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

Not believed

D

Diabetic Al

Active Member
Messages
42
Hi.
I found out about my diabetes about about two and a half weeks ago when I presented at my GP with 19.3. Since then I've had several tests and nothing conclusive about type. I should have definitive results back early in the new year hopefully.
However since my work was pushing me about what type I was I asked my Doc for his best guess and told him why I was asking. He said he was 87% certain I was type 1. I'm on Glicazide to get the last of the insulin out of my pancreas and I've been told that when that stops working they'll move me onto insulin. However, my work now think I'm at it since many of them (including the big boss) seem to think that I can't be Type 1 as I'm not injecting. It's starting to really get on my nerves and makes me feel like a fraud.

Anyone else been in a situation like this?
 
When type 1 occurs in children, the onset is often very fast and in most cases the child becomes quickly insulin dependent, as the person gets older the process of pancreas destruction can take longer. In adults it can take from a few months to several years.This means that blood glucose levels may be kept down using a variety of oral drugs or as you say stimulating the pancreas to produce as much insulin as it can. In some parts of the world, where blood tests for autoimmune antibodies are used more frequently, insulin is prescribed earlier in the , before true dependence, as there is a theory that it's use may prolong the existing beta cell function. On the other hand I know of a couple of people in the US who are just using diet and exercise.
You are fortunate that you have a knowledgeable doctor who is doing these tests. They will help you know one way or another.
(though they're not totally definitive, some of the diagnosis is down to clinical judgement)
This might help explain things to your Bosss
particularly the definition of LADA (latent autoimmune diabetes in adults)
http://www.locallada.swan.ac.uk/faq.html

edit :to say that I haven't been in your condition of being disbelieved but I can understand why your boss tihnks that way. I diagnosed myself as type 2 because I believed I was 'too old' for type 1 and that insulin dependence came vey quickly. I went for some time self 'treating 'with diet and exercise and was quite shocked to be told that I had type 1. Almost everywhere it says that T1 normally has an fast onset, occurs mainly in children and young people and needs immediate insulin. Well not always, there are actually more cases of adult slow onset than young fast onset.
I've even read recently of slower onset in the young with a new acronym LADY (latent autoimmune diabetes in the young)
 
Side note :

Although T1 usually presents in children, of those I have spoken to who were diagnosed later in life, there (anecdotally) appears to be a higher incidence from 30 onwards.

These are only my anecdotal findings.
 
While I can understand the expectation that a type 1 would be on insulin, I don't see why your boss needs to know precisely what type you have unless there are implications (eg for driving work vehicles). Even then, that would have as much to do with your treatment as with your type. Can't they accept that your precise diagnosis isn't clear yet? Its early days. There are folks here who've been re-diagnosed as T1 after 2-3 years of being labelled T2. Its not unusual for patients (other than diabetics) whose results don't quite fit the typical pattern to need many tests over months or years before a precise diagnosis is reached.
 
My boss is just a bit arsey when it comes to any kind of disability and we have a history of run ins.
I work in a lab though, so it would be useful to know what type.
I could just do without people saying I can't be Type 1 because I don't use insulin yet.
 
diagnosed as type 2 6 years ago now type 1 pass on the info from your doc and the guys here. he will just have to be patient (24 type 2/30 type 1)
 
Just ask your doctor for a letter to your employer.
Do you belong to a union? Now woukld be a good time to get them involved. I'm sure that your specific diagnosis and your treatment are not your employer's business
Hana
 
Hi
C peptide and GAD tests are best way to tell. Not to diminish situation as such, I would have thought that if T1 then you would not have coped with anything other than insulin right away and onset is usuall very fast irrespective of age ( aged 33 I literally had 2 days of symptoms before being admitted to hospital)

May be that you have LADA, aka Type 1.5.Meds work for a bit, but wont work over the long term as its believed that its also autoimmune in origin and pancreatic function diminishes. Still, if you are dx T1 and on insulin then you get access to carb counting education, testing strips etc - all things denied to T2.

Agree re your boss though - though as a boss of a diabetic (who wasnt diabetic then) I did a risk assessment on someone with hypo unawarness who would often be found on the floor or need assistance with her hypos. Still, should be sound reasons why he needs to know
 
I would have thought that if T1 then you would not have coped with anything other than insulin right away and onset is usuall very fast irrespective of age
Click to expand...

Lilibet, that presumption lies right at the heart of my problems just now.
I'm a little disappointed to run into them here.
 
There isn't a official diagnosis of 1.5, it's a term used very loosely for a variety of types.
This is the official definition from the World Health Organisation.
Type 1 (beta–cell destruction, usually leading to absolute insulin deficiency)
The rate of destruction is quite variable, being rapid in some individuals and slow in others (24). The rapidly progressive form is commonly observed in children, but also may occur in adults (25). The slowly progressive form generally occurs in adults and is sometimes referred to as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). Some patients,particularly children and adolescents, may present with ketoacidosis as the first manifestation of the disease (26).Others have modest fasting hyperglycaemia that can rapidly change to severe hyperglycaemia and/or ketoacidosis in the presence of infection or other stress. Still others, particularly adults, may retain residual beta–cell function,sufficient to prevent ketoacidosis, for many years (27)Individuals with this form of Type 1 diabetes often become dependent on insulin for survival eventually and are at risk for ketoacidosis (28).
Click to expand...
 
To Phoenix. Adults can and DO get type 1. I was 60 and there are others on this board who developed it as adults as well.
 
Back
Top