LADA

[kay88]

Hi everyone, I had some bloods done following a T2 Diagnosis last August 2023 and my GP made the following comment on my notes: "LADA; for DM team to review.£
So should I take this as a confirmation that I have LADA?

Keen to know more about people experiences and whether someone with LADA would need to go on Insulin staright away?

 

[Inka]

Hi @kay88 I don’t think they’d have the results of your antibodies test yet. You said you were having them done a week or two ago? I would think the doctor is just mentioning this and the possibility of Type 1/LADA and will send the test results and maybe you too to the consultant.

LADA is just a slower onset Type 1. At your age, my consultant wouldn’t even use the term. Starting insulin would depend on your blood sugars but early introduction of insulin is believed to help preserve your remaining beta cells longer, so it’s a good thing to get it ASAP.

 

[kay88]

Thank you...if it is LADA its a whole new ball game...I wont worry until I have something concrete...

 

[DaveB]

In addition to the antibody tests you should also be having a C-Peptide test; the latter shows your insulin production level. A proportion of LADAs including mine are not the result of antibodies but other factors such as a virus and so on. Both tests help to check what is going on. Either way if they show antibodies or a lack of insulin then insulin will bee needed at some point.

 

[helli]

A proportion of LADAs including mine are not the result of antibodies but other factors such as a virus and so on.

My understanding is that a virus can kick off the autoimmune reaction
Type 1 is an autoimmune conditions. If your insulin production is degrading due to anything else, I do not believe it is Type 1 although the treatment may be the same.
I certainly had a viral infection before my diagnosis but as my honeymoon period lasted about 8 years, I am confident the virus did not stop the insulin production.

 

[DaveB]

My understanding is that a virus can kick off the autoimmune reaction
Type 1 is an autoimmune conditions. If your insulin production is degrading due to anything else, I do not believe it is Type 1 although the treatment may be the same.
I certainly had a viral infection before my diagnosis but as my honeymoon period lasted about 8 years, I am confident the virus did not stop the insulin production.

How do you know that a virus triggers an autoimmune reaction? Is there any evidence for that versus direct damage from the virus itself? Hep A in the liver is caused by a virus but it isn't talked about as an auto-immune response? I agree that T1 is defined as an auto-immune condition but isn't that a rather daft definition? Surely it would make more sense for T1 to be defined as destruction of beta cells thru whatever cause? In the same way you had a virus just before diagnosis and your honeymoon lasted 8 years. I went down an identical route and would claim that my virus did start the decay of my insulin production. We need more research.

 

[Inka]

@DaveB As I understand it, in Type 1 cases where a virus is suspected to be involved, the virus itself doesn’t damage the beta cells. The virus sets off an immune response, as it should do, but the immune response is mistakenly directed against the beta cells because the immune system gets it wrong.