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GAD positive 2014 now negative

R

reaman

Member
Messages
23
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi there I was diagnosed as type 2 in June 2014. This was revised to LADA soon afterwards because I was slim fit and tested positive for GAD antibodies. My last 3 hb1ac were 5.6. I take 2000 metaformin per day. I have just seen a letter from my endocrinologist to my GP from last year which says I am now GAD negative. I am a bit confused. I am not really low carb but i am low sugar. Could I be type 2 after all
 
reaman said:
Hi there I was diagnosed as type 2 in June 2014. This was revised to LADA soon afterwards because I was slim fit and tested positive for GAD antibodies. My last 3 hb1ac were 5.6. I take 2000 metaformin per day. I have just seen a letter from my endocrinologist to my GP from last year which says I am now GAD negative. I am a bit confused. I am not really low carb but i am low sugar. Could I be type 2 after all
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I personally have not heard of anyone changing from GAD positive to negative before - maybe you're unique!!

But as for those antibodies.........

upload_2017-3-13_20-7-14.png

Not having them doesn't mean that you're a T2.
 
Maybe the first test was wrong..I don't know but definitely not gad positive now. But i am very curious
 
Just checking... Did they actually do a second test? Did you know it was GAD testing at the time of the blood drawing?

The reason i ask is because there have been a number of people who have posted to say that clerical error and misunderstandings have led to the wrong type being recorded on their records, causing no end of aggro down the line...

Also, maybe do some reading on how likely false positives are for that test.
And are you registered for online patient access to your test results.

Don't know about you, but i feel much better when i have seen things with my own eyes, rather than relying on verbal interpretations :)

Call me a control freak, but I have been taught to need my control freakery by NHS staff! :D
 
Yes there was definitely a 2nd test by a new endo. I wasn't happy with the first. If I am not gad positive now am I still a type 1.5. I was told no point in trying the Newcastle diet because I was type 1 slow burning
 
If you read the NICE Diabetes T1 Guidelines current issue you will see that they say that the GAD test becomes less reliable as time elapses after diagnosis so this change in your result could be purely that and implies you are in reality still positive. The c-peptide is really the decider as what matters is whether you insulin is low due to failing beta cells and not what caused that failure.
 
I have read that the anti-bodies don't always show up. They often show up years before any symptoms of diabetes appear.

I have had three positive GAD tests - I've had autoimmune thyroid disease for about 20 years and I had a test a couple of years ago and the anti bodies didn't show. Next test they did. It seems as though it's an area of medicine that not a lot is known about. I mentioned LADA and being GAD positive to my new and very young GP the other day and I really don't think she knew what I was talking about. It's quite possible a C-peptide will give you a better indication if it's low. However, if it's not low, it still doesn't mean you aren't LADA. Though if it's high it would more likely tell you you're type 2.

This LADA business is a very frustrating; keep pushing for a correct diagnosis.
 
Lesleywo said:
I have read that the anti-bodies don't always show up. They often show up years before any symptoms of diabetes appear.

I have had three positive GAD tests - I've had autoimmune thyroid disease for about 20 years and I had a test a couple of years ago and the anti bodies didn't show. Next test they did. It seems as though it's an area of medicine that not a lot is known about. I mentioned LADA and being GAD positive to my new and very young GP the other day and I really don't think she knew what I was talking about. It's quite possible a C-peptide will give you a better indication if it's low. However, if it's not low, it still doesn't mean you aren't LADA. Though if it's high it would more likely tell you you're type 2.

This LADA business is a very frustrating; keep pushing for a correct diagnosis.
Click to expand...
Hi I agree. There are other things beyond GAD antibodies that can cause beta cell failure and viruses are a factor. My GAD was negative 10 years after diagnosis (it was the 1st time it was tested) but my low c-peptide showed the need for insulin. One of the problems on this is that Diabetes UK (not this site) doesn't understand Late onset T1 which is not very helpful - one day they will have a better understanding of diabetes but I'm not hopeful :)
 
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