Type 1.5 and Metforminin... how long?

[SpaceChick]

I haven't had my GAD antibody test yet, they will be doing it in the hospital when I have my HBA1C test in a couple of months.

However, the diabetic expert GP believes I am a 1.5 not a 2.

I have been prescribed Metformin and am testing my BS about 6 times a day before and after meals.

For longer standing 1.5 people, how long was it between diagnosis and needing insulin?

I come from a family of what was previously assumed Type 2's, (mother, grandfather, great grandmother now all sadly gone, my Mum was only 46 due to heart complications) however I now believe they were 1.5 as all needed insulin within a few years of diagnosis.

 

[St4cey]

Hi Spacechick,

I had my GAD Antibody test in Jan this year. At diagnosis in Dec 2012 I was put on Gliclazide and increased the doses over the next couple of weeks when Metformin was introduced also in Jan 2013, gradually decreased my use of Gliclazide and I now take 1000mg Metformin twice per day. Soooooo, for the past 8 months I have been orally medicated and will continue to do so until my blood sugars start to rise, unfortunately we are sitting ducks waiting for our insulin production to cease, there is unfortunately no timescale for when we will need to start insulin

There are some other contributors on this thread who have experienced the change from oral meds to insulin who i'm sure will share their stories about the length of time. There are others like me who are just waiting for our situations to change.

Take care
Stacey
x

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Timescales vary greatly. My nephew had to go to A&E at age 22 with ketosis i.e. his timescale was negative! I consider myself a T1.5 and it has taken 9 years to go onto insulin which I should have done 2 years ago when tablets had no effect but the GP refused. BTW why test 6 times a day? That's a bit OTT? Once or twice a day should be fine whilst on tablets.

 

[SpaceChick]

I want to test regularly to see the effect different foods have on my BS, the only way to do this is to test before and after meals.

Can't see that I'll do it that much long term, but for the time being I want to keep a tight rein on it.

 

[Sheppie84]

Hi SpaceChick.

I was diagnosed type 1.5 13 months ago. I am on diet control only.
At my last check up - a couple of weeks ago, I was told that my antibodies are really high and I should be I'll but I'm not. They now don't know if I'm t1.5 or t1.

It really just depends on your own progress with diabetes, some people go straight on Insulin and others can manage 6+ years. Most of the research I've come across regarding t1.5 says that up to 6 years is the normal limit before insulin starts.

Sarah


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[elaine77]

Hey all!

My consultant told me upto 6years to insulin too! I've been on Metformin and diet control for 8 months now and no change! Just want to say though Sheppie you are obv doin really really well not to need the oral meds! When I changed my meds to slow release from standard release the change over period was terrible and my BS shot up to 10/11 after meals! So I obv really need those meds lol


Diagnosed with GD in 2010, Completely disappeared postpartum. Re-diagnosed December 2012 with type 1.5 diabetes, age 26, BMI 23 currently controlled by only Metformin, 500mg twice a day.

 

[Daibell]

Sheppie. My understanding is that T1 and T1.5 are essentially the same thing except T1 is normally early onset e.g. shortly after birth whereas T1.5 is a slower degradation of the pancreas. I'm not aware of any research which differentiates the causes of islet death over the birth to late middle age timescale?

 

[Sheppie84]

I thought the same but apparently t1 can come on at any age and is a more sudden degeneration.
First I had heard of it too!


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[BobCornelius]

I was diagnosed T2 in 2010, although at the time my GP said I didn't fit the profile for T2, and would likely end up on insulin. I started on metformin, up to 2g a day, then sitagliptin, gliclizide and all the oral meds, which seemed to work for a few months, then not. By 2011, I was on basal insulin as well as oral meds. 2012 I was transferred to the care of hospital diabetic unit, and went on to basal/bolus insulin. May this year, GAD antibody test came back at a little over 200, so type 1/1.5 confirmed, metformin stopped!
I have no family history of diabetes!



Bob