Good Morning :)

Hello Everyone!
I woke this morning, checked my emails to find comments from you guys already! Thanks so much, I feel welcomed already !!

So, as you may have guessed my name is Liz. I'm 19yo and studying at university and am from the UK. My diabetes story is very much an odd one, and i've not found anyone like me -- sounds "special" but it really isn't!!!

I was diagnosed at 16 with T1 diabetes, however no ketones (still never had!) and also wasn't sent into hospital, i've never tested positive for antibodies either. And not a T2 for certain as tests have been done for IR and were negative as well as being young and fit and healthy without a strong family history!

I was put on a basal/bolus regime, 10 units basal and 4/5 with meals. That continued for around 6 months however during this time I was eating to accomadate for the insulin and not covering what I ate with insulin as it should be! This made me gain quite a bit of weight as you can imagine especially considering how I was at diagnosis (though mainly water weight). So I started eating less pretty much enough to fuel me on so to speak. This lead to a reduction in my insulin needs quite dramatically, I was taken off of background insulin and eventually also off of meal time insulin. Wow, quite extreme really, I didn't know much about diabetes obviously and didn't know this wasn't normal! We were told I was in a honeymoon period end of.

Now, three and a half years later... i'm still off of any insulin or medication and manage my diabetes my diet and exercise/more like general activity. Up until last year I still thought I was on a honeymoon period, I got a new GP and he was completely flummexed when I told him "yeah i'm diabetic but i don't take anything for it".

So I guess i'm one of those type 1.5s, not really LADA but slow-onset T1, apparently really slow onset. I've never found anybody my age who is the same as me! From everything I have read the youngest I have found are people diagnosed at 19 - 24 and above. But I was typically really still in the age range of definate T1. My levels fluctuate a lot, they are very hard to regulate, and I still experience hypos despite no medication down to 57 and then rise up to ~216. I have quite a threshold interestingly, too many carbs can send me to 450 but never above!

Anyhow, thats pretty much me and my diabetes in short form! As you can imagine there have been so many ups and downs throughout this so far. I still don't actually have a positive diagnosis i'm just presumed T1.5 diabetic. And they've never checked to make sure I am actually human :P!!!!

Hi lizabetic. You have a fascinating story to tell. You might like to read the posts on our group, Monogenic Diabetes (aka MODY). There are other groups you might find interesting as well, including one called LADA Diabetics. You will have your story available to more people to read and comment upon if you post it on the front page forum or as a blog. Welcome to TuDiabetes!

Hi Trudy! Yep, I have looked into MODY a lot! I recently contacted Exeter Diabetes Genes Research however they got back to me saying that it was unlikely as neither of my parents were diabetic. I think they need to find reasoning, for me peace of mind is enough!!! However, my mum had sugar found in her urine when pregnant with me, but not my sister, she was not overweight and doesn't have an obvious family background either. My nan at 86yo has borderline T2 however, not on medication either and now she doesn't get out at all! So all a bit odd.

I've come to terms with it more than likely being that I am going to present as a T1 now, so i'll deal with that when it comes :)

Welcome. That is a wild story. We seem to have many people here who have stories of misdiagnosis and many people have LADA (even our esteemed founder Manny) and are misdiagnosed as T2. For many people, the way that diabetes presents itself is clear and the progression is relentless. But diabetes is a complex thing. I think that there are lots of different kinds and forms of diabetes and we just don't understand it yet. Many people think LADA is just slow-onset T1, there is a group here for LADA. There is also a group that we just started on MODY.

I was diagnosed as T2 back in 2005. I eventually got reasonable control with just diet and exercise, but things progress. And I never really responded to any medications. I have never been successful getting a better diagnosis. Eventually I started insulin. In the end, I came to terms that what really mattered was staying healthy and controlling my blood sugar.

You are fortunate to not need medication or insulin, but your blood sugar certainly doesn't seem normal. But at least you found us, a ragtag band of diabetics all dealing with this condition.

Hi. I welcome you and also hope you're continuing to test and give your doctor your test results. I hope he is up to date and ready to treat if you're spiking 450 very often.
I don't think any doctor would skip giving you insulin if carbs send you to 450. That's a real spike!
Browse around here and see what people tolerate, since complications sometimes are associated with above 140s. I guess you're more used to using mmol so I should get with it. :) Welcome!!