• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

May have LADA

E

EllisB

Well-Known Member
Messages
116
Location
Stourport-on-Severn
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi,

I was first diagnosed with T2 over 10 years ago. With diet and exercise I lost a lot of weight and brought my BG under control.
In 2022 I was losing weight for no reason and asked for an HbA1c when I needed another blood test it came back at 124mmol/mol. It was repeated at 127mmol/mol.

I was put on Gliclazide to bring it down then transitioned to Metformin. It was not enough so they tried Dapagliflozin and I had ketones so they switched me to Alogliptin.
Fast forward to summer 2023 HbA1c was 64. Then in September it was back up at 103 mmol/mol. I had had a transforaminal steroid injection in my back in early August but that should not have had that big an effect.

Tt was decided to put me on insulin. I requested a C-Peptide test which after the first one was spoiled by the lab leaving it lying around for too long came back at 477 pmol/L for a 10.1 mmol/L fasting BG. The sample was slightly haemolysed. A consultant was asked to look at it and said it was low for the BG level and the nurse said I might have LADA.
The insulin I was on was semglee which brought my BG down, but it still spiked after breakfast and lunch, but less so after the larger evening meal. I am watching the carbs I eat and average about 130g a day (that may be an underestimate but not far off) , well below NHS guidelines but not particularly low carb. The carbs I do eay are mostly selected for lower GI. On a CGM the peak is 3h after eating.

To try to smooth the peaks they have put me on to Toujeo but my BG has been hugh, dropping me from 80% in range (below 10mmol/L) to ~55%. I have increased the dose and it it coming down but the peaks are still there. This morning's fasting capillary BG was 8.1.

If we assume that the statement that I may have LADA is correct what should I be requesting to confirm that? How will it affect my treatment?

This as all been handled in primary healthcare, initially under the care of a GP, now the practice diabetes nurse(s).

I am beginning to think that whatever I eat I am going to damage something be it due to BG, cholesterol or too much protein for my kidneys.

Thank you for reading.

Any advice would be greatfuly received

Ellis
 
Last edited:
hi,
Your experience seems familiar , I was told T2 , then eventually on insulins and then told T1 .I think mine is LADA 1.5, no one bothered/interested in with exact diagnosis. I see you worried about damage to other organs , try asking GP for scans of . CT scan , etc and especially for the pancrease! ,and always ask about any tablets that are precribed if they may affect any organs.
 
Hey,

Did you find Gliclazide made a difference?


I only ask because my HbA1c was 124mmol in December so they confirmed diabetes said it was type 2 chucked me on Gliclazide where I'm taking 2 in morning and 2 in evening now.

I went to the doctors with weight loss, thirst, excessive urination and feeling rubbish so I knew Diabetes was on the cards.

I decided to get a trial Libre 2 sensor which highlights my sugars are like a yoyo and sky rocket to between 16-24mmol after a meal but can be at 8mmol when I don't eat for a few hours...

Anyway yesterday went for my first check up since being medicated explained this and showed my nurse who immediately requested I go straight for blood tests to check if I'm potentially type 1 as type Gliclazide hasn't had the impact she expected.
Although she said to continue with the Gliclazide and didn't add any other meds in as she says it's keeping my sugars from going too crazy.


Now it's just a waiting game


I'm hoping for a Type 1 or LADA diagnosis so I can make sense of why my body reacts like it does to sugars and then not eating for hours.
 
I found Gliclazide made a difference for 3 years, then it stopped working despite me eating lowish carb abs being slim (40-60g per day). Then the next 3.5 years having Glic doubled, doubled again, other meds added until I reached a tipping point in August last year, sugars above 20 all the time, feeling dreadful. Then got put on insulin, rediagnosed as LADA and completely changed my life. I've got control again. I think with LADA most people get a honeymoon period where they respond to meds, but doesn't sound like you've had that. Mine was 3 years so quite a long time. Hope you get a rediagnosis and proper treatment soon.
 
A LADA diagnosis would make quite a difference to treatment in the UK, as you'd qualify for a cgm/ (libre or dexcom) and also get treated by a hospital team who would understand insulin dosing for T1s rather than T2s. (T1s normally get put on short acting insulin as well as long acting, and get taught to dose for the carbohydrate content of their meals).
 
I know googling stuff is an issue and not everything you read is true, but I feel like my doctors are ignoring my symptoms. If I look up the symptoms for LADA 1.5 I do have all of the symptoms and have autoimmune thyroid issues, increase thirst, increase urination, low BMI, my sugar levels on controlled medication victoza/monjaro are still elevated and steadily increasing over the years even on medication. Excessive Fatigue and vision issues. Since I have never had any specific tests for type one diabetes I am wondering if anyone knows that tests should be done and do the LIPID panel test with off the chart LDL Cholesterol and elevated triglycerides provide any insight to T1D? It is about the only test anyone has run that even comes close to being a marker for 1.5 LADA or T1D.
 
I hope you get his figured out. I am having some of the same issues, but my doctor has done nothing to figure out if I have type 1 or LADA 1.5 or anything. It is very frustrating.
 
It seems to me that medics only start to question what type of diabetes you have when your blood sugars go off the charts and you are unable to control them and you find yourself rolling towards DKA. That is how my brother was diagnosed, massive weight loss and off the charts blood sugar. We are all diagnosed type 2 until proved otherwise as 95%, or what ever the figure is, of people have type 2 and therefore it's a good gamble that you are also very likely type 2. I am probably doing a disservice to many conscientious medical practitioners, but it seems that is how they roll. I lost 35 lbs I wasn't over weight, but I decided to get my weight right down by low carbing it and getting really fit as my blood sugars were going up and up. All that work and effort made squat difference to my blood sugars. My Ac1's went from 6.7% to 6.3%. It did stop the rise I had my C-peptides done late 2022 as I kept having hypos for no reason. They were found to be low normal. So I agreed to wait and see. Which is fine because I am not on meds and my beta cells seem to be holding the line for now, which is great. It becomes relevant if you are on the wrong meds and they are not working for you. Then you will get the antibody tests and your C-peptides tested. I feel a great deal of empathy for my beta cells, I want them to survive for as long as possible so I will continue to do what I am doing if it means I can keep them from being killed off. As for my stats, I'm 122 lbs, 5'6", 62 years old. My Trigs are great, my BP is 110/60. I don't have insulin resistance. I do have Coeliac Sprue (Which apparently is a risk factor for autoimmune diabetes) I do get the awful gluten rash if I eat anything containing gluten. My brother already has LADA. I also have the predisposition for Lupus, Hashimoto's and Psoriasis. My mother had RA so that all adds to the mix of poor genes lol. There is no Type 2 diabetes in my family. That is my take. I am sure folks far more knowledgeable than myself will respond to you.
 
Fair enough, it's so interesting being on these forums as everyone has a different story.

I'm just waiting on the test results which I'll hopefully get next week so can find out what's going on with my body.

I'm missing my Libre sensor now it's run out but don't want to spend money on one incase I do get diagnosed as type 1/LADA so can get it on prescription
So back to finger prick tests for a while...

Roll on getting answers
 
My story has some similarities with the above, but I'm not LADA. My downturn was caused by the 3rd Covid booster, which caused a massive immune response and probably damaged my beta-cells. Rapid weight loss and bg in the low 20s ensued. I was put on Glimepiride, which appeared to work for a while, but then my HbA1C went right up again. I'm currently managing on Insulin and metformin. Nobody at my surgery has shown any interest in investigating what is going on.
 
There are many things that can cause beta cell damage apart from immune response in childhood. As you have found it can happen when an adult and viruses can also do the same damage. I suggest you ask for a C-Peptide test to measure you insulin levels. A GP may be reluctant to do this and may refer you to the local diabetes clinic as my DN did to have the test done. It sounds like you may need to stay on insulin as the Glimpiride has stopped working. My Gliclazide (similar drug) also failed after a while as there weren't enough beta cells to stimulate. Taking Metformin as well is optional when having insulin. I'm afraid there are no real options other than to stay with insulin other than a pancreas transplant (not an option!)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…