 10 in the morning and 12 in the evening and novarapid - 8, 8, 10 before meals. Over the last 6 weeks or so, levemir has been reduced to 5 in the morning and 6 in the evening. The novarapid has been stopped and I have been given metformin - presently taking 1 x 500 tablet after evening meal. Blood sugar has been in range throughout this process.

I have a couple of questions if I may? I was told to increase the metformin to 2 x 500 tablets after evening meal but a bit concerned about doing this without conveying to someone that my blood sugars average 5.5 and ask whether the the metformin may cause it to go lower? Also, I am suffering with a painful bout of piles possibly due to the medication - am I ok to take fibogel orange as I've got some of that in the cupboard just to make going to the loo a bit more comfortable (it's not the sugar free version). Finally, there is some confusion over what type of diabetic I actually am - Cpeptide test done in hospital was low suggesting type 1 yet antibody test test was negative therefore unlikely to be type 1. The diabetes doctor said that my pancreas could have been overwhelmed during the DKA episode and now seems to have recovered a bit which is why they are treating me as type 2 rather than type 1. I have heard there is a type 1.5 but don't know much about that. Thank you in anticipation for any advice you can offer on any of this. My head is in a bit of a whirl with everything that's happened. Have a good day.

 

[Ljc]

Hi @Adam1972 welcome to the forum .
Type 1.5 or as it’s often called LADA (latent autoimmune diabetes in adults) is like a a slow onset type 1. It initially responds to T2 medications but sooner or later only insulin will do . I’ve found GPs and their practice diabetes nurses often know little if anything about this type of diabetes.
I was treated as T2 for years.

You having DKA in my non medical opinion suggests you have T1
You also , going by the C-peptide are not producing much insulin. means T1 or LADA Often folks diagnoses with T1 go through a honeymooners period after going onto insulin, it’s where the beta cells in your pancreas are able to produce more insulin for a while.

My understanding of antibodies is, they are present when your body is actuvely trying to destroy whatever it believes is foreign and for a short time afterward then they disappear, but another part of our immune system the T cells retains the memory of what worked for x y or z yrs and yrs ago and can gear itself up to produce the necessary antibodies again if needed.

If diarrhoea is your problem atm it could be the Metformin, it’s well know for this, it often settles down after a while, it’s the main reason why they increase the dose gradually .

You could try Psyllium Husk if it’s the opposite problem , it’s the main ingredient of fibrogel .
Sorry I don’t know if ordinary fibogel is ok for you , I’ve never taken it

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[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Adam1972

Some members of the forum have mentioned experiences similar to yours, where their pancreas get a bit of a ‘second wind’ after having been supported by the insulin. Good that you have access to both long acting (basal) and mealtime insulins though, should you begin to need help with meals again.

Metformin doesn’t work directly on BG levels on a per-meal basis, but works by increasing insulin sensitivity, and reducing the level of glucose released from the liver. I believe some find it helps to take it with a fairly substantial meal, but one with a moderate carbohydrate content

Good luck, and let us know once your diagnosis has been confirmed. 🙂