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Type 3c - how many are we?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mrspuddleduck
  • Start Date Start Date
Every single member on my late mother’s side of the family had type 2 Diabetes. Obesity played a part in every case. However, I was diagnosed via routine blood test. I was asymptomatic and relatively healthy. Certainly not obese. Might that genetic history suggest that I have a pancreas pre-destined to decline? If so, might that be classified as a cause of Type 3c? Thanks
 
I was type 2 for 12 years until I started with gastro problems which have dragged on over the last 12 months. Initially and wrongly diagnosed as infections from UTIs, I went private. This eventually put me into the care of the gastro team at Manchester Royal. I had blockages in my bile duct (Cholangitis).
I have had 5 emergency visits to A&E each lasting 5 days plus to resolve the repeats of Cholangitis. I now have the antibiotics at home so I can treat myself at home saving the NHS bed and nursing time.

After the first ERCP to insert a stent into my bile duct (which failed - the third one stayed!) I got the dreaded pancreatitis. This turned me from a T2 to a T3c diabetic.
I had been managing fine with Metformin, a decent diet and exercise until this all started, when my control was way out.
I’m now on ABASAGLAR slow release and NOVARAPID at most meals, together with a bottle of Creons by my side as I eat. The pancreas has stopped functioning.
After 3 months I think I’m getting the hang of it and have average blood glucose between 6.5 and 8 at various times of the day. Helped by the Free Style Libre and my statistical background, I am beginning to understand what is random and what is special cause variation. This means I don’t tend to overreact to an odd fluctuation.
I am now prepared for my first and long awaited Diabetic Clinic appointment on Thursday.
I am also awaiting surgery on my bile duct / gall bladder (but not, fortunately the Whipple Procedure - didn’t fancy the odds).
But, after an unpleasant 6 months, I am back volunteering and getting back to normal, whatever that is.
 
Oh dear that sounds awful. Glad to see you’re getting there. Interestingly, I also had a stent inserted to relieve build up of bile in the liver capsule following hall-bladder removal. Thankfully I avoided pancreatitis
 
I am under going tests for a widened pancreatic bile duct .I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in December last year I haven't had acute attack of pancreatitis for 10 years but suffering with digesting foods for years .My GP said test were all good I manage to get a scan on my abdomen to check my pancreas four years ago nothing found ,the latest abdo scan came back abnormal ,waited 2 weeks to see GP to say they cant rule out cancer they needed blood tests first.
Another two weeks for a fast track appointment to a Gastro oncologist,he said bloods look ok felt my tummy no tumours felt.
He wanted a CT scan to be sure another two weeks wait,nearly another two weeks from having the scan not had another appointment yet.
He thinks its acute pancreatitis damage and I will need enzymes lost a stone since taking metformin being sick ,but used to them now ,stools are horrible pale fatty can not eat properly because I need his diagnosis for some enzymes .
I have a blood glucose monitor but can only eat low carb no sugar just sensible or it will go high ,or very low.
40 yrs waiting for a diagnosis after seeing my GP over and over and over again,I just said please help I feel,so malnourished I feel like i'm dying.I knew I had something wrong.
 
mrspuddleduck said:
As type 3c is a rare form of diabetes, and as we now have our own sub-forum, I'm curious to know how many of us are accessing the forum! So are you a member of the 3c club?? Sue xx
Click to expand...
Hey!
I’m a newly diagnosed part of the 3C club. Diagnosed last October when hospitalised for Acute Necrotising Pancreatitis,
When I tell people I have Type 3C they often look at me like I have 3 heads!
 
I was diagnosed as Type2 diabetic, I asked if I could try to lose weight to reverse it. I lost 16kg. Blood sugars remained high, so thankfully, Dr listened to me when I suggested that there might be something else wrong with the pancreas. Scan showed cysts on the pancreas and in the main duct which were at high risk of becoming cancer. The solution was total pancreatectomy and splenectomy....saw the Dr at the beginning of March and it’s June now and I’ve just been discharged from hospital. Getting to grips with Creon (I’m Vegetarian) and insulin and multitude of other pills BUT there were no so signs of anything else. So, I’m lucky!
 
mrspuddleduck said:
As type 3c is a rare form of diabetes, and as we now have our own sub-forum, I'm curious to know how many of us are accessing the forum! So are you a member of the 3c club?? Sue xx
Click to expand...
mrspuddleduck said:
As type 3c is a rare form of diabetes, and as we now have our own sub-forum, I'm curious to know how many of us are accessing the forum! So are you a member of the 3c club?? Sue xx
Click to expand...


Hi there I am a type 3c and have been for a few years now, struggling to manage and very happy to have found this forum to read other peoples stories, I didnt even know what diabetes was until I suffered 80 or so pancreatic attacks over the course of a few years, The first surgery was to remove my gall bladder, that did nothing, then after a few years and more attacks I got in to a specialist in Calgary Canada and then finally an operation to find out I had a birth defect in my pancreas causing stones to collect that would plug the drain tube, the pancreas would then build pressure ( an attack) until they blew out, but unfortunately by then time I had the surgery it plugged so bad it burst the tail of the pancreas causing digestive fluid to damage my spleen so bad that it had to come out too, Now I struggle daily to keep even close to bs range, I have a small construction company so I go from driving from site to site -= high sugars to unloading several thousands of pounds of materials = low sugar. So very frusterating and to top it off digestive problems I don't feel like much of a person anymore. So again I look forward to talking to any one about there experiences.
 
It’s a worry that no specialist T3 team exists given so many are suffering. I’ve been T3c for about 12 years after acute pancreatitis. It was caused by a cyst although the medics insisted it was alcohol caused. I probably drank more than was good for me but not really to excess. I am also struggling to find appropriate treatment. I was originally misdiagnosed as T2 and prescribed the usual meds that have never worked. Each time I have been referred to a specialist I’ve just ended up on more meds that don’t work. I worry that 1 in 10 T3’s have a potential risk of pancreatic cancer. That’s assuming it wasn’t caused by cancer in the first place! I’m due for a checkup next month and have printed some research for the nurse on T3, I’m going to drop it in a couple of weeks beforehand in the hope they might read it, but I’m not holding my breath! It’s an uphill struggle especially after the Covid measures have impacted the service, or lack of it! It’s as if no one actually cares.
 
 
Hi all, I’m also type 3c after acute gallstone pancreatitis around 13 years ago. Left with quite a lot of issues including chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic endocrine insufficiency.
 
mrspuddleduck said:
If it was a while ago, you may have been told you were a type 2, it appears 'we' were only called 3Cs relatively recently (which is another reason why many docs have never heard if it). Are you on the Creon regime too?
Click to expand...
Ive been a 3c diabetic as of 2 and a half year now as had a full pancreas removal and spleen removal and tubing stitched together to make other functions work. I take creon every meal to help digest foods . Inject 2 x different insulin every day in total 5/6 .times . Awaiting to have pump fitted . Have libre 2 to help blood sugars every day. Doctors when you tell them what you are a blank expression appears on there faces. They need to be educated more.
 
Hi all. I was diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic 10 years ago. Had medications wmetc but had bad tummy problems. Eventually found that my pancreas was not producing enzymes, was blocked etc so now take creon for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Have done this for over 6 years but recently my blood sugar levels were getting higher

and nothing I could do would bring them down. Couldn't tolerate metformin and tried dapagliflozin but that upset me eventually too. Put on glicazide etc and tried a low carb diet but couldn't bring blood sugars down HBA1c was 74.
Referred to diabetic clinic and now on insulin Humulin 1 and 1 glicazide at night. It is better but I do spike after breakfast. Hope it will stabilise. Early stages on this, and have been told I am a Type 3c!!
 
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