CONFUSED

[Paul Brooks]

. Doctors and nurses keep telling me I have type 1then they tell me I am type 2. How can I find out what type.

 

[Prem51]

Hi @Paul Brooks and welcome to the forum. Do you know what your HbA1c readings are? If not you need to get them from your GP surgery.

 

[Bluetit1802]

The only way to tell which type you are is to have the relevant C-Peptide tests by your doctor. Have you had these?

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[Andy-Sev]

Hi Paul. I can't give you any advice as I was only diagnosed at the end of September but you are not alone as likewise I am waiting confirmation on which type I am because whilst my profile fits type 2 at diagnosis I had several type 1 elements. And unfortunately there are others on here who are in the same boat, in limbo as the specialists run various tests to try and narrow things down.

The most important thing I can tell you is to read up as much as you can as there is a lot to take in during the first few weeks and the better educated you are the easier it will be to get your head around everything.

 

[giscle]

Dear Paul ask your doctor- the simple insulin C-reactive protein blood test will give you a definitive answer. You may need to be persistent, but it is essential to know the result to get the proper treatment. I was misdiagnosed as type 2 and being a nurse knew this was wrong. I had a fight to get this test, done and it showed that I was definitely type 1. Good luck, giscle

 

[Wilki.356]

. Doctors and nurses keep telling me I have type 1then they tell me I am type 2. How can I find out what type.

Hi Paul.

Unfortunately there are so many categories these days, they want to put you in the right box for the right treatment. If your in the UK, they should have superb care here.

Have you any information about your levels, did anyone mention blood sugar level etc? Have you a testing kit? You can buy the kit from the pharmacy (ask the doctor which one, as they should prescribe the blood glucose monitor. test strips, sharps box and lancets). You may have to buy them first whilst you wait for the results of your blood test, but you can claim the cost back when you have been correctly diagnosed.

Type 1 is low blood glucose, meaning your body doesn't create enough insulin, so insulin is administered by injections or pumped.
Type 2 is high blood glucose, meaning too much insulin created by the body and controlled by tablets or extreme cases with injections to keep levels down.

I found a book "Diabetes for dummies" handy as reference. A clear explanation of both types of the disease. It covers a wide variety of topics, some relevant, some not, depending on what type you are, but you may find it helpful.

What ever the result, don't stress about it and try to roll with it.

Just remember everyone is an individual, your diagnoses will be unique to you, the forum is good to gather information and try different things other people have found helpful to control their levels, somethings may work, other things you may try and don't.

Your in control and you can manage it.

Hope all goes well.

 

[bambee3]

Hi Paul,
I too am unsure about which type I am. I had been ? Diabetic since the age of 17. All my glucose tolerance tests were just below the threshold. But then all of a sudden we moved to another state and my blood levels crossed the line. I was told and treated as a type 2. I have now got some complications of diabetes the main one being autonomic nervous system dysfunction. My diabetes educator thinks I am a misdiagnosed type 1, my paperwork for the NDSS that the original dr filled out has listed me as type 1 according to the NDSS when my diabetes ed made enquiries. When I contacted them I was told I had to be a type 1 or I would not have got an insulin pump without having to put a strong case forward and then it would not be guaranteed. I have req my current dr to blood tests to see if we can find out for sure and he shrugged it off. He told me that even if I was a type 2 I have become a type 1due to the large amounts of insulin that I take. I guess my message to you is try and find out which type you are and hopefully you can then get the right treatment from the beginning. Good luck.

 

[Emily95]

Type 1 is not low blood sugar... nor is it 'doesn't create enough insulin.'
Type 1 is doesn't produce any insulin so that causes high blood sugar. So HAVE to inject insulin.

Type 2 is also high blood sugar but not as high (usually) as type 1 as they still produce some of their own insulin but it's not enough or the body is resistant to it.

Type 2 can never become type 1. You can be a type 2 on insulin but you are still a type 2.

 

[micksmixxx]

Dear Paul ask your doctor- the simple insulin C-reactive protein blood test will give you a definitive answer. You may need to be persistent, but it is essential to know the result to get the proper treatment. I was misdiagnosed as type 2 and being a nurse knew this was wrong. I had a fight to get this test, done and it showed that I was definitely type 1. Good luck, giscle

Actually, giscle, the C-reactive protein blood test is to test for inflammation. It's the C-peptide blood test that Paul requires. (There are also other blood tests, such as GADA (Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase Antibodies) that can help to differentiate between type 1 and type 2.)

 

[giscle]

Actually, giscle, the C-reactive protein blood test is to test for inflammation. It's the C-peptide blood test that Paul requires. (There are also other blood tests, such as GADA (Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase Antibodies) that can help to differentiate between type 1 and type 2.)

Sorry, I meant the C-peptide test, glad you noticed.

 

[clifft]

Well if you were not confused which type you are before, you must be by now. Surely keeping your blood sugar under control is more important than whether your classified type 1 or 2. I started out as type 2 on tablets and diet, but this did not make me any better. I was then put on insulin injections and the transformation was almost immediate. It must have been around 2 years later when I visited my health clinic a new doctor put me in a type 1 classification. Same treatment though, I am still happy with my treatment, and I don't really care if I am called type 1 or type 2. Should I care? If so why as long as the treatment I get enables me to control my glucose levels?

 

[jane12]

If you were type 1, you would need to inject insulin otherwise you would have a DKA episode which, if left untreated would kill you, so you are type 2.

 

[bowtimeiwon]

. Doctors and nurses keep telling me I have type 1then they tell me I am type 2. How can I find out what type.

Hi Paul, I was diagnosed as being a type 2 some 20 years ago, the last ten years being treated with insulin and metformin. Two years ago I had to go to the local A & E Dept following an injury. After telling the triage nurse that I was type 2 diabetic, I gave her a list of medication...she got annoyed saying that because I was on Insulin I had to be type ! and was exasperated that I had misled her! I tried to explain that I was still type 2, but treated with insulin. I eventually got her to ring the diabetic clinic...her tone then changed and to give her credit she apologized saying that she had had little training in diabetes.

 

[Mep]

If you haven't had the GAD and c-peptide tests done as yet, then that is what is needed to identify what type of diabetes you have. The GAD checks for antibodies. If you have antibodies then you're type 1 usually. It depends also on how long you've had diabetes. If you've had it for a few years and you were told initially you were type 2, but you're now producing antibodies, then in fact you're type 1.5 and not type 1. There's various different types of diabetes and not everyone is either type 1 or 2. Also type 2's can have hardly any insulin being produced too and need to treat with insulin the same as type 1's. The only difference at that stage is how the insulin production was destroyed in the body. The treatment is the same. I'm type 2 on insulin. I always advise any type 2 to not be shy in requesting the diagnostic tests (as mentioned above) to be done again if things aren't working. Don't ever just assume you still are producing insulin or you're definitely type 2. That's a bit of info for you. I hope you can get things worked out. Whatever the type though it's important you can get good control.