Similarities with LADAs

Type 1 and LADA
#1

I’m curious to see what similarities we might have. Before my diagnoses, I always felt low BS when I hadn’t eaten, never could skip meals, and I always got a slump after eating lots of carbs. I only need 8 or so U’s of Lantus a night and I dose Humalog 1 U for every 10-15 g of carbs. I am 4 1/2 years into my diagnoses and think I have pretty much used up any insulin my poor pancreas might produce as I don’t suffer as many lows as I used to. I have had restless leg symptoms off and on for most of my adult life. I have learned to have a more positive outlook, but would have to say I tend toward depression. There is no T1 or T2 in my family that I am aware of.

Similarities?
Can you think of any other possible common traits?

#2

Elaine-

I don’t have any family history of Type 1 or 2. I have LADA. I was on oral med’s for 3.5 years and in January I was placed on insulin…If you like you can read the post I placed in the Type 1.5/LADA section and let me know if you relate…

Cherise

#3

How about other autoimmune conditions? I have hypothyroid, which was diagnosed before the LADA.
I had hypoglycemia my whole life- serious migraine headaches if I didn’t eat, the first that I remember was at about age 7. I would eat a banana or two and the headache would go away. I was really tired for about 3 years before diagnosis which we assumed was my thyroid, but I now know it was from 200+ point swings in BG: start at 80, eat a few carbs, go up to 180. Plunge to 70, eat a few carbs…I take 4 Units of Levemir in the AM, 1 U Novolog for 10g carbs (only if I eat more than 15 or 20g or if I eat any fast acting carbs like bread or potatoes.) most days I take 2g Novolog with dinner and that’s all.

#4

Libby…other autoimmunes are likely, too. I do not have any that I am aware of and keep my fingers crossed as I know there can be a connection.

I wonder if our hyper sensitivity…highs and lows wore our pancreases out.

#5

Cherise…you and Patrick got me to this discussion. I forgot…I had yeast infections before my diagnoses, as well. Luckily, my high fasting BS was caught fairly early, I believe, during a routine yearly checkup. It was 135 and had been 110 the year before. the only symptoms I had was bleary vision the morning after a high carb evening. I really didn’t think much of it…sort of thought it was an age thing.

#6

Oh, yeah, I forgot the yeast infections. 6 or more a year for a few years before diagnosis. i kept asking my doctor if this was normal. Dry itchy eyes also.

#7

I have no history of diabetes in my family either.

But hypothyroidism is VERY common (almost every woman on both sides of my family has it).

And my Dad was diagnosed with diabetes just this past February at the age of 50. He is currently treating with oral meds, but the doctor is watching his c-peptide carefully!

#8

What is with all the auto-immunes? Any theories? I have one friend with 3 and another with 2. Both women…

#9

Hyperthyroid here in my 20’s …(Hypo now due to 2 radioactive Iodine treatments) no history of that…and no history of diabetes either…I have read where autoimmune conditions tend to piggyback; if you have one you’re likely to have another. During my preteen-teen years I suffered recurrent bouts of strep throat…the last time I had one, I was 18…In my late teens early 20’s it was yeast infections but I blamed that on alcohol consumption…oddly, though the yeast infections were recurrent, I was never checked for diabetes…I had gestational D with both kids but BS returned to normal after…In my early 30’s I had numbness and tingling in my left hand…mid 30’s it was hypos that started to occur about once daily at work…by mid 2005 and during a routine Dr. visit for my thyroid I was diagnosed as pre diabetes…by my next 3 month I was full blown diabetes “T2” ( due to my age alone) and put on metformin. My PCP never did a test to truly identify whether I was T2 or T1 and never mentioned that I could be T1. Last month my endo did a C-peptide and officially diagnosed me as T1 (LADA/ T1.5)

#10

Libby-

I was dx has having hyperthyroid in 2000, diabetes in 2004. my endo at the time said thyroid disease can contribute to diabetes because the anti bodies attack the thyroid glands… after I had my daughter in 2005, my endo dx me with hypothyroid…isn’t that something??? I am going to do some research on this…I started to a few weeks ago…thyroid and diabetes but I stopped…I think I need to start it again…

#11

I think you should have a chat with your Doc…it’s not an aging thing I was 23…hahaha

#12

Flo…what is POF?
I seem to be one of the few without thyroid disease, so far.
What about restless leg? Anyone else with that?
And insulin…do you need a lower dose of long acting?

#13

Wow…great that you have finally been diagnosed properly. Have you noticed better control? Are you on insulin?

#14

Yes I was started on insulin in Feb… Lantus and Humalog and my A1c went from 14+ and is now 6.0… My Endo knew just by looking at me and going through my history that I was NOT T2…He did the blood work for insurance purposes…in case I want to do a CGM or pump. He told me there is a new trial for a pump (didn’t give me brand or type) but said I wasn’t a good candidate because my control is too good with shots…they only want people with poor control…go figure LOL…

#15

Glad it worked out…great A1c!

#16

Well, I was an autoimmune type of person all my life.

I had anemia history of once a year in my teens and always get iron and B12 shots. Then at university years, I was tested for the cause and they’ve found pernicious anemia. Then following each other, I was diagnosed with hypertyroid and vitiligo (partial albinism). My endo was telling me to be ready with diabetes since I had a family history of late T1 diabetes and also a history of autoimmune diseases. In addition, I had a allergy test for 20 allergens and 19 of them come positive although I am not allergic to pollens at the moment.

Before diagnosed for diabetes, I had low blood sugars when I had early or skipped breakfasts. First I have been on glucophage by some other endo. Then I started Internet search :slight_smile: Learned about Type 1.5 and return back to my previous endo. He insisted me to go on with the diet for 3 months but after, he said I would be in better control with Lantus. I had the same idea. And I’m a insulin dependent type 1 now :slight_smile:

Other than having lows and restless leg (is it rally related?) I do not remember other things. But before diagnosis, I was very tired and had demans (short term memory problem).

Anyone else so autoimmune like me?

#17

Something you might research…I just read that low vitamin D levels in the blood may increase the incidence of autoimmune issues. Maybe your low iron and B12 are a sign of lack of ability to process nutrients…just an FYI.

The restless leg does seem connected, somehow.

Good luck to you.

#18

It’s funny to recognize all those symptoms (although I have never heard the word “restless leg”, I know exactly what you mean!) and relate them back to a lifetime of undiagnosed pre-diabetes… Yeast infections (especially in my 20s); always needing snacks to get me through to the next meal (in my 30s), which in fact prevented me from ever doing any exercise because I just didn’t have the energy; very tired after high-carb meals, needing lots of coffee; came into work in the morning already thirsty and would drink 2 liters of water by noon; migraines when not eating (I still have them but much much less); just some T2 uncles and a cousin with T1 in my family.

I have been diagnosed with LADA four months ago during a routine blood test (luckily they knew immediately what it was), but I never had any symptoms (apart from all of the above ;-)) - and then the same week they discovered that I had a thyroid problem but I have no final diagnosis on that one yet (probably Hashimoto).

Have been on 5, then 4, then 3 units of Lantus at 11pm, plus 500mg Metformin after each meal. May this honeymoon last! (I know it won’t…). I really do wonder about how to prevent other autoimmune diseases from setting on, and why there isn’t much more talk about autoimmune reactions in relation with diabetes. I am getting my GAD results tomorrow but my GP wants me to do more tests of other autoimmune problems (celiacia?) soon. I should probably start a new discussion on this autoimmune question…

#19

I went from hyperthyroid to hypo… a lot of cases of Hashimoto’s actually do this. It took what I felt like was a LONG time of bouncing all over the place before my thyroid finally gave up completely.

#20

Hi fellow/sister LADAs! I too was misdiagnosed as Type II when I was 58. I did well on oral meds for about a year when my numbers started to creep up and up. I had a hard time getting stable on insulin until I did the research here and elsewhere and diagnosed myself as LADA. Now I’m good on 8-10 units of Lantus and my I:C ratios are 1:9, 1:12 and 1:18.

I don’t remember any of the problems you talk about with being hypo; as a matter of fact before diagnosis I was only eating two meals a day. I did have lots of yeast infections when I was younger. I was diagnosed with hyperthyroid (Graves) in 1994 and had my thyroid destroyed with radiation. I was stable on synthroid until my diabetes diagnosis and now my TSH tends to wiggle and I need to alter my dose periodically. I too read that people with one autoimmune disease are predisposed to having another which was one of the ways I diagnosed LADA (in addition to 40 pounds weight loss, early progression to insulin and being insulin sensitive).