Can Type 2 Become Type 1?

Hi type one and two are very different, you can only become type one if your beta cells in your pancreas are killed off by your own immune system, what causes this isn't clear but definately isn't type two diabetes so type two cannot become type one unless they were destined to be type one regardless of their type two, hmmmm I hope that didn't make your confusion worse

Everything I've said is just my understanding, I'm not medical

The DSN was basically saying that a T2 can end up on injections.. Thats what they generalise telling patients.

Details above are good, so won't list more.

It is true that it is possible
To end up on injections as a T2 but that does not categorise you as a T1. It just means that you are an insulin dependent T2.

The correct diet and exercise can reduce or eliminate mmeds for T2's in general but never with a T1.

Provided as a type 2 diabetic you do the sensible things, like getting your weight under control, eating a LCHF diet, doing some sensible regular exercise, there should be no reason for you to need insulin injections.
However by not following the sensible diabetic routine and eating foods that have a consistently high GL/Gl loading or foods high in sugar content and little or no exercise, it will result in high blood/glucose levels in your bloodstream, which in turn will place a heavy demand on the insulin producing beta cell of you pancreas.
Over time this high demand will weaken the beta producing cells within the pancreas to the point where they slowly start to fail (often referred to as 'Burn Out'), at which point it then becomes necessary to supplement this insulin loss by resorting to regular insulin injections.
Type 2 diabetes is a long term serious condition, but if you look after yourself you can successfully avoid all the horrid long term problems that can go along with someone not looking after themselves properly.
Sadly once you have been correctly diagnosed as diabetic you will have this condition with you throughout you lifetime, and though you might manage to come out of the higher blood/glucose levels associated with having diabetes, you will still be diabetic. It's one of those condition that is forever there though it might appear hidden away in the background.

Best of luck in keeping your diabetes under tight control for all the years to come - Lazybones

Hi. I had a Liver transplant Dec. 2014. I was diagnosed diabetic post op. I've been classed as type 2 , steroid induced, (a med. I was on to help fight liver rejection),insulin dependant diabetic. I had to inject insulin from the start of being told I am a diabetic. No diet or tablet option given. I inject 4 x a day. Some people said I must be type 1 if I have to inject! It's all new to me. Any ideas if T1 or T2? Never seem to get a straight answer at hospital or clinics!
Not that it really matters I guess. I'm diabetic now, although no indication pre-opp. That I may have been already. I did have lots of blood tests from diagnoses of liver disease through to my operation.

I am on insulatard for ?? Type 2 steroid and genetic disorder induced. Still waiting for deafinate answer when I go back to DSN in 5 weeks. I only inject once a day a the moment

andyjcoakley said:

Hi. I had a Liver transplant Dec. 2014. I was diagnosed diabetic post op. I've been classed as type 2 , steroid induced, (a med. I was on to help fight liver rejection),insulin dependant diabetic. I had to inject insulin from the start of being told I am a diabetic. No diet or tablet option given. I inject 4 x a day. Some people said I must be type 1 if I have to inject! It's all new to me. Any ideas if T1 or T2? Never seem to get a straight answer at hospital or clinics!
Not that it really matters I guess. I'm diabetic now, although no indication pre-opp. That I may have been already. I did have lots of blood tests from diagnoses of liver disease through to my operation.

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Strictly speaking, I would say you are an insulin dependant diabetic, induced by steroid use.
IDD for short !

You seemingly did not develop Type 2 prior to the steroids, and are not diabetic through autoimmunity (Type 1) .

I think you highlight the fact that there are more variations than the two most people associate with diabetes . We are in fact a diverse bunch of people .

Signy

T1 is either autoimmune or a few cases of unknown origin . There are lots of other well known types that have known causes.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2797383/table/T1/
edit note section 3 E drug and chemical induced

Hi Everyone. I have been a Diabetic since 2001. Prior to being diagnosed I gave platelets and a blood donar. I have been BULLIED BY A Consultant to go onto INSULIN, I totally refused ( My body my choice ) I have also lost 9 stone this has NOT been taken into consideration, l haven't had a review of my drugs. My reason is because every DIABETIC I know who inject INSULIN have either lost limbs or their eye sight, they have other issue's going on. I have also refused to take certain drugs ie STATINS as they are related to BOWEL CANCER and causes other issue's. GP's and CONSULTANTS need to listen to their patients, discuss it with us and NOT make decisions for us. We are the one's who know what is going on with our bodies, you may go on all these courses and think you know what best for us. Yes I do get upset when they won't listen or won't discuss it with me, I also understand that I could be causing further problems, I had a Triple Bypass 1/12/2014 and Stents put in 8/11/2015. I have immediate family who are NOT Diabetic's who have had to have Heart Surgery. I also understand that they think they have our best interest. SO PLEASE LISTEN AND NOT TELL US OR BULLY US INTO WHAT YOU THINK IS BEST FOR US. THANKYOU.

JodieALee said:

Hi.

I've been diabetic for 2 or 3 years now but only just signed up here. I'm Type 2 and my biggest fear was always becoming Type 1. Mainly because when I was diagnosed I was told by the diabetes nurse that type 2 can be cured if you lose weight and make the changes needed etc. She said i could get off the medication and eventually have the diagnosis taken away. She also said Type 1 is forever end of.

I've always been told by people that if type 2 gets bad it can become type 1. Recently though i read somewhere that once type 2 always type 2 unless you were wrongly diagnosed as type 2. So now im confused.

Can anyone help?

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I was type 2 for many years until I had C petic test which told the nurse I've progressed to type1. This is not a death sentence as taking control of diet and exercise means I've better control than I had when I was type 2. It means extra work on my part as I've got to weight my food and check food lables but I've got into a routine now so its a doddle. Hope this helps to reassure you all.
Happy days.

Casper60 said:

I was type 2 for many years until I had C petic test which told the nurse I've progressed to type1. This is not a death sentence as taking control of diet and exercise means I've better control than I had when I was type 2. It means extra work on my part as I've got to weight my food and check food lables but I've got into a routine now so its a doddle. Hope this helps to reassure you all.
Happy days.

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Technically, unless you had a GAD test done which was positive and showed the presence of the autoimmune antibodies that destroy beta cells, then you are still type 2, all be it an insulin dependent Type 2.

You may have progressed to insulin as a result of your beta cells dying due to exposure to too high blood glucose levels, which the C-Peptide test shows as a reduction in insulin output, but as long as the cause of your beta cells dying is not an autoimmune attack, you aren't a Type 1!

kevin mallett said:

Hi Everyone. I have been a Diabetic since 2001. Prior to being diagnosed I gave platelets and a blood donar. I have been BULLIED BY A Consultant to go onto INSULIN, I totally refused ( My body my choice ) I have also lost 9 stone this has NOT been taken into consideration, l haven't had a review of my drugs. My reason is because every DIABETIC I know who inject INSULIN have either lost limbs or their eye sight, they have other issue's going on. I have also refused to take certain drugs ie STATINS as they are related to BOWEL CANCER and causes other issue's. GP's and CONSULTANTS need to listen to their patients, discuss it with us and NOT make decisions for us. We are the one's who know what is going on with our bodies, you may go on all these courses and think you know what best for us. Yes I do get upset when they won't listen or won't discuss it with me, I also understand that I could be causing further problems, I had a Triple Bypass 1/12/2014 and Stents put in 8/11/2015. I have immediate family who are NOT Diabetic's who have had to have Heart Surgery. I also understand that they think they have our best interest. SO PLEASE LISTEN AND NOT TELL US OR BULLY US INTO WHAT YOU THINK IS BEST FOR US. THANKYOU.

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Hi @kevin mallett

Yes, it's up to you - you don't have to take medication if you don't want to. It's your choice.

But, with regard to insulin, insulin itself doesn't lead to amputations or loss of eyesight. Those are complications of diabetes which are made more likely if your diabetes is uncontrolled - that is, if your blood sugar is too high. Insulin can help reduce people's blood sugar.

Many people with Type 2 do take insulin to help control their blood sugar. There's a thread in the Type 2 section of this forum forType 2s on insulin if you wish to have a look.

It sounds like you've had a bad time with your bypass. I wish you all the best.

I'm type 2, always have been. I have beta cell damage to my pancreas though which means I no longer produce sufficient insulin and I am now on full time insulin therapy. That DOES NOT make me type 1 or type 1.5 because the GAD test I had shows I do not produce antibodies. I am sick of people trying to tell me only type 1's can be on insulin... and making comments like oh so you've turned into a type 1 diabetic... no, I haven't. The fact is you are either an insulin dependant diabetic or you are not as far as treatment is concerned. How you got to be on insulin depends on how your the production of insulin was destroyed in your body. A GAD test will show if you have antibodies and if you do then you are not type 2... most likely type 1 or type 1.5. A c-peptide test will show whether or not your pancreas produces sufficient insulin or not... if it doesn't you have to be put on insulin regardless of what type of diabetes you have. I hope that helps clarify for you.

Mep said:

I'm type 2, always have been. I have beta cell damage to my pancreas though which means I no longer produce sufficient insulin and I am now on full time insulin therapy. That DOES NOT make me type 1 or type 1.5 because the GAD test I had shows I do not produce antibodies. I am sick of people trying to tell me only type 1's can be on insulin... and making comments like oh so you've turned into a type 1 diabetic... no, I haven't. The fact is you are either an insulin dependant diabetic or you are not as far as treatment is concerned. How you got to be on insulin depends on how your the production of insulin was destroyed in your body. A GAD test will show if you have antibodies and if you do then you are not type 2... most likely type 1 or type 1.5. A c-peptide test will show whether or not your pancreas produces sufficient insulin or not... if it doesn't you have to be put on insulin regardless of what type of diabetes you have. I hope that helps clarify for you.

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Wow...thanx...this thread got to help me a year later.

Hi I have been diagnosed 7 months ago I'm on metformin ! I'm feeling nausea / exhausted / blurred vision / pains in my tummy when I eat / increased trips to the toilet . Just feeling so unwell !! Anyone help me with some advise ? Suzuki ...

Suzuki08 said:

Hi I have been diagnosed 7 months ago I'm on metformin ! I'm feeling nausea / exhausted / blurred vision / pains in my tummy when I eat / increased trips to the toilet . Just feeling so unwell !! Anyone help me with some advise ? Suzuki ...

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Hi @Suzuki08 ,

Welcome to the forum!

Your post enquiry may serve more productive if it had it's own thread.
Would you like me or another member of the moderator team to action this for you?

Thanks in anticipation.

Jaylee.

I'd like to tag @Kristin251... I have read a few times that she 'used' to be T2 yet is now LADA. This confuses me somewhat, but this thread seems perfect for killing two birds with one stone

As far as I'm aware, although T2 and T1 can have similar symptoms and side effects - the initial causes are what differs between the conditions.

LADA is latent autoimmune diabetes in adults. It's slow onset type 1. It has characteristics of both type 2 and type 1. Eventually it progresses to insulin dependent. LADA can be caused by many things. I believe mine was caused ( or progressed faster) after a nasty virus. It can also be genetic. I'm sure many other things.

I believe I was well on my way before DX. I had to keep reducing everything I ate but got to a point everything raised me and excersice didn't lower me anymore but rather raised me. I also lost loads of weight in a very short time which I couldn't afford to loose. So at 50 years old in came the insulin.

There are tests such as the GAD and peptide to determine WHICH type you are.

If you google GAD you have to include the word diabetes or it's some other thing about depression.

Kristin251 said:

LADA is latent autoimmune diabetes in adults. It's slow onset type 1. It has characteristics of both type 2 and type 1. Eventually it progresses to insulin dependent. LADA can be caused by many things. I believe mine was caused ( or progressed faster) after a nasty virus. It can also be genetic. I'm sure many other things.

I believe I was well on my way before DX. I had to keep reducing everything I ate but got to a point everything raised me and excersice didn't lower me anymore but rather raised me. I also lost loads of weight in a very short time which I couldn't afford to loose. So at 50 years old in came the insulin.

There are tests such as the GAD and peptide to determine WHICH type you are.

If you google GAD you have to include the word diabetes or it's some other thing about depression.

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Was there an element of confusion between the initial T2 diagnosis and your current T1/LADA then? Just to tie in with the question that the OP raised initially.

Suzuki08 said:

Hi I have been diagnosed 7 months ago I'm on metformin ! I'm feeling nausea / exhausted / blurred vision / pains in my tummy when I eat / increased trips to the toilet . Just feeling so unwell !! Anyone help me with some advise ? Suzuki ...

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You really need to start your own thread - there is a lot of advice to be had, but posting on an ongoing thread can mean that you don't attract as much attention.