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negative antibodies

K

kell

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Type 1
hi i really hope anyone can shed some light on my current situation....... i was diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic when i was 17 and have been on insulin since day 1, its now 12 years on and the doctors are now questioning whether i have type 1. i have been having severe hypos to the point of a blackout and i wasnt feeling the symptoms, at my last appointment i was sent for a blood a test which came back with negative antibodies can anyone help explain this and what possible type i am thankyou :D
 
Hi. Being diagnosed at 17 for me implies a 99% probability that you are Type 1. There are several antibodies involved with T1 including GAD, ICA, IA-2A and IAA (I think that's about it - Google the web). GAD is the most common and I think is all the NHS would usually test for. It is possible you have one of the other anti-bodies; also note that some antibodies fade away after a long time with insulin. I wonder why your HCP sent you to have an antibody test this late after diagnosis. Having hypos implies too much or the wrong mix of insulin not that you don't have T1? I can't believe you are in any way T2 so may be your diabetes could be LADA, MODY etc sometimes called type 1.5 or whatever. Anyway, I assume your GP will review your insulin prescription.
 
the antibody was GAD which was negative i was tested cos of the severe hypos and having a massive insulin reduction in such a short space of time ive never heard of LADA or MODA im currently taking lantus and humalog if i am either of them will this change? thankyou for your reply
 
I'm type 1 with negative GAD antibodies, but positive IA2. So the fact that they were negative doesn't necessarily mean you aren't type 1.
Medication is usually done by what works best for the patient to have control of their condition rather than the "label" of diabetes they have, so it unlikely they will change insulins unless they see it necessary for your individual treatment. How much insulin are you taking at the moment? I guess they will likely start by reducing what you are currently on.
 
i was on 52 lantus 32 humalog 44 humalog im now currently taking 34 lantus 16 humalog 24 humalog i am still reducing cos of lows
 
Being diagnosed at 17 for me implies a 99% probability that you are Type 1
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Children with T2 are (sadly) no longer unheard of.

I can't believe you are in any way T2 so may be your diabetes could be LADA, MODY etc sometimes called type 1.5 or whatever
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That would be a very odd presentation - it's T1 caught early, and insulin requirements will increase with time as more and more beta cells are destroyed.

was on 52 lantus 32 humalog 44 humalog im now currently taking 34 lantus 16 humalog 24 humalog i am still reducing cos of lows
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I am not sure why your doctor thinks that that is particularly low - if anything, they are higher than average (based on a nominal 100g carbs per meal, I'd expect something around 10u Humalog).

The likely reason is that, well, insulin requirements change. Since you've been having hypos, I'd conjecture that they've been falling for a while and that you should have reduced insulin earlier.
In particular, did you make any lifestyle changes lately - join the gym, take up a sport or lose weight?

As for a change in medication, well, LADA/T1.5 tend to be initially treated with oral medication (since they're mostly diagnosed as T2), which will work for a while. Once it stops working, it's insulin as well. As I understand it, starting insulin early does improve long term outcomes.
 
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