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Happy Birthday, here's Type 1 Diabetes!

Is adult diagnosis rare?

  • Total voters
    4
Emmotha

Emmotha

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,123
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the forum (and diabetes). I was diagnosed last month on my 29th birthday! What a present!

Coping ok, blood sugars doing alright and feeling better than pre-diagnosis. I found the hospital / diabetes specialists weren't too clued up on adults being diagnosed. Is it really as rare as they make out?

Thanks,
 
I voted no because I've been surprised how many are diagnosed in adulthood. The fact that Type 1 is still referred to as "Juvenile Diabetes" is perhaps a little misleading.
I was 39 when I was diagnosed.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum. I'm am surprised that your diabetes specialists are not glued up on Adult type 1 !!

Children at my local hospital go up to the children's ward to see their diabetes specialist and I go to the diabetic clinic and it's just adults. I was 31 when diagnosed and I know there was a thread asking how long we have had diabetes and at what age diagnosed.
I'm pleased that you are feeling so much better now and I hope it continues for you.

Best wishes and take care.
 
We have members in their 40's & 50's diagnosed with type 1, as Duneplodder says the title Juvenile is a bit misleading now and does cause some confusion.

Welcome to the forum btw:)
 
Hi. I voted No. I recently read that the oldest LADA was aged 90! Approx 20% of T2s don't fit the overweight profile and I suspect many/most of these are actually LADA; I'm one of those. When I told my diabetes GP that my nephew was diagnosed as a T1 at age 22 she said 'that's unusual' which I think says all about NHS understanding of diabetes types. The problem is that LADA can come on at widely varying speeds. In my case it was around 6 years to needing insulin from diagnosis but for others it may be much less (or more). There is also the misunderstanding that there will always be GAD anti-bodies present whereas there can be other causes e.g.other antibody types, viruses, pancreatitis and so on.
 
There are also the first diagnosed T2's who are really T1's and T1's that are T2's etc..

You had the typical unexplained weight loss leading up to the T1 diagnosis?
 
Hi all. Thanks for your replies.
Yep I had all the text book symptoms, dropped 11kg, tired, thirsty, muscle cramps etc. no family history and I was overweight so that's why they went straight to type 2. But because I'm under 30 they tested for the antibodies and they were present. I was just quite surprised how many doctors / nurses have said it's so unusual at my age, when from what I've been reading it doesn't seem so.
 
I was diagnosed T1, aged 30. Usual symptoms: got very thin, very tired, raging thirst that I couldn't stop, no family history unless you count my deceased maternal grandmother having had goitre. There's a link apparently between these endocrine dysfunctions. I did also have a bad cold and sore throat at the time.

I don't exactly feel lucky to have been diagnosed at 30, but I think it's easier to cope with it yourself at this age, especially emotionally. Not that it's easy at all ever! :(:)

Anyway, happy birthday for your recent birthday, and I'm glad you feel better than pre-diagnosis, and are coping well with all the faff of diabetes. I remember feeling relieved to have got rid of the awful pre-diagnosis limbo. Best wishes!
 
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