LADA diagnosis - at a standstill

[Wifeypage]

I was diagnosed as type 2 November 2017 - in January 2018 I have a change of diagnosis to LADA 1.5.

I no all the general information of I had to lose weight keep well keep healthy sleep well etc ...

I lost nearly 3 stone through weight watchers and now maintaining. I’m exercising minimum 2x a week these days.

Now what??? I don’t hear anything. I check numbers every now and then and I’m fine. I suffer at times with “low bloods” but they aren’t really low. I am lacking in energy, tired, hungry, thirsty etc all the symptoms b BS are 5-6+ mmol.

I have 2 metformin each day and that’s all. I no it’s a onset diagnosis and will get worse. But what more can I do? Do I still need the metformin? Haven’t had any bloods taken since March. Do I need more taken? My doctors are rubbish lol

Any support or someone in my situation with answers would help
Thanks in advance

 

[Ralph-YK]

Welcome Wifeypage.
Are you on insulin (which one)? LADA is T1 diagnosed in older people I believe, so would have to inject insulin. Metformin is for T2 so I've heard.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome and really well done on your weight loss and those readings are really good but when are they taken? ie at random times or are they fasting readings or before bed? How often do you test? Once a day, once a week??
You are saying that you have been diagnosed LADA since Jan 2018 ie 19 months ago, is that correct and you are controlling it just with Metformin, diet and exercise? ....ie No insulin? That would be pretty impressive!
Can you give us an idea of what you eat on an average day?
Were you referred to a consultant when you got your LADA diagnosis? Do you have regular/annual blood tests to check your HbA1c and feet checks and retinal screening?
How did your original diagnosis come about? Were you symptomatic then or was it found by chance via a routine blood test. What was your original HbA1c when you were first diagnosed?

 

[rebrascora]

Sorry, lots of questions above. Obviously you don't have to answer any of them, but it helps us to figure out what is going on and how best to advise you.

 

[Wifeypage]

those readings are really good but when are they taken? ie at random times or are they fasting readings or before bed? Random or when feeling a little pants
How often do you test? Once a day, once a week?? Few times a month
You are saying that you have been diagnosed LADA since Jan 2018 ie 19 months ago, is that correct and you are controlling it just with Metformin, diet and exercise? ....ie No insulin? Yes that’s correct and only needing metformin for now not sure why tho but I’m taking as the doctor said. I was on Gliclazide but was taken off it after my research and low sugars constantly. Obviously weight loss is helping, I’m more active than I was
Can you give us an idea of what you eat on an average day? I still follow weight watchers they go by points - b-weetabix milk and fruit L-sandwich and fruit/veggies D-curry, casserole, etc allhomemade hardly ever processed. Weren’t really told what to eat just lose weight and watch portion control. Sometimes have brown bread or pastas but not as much any mor
Were you referred to a consultant when you got your LADA diagnosis? Spoke with some diabetes nurses but that’s all also dieticians
Do you have regular/annual blood tests to check your HbA1c and feet checks and retinal screening? Yes to these
How did your original diagnosis come about?
I had gestational diabetes when pregnant in 2016. In 2017 I went for a routine blood check where they said type 2. But January docs said he was worried it was something more. Went for more in-depth bloods and it was showing high. That’s when I was diagnosed LADA
Were you symptomatic then or was it found by chance via a routine blood test. What was your original HbA1c when you were first diagnosed?
I had some excess sweating out it down to hormones. I was tired but I had a new baby, I was thirsty but always been thirsty. Extra weight. Think it was 42

Does any of this help??

 

[rebrascora]

That is all very odd! Your diet is not particularly low carb, so it seems extremely unlikely you could maintain readings like that on that diet if you were Type 1.5 LADA. When you say 5-6+ I assume the + does not mean in the 15s or 20s?? An HbA1c reading of 42 is only just prediabetic .
It sounds to me like there is something else going on other than diabetes or as well as diabetes, but those readings of 5-6 with that diet are not indicating diabetes in my opinion.

I suffer at times with “low bloods” but they aren’t really low.

If your BG has been dropping low then maybe you have the opposite problem which I think is called Reactive Hypoglycaemia. If by low bloods you mean something else like low red or white cell count, obviously that is very different.

But January docs said he was worried it was something more. Went for more in-depth bloods and it was showing high. That’s when I was diagnosed LADA

Why did the doctor think there was something more than Type 2 going on in Jan? Did you have high BG readings then? Metformin on it's own would be unlikely to treat Type 1.5 LADA if my understanding is correct.

Hopefully someone else can make more sense of this than me or correct me if some of my assumptions about LADA are wrong. I am not a medical professional, so I am just commenting as a fellow Diabetic

 

[Wifeypage]

That is all very odd! Your diet is not particularly low carb, so it seems extremely unlikely you could maintain readings like that on that diet if you were Type 1.5 LADA. When you say 5-6+ I assume the + does not mean in the 15s or 20s?? An HbA1c reading of 42 is only just prediabetic .
It sounds to me like there is something else going on other than diabetes or as well as diabetes, but those readings of 5-6 with that diet are not indicating diabetes in my opinion.


If your BG has been dropping low then maybe you have the opposite problem which I think is called Reactive Hypoglycaemia. If by low bloods you mean something else like low red or white cell count, obviously that is very different.


Why did the doctor think there was something more than Type 2 going on in Jan? Did you have high BG readings then? Metformin on it's own would be unlikely to treat Type 1.5 LADA if my understanding is correct.

Hopefully someone else can make more sense of this than me or correct me if some of my assumptions about LADA are wrong. I am not a medical professional, so I am just commenting as a fellow Diabetic

I’m younger than the normal age it is found and very early on with it. The worked out I would be fully insulin dependent within 6 years. Not sure on in and outs but as I said I haven’t really had much from doctors or consultants. It feels like that’s it no one cares as such as I’ve been left to this. Apparently losing weight etc is helping to prolong it. Things like becoming g I’ll stressed etc will bring on the insulin sooner.
This is found through the gad test at the hospital where they look closer into it. LADA is an autoimmune disease meaning it takes years to show. My gestational diabetes is what’s given it a boost.

 

[Ralph-YK]

This is found through the gad test ... LADA is an autoimmune disease

Like T1.

it takes years to show.

I thought, once it started, it was rather quick!

and very early on with it.

That could very well mean you're still producing insulin.

Not sure on in and outs but as I said I haven’t really had much from doctors or consultants. It feels like that’s it no one cares as such as I’ve been left to this.

Sorry to hear this Wifeypage. Hopefully at some point we'll be able to help.

 

[Robin]

I thought, once it started, it was rather quick!

Not necessarily. Once mine had got going, it was quite quick, but looking back, if I analyse various episodes during the previous three years, I think the signs were there, it would only have taken an illness or something for it to have manifested itself.

 

[Wifeypage]

Like T1.

I thought, once it started, it was rather quick!

That could very well mean you're still producing insulin.

Sorry to hear this Wifeypage. Hopefully at some point we'll be able to help.

Not sure whether age or anything comes into really. I was told that eventually the metformin will eventually stop working and body shutting down. When that time comes is when it will be beginning to get worse as insulin will be needed as extra. On a lot of research I’ve done they say that it is misdiagnosed as type 2 to begin with. But also I keep reading on “the honeymoon period” whether that’s it or not I’m not sure

 

[Ralph-YK]

A number of people on here were misdiagnosed as T2, and were "older" at diagnosis. There was a thing of T1 being young people, and old people getting T2.

But also I keep reading on “the honeymoon period” whether that’s it or not I’m not sure

I'm not either, though at a guess it could be.

 

[rebrascora]

Have you considered eating a low carb diet to try to maintain/prolong this intermediary period where your blood glucose is reasonably stable?
I am pretty sure it will become obvious when your pancreas does run dry and since you have a BG meter you are at least in a position to monitor it as you are doing now or if you start to feel unwell and it rises, go back to your GP or other HCP to get started on insulin.