Sort of newly diagnosed

[AmyGreen]

Hi everyone. I will try and keep this short.
I had a baby 8 weeks ago and when I was about 10 weeks pregnant I test positive for GD, however, I was always told considering there was a high amount of sugar in my wee (random wee test done) and my HBA1C was really really really high it's likely I was diabetic before being pregnant but it was never diagnosed and because of this it was only after I had the baby they would be able to look into this further. During pregnancy initially i was put on metformin (but within a week nothing changed so I was put on insulin). So from approx 11 weeks pregnant til I had her at 38 weeks I was testing my bs approx 7 times a day and taking slow release acting insulin day and night as well as quick insulin with anything I ate.
So I had my daughter and the hospital were still a bit on the fence with me having either Type 1 or Type 2. I've still been testing but not as much, mostly just morning and night and sometimes before meals. I keep in regular contact with my DN and she's lovely. Told her my results (still quite high) but not overly concerned and to keep my appointment (which is in 2 weeks time) and to show them all my readings etc. Also I've never tested positive for ketones. Check every now and again and nothing.
Anyway also less than a week before giving birth the doctor took blood and said they would test for something (I now know that was for my islet cell antibodies) and that was negative (hence leaning towards Type 2). I've had a letter today saying they did a further antibody analysis (anti-GAD antibodies) and this came back a strong positive so the doctor states in the letter that this tilts the balance more toward the likely future development of frank type 1 diabetes. What does he mean by frank? What do I have now? (Seeing as my bs are still high even though I don't eat anywhere near as much sugary foods as I used to? Part of me thinks the last sentence in the letter is just a sort of standard phrase with them thinking it was GD if that makes sense, even though it actually seemed to be an underlying problem.
Sorry to have rambled and I hope I have made some sense, but just wondered if anyone has come across this before. I've quickly googled it and it could be classed as LADA. (I'm 26 by the way and was 25 when I was first diagnosed) and it seems like I could be put in metformin (well tablets) again but then eventually it will progress to insulin? I think????
TIA to anyone who has heard of this or know of a similar situation.

Amy xx

 

[elaine77]

Hi Amy,

Twin to your situation! I am also 26 and also had GD and also tested positive for GAD antibodies. I am currently controlling it with Metformin but they have told me that basically I will eventually have to inject insulin when my body kills off the rest of my beta cells :-( how long this will take they can't say.

My consultant also said though that a third of type 2 diabetics also have GAD antibodies but that their presence IS diagnostic of slow onset type 1 diabetes (or LADA). My GD went away completely after my pregnancy only to resurface 2 years later so at least they carried out the tests and gave you the results so you were prepared...I honestly think they should automatically do the antibody and C-peptide test on people diagnosed with GD so that people can start making changes etc... As soon as possible to try and preserve as many beta cells as they can. I also think it will help with further research but, unfortunately, penny pinching is clearly more important at the moment.....

Welcome to the forum, there's a some good threads in the LADA section too of people in the same situation as us


Diagnosed with GD in 2010, Completely disappeared postpartum. Re-diagnosed December 2012 with type 1.5 diabetes, age 26, BMI 23 currently controlled by only Metformin, 500mg twice a day.