New diabetic... lots of questions

[Ash]

hey guys,

Just wondering if anyone could help me understand a few things. Sorry if they are silly questions.
I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes about 2 years ago aged 22 while pregnant with second daughter. Was told I was insulin resistant as I was on a strict diet and 115 units of insulin daily which apparently is quite alot for someone my size and I still had poor control of my sugars. The doctors said my sugars would go back to normal after I had my daughter but they didn't. They did drop, but not back to normal. I have had test after test for the last year and every time my fasting levels are high but the rest are borderline. My GAD2 anti-bodies were 32. Is that ok ??? I have Graves disease( over active thyroid) which im told can give you a higher risk of getting type 1. Doctors think I might be honeymooning but taking longer than normal. Does anyone know what that means? They are also testing me for Mody which they said is rare? Just wondering if there are many people here with Mody? They are starting me on long lasting insulin this week to make me feel better while they continue testing. Is it likely that I will be insulin resistant again? Thank you so much for your help as I am extremely confused.

[Subby]

Hi Ash. Something important missing from your picture... what results did you get for C-peptide? This tells how much your body is producing insulin, and is a vital piece of the puzzle.

Honeymooning in the context your doctors mean, means that your beta cells are on the way out due to an autoimmune attack (what the GAD might inform on, sorry I do not know what "32" might represent) but are still producing significant insulin. A typical type 1 honeymoon might last a few weeks to a few months, possibly close to a year for some, from what people report here. At that time the destruction of the beta cells is much advanced and full insulin dependence will be in place. Honeymoon over.

Did your doctors not explain that? To tell you that you are honeymooning but not explain what that actually means in some way, seems like poor form to me. Are you happy with your doctors?

[Ash]

Thank you Subby for your time. Im not sure what my C-peptide results were, I will ask when I see my endo next. Thank you for explaining the honeymooning to me. I am really happy with my doctor I just changed to him the other week as my previous doctor that looked after me through my pregnancy up until now was going round in circles. I over heard my new doctor and the other doctors saying that I could be honeymooning but it seems really long as this has been going on for a year. So was just curious. Thank you again

[Subby]

Ash, something that is not quite so automatically accepted by all doctors as type 1 or type 2 (but it has been around for some time) is the "type" of diabetes called LADA or Type 1.5.

It is most similar to type 1, in that the primary problem is the pancreas losing it's ability to produce insulin, rather than the body being highly resistant to insulin (type 2, primary problem). First I should say though, that doesn't mean that you might not be type 1.5 AND be insulin resistant as well.

It's also known as "slow onset type 1", it often cones on in adult years and this "honeymoon period" of the descent of beta cell function (how much insulin you produce) can take a long time, perhaps many years.

I am not at all diagnosing you here... just suggesting another thing to look at in trying to work out what may actually be going on with your body.

Here's an article explaining it more. Diabetes Types, Type 1.5, Slow Onset Type 1 and LADA. (http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_types/diabetes_type_15.php)

[Ash]

Hi Subby, read that info it was a great help. I see my endo in a couple of days so I will definatly mention it. That seems more realistic than honeymooning for a year I think.
Thank you again