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still confused

L

libbyAPRIL

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After burying my head in the sand for 2 years and arguing and fighting the doctors and DNS I accept after a recent admission to hospital I can not survive without insulin but just a couple of things I am unsure of and hopefully you can answer them for me they say I am type 2 I thought that was when you were on diet and tablet to which I was for many many years so not sure what type I am and the DNS I spoke to said I was overloaded with ketones 2 years ago when it come to a head that I needed insulin I don't understand when they say ketones is serious condition so I am a bit confused with it all
I am taking apidra insulin 21 units X3 daily ( bm is 15-20 but am increasing with advice form DNS every 2 days) and lantus 54 units at night
 
T1 is a condition where the pancreas has stopped making insulin, often as a result of attack by its own immune system. T2 is quite different in origin. The pancreas may be making too much insulin( possibly because of eating too many carbs) and gradually over a long time, the cells become insensitive to it and can't control blood sugars any more. this causes the pancreas to make more and more insulin. Sensitivity gets less and eventually the pancreas gives up from over work. That's a rough, simplified description.T1 most often occurs in young people or children. T2 is more usual in mature adults
T1 always requires insulin therapy to control it. T2 may be controlled by diet and exercise, tablets or insulin therapy,depending on the level of the diabetes.
It's sometimes quite difficult to tell the difference between T1 and T2 when the patient first presents. There is a blood test called the C-peptide test, but it's not definitive. there are some other clues too. T1 usually comes on quite quickly and presents with very high BG numbers. Ketones are usually present in urine. They are a result of the body burning fat instead of sugar and in themselves are not necessarily a bad thing, although they can indicate that bad things may be happening.
It's coming to our notice that doctors often assume that every case of diabetes in an adult is T2. If it is T1, things can get dangerous quite quickly.
Metformin is the offical firstline medication for T2. It doesn't work on T1 and that can be a diagnostic.
I've packed quite a lot into a small space. I hope it's helpful and I expect if I've left something out or made a mistake, someone will pick me up on it
 
thank you for your reply I was on metformin for many many years with no problems at all never even gave my diabetes a thought but from the August 06 was starting to feel more tired however in Oct 06 had a car crash and blood sugars just went out of control into high 20s and ketones in urine so was started on insulin but I "messed" around missing injections letting other people do injections if I was a few units short never bothered with right dose I did not want to have this condition it affected me severely so much denial BUT I was unwell after xmas and was admitted with BS of 32 and it gave me the shock of my life and scared me subsequently (and to cut a long story short) I now do my injections and with weekly visits to GP I am finally accepting it I think personally I was left alone to soon after community diabetic nurses told me the basics and what I needed to I felt I had became old like my mum I.E diabetes, high blood pressure, became forgetful, but my motto now is diabetes has to fit in with my life im not going to fit in with its life, but I am like many others and the little word with the big meaning "why me"
 
Glad things are improving for you Libby and that you are back in control. Denial is what we all go through in the early stages and that is something we all have in common.
This forum is always a good place to ask questions and also answer problems that you can help others with.
Regards, Catherine.
 
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