I agree with this comment. I was 50 when it hit me, similar to the way it came on you but not as extreme. Your treatment sounds right. Unfortunately, my doctor at the time wouldn’t do any tests, not even an A1c. So 16 years later I still have questions about onset.
John,
I'm a health care worker with many required immunizations, who has traveled widely with many CDC recommended immunizations for the areas I went to. Can't say that they have contributed as it took until I was 60 for my T1D to appear. Granted it was with in two months of my flumist immunization in the year I was diagnosed but I had been taking it for years, with out prior incident.
I work in a first class childrens hospital and was able to talk with the world's leading expert on vaccines and their side effects and he said that T1D is related to coxsackie virus exposure, not to immunizations.
Most coxsackie infections cause low grade fever and GI bugs that are very common in children. Where I work(pediatrics) we laughingly call it the scunge, and all new employees tend to have recurrent bouts for the first year or two before their immune system adapts to the assaults.
You need to have the underlying genetic sensitivity otherwise contact/infection with these viruses would not have any long term effects.
Just to note I have been working in a pediatric setting with extensive patient exposure for over 30 years before I became a T1D. Was it the required immunizations or the frequent exposure to snotty little hands on surfaces, elevator buttons, common surfaces, whiney sick
kids in the cafeteria, uncovered coughs in the hallways and elevators etc, etc that led to my life changing event? Can't say for sure, BUT-----
One thing I can say is my employer mandated health screenings have given me the documentation of how rapid my onset was as I had a low normal fasting BG, normal NP, normal lipid profile and a BMI of 24, 6 months prior to ER admission with a BG of almost 500, in DKA, A1C of 11. I found i needed to educate my PCP on adult onset T1, and what to test for. My first trip to an adult endo was easy as I went in with documentation of what defined levels ofcarbs did to my BG, as well as the results from the full suite of antibody testing I twisted arms to get from my PCP. I went in DEMANDING basal bolus insulin. Would not have been able to do that without the knowledge found on this site.
I'm currently in better control, with a 5.4 A1C, but need to work for it day bybday
John sounds like you have your diabetes under good control.
I was first diagnosed with T2 when I was 42, in 2005. I know just about everyone here who has received the news that they are a diabetic has beat themselves up trying to figure out how they got this darn disease. I know I have. Like you and some of the others that mentioned they worked in healthcare. I was in the military, received all kinds of shots for this and that. Once a year we were given a physical. I know each time I was given the flue shot and nothing else, I would come down sick and stayed sick for about 2 weeks. To this day I don't take the flue shot. I do remember one year during my time in the military I missed drill because I was so sick. Wife took me to the ER. The ER doctor treated me for a bad stomach bug. My white blood count was very high. Could that have been the trigger? Several years before being diagnosed, I remember the wife and I missed Christmas because both of us had the flue. Could that have been the trigger? The funny thing for me since I have been a diabetic I haven't had the flue or a bad cold since. ("Knock On Wood." - My Head.)
Know going back further when I was 22. Prior to leaving for Basic Training, I had to first report to the MEPS center. It was here where the military gives you your first physical, for those who don't know. I remember then the nurse asking me if I was diabetic. I told him no. He said that my blood sugar was high with a reading of either 163 or 183, don't remember which. I told him I had only donuts for breakfast earlier at the hotel. Unfortunately that was what the hotel restaurant had to offer because of power failure at the time.
I had one doctor told me that my pancreas was sputtering out but continued me on medication. Recently I was told by my Endo that I was not a T2 but a T1. Since I have been on insulin, I feel like I have had to relearn and retrain myself about diabetes. I am also glad to have found this website. It has been very education for me as well. Like everyone else I am also miffed about what this brought this on. So yeah, we can beat our head on the wall all day or do something about it. Taking care of ourselves by watching what we eat, checking our BG, taking our meds, or insulin is the best move. Sounds like your are on the right track as well.
Got a nauseous case of stept or the flu, so sick I slept on the bathroom floor, and only able to stomach saltine crackers for 3 weeks after. Started losing weight, wasting away. 1st diagnosed as T2D. 2 yrs later dxed as T1D.
Yours sounds like T1D
Hi John,
When you were hospitalized were you in dka? Did you have kusmaul breathing? They would have run tests for dka such as arterial ph, serum ketones and anion gap etc. Dka at diagnosis with antibodies pretty much confirms type 1. Type 2 can go into dka also with illness, dehydration and very high bg levels. For dka you would have been on iv insulin/fluids, probably in an icu, and getting other necessary treatments such as potassium infusions until that was resolved before starting on Lantus and Humalog.
A very low c peptide would also usually indicate type 1.
I'm not sure why your doctor hasn't run antibody tests, but that is what you need to do. Whatever you do, don't stop taking your insulin, whatever type you are. I'm glad you are doing much better now.
Meee
As for DKA all I know was that I tested 1+ for Keytones. I was given IVs, not sure what was in them exactly but I know potassium was in it. That first day is quite a blur for me, I was pretty sick, and was sleeping a lot, except for when the lab techs came in to take blood samples. On day 2, I was given insulin shots by the nurse, who was using Lantus and Humalog kwikipens, and still on IVs. My c peptide was 1.9 on the fist day in the hospital tests. I have been told that those tests my not be too accurate due to me being so sick. My Dr said he is going to test for antibodies in the future but isn’t in a hurry to do so. I live in a rural area so I don’t get to see the Dr very often. I get new visit with him then the next is with his PA, the. Him again, it rotates. I’m scheduled in Sept to take some blood work for A1c and Iron.
Thanks for your reply.
YW- You should ask them, they will know. Sounds horrible and I'm glad you survived that and made it through ok. I hope you get this worked out soon, that is great that you're doing well now too! I would ask your doctor to test for them right away because I think over time they will diminish as the disease progresses.