Called my endo yesterday because I had a high (410) 4.5 hours after eating dinner. It was 308 at the 2 hour mark and she had asked me to call if I had any abnormal readings trying her idea. As I’m explaining the events, which I won’t bore you with, she tells me…“your diabetes acts like type 1”…
Really? Brilliant!!! Funny how LADA works. Now can we work on preventing this from happening again?
In my opinion, as a LADA you should be moved to insulin as soon as you display blood sugars out of target. If your fasting clocks in at > 140 mg/dl or you are over 200 mg/dl 2 hrs after a meal then it is time. And your doctor needs to get on board. If you read a high like 400 mg/dl again, then you would be entirely righteous to walk right into the ER. If you tell them that you are a T1 (you tested positive for GAD65) and that your doctor won’t prescribe insulin and you are panicked about your blood sugar, I guarantee you that you will leave that ER with a prescription for insulin.
You had a BG of 410, you’re LADA (which is really a variation of type 1), and you’re NOT on insulin??? What the fructose?!?! You would have been right to walk into the ER with a BG that high (IMO). Just my opinion as someone who has T1D, but you NEED to be on insulin. If your endo doesn’t agree you need to find a new endo (and possibly go to the ER in the interim and get a prescription for insulin). You’re doing a lot of damage to your body by going that high.
Thanks BSC and MyBustedPancreas.
This high was an anomaly and my first time over the 250's. I'm normally very controlled except my morning numbers have been running in the 150's the past week.
I have to agree with BSC that if I were seeing #s like that, I’d be looking to fix something. I was a wild party animal when I was younger so I’d leap directly for insulin and not worry about the consequences I would think It’s hard to say how I would deal with a doctor saying “give me some numbers and we won’t do anything with them.” It seems like LADA treatment is kind of a mixed bag and requires a lot of work or lobbying (or simply treating yourself, like BSC?) with doctors until things finally blow up?
I keep hearing, “you have good control, your numbers aren’t bad…” How bad do they have to get?
I am not a doctor however like always, there are many variables to consider here. What is your history here? How often are they high, and how high are they? What did you eat (quality of food(s)) and in what quantity? Have you done this before and were you able to run reasonable sugars? Is it possible you have an infection that you are not aware of?
There is a condition known as Beta Cell Burnout (insulin producing cells) and over time this appears to happen to all diabetics at one time or another. The longer we have it, the harder it seems to be to control. This is where you become a detective. Check it a little more often and see if any patterns occur.
I have said many times that I don’t care how I am able to run reasonable blood sugars, as long as I am able to do so. Insulin is a very natural and necessary part of our endocrine system(s). Gotta have it in the right quantities, at the right time(s).
The bottom line is that if you cannot keep your sugars reasonable in a reasonable amount of time, get moving with your Endocrinologist and do whatever you have to to keep things in check. I hope this helps.
Love Always
Anonymous Diabetic.
Please don’t take this as a criticism. I looked at your graph. Your blood sugar average this week was 185 mg/dl. I gave you my suggested targets, you have blown through them (independent of that nasty 400 mg/dl). This is not good control.
I have watched you over at diabetesdaily. You have worked very hard to get your diet and lifestyle in order to manage things. But there is a point to get more powerful treatment and you have reached that point. This is not defeat, this is simply the way it progresses.
It is ok to move to insulin. Getting your blood sugars below 140 mg/dl will help keep your remaining insulin production going as much as possible. Hold you head up. Give yourself a pat on the back. You really worked hard, few T1s would have tried as hard as you did to manage your condition with only diet, exercise and medications.
Thanks. I may need to find a new dr to get it.
I don’t see insulin as defeat but a tool.
Hi - I agree with bsc and acidrock. The goal isn’t numbers that “aren’t bad” but numbers as close to normal as possible. Your doc should be saying “your numbers aren’t bad, let’s see how we can make them better”.
Good luck with this,
Maurie
I agree with the others, you should start on insulin. Next time you hit 400, don’t call your doctor just go straight to the ER. It is your body being destroyed, not that doctors.
Hi Stevek: I agree with the others, you really need to be on exogenous insulin. Multiple studies have shown that early insulin initiation/tight control in LADA prolongs the life of the remaining beta cells, which in turn means better health outcomes including significantly reduced incidence of complications. Do it for you!
Agreed, agreed, agreed!! Quite frankly, I would say that even if you’re staying over 300 for a prolonged period of time you should get to the ER. I start to physically notice changes in my body in the mid 200s, so I know damage is being done when I go that high. Staying that high is NOT good for you at all.