Any Type 3C people out there?

Sugarysweet57 · Oct 15, 2024

Hello there I hope you are well. I was interested in your post as my husband has recently lost a lot of weight/muscle and has an ‘off the scale’ HB1ac ie 149. 23 years on Metformin so wondering if this is his situation. Best wishes

Gray Wolf · Oct 15, 2024

OK Question
What is the designations T3 a / b and c understand they're related to Pancreatitis but need more info

Loughrigg · Oct 25, 2024

As I understand it, the T3 label potentially covers a broad range of conditions:

(i) Type 3 has been applied to a condition where chronic insulin resistance and certain changes in brain chemistry have been noted in some patients that also have Alzheimer’s;

(ii) Type 3a relates to patients who show genetic dysfunction of pancreatic beta cells affecting or preventing production of insulin;

(iii) Type 3b relates to patients with a form of pancreatitis or another condition that has damaged or prevents production of digestive enzymes (so, not insulin production);

(iv) Type 3c relates to patients with a form of pancreatitis or another condition that has damaged or prevents both digestive enzyme production and Insulin production.

I am not a medical professional, but I do have T3c diabetes resulting from a gallstone impacted in my bile duct. All of the above info is based on my own research, so I’m happy to be corrected by anyone more knowledgeable than me. I hope this helps.

Gray Wolf · Oct 25, 2024

Thanks that's more than I found and certainly way more than my GP practice knows, now my old GP has retired.

conanthewarrior · Oct 28, 2024

Yes I have type 3C diabetes too, I was diagnosed on the 8th of October so this month. I spent a week in hospital on a IV insulin pump to bring down my blood sugar and ketones.
Mine was caused by acute pancreatitis, I have had it 7 times due to my alcoholism and am only 34. I am now sober and am not even thinking about alcohol as I know I have damaged my body severely and it can not take much more.

I didn't even know that type 3C diabetes existed until I was diagnosed and am now taking insulin 4 times a day to try and control my diabetes.

JamieAngus · Apr 1, 2025

Yes I had the head and neck of my pancreas removed, due to cancer. I am also Creon and Insulin dependent. You are not alone!
I have only just been diagnosed with type 3c (2.5 months) a year since my operation.

Gray Wolf · Apr 1, 2025

Yep loads of us I had ANP in 2010 and fortunately I'm only on oral diabetic treatment but CREON ( or Nutrizym) with meals and snacks still unsuccessful in getting my GP to use type 3 classification instead of t2

Barbara Bass · Apr 2, 2025

I was diagnosed with diabetes in 1990, unsurprisingly, after an op in 1977 which removed the head of my pancreas along with half my stomach. It was called Secondary Diabetes in those days but is now C3. I have been on Creon since 1977 and insulin since 1993. I was in my thirties in 1977 and in my 80s now. I hope that encourages you! But I can't get hold of Creon at the moment. I expect there are alternatives.

JamieAngus · Apr 2, 2025

I have trouble getting Creon too, apparently it's a general issue across the country. I ended up contacting my support nurses at the hospital and they sorted some to tide me over. It might be worth doing that.
BTW I graduated from my first degree in 1977!

Philgreasby · Apr 4, 2025

I became diabetic in 2015 when I had cysts on my pancreas. The pain was horrendous until I had a Begers procedure and the cysts were removed together with the head of the pancreas. I was placed on insulin and I was told by the Consultant that I was a type 3 diabetic.
During medical appointments with other medical staff over unconnected matters, I have often been told that there is no such thing as type 3, only type one and type two so I have to Google the matter in front of them to show them.
The Diabetic Consultants are pretty good and I have only prises for the support that I receive on the NHS.
I struggle to keep my blood sugars out of the hypo levels but I swim a lot and at the age of 57 I undertook a Lifeguards qualification and at the age of 63 I have retained it. I wasn't particularly fit before but since becoming diabetic, I have tried my best to keep exercising and I am fitter than I have every been in my life.
My blood sugars do swing a lot. I did a swim session this morning which I do three times a week, where I did 1200m or 48 lengths. I went in the water at 12.5 and came out after an hour at 3.2, staggering a bit. That included drinking 500ml of Lucozade during the session, about 33grams of carbs.

It is just one of those things but you can definitely lead a normal life to a certain extent.

SuzanneV · Apr 10, 2025

SuzanneV · Apr 10, 2025

Hello all, I have not looked here in a long while - life is very busy, but I have only just come across the Type 3C thread by chance. I was also diagnosed type 3C following 4 months of complications. I have SCC of the tonsil - this is an HPV driven cancer ( a cancer caused by a virus) which began back in 2010 and I have suffered 5 metastases in the last 7 years. when the cancer became incurable I began immunotherapy which helped to stop cancer progression but 13 months into the treatment began to get terrible pancreatic pain, followed by some weight loss, due to malabsorption - I have always been very slim, so fortunately I was able to use high energy supplements to keep weight loss minimal. I was diagnosed with Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and eventually put on Creon. I was relieved and thought I would just get back to normal. However, nobody bothered to check glucose levels and within some 10 days was feeling exhausted - literally lying on the floor, couldn't barely walk ( I am normally very active).
was told there was nothing wrong by a careless GP, but at my insistence he sent for an ambulance (husband had just had foot surgery !) the paramedics told me to pack quickly with my DNR and rushed me into the emergency - I was having a DKA.
after a week in hospital I was discharged and told I would be insulin dependent for the rest of my life. I was given a CGM ( yes they vary from actual meter readings , when BG is changing rapidly) and then 5 months later I was offered an insulin pump. I continued with the immunotherapy ( the damage was done so coming off it would not alter anything) but eventually due to NICE regs I had to come off it. Since then the tumour has grown and moved again into the base of skull and is now terminal.
btw: there is also a type 3 diabetes which can develop alongside Alzheimers. Some DM practitioners still don't differentiate between type 3C and use T1 terminology instead. I am keen for any advice from others on here, but unfortunately the cancer and associated QoL deterioration is a huge burden for me now. I remain active and this certainly helps regulate the BG.

Judy murray · Apr 10, 2025

Hi, I’m also type 3c . In 2013 I had a distal pancreatectomy, due to cysts and narrowing of the pancreas and recurring pancreatitis.Then in 2021 had my pancreas removed due to same issues. I’m classed as type 1, insulin dependent and creon with every meal and snack.
It’s a pain but it is what is is. Looks like I now have a hiatus hernia, so more surgery, just praying it’s not.

Cornetlady68 · Apr 10, 2025

Hi, I was told I had this after test of a stool sample, put on insulin and creon. Spent over a year waiting for an appointment with a gastroenterologist, finally got an appointment by phone, they decided I don’t have pancreatic insufficiency as no symtoms and never had pancreatitis. Took creon for over a year but allergic to pork. I am back to square one with my diabetes. Hope you get some answers soon.

Nicky-Hogan57 · Apr 12, 2025

Forgot to add I use Free style libre2 which I am not always sure gives accurate readings and therefore I may over compensate

Egyptianwrap · Apr 25, 2025

Also newbie. Diagnosed last fall with diabetes after pancreatic surgery, using Libre 3 plus and then with EPI so just started Creon. Overwhelmed. Any suggestions.

Fierybeauty · Apr 28, 2025

Hi, I am type 3c. Only just diagnosed as have pancreatic atrophy so pancreas is not working at all and now on creon with all meals. Do you monitor your blood sugar at home?
I find that I get bad symptoms when first waking in the morning, such as feeling really sick and dizzy until I eat and if I drink more than a sip of liquid before I eat, I vomit.

Alan Playford · Jun 10, 2025

Hi all.
I have diabetes type 3C too, resulting from chronic pancreatitis.
It was previously undiagnosed for about 18 months but then diagnosed about 2 years ago when a routine blood test resulted in an urgent hospital call to me that night as my blood glucose levels were at 33 mmol/L !!
A couple of days in hospital and told I'd have to self-inject insulin twice a day (Humulin M3 mixed) which - as a needle-phobic person - made me just want to die! Honestly! However, since then, found it not tood bad and am managing OK.
I couple of previously suspected T.I.A.'s (mini-strokes) are now, based on subsequent researched knowledge, thought to have been hypo's, of course. The clues were there previously, but the pieces of the puzzle had never been put together unfortunately?!
Hardly anybody has heard of type 3C unless you actually have it, of course!
Shame that everything to help seems to be aimed at type 1 or more frequently type 2!

I have had a Libre arm monitor since diagnosis on prescription, which works well, I find? My low alarm is set to 4.2 mmol/L to allow time to correct (with Lucozade, glucose tablets, Bounty bar and similar) and high to 20 mmol/L (hardly ever reaches this though). Smart phone alarm goes off, also on partner's phone due to Libreview hook-up, but often not heard by me at night (usual alert time!) as I have hearing aids during the day to help serious deafness, and thus can't hear alarms at night!
So, I now have a sleep Bluetooth headband with speakers to alert me. That seems to work well!

Since then, had a cyst on pancreas found which was drained via two endoscopies to plant drain and then remove, backed up with X-ray and CT scans. Now two CT scan comparisons have identified a 55mm fatty lipoma in my colon, for which I am awaiting recommended treatment (i.e. removal via key-hole surgery, probably?)

Hope this helps with empathy or suggestions?!

Vener · Jun 12, 2025

Hi, I am 41 years old. Was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus in 2014. I have been on insulin since 2015. Been taking enzymes with every meal for two years now. Three years ago was diagnosed with atrophic pancreatitis based on MRI results. For the past three years I have been having abdominal pain on the left side. Does anyone have this kind of pain?

Ledzeptt · Friday at 12:25 PM

Hi @Vener

I’ve listed a couple of my old posts from 2017 (about 3 years after I was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, appreciate not the same thing, but i was in constant pain at that time so I do sympathise with you).

Firstly, please speak to your Doctor and take any pain relief available. Then, if that’s insufficient or you don’t want to keep taking the pills constantly (as I didn’t), then you could investigate an alternative such as mindfulness which helped me cope…

Post in thread 'The Power of Positivity'

Mar 8, 2017

@donnellysdogs That's a good idea staying in a hotel to relax.

I've taken it for granted that I have a major hospital 10 miles away, with specialist units for pancreas and just about everything else: something I can be positive about. It's also handy for my wife and others who can easily visit me when I get admitted.

I've been ill and in pain recently, but there are positives:
1. The pain killers work (they haven't always)
2. I also use mindfulness* to reduce my chronic pain
3. I can't eat solids, but the food supplements I've been given are quite nice (Scandi shake), compared to...

Post in thread 'The Power of Positivity'

Mar 14, 2017

Hi @Contralto

I'm not sure I can do the subject of mindfulness justice in a few words, but I'll try. It's hard to explain because the exercises involve changing the way we look at the world in order to focus on what's happening right now. We naturally think about the past and all the things that are going to happen in the future: we often give little attention to the present moment.

It's noticeable when we do focus on the present, perhaps when we're so busy on one task that we shut everything else out (don't hear people talking, the phone ringing immediately or whatever). It's...

Any Type 3C people out there?

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