Adult DKA- Anyone Else With Similar Issue?

DKA is not only associated with Type 1, even with Type 2 patients its very much possible especially if the sugar has been high for long time and not diagnosed. Dehydration, high blood sugar level, insulin resistance creates ideal environment for DKA and if its followed by symptoms like weight loss, frequent urination, fruity smell in urine, fatigue and constant thirst. It aggravates if exercise or hard work is added to it.

Its good start to control the sugar first with insulin and metformin. Further tests will reveal the Diabetes type, but more or less chances of having T2 is high, which can be more easily managed. Eyesight will improve as sugar levels gets normalized.

Hi @mandedog
You’ve had a rough time. There are some T2 patients that are more likely to get DKA and many T1s are diagnosed when they go into DKA. It’s an awful experience.
It sounds like you are getting the right treatment at the moment. And your eyes will improve as blood sugars level off.
T1 can occur at any age so it is good that the drs have it on the radar.

I was 43 when I was dx with T1. I am short sighted and spent 8 weeks with various contact lens prescriptions - but it did sort itself out in time.

Good luck!

mandedog said:

I am a late 50's woman with no history of diabetes. I had a DKA 4 weeks ago and was admitted to hospital. Looking back I had symptons that should have been obvious but diabetes had not even been on my radar. My Endocrinologist is not committing to which type of diabetes I have and says it could be months before we know as my sugar levels are so wacky and must have been for a while. I am currently injecting insulin and taking metformin. My eyesight continues to be blurred. My HBa1c is 13.5 - I am in Canada so have no idea what that translates to in UK. It would be good to hear from others who have had a similar experience and maybe are further on than I am.
Thanks.

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Hi mandedog, I was very similar to you, 57years old, all the symptoms you describe plus DKA. They hovered between type 1 and 2 mainly I think because I was slim, had I not been who knows what they would have gone for. My hb1ac was 15% and I came out of hospital on insulin. After the first dose my levels dropped to the 4s and my eyesight became blurry (never even wore glasses before). The Nurse said this was normal having been so high glucose wise. It lasted for around 3 months (longer than some), so in the meantime I bought a pair of cheap, over the counter glasses which enabled me to drive & work. Now I don't need them and still don't require specs. Fast forward to a C peptide test and a selection of antibody tests. My C peptide was 'the low end of normal' and my GAD test was positive but the other ones were negative. Confirmed type 1. Still on low doses of insulin which probably suggests I am in the honeymoon period (2 years later). Hope this helps, please feel free to ask me anything. x

Aaww....bless you. I am 48, diagnosed T1 since age 5.
DKA is not nice, I get it frequently through stress but it's only symptomatic, that's bad enough. I have been in hospital with DKA, self inflicted as I decided I didnt want to be diabetic any more, no injections or blood tests, eat what I want.....didnt work out but I was very young and very stupid and didnt try it ever again!
Ok, your HB1 is a little high, it is going to be for now, no newly diagnosed diabetic has a 'normal' hb1, mine was 11.6 a few years ago and now sits around 6 to 7. You WILL find what works for you but you must not let the diabetes control you, you control IT.
There are athletes, football players with diabetes, they travel the world, so your 6 week trip to Europe IS going to happen.
Like all new things, hobbies, driving on your own for the 1st time, school etc, you dont get 100% perfection immediately, you have to work at it, you will get there and once your levels start to drop you will start feeling better and push yourself to get them lower. I get blurred vision if my sugar levels rise, no bluriness when levels are back to normal so your vision will improve as your control improves.
Sorry about waffling, I'm no good at putting things into words so, good luck, stay positive, I wish you all the best and sending you big hugs!
P.s let us know how your trip goes!!

mandedog said:

My HBa1c is 13.5 - I am in Canada so have no idea what that translates to in UK.

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In UK units it is about 120, see https://www.diabetes.co.uk/hba1c-units-converter.html

mandedog said:

Thank you so much for responding- sounds very similar to my experience. Although my weight tends to fluctuate I have been at a good weight for the last 2 years which again possibly points to type 1. I asked about a C- peptide test and was told it is too early for that yet - things need to settle down. Interesting to hear how long your blurred vision lasted. Because I normally wear prescription glasses I cannot find any over the counter glasses that work for me.
How long did it take you to feel comfortable with managing your diabetes? At the moment I cant even begin to imagine that I will be able to go out for meals or travel again - it all seems too complicated to manage. My DKA happened 2 days before our planned 6 week trip to Europe and it seems so far out of reach now.

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Hi there, sorry, I've only just seen your reply, if you choose the 'reply' option directly beneath someone's post then it replies directly to them and they get an alert. Initially it was difficult to manage insulin dosage with carbs and I was constantly low. I've always exercised a lot and this too had to be accounted for. In fact I had a month off work and hardly went out because I was so worried about having a hypo and falling over! Two years (and lots of testing and experiments) later I have got to know (mostly) how my body is likely to react to certain food and roughly how much insulin to take and all the rest. I still have hypos too frequently but I do recognise when one is coming although some really low ones slip through. It really is trial and error, believe me though when you get more used to things you will become so much more confident. At the start you barely know how it all works but you soon become an expert, especially after you find a site such as this. USE your diabetes team too, phone them whenever you have to. You most certainly WILL be able to travel and go out for meals same as before...just with a fair bit of equipment and organisation. x