I was dx as a type 2 back in January of this year. Wasn’t put on meds was advised to try to control via diet by my GP (hard, hard, hard!!!). Being the mother of 2 T1’s and no family hx of diabetes (2 or 1) I signed up for trial net. I finally got around to getting my labs done and got my letter today. Negative for antibodies. While part of of me was relieved the other part of me is so utterly confused because I am not the typical mold for a T2. I am 5’5" tall and 120lbs. My GP said I’m not insulin resistant and my C-peptide was “normal”. She’s a medical provider who thinks along the lines of since I’m an adult and have high PPG’s I’m a T2. No endo referral, which is what I was hoping for ultimately. The highest I’ve caught my BG is 226. My A1c is 5.6.
I was hoping that something would show so I could take the info to my GP to try and convince her to send me to an endo. But no such luck. Now I feel like I’m stuck between a rock and a hard spot. Maybe I’m just prediabetic…maybe I am a T2. I guess my mind is so geared towards T1 because of my 2 kiddos and husband that that is where I’m stuck mentally.
I’m supposed to be checking my BG once a day. But in all honesty I’m so frustrated at this point that I don’t even care to check it anymore. Part of me is even worried that even if I got to an endo they’d tell me the same thing. I don’t have the mental fortitude to keep debating this in my mind. I have 2 children with this disease to take care of and a husband to help with his. Wasting time putting myself in the “diabetic pot” is time away from my whole family. And if you can’t get a doctor to listen to you then you’re stuck. My insurance doesn’t allow me to hop to providers upon my own discretion. And most specialists in my area require a referral anyways. I’m diabetes burned out and according to who you ask I may or may not have it. But something isn’t right with my body and I know it.
I don’t think there is a typical model for T2s, apart from either you have it or you don’t.
To take care of my diabetes does not take much time, I eat low carb high fat just like a lot of T1s and I walk everywhere I can, even if it is only round the shopping centre for half an hour on rainy days. You are liable to all the same problems as T1s, feet, eyes, liver, kidneys, so please look after yourself for the sake of your family.
Hi. As i recall, the ADA guidelines for dx-ing DM are two consecutive FBG of 126+ or A1c of 6.5. (Plus i think one FBG of 200+) you might want to check their info against your labs. Second, i would track BG just like you do for your kids & write down everything for two weeks. Then you can put in writing to your PCP your request for endo referral. If she denies it, ask for it & her reasoning in writing. And then i would escalate it to the plan. You have the right to a second opinion & that goes for PCPs too. Depending on your relationship with the doc, you might even go so far as to switch PCPs. I was dx’d during an admission for DKA & the plan initially assigned me a case manager i could call with questions. You could ask the plan if they offer something similar.
Plans also have disease mgmt programs with specific guidelines and DM is a biggie for them. I would just keep asking & bugging them for resources so you can plead your case & receive guidance.
I hope that helps Good luck & please keep us posted.
I have to be honest. If your A1c is 5.6% you would seem to be doing pretty well. In fact from that, I’m not sure why they would diagnose you as T2. Generally you have to have an A1c > 6.5% to be diagnosed as T2.
But the way you post it seems like this is just driving you crazy and your life has become filled with anxious worry about what is wrong with you and whether your having diabetes mess up your life and mean that you can’t be there for you family.
So first. You don’t have a problem until you have a problem. When you actually have diabetes you will know it. You know the signs. And thinking that knowing the cause? Maybe if you have autoimmune T1 you could find out the cause, but with T2 it is really complicated. I gave up years ago trying to understand why I got diabetes and getting a precise diabetes. Today on concentrate on managing my blood sugars not on having a label. And seeing an endo unless your diabetes is more pronounced will be a frustrating waste of time. You will be probably be sent home with your questions unanswered and be told to not come back.
Second. What do you expect your diagnose to tell you that will effect your life? Do you think there will be some test that says T1 and you will start insulin and be all fixed up? You of all people know that isn’t the way it works. So if it comes back T2 how will they treat you? By trying diet and exercise first and then if your blood sugar gets worse you will get some medication. In either case you wouldn’t treat more unless your blood sugars get worse.
Everyone here has something just wrong with their body. Many of us struggle through the days with all kinds of stuff broken and breaking in our bodies. This stuff just happens. But you can deal with it. Any diabetes you have is at this time fairly mild. If it gets worse you will be all over it because you know about diabetes and you will take care of it. And having diabetes doesn’t mean you can’t be there for your family. It is just another complication. You are going to be ok, you can still live a long healthy happy life and life and be there for your family no matter what happens.
As was said above, there is not ‘typical Type 2’ - I was certainly not at diagnosis (and, like @Brian_BSC, my Dx is still somewhat fuzzy, but in the end, does it matter?). Use the ‘tools’ you have - in this case, adjusting diet, perhaps not even all that much, adding some activity – and keeping a close eye on how things go. You could keep things as is or better. It might progress - but in that case, you’ll know more and have more tools at your disposal to manage it.
You can do this - and your doing so may even help all the members of your family, rather than complicate things!
Thank you. It’s very hard for me to know exactly what’s going on when I can only test once a day. We all know a morning fasting number or one PPG check will not clue you in to what your body is doing. I don’t want to end up very sick and in a position of not being able to care for my kids. We have 9 children. My husband does not participate in my sons diabetes care. He’s a horrible diabetic and I don’t want my 2 diabetic boys picking up his mindset . Plus they are my boys from a previous marriage so they fall more on me than him. I just want to know which one I am so I can begin the proper meds to help me control it. My doctor seems to be more relaxed about this than I am. I would at least like to be able to check more frequently but she won’t prescribe more strips. I cannot afford more strips 100% out of pocket when we already pay huge monthly bills for the other 3 diabetics in this house. And ultimately I would like a work up and review by an endo.
Not every type 1 and type 2 are ‘very sick to the point of being unable to care for themselves and others’…it is different for EVERYONE. I would start to keep a diabetic diet, include exercise and vary your testing times (once a day can be any time, afternoon, night or morning).
The thing to remember with T2 that a 30 minute walk will lower your bg by a significant amount. You can put music on and dance round the house or be more productive and garden for half an hour, whatever floats your boat at the time.
Good luck & please keep us posted.
. Plus they are my boys from a previous marriage so they fall more on me than him. I just want to know which one I am so I can begin the proper meds to help me control it. My doctor seems to be more relaxed about this than I am. I would at least like to be able to check more frequently but she won’t prescribe more strips. I cannot afford more strips 100% out of pocket when we already pay huge monthly bills for the other 3 diabetics in this house. And ultimately I would like a work up and review by an endo.