Rather angry. Newly diagnosed. Lost eyesight.

[EmmaL76]

I have chronic anaemia. When my hba1c was raised initially this was thought to be the culprit. One thing I would say that if a high a1c is due to anaemia of any kind there will be no corresponding rise in finger prick testing. Considering one of my first readings was 28 I think it was a pretty safe bet that I am indeed diabetic and anemic

 

[CharliePBC]

Very very tricky as a normal HbA1c test is just never going to provide reliable results when you have AIHA.

Red blood cells usually last between 90 and 120 days so the test relies on that. Your red blood cells don't do normal things.

It seems that any HBA1C reading with low RBC will be an artificially low figure, such that my 48 and 72 readings would in all probability have been much higher if adjusted to read correctly.

 

[CharliePBC]

I have chronic anaemia. When my hba1c was raised initially this was thought to be the culprit. One thing I would say that if a high a1c is due to anaemia of any kind there will be no corresponding rise in finger prick testing. Considering one of my first readings was 28 I think it was a pretty safe bet that I am indeed diabetic and anemic

Odd, as lack of Red Blood Cells tends to give an artificial low HBA1C it makes logical sense, fewer RBCs for the crystallized sugars to cling onto, thus a lower HBA1C number, making you feel all is ok when in fact all might not be ok!

 

[CharliePBC]

I meant that your red blood cells do not live anywhere near the expected time, therefore I am entirely unsure what blood - or other! - test could possibly diagnose that you have diabetes. I am only absolutely certain that a standard HBA1c test cannot be reliable. #

I would expect an endocrinologist specialising in diabetes to know that in cases of anaemia, a fructosamine test could be used - but haven't the vaguest idea who else either might or should.

I am planning on talking to specialist about this, my research tells me low or short lived RBC leads to artificially low HBA1C reading e.g. mine was 48 this equates to a significantly higher figure if corrected for the low RBC
I will come back with more specialist knowledge!
I also have haematomochrosis ( iron ioverload) from blood transfusions, this is known as a likley trigger for diabetes too.
What were my medical team doing? Asleep on the job?

 

[Proud to be erratic]

Hi, you sound like you have also got your head straight, as you say, at least half the battle.
I was told I has type 3 by nurse in Hospital, my nurse daughter and doctor son said there is no such thing! But t’internet does sort of mention it, not sure what I am?
Keep on keeping on!

Hi and welcome @CharliePBC. You've certainly had a rough time getting here and I feel for you.

I'm T3c; so as far as I'm concerned it definitely does exist and your son and daughter need to do some refresher training! But, jesting apart, their comments do draw attention to the lack of understanding about this variant of Diabetes Mellitus (DM). There are very few of us; very broadly 90% are T2s, 10% T1s and T3cs are less than 0.1%. So very limited awareness within the medical profession.

That said NICE do recognise it and refer to it in certain DM guidance documents.

Also, although the cause of one's diabetes leads to one's classification, within the T3cs the generic cause is damage to your pancreas. But this could be from illness such as pancreatitis leading to loss of some or all pancreatic functions (and could have been under treatment for years); damage from an accident; and total removal - in my case to arrest pancreatic cancer from a tumour close to my pancreas. So T3c is very wide ranging and of course the Devil is in the Detail. In some ways I can see why someone categorised you as T3c; there isn't necessarily a better category and you certainly now seem to have some damage to your pancreas.

As @Kaylz said earlier, T3c is in many ways treated as T1, ie (usually) T3cs are first and foremost insulin dependent. So, while it annoys me when a medical specialist who should know better writes a report about me lazily calling me T1, another Specialist pointed out that the average A&E Doctor or Nurse might pick up on the Diabetes condition, but not appreciate that I need insulin. So don't be too surprised when you encounter Specialists who don't even know about the generic categorisation of T3c, never mind understand that it's akin to T1 for treatment, with many extra challenges.

Anyway, good luck with everything. Ask any question you need information about, no question is stupid. You are probably already detecting there is a lot of detailed knowledge about aspects of DM from members with decades of experience.

 

[silentsquirrel]

Hi and welcome @CharliePBC. You've certainly had a rough time getting here and I feel for you.

I'm T3c; so as far as I'm concerned it definitely does exist and your son and daughter need to do some refresher training! But, jesting apart, their comments do draw attention to the lack of understanding about this variant of Diabetes Mellitus (DM). There are very few of us; very broadly 90% are T2s, 10% T1s and T3cs are less than 0.1%. So very limited awareness within the medical profession.

That said NICE do recognise it and refer to it in certain DM guidance documents.

Also, although the cause of one's diabetes leads to one's classification, within the T3cs the generic cause is damage to your pancreas. But this could be from illness such as pancreatitis leading to loss of some or all pancreatic functions (and could have been under treatment for years); damage from an accident; and total removal - in my case to arrest pancreatic cancer from a tumour close to my pancreas. So T3c is very wide ranging and of course the Devil is in the Detail. In some ways I can see why someone categorised you as T3c; there isn't necessarily a better category and you certainly now seem to have some damage to your pancreas.

As @Kaylz said earlier, T3c is in many ways treated as T1, ie (usually) T3cs are first and foremost insulin dependent. So, while it annoys me when a medical specialist who should know better writes a report about me lazily calling me T1, another Specialist pointed out that the average A&E Doctor or Nurse might pick up on the Diabetes condition, but not appreciate that I need insulin. So don't be too surprised when you encounter Specialists who don't even know about the generic categorisation of T3c, never mind understand that it's akin to T1 for treatment, with many extra challenges.

Anyway, good luck with everything. Ask any question you need information about, no question is stupid. You are probably already detecting there is a lot of detailed knowledge about aspects of DM from members with decades of experience.

@CharliePBC said the nurse told him he was type 3, not 3c. Others have leapt to the assumption that T3 = T3c. T3c is the only one used reasonably widely here, but still unknown to many GPs. If you google you will find some unofficial use of types 3a-h, with steroid-induced diabetes given as T3e.

 

[Proud to be erratic]

@CharliePBC said the nurse told him he was type 3, not 3c. Others have leapt to the assumption that T3 = T3c. T3c is the only one used reasonably widely here, but still unknown to many GPs. If you google you will find some unofficial use of types 3a-h, with steroid-induced diabetes given as T3e.

Good point and I was loosely aware of T3a-h. Own goal;😡 as I said the Devil is in the Detail.....!!

 

[EmmaL76]

Odd, as lack of Red Blood Cells tends to give an artificial low HBA1C it makes logical sense, fewer RBCs for the crystallized sugars to cling onto, thus a lower HBA1C number, making you feel all is ok when in fact all might not be ok!

I know with my type it definitely does raise hba1c but I’m not sure about any other type of anemia