Non-autoimmune Type 1 diabetes?

[michelle88]

Hi all
Sorry if this seems like a stupid question, but it's something I've been wondering about for years. I was diagnosed with T1D 10 years ago at the age of 33. At diagnosis, they did some tests and found no antibodies whatsoever, but still, because I was slim and young, I was considered Type 1.
A year later I was pregnant, they checked for antibodies and again found none.
I must also add that I have never gone into DKA.
In my mother's side of the family, no one has any sort of autoimmune disease, but my mum's sister, two brothers, her own mother and a nephew all have Type 2.
Is it possible I don't have classic Type 1, but a non-autoimmune version, is that even possible? All my symptoms like weight loss, extreme thirst etc. started appearing after I had recovered from a flu-like virus.

 

[urbanracer]

Hi all
Sorry if this seems like a stupid question, but it's something I've been wondering about for years. I was diagnosed with T1D 10 years ago at the age of 33. At diagnosis, they did some tests and found no antibodies whatsoever, but still, because I was slim and young, I was considered Type 1.
A year later I was pregnant, they checked for antibodies and again found none.
I must also add that I have never gone into DKA.
In my mother's side of the family, no one has any sort of autoimmune disease, but my mum's sister, two brothers, her own mother and a nephew all have Type 2.
Is it possible I don't have classic Type 1, but a non-autoimmune version, is that even possible? All my symptoms like weight loss, extreme thirst etc. started appearing after I had recovered from a flu-like virus.

Not all T1's test positive for GAD antibodies and in contrast, some non diabetics may test positive without being classed as diabetic so this isn't a foolproof test.

In the absence of any definitive science, we are left to speculate about the causes of T1 diabetes. A virus is generally considered to be the likely trigger for diabetes related autoimmune disorders and investigations are running because there are observed clusters of children developing T1 after Covid infection. But a good many people (and I include myself) believe that stress or even trauma can be the trigger. But at diagnosis I was Highly Positive for GAD antibodies so that's probably not relevant to your question.

Type 1 diabetes is considered to be an autoimmune condition and may be differentiated from Type 2 by other tests such as the C-Peptide test which shows whether your body still makes any of its own insulin. I have never heard of a non autoimmune version of T1 Diabetes but maybe others will offer a different opinion.

 

[jonathan183]

I think type 1 always has an autoimmune component to it ... the antibodies tests may not detect those which are causing/caused a problem in your case (for example I think they only started checking for ZnT8 antibodies in around 2016 so could have been present but not tested for at initial diagnosis). C-peptide would provide a good indication of how much insulin your body is producing.

 

[michelle88]

My C-Peptide was in the normal range when diagnosed, which I find so strange! And even a year after that, it was still in the normal range. But 3 years later it went below the normal range, and in 2019 it was really low. Is this more indicative of LADA?

 

[jonathan183]

My C-Peptide was in the normal range when diagnosed, which I find so strange! And even a year after that, it was still in the normal range. But 3 years later it went below the normal range, and in 2019 it was really low. Is this more indicative of LADA?

I'd say your diabetes has an autoimmune component ... it's just the diagnostic tests completed at the time did not pick up on relevant antibodies. Because the C-peptide indicates progression to very low insulin production the treatment is the same ...