What does a GAD antibody do once it has destroyed insulin?

Hunya

Member
Messages
7
This may sound like an academic question, but to me it may be practical.

I want to know what a GAD antibody does after it has destroyed all of the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Basically, I have only recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes but have off-the-scale quantities of GAD antibody in my blood, so it sounds as though there is a very limited lifespan of my insulin producing cells (certainly glyclazide was ineffective at squeezing any insulin out of my pancreas so I had to resort to injections).

Surely once the insulin producing cells have all gone, the antibodies would disappear, wouldn't they? I need to know.

The good news is that for the last three days I have taken no insulin and my blood sugar levels are normal! I think it is all the exercise I have taken.

I really hope to recover from type 1 diabetes.
 

Sid Bonkers

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,976
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Customer helplines that use recorded menus that promise to put me through to the right person but never do - and being ill. Oh, and did I mention customer helplines :)
Re: What does a GAD antibody do once it has destroyed insuli

Hi Hunya I hate to dash your hopes here but diabetes cant be beaten if you are T1 you will need to take insulin for the rest of your life or you will die, sorry to be blunt but its that simple.

The reason you are at present able to stop taking your insulin is something called the honeymoon period which T1's get after diagnosis when they start insulin treatment it gives the pancreas a boost which sets it off producing more insulin, this however does not last and normally within a year your pancreas will have stopped producing insulin.

Search this site or the web for information on the "Honeymoon period" and you will find a lot of information on it.

In the mean time please see your doctor and dont stop your insulin treatment that could be dangerous, you will almost certainly have to reduce it for a while but your doctor or Endo will be the best person to advise you on that.

Good luck and welcome to the forum :thumbup:
 

alaska

Well-Known Member
Messages
475
Re: What does a GAD antibody do once it has destroyed insuli

Research has shown that people with type 1 have been measured as producing very low levels of insulin more than 40 years after developing type 1.

My own understanding is that the body tries to keep producing new beta cells (the cells that produce insulin), but the antibodies in people with type 1 kill these off quicker than the body can produce them.

Researchers have started to look at whether the body's production of beta cells could be sped up by the hormone betatrophin:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130425132620.htm

Ed
 

anna29

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Retired Moderator
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4,789
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Type 2
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Cruelty to Animals/Children
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Re: What does a GAD antibody do once it has destroyed insuli

Hunya said:
This may sound like an academic question, but to me it may be practical.

I want to know what a GAD antibody does after it has destroyed all of the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Basically, I have only recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes but have off-the-scale quantities of GAD antibody in my blood, so it sounds as though there is a very limited lifespan of my insulin producing cells (certainly glyclazide was ineffective at squeezing any insulin out of my pancreas so I had to resort to injections).

Surely once the insulin producing cells have all gone, the antibodies would disappear, wouldn't they? I need to know.

The good news is that for the last three days I have taken no insulin and my blood sugar levels are normal! I think it is all the exercise I have taken.

I really hope to recover from type 1 diabetes.


Hunya .

You have 2 really great replies above my post .

I wish to echo the fact you do need to take your insulin as a type1 you really
haven't any other option
If you stop taking this - you will gradually get very ill again :thumbdown:

Anna .
 

Hunya

Member
Messages
7
Re: What does a GAD antibody do once it has destroyed insuli

Thank you all three.

If this were a honeymoon period I would have my passport back by now. It is not risk I am afraid of but long term misery. Insulin depresses me. Thank you for the well delivered advice. I find all of the standard metaphors inappropriate – the insulin as a key is the worst. However, no doubt these stories work for juvenile diabetics.

Yesterday I found a well-researched document on Autoimmune Destruction of Pancreatic ß Cells, but it was so anatomical I had to look up every third word, followed by another five for each subdivision: http://www.columbia.edu/itc/hs/medical/pathophys/immunology/readings/IsetCellDestructionReview.pdf If anyone can decipher it, I am interested; but please do not strain. If you have read this question, the material may be relevant to you.

Now I have a new concept - betatrophin to read about in my own language.

We will get there!
 Katrina
 

amberzak

Well-Known Member
Messages
198
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Competitive sport. I'm more of a for fun type person.
Re: What does a GAD antibody do once it has destroyed insuli

I'm quite concerned that you've been diagnosed with type one diabetes and not been told its a life long condition.

Everyone produces insulin. It's just that with us type ones, we have to inject it because our body doesn't produce it naturally. Insulin is what turns glucose into energy in our body. Everything you eat adds to the glucose levels in your body, not just sweet stuff.

What insulin are you on? In the very least you should take your background insulin.

The honeymooning people are talking about is basically where your body still spurts out a little bit of insulin, but it's erratic. Eventually this will stop, and you will die without insulin injections.

What you are feeling is perfectly normal. I remember when I was diagnosed. I spent all my time researching to know everything about it. Please me weary of these supposed miracle cures you can read about. It's simply not true. Anyone who claims to be able to come off insulin injections completely for a long period of time, in my opinion, isn't type one. Type one means you cannot produce insulin. You can reduce the amount you need, for sure.

No one likes to inject. No one like insulin. But it's a fact of life for us.

I think you need to see your doctor about post diagnoses counselling. It's common to feel the way you do. But you will be on insulin for the rest if your life.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 

Hunya

Member
Messages
7
Re: What does a GAD antibody do once it has destroyed insuli

Thank you! I was diagnosed type 1 11 months ago and have been taking insulin until last week, when I found my requirement for levemir (basal insulin, as you say) went down to 3 units, and I still wanted to cycle, so I have cut insulin altogether for three days. This morning my readings were 5.7 @5.41am, 6.2 @7.04, 6 @ 9.22, 5.3 @12.07 and 6.1 @ 15.50, so I am optimistic. Eleven months of torture may have been enough.
It is definitely type 1, though, after 3 years of conditioning by Diabetes UK (the official body, not this one) into a delusion it was type 2. Basically a GAD antibody test scored me over 2000 on a scale of 0-25, so there are a lot of insulin-destroying enemies sabotaging my energy system. Now I need to understand what a GAD antibody wants from me. Logically, if, as I am told, insulin production fades out altogether, the GAD antibodies would have nothing left to do once they had destroyed all my insulin-producing cells. Would they then die or disperse, or just lurk for other possibilities? That is what I need to know in order to negotiate a ceasefire.

Body Politic

Mercury, Hercules, percolating
fusion through earth and supernatural power.
Winged courier, carrying dispatches
direct from the head of omniscience
to the heart of omnipotence – the hand
omniitinerant delivering
words, humble vibrations borne of the wind.

Insulin, harbinger of energy
communicates between vital organs
of substance and worldly interaction
vies with pancreatic antibodies
which would destroy him at source. Stress may shoot
the messenger. A quiver full of stress
aims at the jugular. No winged sandal.

29.11.2012 © Hunya