I'm looking for a further understanding of my situation with LADA diabetes, and would really appreciate any medical insight or knowledge.
I did an extensive blood lab test in January of this year simply as part of a routine physical (my doctor's office started adding these tests last summer as part of their physical exams). My anti-GAD levels were greater than 120 (normal is less than 5), and my blood showed some insulin resistance. I've always been on a thin to normal weight and I ate relatively healthy. The anti-GAD level was retested with a different lab and resulted in 2.84 where normal is less than 0.2.
Along with the full blood work, my sugar levels were also tested and were completely normal. My glucose level was 70, and I've tested that on my own subsequent times and it's always ranged between 70 and 108. My HbA1c% was 5.6%. The only thing that was slightly off was my fructosamine level, which was 318 and in the intermediate risk range.
My doctor and nutritionist recommended putting me on a very stringent diet, and retesting after 1-2 months to see if the anti-GAD level has improved. I am eating no gluten, dairy, or sugar and eating somewhat limited grains (long-grain rice and quinoa mostly). I've not yet been retested to see improvement (had some travel that has made the timeframe longer), but I will in the next couple of weeks.
I suppose that I'm quite lucky in having determined this so early as my sugars have been relatively normal, though I have in the past experienced the symptoms of hypoglycemia.
However, I'm confused by the fact that my anti-GAD level is so high yet my sugars are still regulated. This has been even more true I believe as I've changed my diet; I've tested my blood a handful of times and it has always been in the low to normal range. If my anti-GAD level is so high, why are my sugars still normal? Is it only a matter of time before my pancreas is unable to produce insulin? Most message boards I have read say that when a person is diagnosed they are usually put on a low level of insulin, especially if the anti-GAD level is high. How much can diet impact anti-GAD? In addition, I've read that starting on insulin sooner can reverse the beta cell attacks and actually improve the situation, though in Type 1.5 I understand that it's impossible to quit taking insulin once a patient has begun.
My doctor and nutritionist are monitoring the situation, and may decide to put me on insulin after seeing the results of the second anti-GAD test. With a high anti-GAD level, how long is it possible to avoid insulin? Is it even a good idea to avoid insulin until one absolutely has to start injections? Would it be odd or bad to start insulin when my sugar levels are still normal?
Any insight or help with my specific situation would be very much appreciated.
I did an extensive blood lab test in January of this year simply as part of a routine physical (my doctor's office started adding these tests last summer as part of their physical exams). My anti-GAD levels were greater than 120 (normal is less than 5), and my blood showed some insulin resistance. I've always been on a thin to normal weight and I ate relatively healthy. The anti-GAD level was retested with a different lab and resulted in 2.84 where normal is less than 0.2.
Along with the full blood work, my sugar levels were also tested and were completely normal. My glucose level was 70, and I've tested that on my own subsequent times and it's always ranged between 70 and 108. My HbA1c% was 5.6%. The only thing that was slightly off was my fructosamine level, which was 318 and in the intermediate risk range.
My doctor and nutritionist recommended putting me on a very stringent diet, and retesting after 1-2 months to see if the anti-GAD level has improved. I am eating no gluten, dairy, or sugar and eating somewhat limited grains (long-grain rice and quinoa mostly). I've not yet been retested to see improvement (had some travel that has made the timeframe longer), but I will in the next couple of weeks.
I suppose that I'm quite lucky in having determined this so early as my sugars have been relatively normal, though I have in the past experienced the symptoms of hypoglycemia.
However, I'm confused by the fact that my anti-GAD level is so high yet my sugars are still regulated. This has been even more true I believe as I've changed my diet; I've tested my blood a handful of times and it has always been in the low to normal range. If my anti-GAD level is so high, why are my sugars still normal? Is it only a matter of time before my pancreas is unable to produce insulin? Most message boards I have read say that when a person is diagnosed they are usually put on a low level of insulin, especially if the anti-GAD level is high. How much can diet impact anti-GAD? In addition, I've read that starting on insulin sooner can reverse the beta cell attacks and actually improve the situation, though in Type 1.5 I understand that it's impossible to quit taking insulin once a patient has begun.
My doctor and nutritionist are monitoring the situation, and may decide to put me on insulin after seeing the results of the second anti-GAD test. With a high anti-GAD level, how long is it possible to avoid insulin? Is it even a good idea to avoid insulin until one absolutely has to start injections? Would it be odd or bad to start insulin when my sugar levels are still normal?
Any insight or help with my specific situation would be very much appreciated.
