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Honeymoon Period - oral meds only

R

Red_Fox22

Active Member
Messages
44
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi All

I have a question in relation to my slightly complex and confusing recent diagnosis as to whether I am T1 (LADA) or a T2.

Without boring people with too much detail, I would be grateful if anyone can answer this questions:

My BS have dropped hugely in only a couple of a months (AlC of 109 in Jan to 60 in March) on diet and metformin only. My specialist said I could still be a T1 and this drop could be accounted for by the honeymoon phenomena. Having read about this, my understanding is that the honeymoon period only applies if you start injecting insulin. If that is correct then my drop cannot be attributed to this and I think this means I must be a T2.

Does anyone agree or have views generally?
 
I wonder why your specialist thinks you may be T1? If you are quite slim then that can be a hint on LADA but you would need to progress beyond Metformin to something like Gliclazide and still have high blood sugar for the likelihood of T1 to increase. The specialist could do a GAD and c-peptide test to confirm one way or the other. The LADA honeymoon can start at any time when it's obvious your own insulin level is dropping (e.g. losing weight and having high BS)
 
The "honeymoon period" has little to do with if you've start injections or not. It's simply the time where the autoimmune attack has begun but has not progressed to the point where your beta cells no longer produce any (or almost none) insulin.

Sometimes, starting injections seems to improve beta cell function temporarily which can prolong the honeymoon period but it's not a requirement to be considered in the honeymoon period.

Either way, the "honeymoon period" isn't a medical term. It's used loosely among type 1 and 1.5 diabetics to describe the period when things are easiest (much like the honeymoon of a marriage).
 
@Red_Fox22 If you've altered your diet since diagnosis that plus the honeymoon could account for the drop.
 
My GP did the C-peptide test and felt sure enough I was a T2.

I am very slim and quite young (38) and that is why there was some doubt. I did also lose weight but I cant remember of what time period this was and in any case it was aggravated by the diet I put myself on following diagnosis.
 
My c peptide wasn't that far out of normal range when I was diagnosed t1. First clues for my case being t1 were a combination of all of this:
- Stupid high blood sugars (like up around 43)
- diet/weight history
- metformin + gliclazide did nothing for me.

That was all just speculation until the antibody test came back positive, which took over a week (was in hospital already when it all happened, so they had plenty of chance to test different things and get daily blood tests while waiting).

If you're antibody negative - it might be that you won't know for certain any time soon - unfortunately. In the mean time, best to act like you have type 2 just in case there's a chance of avoiding insulin etc.
 

Did you get input from an Endo too? I was told C Peptide can vary early on so might not be a good indicator alone.

If you are a Type 1/LADA insulin may help,preserve your remaining beta cell function for longer.
 
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