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Getting diagnosed

A

ashwilliaams

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I have a very different diagnosis story to any I have heard and want to know if anyone has a similar story

Both my brother and father are type 1, father diagnosed at 16 and brother at 20

When my brother was diagnosed he was already in DKA his symptoms were severe and quite obvious,

I had began to notice some symptoms like leg cramping excessive urination and feeling really lethargic especially after eating, I knew from my brother and father that these were symptoms of hyperglycaemia so I went to my GP who did a glucose test, I was 9.1 I then did a fasting glucose and was 7.9. I was told I didn't have type 1 but that I should see an endocrinologist. The endocrinologist told me I had type 2 diabetes, and tried me on multiple oral interventions of the span of 4 months. None of which worked however my blood sugar was still only around 12 at maximum. I knew I didn't have type 2 with my family history of type 1 I just knew something was wrong, after 4 months of no relief my endocrinologist finally gave me a GAD antibody test which confirmed I had type 1 (I am gladly no longer seeing this endo) I am probably the only person I know who has been happy about a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes but it was such a fight to get the doctors to believe me. My blood sugars kept rising over the next year and I required more and more insulin, I am now on an insulin pump and loving it. I was diagnosed at 19 and am now nearly 21 I was wondering if anyone has a similar story of catching their diabetes early?
 
Hey,

yeah, my mum diagnosed me! I was away at uni, sporadically visiting the parents.She saw the symptoms over the space of a few months and insisted I went to the dr. I thought I could explain away every single one...
After much persuasion I rocked up and languidly explained to the GP that my mum had insisted I come as she was convinced I was diabetic. Ten minutes later, after the urine dip, the GP tells me my mum is right. Biggest shock of my life!
Thanks to my mum I didn't get to the DKA stage that many people are diagnosed at, and similar to you I slowly cranked up the insulin to match my needs.
It's my ten year milestone this year, I'm on a pump and I love it. Diabetes is part of my life now but I try not to let it slow me down! :D

Nomi
 
ashwilliaams said:
I have a very different diagnosis story to any I have heard and want to know if anyone has a similar story

Both my brother and father are type 1, father diagnosed at 16 and brother at 20

When my brother was diagnosed he was already in DKA his symptoms were severe and quite obvious,

I had began to notice some symptoms like leg cramping excessive urination and feeling really lethargic especially after eating, I knew from my brother and father that these were symptoms of hyperglycaemia so I went to my GP who did a glucose test, I was 9.1 I then did a fasting glucose and was 7.9. I was told I didn't have type 1 but that I should see an endocrinologist. The endocrinologist told me I had type 2 diabetes, and tried me on multiple oral interventions of the span of 4 months. None of which worked however my blood sugar was still only around 12 at maximum. I knew I didn't have type 2 with my family history of type 1 I just knew something was wrong, after 4 months of no relief my endocrinologist finally gave me a GAD antibody test which confirmed I had type 1 (I am gladly no longer seeing this endo) I am probably the only person I know who has been happy about a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes but it was such a fight to get the doctors to believe me. My blood sugars kept rising over the next year and I required more and more insulin, I am now on an insulin pump and loving it. I was diagnosed at 19 and am now nearly 21 I was wondering if anyone has a similar story of catching their diabetes early?
Click to expand...

This is what trial net - http://www.bristol.ac.uk/clinical-sciences/research/diabetes/research/trialnet/ - is supposed to be for. They test people with first degree relatives with type 1 to see if they have the antibodies, if antibodies are there they keep a close watch on them so if blood sugar starts rising they get diagnosed and treated long before dka ever appears.
 
Hi @ashwilliaams . Had all the symptoms over maybe a 3 or 4 month period, getting progressively worse. Finally went doctors one evening, explained symptoms and he asked could I do a urine sample. Well that was easy, I was peeing for fun.
5 minutes later I'm back in with doc and hey presto I was T1. No blood test, nothing, just a urine sample and next day was injecting. Didn't really have time to contemplate what was going on.
 
Hi,
If you take away the family history your story is very very similar to mine. I only started to consider I had diabetes when a friend was teaching me to use a blood glucose monitor. It came out a bit high and I started making some connections and realizing I did have symptoms. I too ended up on oral medications which stopped working after a year or so. Now I have been unequivocally told I am type 1 and it is a massive relief just like you said. But it took me seeing several specialists before anyone would listen and the only reason anyone did was because I was given a blood glucose monitor at the clinic and they wanted to show me how to use it. My consultant says I just happened to catch it so early on it was hard to pin it down, which I do appreciate especially when my symptoms were mild.
 
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