Well back to the basics of Type 2, I was diagnosed with T2 back in Nov 2009. At that point I lost 30KG in a month and was very ill. I had no issues before this with diabetes.
So over the next 6 months I continued to lose weight and got down to 85 kg (from original 130kg) Since then had come off Metformin at one stage, but last few weeks feeling like crap, started measuring BG and find I am at 14 - 16 Mmol/L even after fasting
Back in 2009 there were people on this site that suggest that I may be LADA and not T2. Is there a chance they may be right. I am in NZ and everyone refused to test for Lada
You know, in the end the label that you are given doesn’t matter. I am type 2 as well. What matters is that you are able to properly treat and manage your diabetes. It may well be that you are T1/LADA, but actually that probably matters little. In the US, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) has published a Comprehensive Type 2 Diabetes Management Algorithm. With your blood sugars as high as they are and with you displaying symptoms if your doctors follow the recommended guidance you should be started on insulin. Maybe not permanently, but you need to understand it is unlikely that a medication will bring things to normal. Metformin, which is considered by many to be the most effective medication, only drops your A1c 0.5 to 1%. With a blood sugar of 14-16 mmol/L your A1c is like > 10%.
I know it may sound scary, but insulin works and you will feel better. And if you are actually T1/LADA then insulin is the proper treatment. And you adjust the insulin to properly manage your blood sugars, exactly the same as T1/LADA. I started insulin 7 years ago and only insulin was ever able to properly normalize my blood sugars. For all practical purposes I am treated as T1/LADA even though the basic tests (which I had) didn’t confirm T1/LADA. I would encourage you to consider taking that AACE information and visiting your doctor promptly. Ask your doctor to treat you according to the guideline, that is the “standard of care.” You deserve at least the “standard of care” if not better.
I’ve often said that type 2 isn’t a specific diagnosis. There isn’t some type 2 test to confirm it. Type 2 is “diabetes of unknown cause.” And as I said, in the end, it is just a label and doesn’t matter. What matters is being able to properly treat and manage your diabetes.
I agree with Brian here. It really doesn’t matter which kind you are diagnosed with. It’s what treatment plan works best for you and your blood sugars. Many type 2’s use insulin and many state they are sorry they waited so long to start. They usually start feeling so much better after using it for awhile (there is a learning curve,true of most things!) And many type 1’s use type 2 drugs with great success. Some use MDI, some use pumps, some use low cal diets, some don’t, some run marathons and some (most) don’t. The type is really only an insurance issue not a treatment issue. But I will say, you are the person in charge and you can demand your doctors to help you or find someone else. Good luck!
