I was diagnosed with T1 right before Easter of this year. I had a physical and told my doc that I wanted my sugar tested because it runs in both sides of my family and my dad’s T2 has been giving him problems. In January of this year, I was taken down by the flu and kept getting the same flu like symptoms every two weeks. I was concerned as to why I wasn’t getting over the fatigue caused by the flu. The day after my physical, the doc called and said your sugar came back over 400. I will be calling the ER to let them know you are on your way. At this point, I did notice I was peeing almost 3-4x an hour. When I got to the ER they immediately started taking blood and did a urine test. I was told right away that I had ketones in my urine. On top of everything happening so quickly, I had DKA on top of it. Last year, I started my weight loss journey and had already lost 47 pounds before all of this started. I noticed I was also starting drop more weight really fast and I thought it was just from never seeming to get over the flu. I was beside myself in the hospital. The hospital declared I was a T1 but I don’t have a C-Peptide scheduled until July, as my endocrinologist said I needed one. I have been put on Metformin, Novolog before meals and Tresiba at night. I don’t have the tired run down feeling I had suffered from anymore. However, the first 3 weeks of being diagnosed my vision went wacky. Everything went blurry and I couldn’t even see when my glasses were on. I scheduled my eye exam and my doc is also diabetic so she had a good grasp on the situation. She said that my eyes had to readjust from my sugar being so high. I was told it would take 3-6 months for my vision to fill be restored. I couldn’t see my phone, tv, computer. I was so angry because I couldn’t see even to drive. My vision has come back and I can see again but I tell everyone never take your vision for granted. I felt doomed and defeated. I started my diabetes education classes and I was not only the youngest but the only type 1. I learned so much and I have a string support system. The more reading I have done the more I believe I am a T1. My diabetic team was very surprised that the C-Peptide test wasn’t done while in the hospital. I changed my lifestyle over night and haven’t looked back. I have lots of living to do and prevention is key, as I know I am in control. My CDE made the analogy that we are in charge of driving the car and my diabetic team and my other support systems are in the car with me to guide me in the right direction. I’m definitely more observant of commercials consisting of the foods I really shouldn’t have and when I am out I tend to observe how others eat too. They did lower my novalog to 3 units at breakfast because I tend to go low between breakfast and lunch. My CDE seems to think I will get off of mealtime insulin in time but I don’t know if that is possible with being a T1. This same person doesn’t believe I am truly T1 because I am on Metformin. I am making the changes and my numbers are good, so for now I am happy with that. It’s the little victories!
Welcome @Lindszimmie to the club no one wanted to join, But really and truly welcome to our family.
You may be T1 but it’s far from proven. The only way to achieve certainty is to have the appropriate diagnostic tests done. T2 can sneak up on you, silently, until it clobbers you dramatically. I was diagnosed when my vision went quite suddenly south. Within weeks of getting my BG under control, it cleared up. (T2 has a very strong genetic component, also, and I note that your Dad has it.)
Too many people are misdiagnosed based on presentation rather than definitive tests. One way or another, it pays to have a confirmed diagnosis. Not only is it essential for determining appropriate treatment and management strategies, it can have profound insurance ramifications, i.e., what they will pay for and what they won’t.
You may find these links useful:
Melitta’s Top Ten Tips for the Newly Diagnosed Person with Adult-Onset Type 1 Diabetes
Positive Autoantibody Tests Indicate Type 1 Autoimmune Diabetes
A Field Guide to Identifying the Misdiagnosed Person with Type 1 Diabetes
Welcome, @Lindszimmie. When I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes many years ago, it was the blurry vision that triggered my trip to the doctor. I had been having many symptoms for a week or two. My normal vision returned slowly within a week or so of starting insulin.
I will add that a DKA diagnosis is much more common with type 1 diabetes than it is with type 2 diabetes. While Metformin is the usual first medication given to someone following a T2D diagnosis, it is also used in T1D people. Be aware that medical professionals see way more people with T2D than T1D, so you will continue to deal with these kind of misperceptions. I strongly urge you to follow @David_dns’s link to Melitta’s Top Ten Tips.
I encourage you to stay in touch here. Many people with lots of experience can help. Good luck!
The doctors wanted to cover all bases and put me on the metformin until my type is identified. I was told to treat it as T1 until C-peptide is done. It’s kind of frustrating not knowing the type for sure until July when I get the test done so we will see where I end up. The docs really seem to think it’s T1. I can’t wait for July to get here to get an answer.
Metformin is actually useful regardless of type. It used to be that it was only prescribed for T2, but while still not common, its application to T1 is becoming gradually more accepted. Since it acts principally by suppressing the release of glucose by the liver, it is potentially helpful to anyone who wants to control their blood sugar more tightly.