Comments on: All About LADA (Adults with Type 1)

By: natureboyron

natureboyron — Sat, 29 May 2010 15:10:16 +0000

I am happy to find this website. : )

I am 53 and found out a few months ago I
have LADA. My A1C is still in a decent range 5.7 But I believe I should
be on a basal insulin now and maybe a fast acting very soon down the road.
But the problem is finding a Endo. that is willing to give prescribe it for me now.

If anybody knows a Doctor in the New England area. That can work with me on this I would greatly appreciate your help.

By: Gillian

Gillian — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:28:30 +0000

Does anyone know any situations where a child may have LADA. My son is in a study because his sister has Type 1 diabetes (Dx at 2). They found that he has 2 of 4 antibodies present in his body. His blood sugar regularly runs high around 150 but they are waiting to see if he develops more antibodies before he goes into Phase 2 of the study and receives oral insulin. My question is do I need to get him on insulin to prevent long term damage that may be occurring now? He is 10 years old and is VERY thin but he eats as well as he has slow growth. I am not getting much response from the doctors.

By: KC

KC — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 04:04:29 +0000

I was (mis)diagnosed Type 2 at 41. About 8 years later the metformin didn’t do the trick anymore. Finally saw an endo who did the right tests. I’d never heard the term lada or type 1.5, and neither had my GP. Started mdi and am now on a pump. What a difference!

By: Brandi

Brandi — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 03:55:22 +0000

Hey guys!
I stumbled onto this site looking for answers after receiving a call from my edo. He wanted to let me know that my GAD came back positive for Type 1. I have been treated fpr type 2 for the last 4 years. It started as gestational, glucose intolerance, Type 2 and now Type 1. ALOT of people always commented that I fit the profile of Type 1 not 2. Having a lot of problems with this diagnosis since my BS is normal to low at the moment. I am still taking Amaryl and Januvia. Don’t understand why I would need insulin at this point. Even my post prandial are normal. Really scared of this diagnosis due in part to my mother dying at 48 with Type 1 complications and my grandfather dying at 80 with the same. Diabetes has always been in the fore front of my life due to it being rampant in my family. Any suggestions? Do not have good memories in dealing with Type 1. The blog has eased some of my fears!
Brandi

By: DrL

DrL — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:10:53 +0000

Just stumbled upon this thread. I was diagnosed about 3-1/2 years ago at age 42 by my gynecologist. I had mentioned to my osteopath three years earlier that my blood sugar fluctuated (I always carried food with me, so that when my husband said “eat something, you’re getting crabby” I was prepared.”) He gave me a low-carb diet to follow, but did not do an AIC. In 2005 my gynecologist did some routine blood tests and telephoned me saying that it looked like I might be diabetic, but that it did not make a lot of sense since I am slender and athletic. Diabetes also doesn’t run in my family. But sure enough, I was retested and my AIC was 9.2. My endo. was good about not trying to classify me as either type 1 or 2 and I eventually was tested for antibodies and was positive for GAD.

Today I am still in the “honeymoon phase”. I eliminated most of the carbs from my diet and have controlled my bs by oral meds (glypizide and some Prandin) and exercise. My biggest challenge after being diagnosed was weight loss. I had been on a pretty high carb diet and eliminated a lot of cereal and pasta calories. I dropped over 10 percent of my weight (weight I didn’t need to lose!) I went on Avandia as there is some thought that it might help to preserve beta cells and this fortunately helped me to return to my pre-diagnose weight.

At this point my biggest frustration is that there is no clear treatment plan for LADA. I have not started insulin yet, in part, as I have a very hectic life that involves a lot of travel and it appears that there is no clear evidence that taking insulin does help maintain beta cells.

I am wondering what other people have been told about the best route for treatment. Is anyone involved in a DiaPep277 study or know the latest on it?

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:27:09 +0000

Where..oh WHERE do I begin?

When I was 14 I got sick, abdominal pain after thanksgiving dinner. Was in the hospital overnight and remember the docs talked about not being appendicitis, pain in wrong part of abdomen. One comment while in that hospital was I would end up on SHOTS! Probable pancreatitis, and I refused to know more, hey I was 14 and HATED needles.)

Just over a year later, hepatitis, while the whole family got it, they were back to work/school in 2 weeks while I became a hospital pin-cushion for 5 weeks then home for another 2 weeks before going back to school. When I did return to school I was ORDERED to go straight to the office if I did not feel right and watched over like a hawk.

After high school I joined the Navy. I became a GOMER very quick in boot-camp, kept getting discharged from sick bay and re-admitted before getting over a URI….Then in I A-school I got GOMER’d again, For 10 days the sickbay doc threw me out, till one day he saw me outside his door waiting for sick-call. He marched me down to X-ray saying, I’m gonna PROVE there is nothing wrong with you”. Then he arranged an ambulance (pneumonia) and I was written up for Captains Mast (like a court-marshal) for ‘FAILURE TO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION’ under the UCMJ.
Gee, wonder WHY I left the Navy?

Fast forward…..got married…and then a SORE THROAT…Was not getting well after that, family doc REFUSED to see me for follow-up, was “JUST” a sore throat! Landed in ER from work after lunch maybe a half dozen times in a couple weeks, Boss asked if I would see the company doc., I was more than willing. Felt OK that morning, went back to work just in time for lunch, went home had dinner then split a bottle of Coke with my wife. Never did Finnish it, after a couple ounces my wife called the ambulance and was admitted to the horsepital cardiac ward low on oxygen.

A day or so later the company doc came in and said “what the hell is your blood sugar doing so high” (as if I had a clue) and shoved a ADA diet in my face. Less than 2 years later I had cancer surgery and my fam doc said my diabetes was WORSE than he had thought. Well I knew it was worse than he thought, I went through living hell trying to manage it. Another doc I had been sent to took the lead and off to diabetes classes it was. I started insulin and felt so much better.

Much of my diabetes life has been like that, never quite understood by my docs, but started MDI last fall, after over 26 years of 1 or 2 shots/day, and for the first time feel normal BS wise. Problem is, I have COMPLICATIONS and my kidney function is dropping, heart valve problems and more……..

(*&*( GOMER

By: paula

paula — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:58:56 +0000

Wow – glad to find this site – T1 since age 37 and now 53 – been raked over the coals but THEY can’t get me down cuz I know hard this all is and I am strong to be able to handle it. Bless you all!

By: elaine peterson

elaine peterson — Wed, 28 May 2008 02:46:18 +0000

I was diagnosed at 50. 4 years later I still only need 8 or so units of Lantus, but am very sensitive to carbs. I may not be producing any insulin…..a half an apple and my bs is over 200. No viral infection, no pancreatitis, no diabetes of any type in the family, but my father always said that he was “borderline hypoglycemic “and I would get the shakes if I didn’t eat……

By: Nellie

Nellie — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:22:23 +0000

I think there is a greater awareness of LADA but most websites and books with information on symptoms continue to imply that it is very rare to develop type 1 after the age of 30. In my case had I realised I might have type 1 I might have gone to a doctors sooner.
I first had diabetic symptoms at 49. I checked books and the internet. Type 2 I read since I was far too old for type 1. I also assumed that it must be mild since I wasn’t obese and already had a fairly healthy lifestyle. At the time it was easier not to go to a doctor as I was living in a new country and was nervous of explaining myself in a different language. I thought I just needed to continue eating healthily and exercising since that was the treatment advocated. As time went by symptoms came and went but it also became psychologically more and more difficult to visit a doctor .
Three years on and very much thinner, I ended up in hospital.

It wasn’t until I left hospital with lowered BS that I realised how dreadful I had been feeling for those three years.
I had a very full check up and fortunately didn’t seem to have developed any complications but recently my eyes have shown slight ‘diabetic’ changes in spite of good BS control. The opthamologist feels this is because of my high BS whilst undiagnosed.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:06:17 +0000

Hi,

Actually my endocrinologist had previously mentionned the term LADA to me a couple of years ago… I was diagnosed in 1986, age of 23 and had a short honeymoon, had 3 pregnancies- 2 dtrs (1 miscarriage in between)- and here is the really weird part. I was the first to be diagnosed- from 3 friends all in grade school and we all eventually developped diabetes.. all 3 of us now on insulin pumps. I figured either we all came in contact with a viral flu -which when exacerbated by ++ stress, became diabetes or we were exposed to some type of pollution- we all lived in very close proximity to an old mill. IN any event, although it would be great to actually be recognized- I agree that most people do not have a clue between Type 1 and 2- so why complicate their lives…..
Thank you very much for the post.

Michelle