I'm newly diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes as a 24 year old. I was wondering how many people are in the same boat.
"Later in Life" is definitely relative. I was diagnosed with Type 1 at age 58. Actually, I was misdiagnosed as Type 2 due merely to age, and figured it out myself when, after 15 months, my BG, controlled on oral meds, started to rise alarmingly.
I think being diagnosed as an adult is the norm, at least in TuD and other diabetes communities not aimed at parents.
They misdiagnosed me initially as well but it was only a week before I got the Type 1 diagnosis change. I'm sorry it took so long for your diagnosis to come.
Thanks, Hanna. I'm glad you got your correct diagnosis quickly. It is such a misconception that Type 1's are all diagnosed as children.
"Later in Life" made me chuckle, too, at the age of 24! I was diagnosed at 30. It can happen at any age. Most T1Ds are adults since since children grow up. I count my blessings that I didn't have to go through the teenage years with diabetes. I was not a very compliant teenager.
Sorry for the diagnosis but glad you're here. I've learned at lot here that improved the quality of my life.
I'm glad I made you all chuckle :)
Before this experience, I definitely did not understand the differences and now having to field questions from everyone that I tell is interesting to see the types of misconceptions people have.
The latest statistics from the CDC (now rather old) say that 56% of new-onset Type 1 diabetes is seen in those >20 years old, but that that number does not include the people with slowly-progressive Type 1 diabetes (those like Zoe and TuDiabetes founder Manny Hernandez). The slowly progressive Type 1s are quite a massive number, representing probably the largest group of Type 1s.
Mary Tyler Moore was diagnosed at age 33. Olympic gold medal swimmer Gary Hall Jr. was diagnosed at age 24, like you.
Adult-onset Type 1 diabetes represents the majority of Type 1s, in spite of the myth that Type 1 diabetes is a childhood disease.
Yeah, it's amazing how the diagnosis concentrates the mind. Why would anyone want to study a range of diseases for conversational knowledge?
I didn't know much about diabetes, either, when I was diagnosed. Part of your learning is being able to explain things rationally to the people close to you that can help when (not if) needed. Teaching something you've learned is a great way to cement the knowledge.
Pushing back on the public's diabetes misconceptions R Us!
Sad to say to you but, Welcome to the crazy world of diabetes. I was diagnosed with type 2 at the age of 42. Over the years several doctors stated that I was not a typical type 2 diabetic. BG was controlled for awhile on meds.. My A1C would rise from good levels to bad levels. More meds were added for better control. Then it just got to point where nothing was working right no matter what I did. It was like damn if I do, damn if I don't. For several years I felt sick most of the time. There was days I thought I was coming down with a flu or something, then the next day I felt better. I would try to make appointment to see my doctor when this occurred. The last primary doctor I was seeing accused me of being hypercondriac and that I was not being in complaint with my diabetes. Had enough of this crazy doctor. Finely, at the age of 51 I found a good endo. He ran test that confirmed that I was actually a brittle type 1. Since being on insulin, my BG has been running very good. Hope to be on insulin pump sometime soon. Now, time to start rowing that boat up the proverbial stream, called diabetes. I'll get out and push! Welcome aboard captain!
Yeah! I am slow onset type 1... onset was first noticeable when I was in my mid-30s.....
Figured it out for myself when common oral meds (metformin that should have helped if I was type 2) did absolutely nothing for my blood sugar control. Got onto insulin because of pregnancy and refused to even try oral meds again.... and now it is 7 years and 2 kids later.... and doing fine on insulin....
Us older ones are more common than not..... though 24 is hardly 'older'. LOL!
i was also diagnosed as an adult, aged 36. i was never misdiagnosed, had all the polys and they did the antibody tests right away-actually quite impressed by the spanish health system on that one!
i count myself lucky that i didnt grow up in the 80s on pork insulins and that i have the technology we have now to take care of myself. im happy i was able to eat like a regular kid and was able to eat lots of new york pizza before the D. it may take a bit more of adjustment getting it as an adult but im glad for it happening later rather than sooner.
things will get back to normal(ish), youre going to be fine, though there are some bumps in the road!
There are a lot of misconceptions out there! My favorite question though so far is "Does it hurt to stab your self with needles?"
That is really interesting actually, I'll add it to my toolbox of knowledge! I wonder how the numbers have changed since then.
That's kind of what my experience was like. My initial doctor said he wasn't sure but that it was likely type 2. Just for a confirmation I scheduled an appointment with an endo a couple weeks later and she was very frustrated that they guessed. With the insulin injects my BG levels were instantly within normal range.
Do you have a CGM and a pump? Also, I've heard that the pump is only available one the lab results show that you have 0 on your C-Peptide, do you know about that?
Is slow onset the same as having a "honeymoon" where you still have your own insulin?
I'm glad that all is well!
I was diagnosed at age 35. Last week I actually had a lady try & correct me on what type I was because I was dx'd as an adult. She said "that is only for kids". (eyeroll)
Sorry to read of your diagnosis, but glad to have ya here!
No, you do not need a C-peptide of 0 to qualify for a pump if you are Type 1. Many type 1's have a small residual amount of insulin for many years. I was .70 when I started insulin in 2009 and am now at .10. I got my pump in 2011 so I was somewhere in the middle. Type 2's have a harder time and I don't know the requirements, if they are even officially stated.
Ok. I was just wondering because the last time I got blood work done I was at .86. The idea is to make it last as long as possible right? Just keep the insulin going!
Hi Hanna. I had a lot of symptoms that I blamed on my RA medications, liking passing out every day at about 3:00 PM. Finally, at 63 years old, I was diagnosed with Type 2. Soon I was taking insulin, since oral meds. just made me sick. Years later my endo changed the diagnosis to Type 1. In fact, reading TuD, I seem to be a very typical LADA/Type 1.