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Emmotha

Emmotha

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,123
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi!
I read a bit about 1.5. The diabetes team in my area don't believe in it and I'm confused.

I'm 29, just diagnosed in June as type 1. My symptoms were very apparent from about April and I had ketones of 5 and hba1c of 131mmol.

I'm deffo still producing insulin randomly, as my carb:insulin ratio fluctuate between 1:10 and no need at all.

I'm almost waiting for the "full blown" diabetes to hit.

Do I fall in the 1.5? If so do I need different treatment?
 
look at honeymoon period
 
Hi emmotha!

They tend to lump LADA (Type 1.5) in with Type 1 as it's an autoimmune form of diabetes, but slow onset. You might have full Type 1 and be in the honeymoon stage or you might be LADA. If your random insulin production continues for more than 6 months or so, it's probably LADA, but at this stage the treatment is pretty much the same. As Type 1s end the honeymoon stage it seems to be pretty sudden increase in insulin requirements whereas LADA tends to be a more gradual increase in requirements as the condition progresses more slowly.

Smidge
 
Just means your insulin needs will be up and down and all over the place - will make your life hell. I'd have thought, if you can get your carbs and thus insulin needs down as low as possible that might help. You might not need very much.

Some LADAs have a gentler honeymoon. Me slowly, slowly needing insulin. But sounds like LADA/ 1.5, yes.

Treatment differs from T1 in that less insulin needed usually, for the honeymoon anyway, and often basal given rather than bolus, tho that's illogical: bolus fits better.

Good luck Emmotha.
 
The definition of LADA is that you have antibodies and don't require insulin at diagnosis or within 6 months. It's a bit nebulous because that actually is dependent upon the doctors clinical judgement. I call myself LADA but in fact my 'official label is T1 partly because at the time I presented I went straight onto using insulin and partly because LADA is classified as a subset of T1
The loss of insulin is in fact progressive, the speed varies. At the other end of the scale they have found that quite a lot people who have had type 1 for over 50 years still secrete very small amounts of insulin.
One researcher, Denise Faustman has measured insulin in a series of T1s (ie classic onset not LADA) who have had diabetes for varying amounts of time and came up with this graph.
beta cell loss.PNG
I agree with Andrew that the honeymoon period is the best description.
 
Hi emmotha
Sounds very much like you could be LADA.

My diabetic consultant said I was LADA 10months ago, but their is no mention of LADA in my hospital notes. My hospital notes say I am type 1 in the honeymoon period. You could ask for a C peptide to be done, this is a marker of the amount of insulin produced. I asked my dr for one, but he said it was unnecessary and expensive and would not change anything treatment wise (and to be honest, he is probably right).

Does it make in difference, treatment wise, if you are LADA? I don't think it does, except many trials that indicate high BG levels kill off insulin producing beta cells (anything over around 7) thus if you want to preserve what remaining beta cells you have for as long as possible, you need to keep BG levels as low as possible, and the best way I have found to achieve this is through a very low carb diet. Dr Bernstein's diabetic solution book is a very good read.
 
Thank you Ian DP, that's really helpful vi hadn't realise about preserving the beta cells by keeping levels under 7. I was starting low carb before and fell off the wagon, I'll deffo get back onto it
 
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