Misdiagnosis

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AlisonM

AlisonM

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1.5 LADA
Actually, I'm not sure that's the right word. It seems I may not be a Type 2 after all, but Type 1.5 or LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adulthood). When I saw the doc last Monday she mentioned it as a possibility because I lack most of the traditional symptoms for a Type 2. Plus, the usual meds like Metformin aren't helping as much as they should, nor is the diet and exercise regime. Despite following all the rules my numbers are still reaching the mid teens almost daily. I'm nagging the doctor to refer me to the Diabetic Clinic where I can get proper advice and support, going by past efforts it'll take me about 9 weeks, in the meantime she's going to do more tests to confirm the diagnosis. I'll keep you posted.
 
Yes Alison thats the exact same boat im in the tests i had done at the hospital will determine for definate what i actually am lol, so good luck hun x
 
I wonder how many more of us there are out there.
 
Hi Alison,

Thats an interesting post, but must be a bit on the unsettling side for you hon?

You or others have probably seen me post about this before but I was diagnosed as type 2 initially, made no progress on metformin, it was also discussed that I might be type 1.5. There was no confirmation though.....it was sometime later when I happened to see a new registrar, (one of my favourite as it goes) and she asked had I had antobody levels done before? I had them done, and whatever the result was confirmed that actually I was type 1. It was a very long and drawn process.

When I learned more about it, I was suprised they just dont perform this test initally (perhaps its not good so early?) just to be sure. The consultant at that time seem to keep going on about my weight and age (28 at diagnosis) and not a lot on my father being type 1, which gated me actually....

Anyhow, hope everything works out well for you Alison. Will you keep us posted? xx
 
Yes, I'll keep you posted. One of my main concerns is that I was doing quite well when I was on Gliclazide and Metformin, if you don't count the hypos. The doctor took me off the Gliclazide rather than prescribe test strips and my numbers started climbing again. Metformin and diet aren't enough. I haven't had the GAD or C-Peptide tests yet, I guess that's what's planned.
 
Steff nice to see you posting (I haven't been in since Friday)

Glad there are tests being done and hopefully answers soon. I hope it all works out for you.
 
What is LADA? I googled it n just got confuzzeled lol
 
smile4loubie said:
What is LADA? I googled it n just got confuzzeled lol
Click to expand...

I'm confusst by it too, all I know is that LADA stands for Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adulthood. It seems to be a slow onset Type 1 diabetes with the pancreas losing function more slowly than the classic Type 1. This Wiki article explains it fairly well. There is usually a history of autoimune diseases in the family. In my family's case that's anklyosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis and pernicious anaemia, the latter two of which I've had all my life
 
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Depending on who you read about 10/20% of those who were diagnosed as type 2 have LADA ie they have a gradual autoimmune destruction of the of beta cells and will eventually become insulin dependent. In fact it means that there are more people who become type 1 in later years than in childhood. The loss of beta cells though is far slower and because the person is older they have developed a greater beta cell mass in the first place and better counter regulatory systems.

The beta cell loss doesn't necesarilly follow a predictable pattern either. It may happen over many years. One researcher has a model in which he describes a pattern of autoimmune attack with subsequent loss of beta cells followed by a remission with some regrowth,followed by another attack but starting from a lower number of working beta cells followed by more regrowth. This could happen many times over many years until eventually there is insufficient natural insulin being produced.

This rings true for me. I was never misdiagnosed by a doctor,just by myself.
I certainly had two distinct 'attacks'. The first one I lost a lot of weight, had all the symptoms . I 'knew' I had diabetes. I even checked with a urine strip...though didn't realise the significance of the high result .I thought that type 2 was a 'mild' disorder and it was easier not to go to the doctors. (stupid but I'd just moved to France) Things then seemed to resolve for 3 years. During this time I did a lot of exercise (restoring a house and large garden )and had a reasonably healthy diet. Most of the time I felt fine, except for recurrent thrush.
Thenall the symptoms returned, I lost loads more weight, becoming very underweight, and eventually I ended up in hospital with DKA and a shock type 1 diagnosis. My fasting glucose at official diagnosis was 22mmol.
Now five years later, I take only 0.35 units of insulin per kilo compared with a norm for type 1 of 0.5 units or more. I have far more problems with hypos than hypers. It is unusual to ever get a level above 10mmol. Sometimes I wonder if if thats just because I've learnt how to control it or because I still have some residual beta cell function.
 
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