just a rant about my care

[gallopingmajor]

Just want to have a little rant. I’m still new to diabetes, but already I am so pee’d off with my care. I have had 3 hospital appointments and when I ask them to clarify what type I am they just make guesses. They say things like ‘well, you’re not overweight so you must be type 1’ or ‘you’re under 40 so it can’t be type 2’. Not very helpful or accurate if you ask me!

I am on insulin twice a day, yet my diabetes nurse has said my pancreas is not producing any insulin. Surely I should be on insulin with each meal if that was the case? Last week I asked her about getting a c-peptide test done and she said that the auto immune test had come back negative so that means I am probably type 1, which contradicts everything that I have read so far. My sugars have been ok and even after over eating a lot over Xmas my HBa1c came back at 41.

I can’t afford to pay for private healthcare, so what do I do now? :crazy:

 

[twinkle1980]

which insulin are you on?

Over christmas (diagnosed xmas eve) I was given novomix 30 which is a twice a day regime, but I switched to novorapid and levamir the day after boxing day as being able to carb count and truelly tailor my insulin to my diet is much more appealing to me.

As for which type, I have no idea, its all a bit too new to me too.... but please please push your team for a diagnosis, i would be seriously pi**ed without one.

 

[TT17]

You don't have to be on insulin with every meal because insulins such as novo mix or a humalog along equivalent are taken twice a day as they contain short and long acting insulin. Whereas some people take insulin with every meal and then long acting insulin once a day. Also type one diabetes is an auto immune disease so that doesn't make any sense

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Yes, you do seem to have been given some poor advice. If you are under 40, not overweight and they have put you on insulin then you are probably not a Type 2. The problem is that the GAD test for the most common Type 1 antibody is sometimes negative as there are at least 4 known Type 1 antibodies implicated in Late onset Type 1 and most GPs/Labs don't include the other antibody tests. I would guess you would place yourself as a LADA (Type 1.5) but not confirmed. There can be other causes such as virus attacks on the pancreas and so on. Whatever, your pancreas is not producing enough insulin (like me) so you are being given insulin to make up for that. As others have said there are many insulin regimes and sometimes the HCPs just guess at the best start point which can vary from one long-lasting per day to four a day (e.g. one long-lasting and three short acting) and also there are the mixes. Having a c-peptide test would almost certainly show you are low on natural insulin which I think you already know. So it looks like you 'just' need to get the insulins balanced over the coming weeks and keep the carbs down so you don't bounce up and down too much or put on weight.

 

[diggerhtfc]

My experience is very similar gallopingmajor so I can sympathise. It makes it quite confusing doesn't it. I've not specifically been told which type I am as when I was first diagnosed I'd had symptoms for a while so it was assumed I was type 2. I took tablets and cut out carbs for six months but, after an issue with a scheduled hernia operation, I was referred to the local diabetes centre as my blood sugar levels were not under control. A couple of weeks later after changing pills and dosage the dr at the centre told me it was a waste of time, stopped the pills and put me on insulin (novorapid and levemir). Two and a half years later I still don't really know what type I am. Is there a test that will say for certain?