Type 1 and Medication

[jeggeman31]

Can or do Type 1 take oral medication? I always thought yest as I did and have been told I was type 1. Now I am being told I am type 2 becuase I still produce a little insulin. And can someone become type 1 after being told they are type 2 ? As my DR Tells me it should not be much longer before I stop making insulin at all. So if that happens, then do I become type 1 ?

[Funnygrl]

It sounds to me like you are type 1, because I have always thought a little insulin, if not enough to survive on, meant type 1. I have heard that sometimes the pancreas destruction doesn't occur all at once.

Once you are type 2, your body often makes too much insulin, resulting in a condtion called "beta cell exhaustion" where your iselts of langerhans just can't produce any more insulin. At this point, you are obviously insulin dependant, but whether or not you are type 1 or type 2 seems controversial. Read one doctor's opinion here:http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/dteam/2005-04/d_0d_cz5.htm

[camjen1]

Neither T1 nor T2 diabetics ever have enough insulin. T2 take pills so they can produce more insulin and T1 take insulin because they have no insulin output. Once you are T1 you are T1 and once your T2 your T2 but your pancreas could stop producing insulin so then you would be insulin dependent but you would still be a T2. The T1 is auto immune.

[Funnygrl]

A couple grey areas there. Firstly, type 2's usually produce what should be enough insulin, but their insulin resistance causes them to need more. So therefore, they are actually producing above normal amounts of insulin. Okay, it's not enough. But it's not a limited amount of insulin either. Most oral medications do not cause you to make more insulin, but rather cause you to use the insulin you are making. There are some, like glyburide do cause you to make more insulin.

Secondly, not all type 1 is autoimmune. Type 1A, which is the most common type of type 1 is autoimmune, but there is also Type 1B, which isn't.

Confusing, eh?

[camjen1]

A couple grey areas there. Firstly, type 2's usually produce what should be enough insulin, but their insulin resistance causes them to need more. So therefore, they are actually producing above normal amounts of insulin. Okay, it's not enough. But it's not a limited amount of insulin either. Most oral medications do not cause you to make more insulin, but rather cause you to use the insulin you are making. There are some, like glyburide do cause you to make more insulin.

Secondly, not all type 1 is autoimmune. Type 1A, which is the most common type of type 1 is autoimmune, but there is also Type 1B, which isn't.

Confusing, eh?


Gee just when you thought there was just T1 and T2 you go an add A & B :rolleyes: :D The nerve of some people. :p

[Funnygrl]

Yeah, and there are other's too. And we haven't even gotten into MODY and LADA. Oh vey!

[camjen1]

So true, LMAO...............

[WhyNotSmile?]

Most oral medications do not cause you to make more insulin, but rather cause you to use the insulin you are making.

there are two types of medications. One to cause you make more insulin, other to cause you to use better insulin you are making. Therapy usually combines both.

[dixiepixie64]

Jim,
I posted a thread about my experiences using metformin a few months ago if you want to look it up and read it. It was quite long so I won't repeat it all but basically I summarized its effects on my BGs as a type 1. For some reason, they are markedly more stable when I take metformin. I found some published articles in medical journals about studies of it in type 1s. Here is one:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CUH/is_12_25/ai_95551642

[jeggeman31]

Thanks all. I go see yet another DR just to be on the safe side in Aug. We will see what DR he sides with.

[Mick]

It is my understanding that a very occasional childhood-onset Type 1 with a very strong family history of Type 2 might develop T2 at some point. In that case, they would continue to require insulin injections (but larger doses) and also require oral meds to deal with their insulin resistance. In my experience, one can almost always determine the difference between a true auto-immune type 1 and an insulin-dependent type 2 by the amount of insulin they are taking. A normal healthy non-diabetic body produces between 20-40 units of insulin a day, depending on body weight, muscle mass and food intake. Most T1s take an amount of insulin somewhere within that range. Most T2s take a lot more than that--ofter double and triple that amount daily--to compensate for their insulin resistance. I would therefore venture to posit that anyone taking more than their normal expected endogenous insulin production is exhibiting symptoms typical of Type 2. Okay--I JUST looked this one up... "Normal daily insulin secretion 0.5-0.7 units/kg" Hmmmm... I weigh 63 kg and take about 32 U/day. Taking 0.6*63, I get 38 units... but I have a very low caloric intake and high muscle mass. Okay, I think my theory holds water.

Michael
T1 since 1965