What age were most of you diagnosed

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rayray119 said:
i was dianogisoed after being rushed to hospital in DKA two days after being told by a doctor now i had a thort infection(so why i'm not keen to expact guess work of the doctors currentlly)
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A bit like my daughter being told she has gastroenteritis when she actually had meningitis.
 
Jenny65 said:
So I was wondering, when you were first diagnosed were you prescribed medication or did, you have to wait for your diabetes clinic for medication, advice etc.
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There seems to be a big difference between Type 1 and type 2 diagnosis.
I think this is mostly because Type1 comes on faster - many people with type 2 have had it undetected for a number of years. Whereas untreated Type 1 can lead to fatal DKA within a day or two. (Although in an adult, it can take years for all our beta cells to die off.)

I am someone who would put off bothering a doctor and hope the symptoms will sort themselves out. However, needing a toilet break every 30 minutes (including through the night) became something I could not ignore. My first port of call was 111 who recommended a GP appointment as it may be a kidney problem. The first GP diagnosed a UTI, gave me antibiotics and told me to come back in a couple of weeks if it did not get better. It didn't so returned and saw a different GP who diagnosed diabetes, decided it was most likely to be Type 1 because I was "too slim to have type 2" and made an appointment at the diabetes clinic for the next day (and was very apologetic that it couldn't be the same day) where I started insulin.
 
helli said:
There seems to be a big difference between Type 1 and type 2 diagnosis.
I think this is mostly because Type1 comes on faster - many people with type 2 have had it undetected for a number of years. Whereas untreated Type 1 can lead to fatal DKA within a day or two. (Although in an adult, it can take years for all our beta cells to die off.)

I am someone who would put off bothering a doctor and hope the symptoms will sort themselves out. However, needing a toilet break every 30 minutes (including through the night) became something I could not ignore. My first port of call was 111 who recommended a GP appointment as it may be a kidney problem. The first GP diagnosed a UTI, gave me antibiotics and told me to come back in a couple of weeks if it did not get better. It didn't so returned and saw a different GP who diagnosed diabetes, decided it was most likely to be Type 1 because I was "too slim to have type 2" and made an appointment at the diabetes clinic for the next day (and was very apologetic that it couldn't be the same day) where I started insulin.
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Hello @helli I think you have demonstrated a good point, you had symptoms you couldnt ignore and thankfully didnt but I wonder if thats more common of Type 1. I had literally no symptoms, i wasnt more thirsty, I hardly went to the loo, could last 8 hours without needing the loo (I rarely drank water so could be why) I had no reason to suspect diabetes.

I did gain 2 stone over lockdown but my un-healing sores on my skin (still the same or worse than in March 2020) I thought was down to stress and me continually picking at them subconsciously. I was diagnosed with Nodular Prurigo and they did a blood test to look for defficiencys like vitamin D etc, so when I got the call that they had found my sugar to be 19.4 (and 80 HbAc1) and my liver enzymes really high as well they did further tests and I am awaiting more, my GP has confirmed I am officially diabetic, I also have no signs of a fatty liver, no stomach ache, no yellow tinge to my skin or eyes, but I do itch all over, which I though was the Nodular Pruigo, but itching and liver disease is apparently linked so maybe my one sign

Is Type 1 reversible can your body recover and start making insulin again?
 
Leadinglights said:
A bit like my daughter being told she has gastroenteritis when she actually had meningitis.
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oh i had appendicitis once and i was told all sorts of things "its just a cold" "its a thoatt a infeection(must just be a thing they say" "its a bone thing" "its tendentious" this went t on for two months until one doctor just took one look at me and said "has anyone checcked your apendix"
 
Jenny65 said:
Is Type 1 reversible can your body recover and start making insulin again?
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no type 1 isn't reversible its an auto immune condiaction where your immune systems attacks the cells that produce insullin" so once you have type 1 is there forever unfountlly"
 
Jenny65 said:
Is Type 1 reversible can your body recover and start making insulin again?
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No, Type 1 is an autoimmune condition - my body has decided cells that produce insulin are bad and automatically kills them off. This is one of the things that make a cure for Type 1 challenging - an implant will not work because my body will kill them off again.

I will be injecting insulin for the rest of my life but am determined not to let that stop me doing what I want and to stay as healthy as I can.
 
No - our immune system became overactive and instead of limiting itself to attacking whatever had caused it to ramp up (they assume that was a gastric virus I'd had) it decides to attack healthy bits of you instead - in this case the Beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans (ie the very bits which produce insulin) inside the pancreas.

It's as possible to revive them as to revive Elvis.

But anyway there has only been a way of successfully treating Type 1 diabetes for 100 years, so considering diabetes was known about in ancient Greece, it's early days .... 100+ years ago, we just all gradually died of starvation, very similar to when anyone got cancer of the pancreas until VERY recently - all of it was a death sentence. When I was diagnosed the British Diabetes Association was just celebrating 50 years of insulin use - and that actually upset me more than being diagnosed. Not the fact that they found they could treat it successfully - just that the treatment was so new. My mom & dad weren't a million years older than 50 - and most of my friends parents weren't as old as mine!.
 
trophywench said:
No - our immune system became overactive and instead of limiting itself to attacking whatever had caused it to ramp up (they assume that was a gastric virus I'd had) it decides to attack healthy bits of you instead - in this case the Beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans (ie the very bits which produce insulin) inside the pancreas.

It's as possible to revive them as to revive Elvis.

But anyway there has only been a way of successfully treating Type 1 diabetes for 100 years, so considering diabetes was known about in ancient Greece, it's early days .... 100+ years ago, we just all gradually died of starvation, very similar to when anyone got cancer of the pancreas until VERY recently - all of it was a death sentence. When I was diagnosed the British Diabetes Association was just celebrating 50 years of insulin use - and that actually upset me more than being diagnosed. Not the fact that they found they could treat it successfully - just that the treatment was so new. My mom & dad weren't a million years older than 50 - and most of my friends parents weren't as old as mine!.
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You mean Elvis isnt coming back :(
 
Jenny65 said:
Hi

I am new here and this is my first post that isnt on the newbie board so apolgies if this is the wrong place for this. I am just curious how old people were when they were diagnosed and do you beleive you had it for quite a while before, years even. What prompted you to get tested. Sorry may sound nosey but genuinely think I would be none the wiser today had I not developed a rash that basically hasnt healed in over 2 years so a blood test was arranged and now I have several health issues that the day before I hadnt a clue about.

I realise now that the tingling sensation in my fingers in 2018 may also have been diabetes or pre diabetes, I got the first sore on my skin in March 2020, it was the start of lockdown and It was like an insect bite, but it just didnt heal and then more and more appeared. I worried it may be scabies or bed bugs and due to lockdown self treated with Permethrin. I couldnt get a GP appointment due to Covid, so I tried, Salt baths, Aloe Vera Gel, Clove Oil, Tea Tree Oil, MSM Silver etc etc...cost me a fortune but nothing worked, Eventually I was seen by the GP who said he didnt know what the rash was and I was referred to a Dermatologist.

The Dermatologist looked at my sores which some covered my upper back, shoulders, top of arm and buttocks, one on my thigh. He said it was Nodula Prurigo which ofter starts with an insect bite and then you get unbearable itching all over (which I had) and more sores appear. None have healed at all. Anyway the Dermatologist got me to do a blood test to find if there was any underlying cause like Vitamin D defficiency etc.

I had the blood test on 16th June, and a text from the Dermatologist the following day to say blood test is normal no further action.

Then yesterday -28th June - I woke up to realise I had had loads of missed calls and texts from 7.30 am onwards all from my GP surgery asking me to see them for an appointment that morning and a further blood test. It appears my blood results were far from normal and there was a clear indication of high sugar level and abnormal liver results.

So I have had another blood test to show the average for my sugar which I am waiting for. I have however received the other test results back relating to cholesterol and liver, both not good, I am to see a Lipid Clinic and have a liver scan. Im a little scared about this as every test I seem to have comes back with a bad result.

Sorry rambling here. I am 57 but reckon I have had these issues without realising for 3-4 years, so worried I may have done damage by not knowing. I havent been good with my diet and also smoked, I have given up since the consultation and not smoked at all and wont again, its like before the diagnosis I thought I was invincible. Now I know I am human and have let myself become very unwell.

I would be interested to hear about other peoples story and how they got their diagnosis and what made them get tested in the first place. I would be oblivious if it wasnt for the skin rash and a walking time bomb. It also made me think about 2 of my sons friends who are both very overweight (44 waist trousers) and 21 stone at 5ft 7 they havent got diabetes but then they havent been to the doctor, they are young, late twenties and I worry that they may have this condition too but havent got tested as not had a trigger, although one of them has sciatica which means they have seen a GP but not had bloods taken.
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Diagnosed at 32. I used to attend a gym and decided to enrol in a new one. At the induction, my blood pressure was really high and the instructor told me to see my GP, who did a full blood count and found I had type 2 diabetes. I'd felt no symptoms at all. My GP said it was triggered by the particular antipsychotic medication I was taking and that she had another patient in the same position. An emergency psychiatrist appointment got my medication changed. A year later, my mum was also diagnosed with type 2.
 
actaeon70 said:
Diagnosed at 32. I used to attend a gym and decided to enrol in a new one. At the induction, my blood pressure was really high and the instructor told me to see my GP, who did a full blood count and found I had type 2 diabetes. I'd felt no symptoms at all. My GP said it was triggered by the particular antipsychotic medication I was taking and that she had another patient in the same position. An emergency psychiatrist appointment got my medication changed. A year later, my mum was also diagnosed with type 2.
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I hope you are doing ok now @actaeon70 that all sounds very scary. Does that mean when you stopped the medication you reversed the diabetes?
 
travellor said:
50.
Ten years ago.
Headaches, tired, falling asleep, aches and pains.
Drinking water all night, getting up for the toilet.
(Probably had it, or heading for it a few years earlier)
Diagnosed type 2.
Took all the drugs they offered.
Took all the help the NHS gave.
Dietician, physio and exercise, training courses, massive 5 stone weight loss.
Met diabetes head on, definitely didn't want to live with diet control.
Reversed it within two years, no complications, put weight on in lockdown, did the Newcastle Diet (again) lost the weight (again) still going strong today. 🙂
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Pre t2 diabetes from my mid teens due to eating disorder, started diabetes meds treatment age 32 following multiple miscarriages, ten years on and 12 stone weight loss following bariatric surgery I am now progressing to type 3c, been several errors re my treatment which is now being investigated by nhs and cqc and hoping to get to start insulin after review tomorrow, apparently endocrinologist okay it two years ago but Gp didn’t action and now got eye damage and neurological issues along with pancreatitis and epi, memory badly affected (family history of Alzheimer’s) so waiting for screening for that.
 
I was 44 when I was diagnosed, first and for some time only symptom was blurry vision, saw my optician and she said I might have diabetes and should get a blood test. Didn't think this was very likely myself as I am a slim healthy eater with no diabetes in family and I didn't know that type 1 can develop in adults, so booked a non-urgent appointment. But a couple of weeks later, before I'd had the blood test, I started to feel very very tired all the time and also realised I'd lost about a stone in weight in a fortnight, and was underweight and if I carried on the same way would soon be dangerously so. Also I was very hungry all the time but my food tasted peculiar. Emergency GP came out and tested my blood and urine, and told me to go straight to hospital, do not pass go, do not collect £200 (or something like that) as I had DKA.

Hospital consultants diagnosed me with type 1 and obviously put me straight on insulin - and a glucose drip, so I had one going into each hand and felt like a puppet on strings! I was there just under a week, during which time I had a huge number of tests and saw 11 different doctors/consultants/specialists, who were all completely baffled by why I should suddenly develop type 1 out of the blue at 44 with no family history of autoimmune diseases (it was pretty obvious to me once I understood that type 1 is an autoimmune condition - it's because I have ME, which is a neuro-immune disease which can cause an overactive immune system, but as they were diabetes specialists and not ME specialists, they hadn't realised this).

The optician probably saved my life though, because I don't think anyone would have thought of testing me for diabetes if she hadn't suggested it - the GP was sooooo surprised when she realised I had ketones in my urine! ME has so many symptoms that normally if someone who has it develops a new one they're told "it's probably just the ME", so it's very likely all the diabetes symptoms would have been put down to that and I might not have been sent to the hospital in time.
 
Gosh that was a close shave! Maybe put your optician on your xmas list?

It's a problem when you have one major condition that any symptoms you have can easily get lumped into that bracket. I'm bipolar and when my mood is low the main symptom is tiredness. All sorts of things can make you tired, so it's hard to decide if my mood is low, or I've just done a lot and I'm naturally tired.

A good result for you in the end!
 
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Yes! It was 12 years ago now, and I have moved to a different area, but I did thank that optician very much the next time I saw her!

It is difficult juggling different conditions, isn't it? Sorry to hear you are struggling with that too, @picitup
 
I meant to say, several months, maybe a year, before I was diagnosed, I had said to my GP that I thought I might have hypoglycaemia as I was coming in shaking when I'd been gardening (and as my OH has reactive hypoglycaemia I recognised the "shaking so much I'm sitting on the kitchen floor, please feed me dried fruit now as I can't get up" symptom). So I may well have been having blood sugar issues for some time before the sudden DKA, but strangely the issues I was having were apparently low blood sugar ones rather than high blood sugar ones.

GP didn't do anything about it then (not her fault, she knew I'm needle-phobic and wouldn't have wanted a blood test if not vital!), just said I should try eating a biscuit when doing any exercise and seeing if it helped. It did. Never occured to any of us that someone with suspected hypoglycaemia might go on and get rapid-onset type 1, but I do wonder what my HbA1c would have been if I'd been tested then. And, given how much I hypo, whether I still somehow have both RH and type 1, which is supposedly impossible ...
 
TheClockworkDodo said:
Yes! It was 12 years ago now, and I have moved to a different area, but I did thank that optician very much the next time I saw her!

It is difficult juggling different conditions, isn't it? Sorry to hear you are struggling with that too, @picitup
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Thanks for that. Yes it can be challenging to juggle multiple conditions, especially when the symptoms overlap. After saying that I've got very used to mood changes. If I'm low I make lists of things I should do and knock off what I can. If my mood is up, and I get a really good project idea at 10:00pm I go to bed and rest. It can be tedious at times, but mostly it's well managed.
Cheers

Steve
 
I was diagnosed age 12 with all the usual signs of T1, unquenchable thirst, lost so much weight, going to the toilet non stop and exhaustion, falling asleep in school - I can remember waking up in a physics lesson and had been completely out of it for an hour. I then got really sick with vomiting and DKA. Very frightening and a very quick descent into needing urgent medical attention.

Reading all the other posts and experiences is really interesting. I was diagnosed with Juvenile Onset Diabetes - I was referred to as a JoD and went to the JoD clinic, the other type of diabetes was called Maturity Onset Diabetes MoD. That age division for diagnosis still seems to be fairly entrenched leading to many wrong diagnoses. Although diabetes has become a lot more prevalent since the 1970's, there must have been people back then who were misdiagnosed because of their age & pre the existence of home blood glucose monitoring must have had a really challenging time to get the right treatment.
 
Diagnosed at age 49
Symptoms: Absolute tiredness. Before diagnosis (roughly 3 months or so) it was a real struggle walking, or doing anything physical. I remember getting into work and bursting into tears because I was so tired. The day I was diagnosed I woke up and remember telling my BF I didn't think I could walk to the train station, it's a 10 min walk! I put on my big girls' pants and got to the station and couldn't manage walking up the stairs to the platform. I walked home and burst into tears again (when I cry I know there's something wrong.) Dr Google started, I didn't realise I had the symptoms - tiredness, blurred vision, thirst and unexplained weight loss.
I made an appointment at Sainsbury's Pharmacy and was 14.2 after just having a cup of tea for breakfast. From 7:30am my world turned upside down! Going to the Dr, then the hospital for loads of tests. I had a few days off work (actually my work is in school, I'm a school teacher.) I started meds within those 3 days but went back to school too early - we had Sports Day when I returned. All I could do was to sit in the shade, the meds hadn't kicked in. 1 year on I feel much better. A member has mentioned diabetes is a constant learning experience - that's absolutely right!
 
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