Am I a Pancreatic or a Diabetic

[IzzieS]

There are many classifications of diabetes. The majority are either treated for type 1 or type 2. Most of the other types don't really have their own treatment so many people only get referred to as either type 1 or 2. There appear to be only two types of diabetes management, Type 1 and Type 2. Specialists also talk about whether you are antibody positive or negative as a sub group. It's not as clear cut as one would expect.

IzzieS....blood sugars have no bearing on what type you are, that's down to your management. By your results though you are doing well. You may well still be type 2 as the pancreatitis did not cause the diabetes at the time, it came on gradually like type 2 tends to as the pancreas you had left stops producing or the body cannot use the insulin you produce correctly. There are lots of other factors too.

Type 3c is secondary to chronic pancreatitis or severe cases of acute pancreatitis where loss of pancreatic function occurs.
Type 2's can progress onto insulin as the pancreas production of insulin lowers and tablets/diet fail to control it, but they usually remain as Type 2 on insulin.
Not as easy as you think. Which is why so many of us struggle with control of diabetes.

The body is a remarkable, something too many of us abuse or take for granted!!!!

There are many classifications of diabetes. The majority are either treated for type 1 or type 2. Most of the other types don't really have their own treatment so many people only get referred to as either type 1 or 2. There appear to be only two types of diabetes management, Type 1 and Type 2. Specialists also talk about whether you are antibody positive or negative as a sub group. It's not as clear cut as one would expect.

IzzieS....blood sugars have no bearing on what type you are, that's down to your management. By your results though you are doing well. You may well still be type 2 as the pancreatitis did not cause the diabetes at the time, it came on gradually like type 2 tends to as the pancreas you had left stops producing or the body cannot use the insulin you produce correctly. There are lots of other factors too.

Type 3c is secondary to chronic pancreatitis or severe cases of acute pancreatitis where loss of pancreatic function occurs.
Type 2's can progress onto insulin as the pancreas production of insulin lowers and tablets/diet fail to control it, but they usually remain as Type 2 on insulin.
Not as easy as you think. Which is why so many of us struggle with control of diabetes.

The body is a remarkable, something too many of us abuse or take for granted!!!!

Thanks JaneLiz and Mrs Puddleduck - your reply is quite reassuring. I'm off to the gym for my induction this afternoon and will see if that helps my blood sugar levels.

 

[janeliz]

Think I meant to write pancreatic disease.
There are many people with pancreatic insufficiency due to non functioning pancreas or degrees of removal of pancreas that do not have diabetes. I have a small bit of the head left as the rest disintegrated in one episode of pancreatitis. I was in and out of hospital I have no pancreatic function. My diabetes team do not treat my pancreas insufficiency, only my blood sugars. The problems of the poor/non foods digestion is treated by my hepato/pancreas surgical team.

I too inject after meals as I cannot always manage to eat all the meal, so compensate with changing the insulin dose for this. Likewise I adjust insulin with correction doses as you say you do Shar67. Not sure where your treatment is different to a type 1 or 2?
Type 1 treatment is the same as Type 3c from what I was told by my diabetes team last December. I count carbs in my meals, yes it's only rough and no two days work the same and hypos occur whenever and there seems to be no logic to it all.
From what I understood Type3c is a sub classification of diabetes with treatment akin to type 1. I was told to treat as type 1 for diabetes - basal/ bolus and correction doses, after food and treat hypos accordingly. I also take vitamins, creon and avoid lots of foods, treat pain and sickness as necessary for the little/non functioning piece of pancreas I have left.
In type 1 the beta cells are damaged the same as in type 3c but without the other functions of the pancreas being altered.

 

[mrspuddleduck]

Think I meant to write pancreatic disease.
There are many people with pancreatic insufficiency due to non functioning pancreas or degrees of removal of pancreas that do not have diabetes. I have a small bit of the head left as the rest disintegrated in one episode of pancreatitis. I was in and out of hospital I have no pancreatic function. My diabetes team do not treat my pancreas insufficiency, only my blood sugars. The problems of the poor/non foods digestion is treated by my hepato/pancreas surgical team.

I too inject after meals as I cannot always manage to eat all the meal, so compensate with changing the insulin dose for this. Likewise I adjust insulin with correction doses as you say you do Shar67. Not sure where your treatment is different to a type 1 or 2?
Type 1 treatment is the same as Type 3c from what I was told by my diabetes team last December. I count carbs in my meals, yes it's only rough and no two days work the same and hypos occur whenever and there seems to be no logic to it all.
From what I understood Type3c is a sub classification of diabetes with treatment akin to type 1. I was told to treat as type 1 for diabetes - basal/ bolus and correction doses, after food and treat hypos accordingly. I also take vitamins, creon and avoid lots of foods, treat pain and sickness as necessary for the little/non functioning piece of pancreas I have left.
In type 1 the beta cells are damaged the same as in type 3c but without the other functions of the pancreas being altered.

Hi @janeliz, but in 3C the alpha cells are also destroyed which has a major role in the type, frequency of hypos and is one if the primary reasons why the blood sugars can rise and fall so dramatically in such a short period of time with no obvious causation. The lack of alpha cell involvement in 3C requires a heightened awareness of both blood sugar levels and treatment of hypos as its immediacy means it can very quickly become a critical situation. As Im sure you are aware, the is one of the reasons that 3C is differentiated from type 1 and described as a brittle form if diabetes.

 

[sean1964]

Thanks Mrs P. I treat myself as type 1 on constant sick day rules. But now I know! The alpha cells.destruction.

Do you know....
Why and what (lack of) process does the lack of alpha cells cause the dramatic rise and falls in blood sugars, as opposed to normal type 1's?

many thanks, sean

 

[siggy]

Good Evening to you all I am completely new to this sort of thing so please bear with me I to have chronic pancreatitis apparently my pancreas is like chalk I to have to take creon 2500 capsules 2 with every meal total 8 a day plus extra if I have anything containing fat my insulin regime is 20 units of Humalog 3 times a day and one dose of lantus 50 units at bedtime. I have always been told that I am type 2 treated with insulin ?

 

[Shar67]

Hello @siggy you have to ask for blood test to confirm type, but it sounds like you have pancreagenic diabetes.

 

[siggy]

Hello Shar67 thanks for that about asking for a blood test I must say that I have never herd of pancreagenic diabetes before now and I have had the pancrentitis for over 18 years now and diabetes for about 20 years

 

[Shar67]

At first it was used for diabetics that had cystic fibrosis, but it was handy to put other reason for being diabetic in a 3rd group
There is type 3, a,b,c,d,e,f,g and I think there is an h. Type 3 alone is used for people with alzhiemers. It is easier for doctors to say diabetes millitus with no grouping.
A person with a pancreagenic problem may still be type 1, 1.5, 2 etc

 

[ArthurPounder]

Funny old thing,, I was reclassified as a T3C following a scan. because it is atrophied.

 

[Shar67]

A total atrophied panc is defo not producing insulin, so yes type 3c.