What am I?

ShirleyMANCH

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I have Diabetes because my Pancreas (liver etc.) is damaged. I am on insulin and Metformin. My consultant says I have secondary Diabetes but there is no tick box on forms or advice regarding Covid-19. I take Creon and have difficulty gaining weight. I have multiple health problems. My nurse has sent me advice sheet for Diabetes 1 and 2 which states if I am type 1 I need to test my ketones but I have no blood monitor or sticks to do this. I have asked the surgery if they provide this but days later receptionist told me it hasnt been auctioned. I havent a clue which one I should buy or even if I really need one. Can anyone point me in the right direction as to which advice I need to follow?
 

Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,284
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi @ShirleyMANCH , and welcome to the forum!

Sounds like you have 3C, which means the diabetes is caused by damage to the pancreas.
Type 3C or secondary diabetes is more like T1 than like T2 because your pancreas doesn't make enough insulin or even no insulin at all.

Let me tag @Tophat1900 for you, he has type 3C as well and knows way more about the condition than I do.
 
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Tophat1900

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,407
Type of diabetes
Type 3c
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
Uncooked bacon
Hello,

No there is no tick box on forms, it just isn't recognised like T2 or T1 are. If you have suffered damage to the pancreas (as you state you have) then I'd imagine your gp did a test to measure the amount of insulin your pancreas is producing? A c-peptide level?

Were you told the result?


If you are deficient in producing your own insuluin, then you will need to inject it to make up for the shortfall.

Some meds can cause damage to the pancrease, such a prednesalone or prednisone. There are often responsible for inducing type 2 or 3 conditions.

Are you saying you have no blood glucose monitor at all? If you are taking insulin you should have been provided with one and strips. There is serious risk of hypoglycemia and serious risk to your health if you don't have one. You can die from a hypo.

Below is a link for type 3, there are a number of ways you can get on that list. Perhaps one will sound familiar to you. Mine is the result of both cystic fibrosis and prednesalone use long term.



COVID - If you have multiple health conditions then consider yourself high risk and practice the advice for all high risk people. I'm in that boat also.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/type3-diabetes.html

I also take creon, in a way for me it's like being closer to T1 but it varies from person to person. Blood glucose management can be difficult due to varying degrees or food absorption and amount of insulin present, but I find eating to a pattern for me works rather well and makes levels more predictable. Doesn't always work out of course, but you learn to find a way over time.
 

Tophat1900

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,407
Type of diabetes
Type 3c
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
Uncooked bacon
I think she's worried about not having a way to test for ketones.

I've been type 3 for about 20 yrs and never tested for them . Not saying this what should be done, just stating what I have done or have not done... :)
 
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JohnEGreen

Master
Messages
13,188
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Tripe and Onions
@Tophat1900 thanks for the mention there is not much more I can add to what Tophat1900 has said yes I am strictly speaking T3 drug induced to be precise Prednisolone induced I thought for quite a while as my GP had just classified me as T2 that I was T2 but am not this I found out when at a hospital appointment with diabetic consultant .

I difinately know my kidneys have been damaged but not sure about liver I have found that T3 can be a bit unpredictable some times going hyper and sometimes Hypo for seemingly no particular reason.

One thing I will stress as others have the need for testing is imperative if you are on insulin no matter what the type of diabetes you should have a meter and strips provided on prescription.

As I am not on insulin and as my GP just regards me as T2 I have to self fund I use a meter that can test both blood glucose and Ketones the ketone strips for my meter are more expensive than the blood sugar ones but are used less frequently so works out ok.

I use the CareSens Dual but there are other meters that do the same.
 
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JohnEGreen

Master
Messages
13,188
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Diet only
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Tripe and Onions
Mine is the result of both cystic fibrosis and prednesalone use long term.
We have CF in our family a cousin of my wife's sadly passed because of it my nephew who is now about thirty has it also.
Have just read of a 21 year old lad in London who has CF and T3 diabetes contracted Covid 19 a few weeks ago but has now made a full recovery.

I find with prednisolone having caused me to be T3 I have to be very strict with my diet and if my dosage is changed my blood sugars go haywire been taking them near on twenty years now. Azathioprine was meant to get me off preds so was taking both and that very nearly did for me.
 
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Tophat1900

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,407
Type of diabetes
Type 3c
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
Uncooked bacon
We have CF in our family a cousin of my wife's sadly passed because of it my nephew who is now about thirty has it also.

Have just read of a 21 year old lad in London who has CF and T3 diabetes contracted Covid 19 a few weeks ago but has now made a full recovery.

I find with prednisolone having caused me to be T3 I have to be very strict with my diet and if my dosage is changed my blood sugars go haywire been taking them near on twenty years now. Azathioprine was meant to get me off preds so was taking both and that very nearly did for me.

I just high lighted that part about the 21 yr old lad from London.... I think you made my day with that. That's fantastic and a real confidence shot in the arm for me... such a positive thing to read. Thanks for posting that. With all the doom and gloom around at the moment, that's something I really needed to hear about. :)
 

jane d

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I also don't know what type I am. I was diagnosed as type 2 in 2012. Was put on metformin. In 2016 my glucose levels were rising and my gp added gliclazide. I started to feel really unwell, was gaining weight in my abdomen even though I was trying to lose weight. I talked to the doctor and long story short, it was found that I had cysts in my pancreas which ended in surgery to remove a good portion of pancreas, spleen and gallbladder gone too. Started on insulin. Felt much better. The nurse insists that I am still type 2, but I am not sure about that. Can anyone advise me?.
 

JohnEGreen

Master
Messages
13,188
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Tripe and Onions
@jane d

I personally would think if the damage to your pancreas has caused insufficient production of insulin causing you require insulin injections then you should be considered as Type 3c but as has been said there seems to be no tick box for that and so your nurse says T2.