I would be interested in views on LADA or type 1.5 as this was given as my diagnosis. Intially was put on Metorformin and Glicacide and something else but with no effect upon my BG levels which at times were in the 30's. It was when I was having ears syringed that the Nurse treating me happened to be a Diabetes Nurse, and after looking at my levels and blood test results rang the Diabetes Centre and got me onto insulin. In the sapce of two months I had lost 2.5 stone but would say I was not overweight to start with. Have been steadily increasing my Nvomix with some success but stll getting spikes and BG levels around 8 to 10. Also testing daily for ketones which have gone down from 0.4 to 0.1 which must be good. Up until a few months back I have been fairly fit and healthy and don't have any history of diabetes in the family. As I have said previously at 51 its still quite a shock to realise your life has seemingly been turned upside down. Just knowing that its permanent is hard to get your head around.....however would be interested to know the why's and hows with LADA and is there really a type 1 .5 ?
LADA
- Thread starter AITCH
- Start Date
phoenix
Expert
- Messages
- 5,671
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
I have LADA, I was even older than you when diagnosed at 53, and yes it was a shock! I had left my symptoms rather too long and was extemely thin by the time I visited the doctor with very high BS and ketones. He sent me straight to hospital, where I was immediately put on an insulin pump to bring my levels down. After further tests they told me I had LADA. Even after 4 years, I still sometimes can't quite believe they haven't got it all wrong and occasionally have the fantasy that I could stop the insulin and control it with diet and exercise :wink:
I spent a lot of time researching when I got home. I was surprised to find how common LADA actually is. I have read of people in their 70s being diagnosed with it. It is possible that 10% of the people with adult onset diabetes, not immediately needing insulin have LADA, thats a lot of people (many misdiagnosed as type 2) and far more than those who develop type 1 as a child or young person.
Diagnosis can be done by the presence of one or more types of islet antibodies but these tests are not always done. Recently there have been attempts to distinguish it from type 2 by other criteria.
'One study reported a probability of LADA of 0.99 with one or two out of the following five clinical features:
age at onset <50 years;
acute symptoms;
BMI<25kg/m2;
a history of autoimmune disease;
a family history positive for diabetes mellitus.
The other study reported a probability of LADA of zero with none of the following clinical features and of 0.32 with one out of three:
fasting blood glucose≥15mmol/l and/or HbA1c≥10%;
10% reduction in body weight in the previous 3 months;
BMI<25kg/m2.'
(Easily obtainable clinical features increase the diagnostic accuracy for latent autoimmune diabetes in adults: An evidence-based report. Lutgens et al Dec 2008)
For myself I fulfilled two of the first, five and all of the last three and though since diagnosis a cousin developed LADA so that now makes 3 out of 5.
A good introductory site about LADA is http://www.locallada.swan.ac.uk/what.html
I'm afraid I can't help much with your insulin since I used a basal bolus regime from the start. This is where you inject long lasting insulin once (or sometimes twice) a day and a short acting one with meals. I must say I'm grateful for this since It enables you to be much more flexible about food and mealtimes than with a mixed insulin.
I spent a lot of time researching when I got home. I was surprised to find how common LADA actually is. I have read of people in their 70s being diagnosed with it. It is possible that 10% of the people with adult onset diabetes, not immediately needing insulin have LADA, thats a lot of people (many misdiagnosed as type 2) and far more than those who develop type 1 as a child or young person.
Diagnosis can be done by the presence of one or more types of islet antibodies but these tests are not always done. Recently there have been attempts to distinguish it from type 2 by other criteria.
'One study reported a probability of LADA of 0.99 with one or two out of the following five clinical features:
age at onset <50 years;
acute symptoms;
BMI<25kg/m2;
a history of autoimmune disease;
a family history positive for diabetes mellitus.
The other study reported a probability of LADA of zero with none of the following clinical features and of 0.32 with one out of three:
fasting blood glucose≥15mmol/l and/or HbA1c≥10%;
10% reduction in body weight in the previous 3 months;
BMI<25kg/m2.'
(Easily obtainable clinical features increase the diagnostic accuracy for latent autoimmune diabetes in adults: An evidence-based report. Lutgens et al Dec 2008)
For myself I fulfilled two of the first, five and all of the last three and though since diagnosis a cousin developed LADA so that now makes 3 out of 5.
A good introductory site about LADA is http://www.locallada.swan.ac.uk/what.html
I'm afraid I can't help much with your insulin since I used a basal bolus regime from the start. This is where you inject long lasting insulin once (or sometimes twice) a day and a short acting one with meals. I must say I'm grateful for this since It enables you to be much more flexible about food and mealtimes than with a mixed insulin.
Phoenix,
Thanks for the reply. I looked at the link you sent and found it really usefull for background info. I am like you in thinking why can't I get away from taking insulin but suppose will get used to it.
I fit 3 into 3 out of the 5 of the categories to so there must be something to it.
Still having lots of swing on my BG at present which is both anoying and frustrating. Went down to 4.1 at one point today from 14 and then after eating fruit back up to 9.8.......that was just this morning. ow long does it normally take to stable out a bit more ??
Off to see diatician tomorow so will be interested to see what advice I receive everything you read seems so contradictory. I am not sure on the low carbs thing for type 1.
Thanks for the reply. I looked at the link you sent and found it really usefull for background info. I am like you in thinking why can't I get away from taking insulin but suppose will get used to it.
I fit 3 into 3 out of the 5 of the categories to so there must be something to it.
Still having lots of swing on my BG at present which is both anoying and frustrating. Went down to 4.1 at one point today from 14 and then after eating fruit back up to 9.8.......that was just this morning. ow long does it normally take to stable out a bit more ??
Off to see diatician tomorow so will be interested to see what advice I receive everything you read seems so contradictory. I am not sure on the low carbs thing for type 1.
