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Is it possible?

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Could a type 1 diabetic pancreas still be producing some insulin despite having the condition for close on 30 years?
 
Don't know but if you find out, can you let me know please !:D

The hardest part would be persuading someone to test for it I should think. I've wondered myself at times.

Rob
 
It may be that, in order to survive for 50 years, you need a pancreas that still produces insulin. Or it's a more common situation than we realise.

Have you had some unexplained BG tests Toby ?

Rob
 
Helen, Am I right in remembering that part of the Joslin 50 year study suggested that their was both insulin production and beta cell destruction going on in some of those 50yr medallists... So that if a treatment could be fashioned that controlled the auto-immune system and prevented it from splatting the islet cells there may be some T1s who could begin to recover a higher level of insulin production?
 
It seems that, like you Alan, some or maybe most, of those diagnosed later in life with T1 retain some function.

It may just be a slower decline of course.

Rob
 
I certainly am as those of you who follow my adventures will know. And, I've read (somewhere) that the majority of T1s still produce some insulin some of the time.
 
There's clearly a lot more mechanisms at work than we're led to believe. I doubt if I've got any beta cell function left. I don't get any erratic BGs that I can't explain, so if there is any, it's not enough to affect anything.

It would be nice to speak to some of the leading lights in the research fields to answer some fo the questions though.🙂

Rob
 
I still produce some insulin. Have had type 1 for 46 years. 🙂
 
HelenM said:
Yes, it seems that over 2/3 of the Joslin medallists ; those who've had T1 for 50+ years still make some insulin.
http://www.joslin.org/50_year_medalist_study.html
Click to expand...



Thanks HelenM for the link, astonished to find that 66% of the Medalists still produce some insulin, even more interesting is some are protected from beta-cell destruction, my understanding was that all type 1's suffered total destruction:confused:

Robster65 said:
Have you had some unexplained BG tests Toby ?

Rob
Click to expand...



No not really Rob just curious that's all. I was told when diagnosed that my insulin requirements would start off low but increase over the years due to full beta-cell elimination and some insulin resistance, this was the case initially for 20 years but over the last few years my insulin usage has gradually got less, I seem to be particularly insulin sensative in the mornings and early evening - typically injecting one unit of QA to 10g of carbohydrate, 5 or 10 years ago I would need 2-3 units for the same 10g portion.
 
I've only recently (past 12 months or so) been properly carb counting. Prior to this I was just guessing, so I can't really make true comparison of needs.

I know I'm using less insulin now but Im also eating less and exercising more.

I'm also interested to find out but I would imagine it's not a cheap and easy test for a GP to do so there's zero hope of ever knowing.

Rob
 
I'm fascinated by this aspect, plus their finding about most of em having c-peptide production.

One of the Admin over at diabetes-support has just had her c-peptide production tested - because 8 and a half years after diagnosis she was still classified as T2 despite only existing on insulin all that time, it's because she was in her 50's and although she'd lost half a ton in a few weeks (like a lot of us!) they said T2 and stuck her on Metformin and she felt so b awful she went online and she 'found' Alt.Support.Diabetes - which was a newsgroup, who remembers them? - and people said bet you are T1. Doc put her on insulin and she changed her diet as directed and ate shedloads of carbs which she'd never eaten before in her life and put on 3 stone ...... Then she discovered how daft the NHS obsession with carbs was, taught her to carb count and changed back to her old diet and has been better ever since, but still can't shift the weight. Anyway she heard - possibly from Sue! - that there are now a couple of decent Consultants in Cornwall so she asked to see one, cos this 'not knowing' was evidently getting to her. She does produce some c-peptide - but nowhere near enough to 'not be diabetic'. And she's definitely T1.

Very, very interesting !
 
I've just googled private c-peptide tests and the first one to come up is about ?240, so I guess I'll remain ignorant.🙄

I'm presuming, unless you're havign severe problems, or are part of a trial, you'd never know.

Rob
 
True, but don't think we can get that ourselves, or can we?
 
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