New diagnosis with existing Coeliac Disease.

[LA119]

First ever time using a forum so please excuse any faux pas. My husband who has Coeliac disease was diagnosed with Type 2 yesterday and he is absolutely devastated. He has already lost weight ( which was clearly symptomatic) so is not overweight and his blood sugar was 109. He is also a smoker and feels totally overwhelmed with the barrage of information and the prospect of overhauling his lifestyle and eating habits. Looking for guidance as to support/ diet that encompasses both conditions and how to get us started on the right path. Thanks.

 

[EllsBells]

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition and it might be that he is not a Type 2 at all but a late onset Type 1 or LADA, which is also an autoimmune condition where the immune system destroys the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas. It might be worth pushing for a c-peptide test or testing for ketones to ensure it is the correct diagnosis. I'm sure that a few T1s will be pricking their ears up at your post too. Type 1 needs insulin, and T2 medications may not be appropriate for your husband so the sooner you both know, the better the outcome will be.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome

Sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis on top of his other condition.
My immediate thoughts are that he is possibly misdiagnosed and may well be Type 1 and not Type 2 diabetic.
The things that suggest that are his sudden very high HbA1c, his weight loss and his Coeliac disease which I believe is an autoimmune condition... as is Type 1 diabetes and these things are sometimes linked.

What medication has he been prescribed and do you have a Blood Glucose meter to monitor his BG levels at home?

Diabetes is mostly about carbohydrates so there will be quite a bit of overlap with his coeliac diet in that grains like wheat are high in starch which is a carbohydrate, so cutting down or avoiding avoiding those carb rich foods like bread and pasta and pastry and batter and breakfast cereals are something which we would recommend to newly diagnosed Type 2s anyway, along with other grains like rice, barley, corn and oats even and root veg like potatoes and parsnips and exotic fruits like bananas and pineapple and mango etc.... mostly we stick to a few berries (rhubarb is good with a little articicial sweetener) as they are low carb and pack a punch both flavour and nutrient wise so a little goes a long way.

It may sound like that doesn't leave much to eat but it is actually very enjoyable once you get your head around it. It's just that we have spent most of our lives basing our meals on these carb rich staples that it needs a bit of a rethink.

We can give you lots of suggestions if we know more about the medication your husband has been given but I would push you to challenge his Typ[e 2 diagnosis and ask for further testing..... in particular C-peptide and GAD antibody tests to check he is not Type 1. Many of us were misdiagnosed as Type 2 purely because we became symptomatic at a later age than most GPs believe Type 1 diabetes can exhibit. ie we were not children which is a common misconception even amongst health care professionals. I was 56 when I developed it. Thankfully my HCPs were open minded about it and had a case conference with the consultant who eventually authorized the tests I have mentioned above which led to my correct diagnosis. If your husband is Type 1, he will need insulin sooner rather than later which will make him feel better even if the thought of it may be scary.

We are here to support you both and offer practical advice so please keep coming back to the forum to ask questions and get practical support from people who have "been there and got the T-shirt"

 

[trophywench]

Thing is as coeliac means you can't eat wheat gluten, this gives the ideal opportunity to cut down on carbohydrate containing wheat flour - so just cut down further on carb anyway to accommodate the diabetes.

 

[Inka]

How long has he had coeliac disease? If it’s a while and he’s been following a gluten-free diet, then is his weight loss unexpected? If so, I agree Type 1 should be ruled out.

I’d prioritise that and then you’d know where you were, so to speak.

 

[LA119]

Hi and welcome

Sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis on top of his other condition.
My immediate thoughts are that he is possibly misdiagnosed and may well be Type 1 and not Type 2 diabetic.
The things that suggest that are his sudden very high HbA1c, his weight loss and his Coeliac disease which I believe is an autoimmune condition... as is Type 1 diabetes and these things are sometimes linked.

What medication has he been prescribed and do you have a Blood Glucose meter to monitor his BG levels at home?

Diabetes is mostly about carbohydrates so there will be quite a bit of overlap with his coeliac diet in that grains like wheat are high in starch which is a carbohydrate, so cutting down or avoiding avoiding those carb rich foods like bread and pasta and pastry and batter and breakfast cereals are something which we would recommend to newly diagnosed Type 2s anyway, along with other grains like rice, barley, corn and oats even and root veg like potatoes and parsnips and exotic fruits like bananas and pineapple and mango etc.... mostly we stick to a few berries (rhubarb is good with a little articicial sweetener) as they are low carb and pack a punch both flavour and nutrient wise so a little goes a long way.

It may sound like that doesn't leave much to eat but it is actually very enjoyable once you get your head around it. It's just that we have spent most of our lives basing our meals on these carb rich staples that it needs a bit of a rethink.

We can give you lots of suggestions if we know more about the medication your husband has been given but I would push you to challenge his Typ[e 2 diagnosis and ask for further testing..... in particular C-peptide and GAD antibody tests to check he is not Type 1. Many of us were misdiagnosed as Type 2 purely because we became symptomatic at a later age than most GPs believe Type 1 diabetes can exhibit. ie we were not children which is a common misconception even amongst health care professionals. I was 56 when I developed it. Thankfully my HCPs were open minded about it and had a case conference with the consultant who eventually authorized the tests I have mentioned above which led to my correct diagnosis. If your husband is Type 1, he will need insulin sooner rather than later which will make him feel better even if the thought of it may be scary.

We are here to support you both and offer practical advice so please keep coming back to the forum to ask questions and get practical support from people who have "been there and got the T-shirt"

Wow…that is such a welcome, comprehensive and very much appreciated response-thank you so much. There is a consensus that Chris should be checked for Type 1 and we shall definitely pursue that.
He has today picked up his meds…Zicron Glicazide ( 2x40mg daily) and been given a BG Meter for home checking.
Chris was diagnosed with Coeliac over 10 years ago and has followed a very strict gluten free diet ever since with no discernible slip-ups. His weight loss of 2.5 stone has occurred over a 12 month period and whilst he was overweight to start with, the loss has been unintentional. He has also experienced symptoms of extreme fatigue, thirst, intermittent blurred vision, dry skin ( especially on his legs) and some tingling/numbness in his fingers…..being a novice in all of this, I am not sure if all of these are relevant?
Once again….many thanks for the response; we feel quite overwhelmed and are hoping to see a nurse and a dietitian to give us some guidance.