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LADA diagnosis : (

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DamoDamo

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Type 1.5 LADA
I have just found out I am LADA from an antibody test. Despite that my first HBA1C (after type 2 diagnosis) was within non-diabetic range.

I am on metformin. I am not on insulin.

Has anyone been here? I would be very grateful to know what happens next.
 
Starting off is weird. There's the honeymoon period where most of it seems to work, and you try to manage it with diet and exercise. I got awAy with this for a few months, but having to gradually increase exercise and decrease carbs to try and hit targets. Eventually I was doing up to 5 hours a day on exercise bike. I then through in the towel and started insulin. You're not a failure. I should have done it earlier.

Everyone's honeymoon period is different, but don't beat yourself up over it.

HTH
 
LADA is basically like T1, and is just a bit slower developing than in those diagnosed at a younger age. Your antibodies have started to destroy the beta cells which make your insulin. Nothing that you could have done to prevent this at all. Just something to adapt to and find your new normal life.

In the early days you will still have some beta cells that will produce some insulin when they feel they are able to. This can be a bit unpredictable, and over the years (I was diagnosed at the age of 53) I found I realised I needed a bit more insulin and guessed that this was another batch of beta cells gone.

Each individual develops the need for insulin at a different rate, and some like @Northerner, found that they didn’t need a sensor much insulin for ages. You will need to monitor things and adapt as you go. Are you in the care of the specialist team at the hospital, or with the nurses at your Practice. If your levels start to rise it will be important to get the helps of the specialist team to help you learn hw to adjust your doses of insulin according to what you choose to eat, and your background needs.

Whatever questions you have just ask. Nothing is considered silly on here, and there is plenty of experience to draw in. Glad that you have found us.
 
Welcome to the forum @DamoDamo

We have a few LADAs and T1s diagnosed in adulthood here, so plenty of people to compare notes with.

Ask away with any questions, and feel free to just rant and moan - we all understand the frustrations 🙂
 
barrym said:
Starting off is weird. There's the honeymoon period where most of it seems to work, and you try to manage it with diet and exercise. I got awAy with this for a few months, but having to gradually increase exercise and decrease carbs to try and hit targets. Eventually I was doing up to 5 hours a day on exercise bike. I then through in the towel and started insulin. You're not a failure. I should have done it earlier.

Everyone's honeymoon period is different, but don't beat yourself up over it.

HTH
Click to expand...
Thank you.
 
Hi, welcome. Please try not to panic. No type of diabetes is worse than another, it’s just how it needs to be treated etc that’s different .
Check out my signature below re my diagnosis.
I wasn’t prescribed insulin until 2016, though I did need it before but LADA had never been considered. So my tablets were changed, increased and I received lots of sour looks from some HCPs . I had never even heard of LADA or in fact many other types before I came on here.

Fortunately It seems as though your HCPs are more on the ball .

Please don’t panic about insulin either . It was many years before I needed it , others May need it more quickly.

Insulin is a hormone that the beta cells in our pancreas makes naturally, so we are well used to it , it’s the not having enough of it or that for some reason it’s unable to get into our cells, that causes us problems .

The injections are laughable too , although some prefer to use longer needles , most if us use 4mm and that’s real tiny. They don’t hurt either. Mostly you don’t even feel them.

Have you heard the one where insulin will make you put on weight if you haven’t, you most likely will, it’s an old wives tale , it’s over eating that causes it.

I hope in some way I and everyone who has and who will reply have helped to allay your fears. Don’t get me wrong ok as no one wants diabetes, but if your going to have a chronic condition (in medicalise, chronic means long term, rather than bad) then diabetes in my very personal opinion is one of the better choices.

Knowledge is power, so ask all the questions you need to, we’ll do our best to help, based on what has worked for us.
 
Ljc said:
Hi, welcome. Please try not to panic. No type of diabetes is worse than another, it’s just how it needs to be treated etc that’s different .
Check out my signature below re my diagnosis.
I wasn’t prescribed insulin until 2016, though I did need it before but LADA had never been considered. So my tablets were changed, increased and I received lots of sour looks from some HCPs . I had never even heard of LADA or in fact many other types before I came on here.

Fortunately It seems as though your HCPs are more on the ball .

Please don’t panic about insulin either . It was many years before I needed it , others May need it more quickly.

Insulin is a hormone that the beta cells in our pancreas makes naturally, so we are well used to it , it’s the not having enough of it or that for some reason it’s unable to get into our cells, that causes us problems .

The injections are laughable too , although some prefer to use longer needles , most if us use 4mm and that’s real tiny. They don’t hurt either. Mostly you don’t even feel them.

Have you heard the one where insulin will make you put on weight if you haven’t, you most likely will, it’s an old wives tale , it’s over eating that causes it.

I hope in some way I and everyone who has and who will reply have helped to allay your fears. Don’t get me wrong ok as no one wants diabetes, but if your going to have a chronic condition (in medicalise, chronic means long term, rather than bad) then diabetes in my very personal opinion is one of the better choices.

Knowledge is power, so ask all the questions you need to, we’ll do our best to help, based on what has worked for us.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for this lovely reply. My sugars seem to have gone up since the new diagnosis and I am finding the transition difficult to deal with. I knew what to do to beat Type 2. Oh well. Thank you for taking the time to reply. x
 
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Their are quite a few of us who have LADA on here, mostly first misdiagnosed with T2, so you are in good company . The good thing is you have received the correct dx early.

How you manage LADA depends on what diabetes medication you are on, to be honest even though my dx was T2 at the time , I’ve found it much easier to manage since I’ve bee; on a long acting insulin and a separate rapid insulin for meals, often called MDI on here.

Stress can make your BGs go up and I am guessing you are pretty stressed atm.
Have they gone up by much
 
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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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