Type 1 AND type 2 at the same time?

You can be a Type 1 who has insulin resistance like a Type 2. I have seen Type 1 people on here who take metformin for the insulin resistance.

HI. Yes, it's an interesting question. I'm sure there are people with both types but it does seem a strange combination. A T1 has little or no insulin production hence any insulin resistance won't be due to excess insulin which I understand is one of the vicious circles that results in insulin resistance (and also results in the depression of islet cells). I assume that a T1 who is overweight perhaps from having a high carb/high insulin input may develop insulin resistance? I'll be interested in posts from others who may be more knowledgeable.

Yes - eh, and no......well possibly, maybe!! :?

It is possible for a T1 to have visceral fat around their organs and to develop insulin resistance and therefore have both and it is referred to I believe as Double Diabetes. I would think it much more unlikely for a T2 to develop full blown T1 and all that involves although strictly speaking it could be possible, the chances of it happening though would be very low.

The autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas that T1's have is not quite the same thing as beta cells that have worn out due to overproduction of insulin trying to deal with a T2's build up of glucose in the bloodstream. A T2 on insulin is just that IMHO as I was on diagnosis.

Im T1 and I have insulin resistance like a T2. I take metformin for it (also associated with my having PCOS and its link with high levels of insulin). I was on 80units of Lantus a day until I started on Victoza and was able to reduce my dose.

I am T1 and still take Metformin due to insulin resistance. One thing for sure, you cannot be t1 and t2 but either one or the other. There is a simple blood test that will reveal insulin production or not. Based on that, the diagnose is simple.

I'm sure you'll get lots of opinions on this,
From my point of view I think type 1 and type 2 aren't very good ways of diagnosing someone, to easy to pigeon hole someone and give them the set treatment for that type and not nesscecarily what's best for them. I know alot of type 1's who were a bit older were just diagnosed as type 2 because of their age, they were given diet advice and some metformin only to come back into a&e a month later in DKA. I'm sure there are a lot of type 1's who would benefit from some type 2 drugs as well as insulin. I've read about type 2's where it was possible to reverse diabetes with a lower carb diet and excercise. My opinion would be a better description is non-insulin dependent,insulin resistant, insulin transition and insulin dependent. There a lot of different ways someone could get diabetes, autoimmune, diet and lifestyle, genetic, stress, cancer, prancreatitis etc doesn't seem sensible to me to put all these into 2 types.
Laura

I've seen it called "Double diabetes"
My suspicion is that it's caused by using large insulin doses and large amounts of carb, which lead to insulin resistance.
hana

My mum has been t1 for nearly 39 years, over the past 10 years her insulin dose has increased dramatically, she has tried metformin but doesn't get on with it so was taken off. She is overweight (not ridiculously, but has been for years) and I said ages ago its like she's type 2 aswell. But no official diagnosis!


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I honestly think there is so much confusion around 'types' and what not. My personal feelings are that you have type 1 diabetics who dont produce insulin (this should just be called diabetes pure and simple) and then you have a spectrum of insulin resistance in which all people sit, diabetic or not. I think type 2 diabetes should be called insulin resistance and people with varying degrees of insulin resistance require varying degrees of either diet and exercise changes/ tablets/ insulin.