Prediabetes and LADA

[frombc]

Hello,

I was just recently diagnosed as having pre-diabetes...totally blindsided me. I've been doing alot of research on the internet and came across diabetes 1.5 aka LADA. What I would like to know is, is glucose intolerance (prediabetes) a precursor to only type 2 or can LADA follow the prediabetic stage. Is it important to find out now whether I fit into this category rather than type 2. Can I be tested at this stage? The reason I'm curious is that I'm not overweight have good blood pressure and cholestorol. I did have a baby that weighed 9 lbs. 13 oz. Thank you if anyone can help.

[Harold]

What I would like to know is, is glucose intolerance (prediabetes) a precursor to only type 2 YES can LADA follow the prediabetic stageThe distinction between Type 1 and Type 1.5 lies only with the age of onset. The early stages of Type 1 and Type 1.5 have been best termed as "The Honymoon Period." Pre-Diabetes refers to Insulin Resistance and is a matter of degree. Up to a certain level of resistance it has been shown to be reversable with diet, exercise, and/or medication. So Pre-Diabetes might be reversable for some, but no one reverses the Honeymoon. It is possible to develope either type of diabetes and have both at the same time.Is it important to find out now whether I fit into this category rather than type 2.Well if you have been misdiagnosed and you are checking your bg's with a meter as you should be doing, it will become apparent before you are in danger. Can I be tested at this stage?Sure a C-Peptide test will determine if your producing normal levels of insulin. After that with a low c-peptide result you would have to have a positive result for a beta cell anti-body test. Type 1 (1.5) is an autoimmune desease and to be classified as one you have to have very little insulin production AND the right antibodies. You can have no insulin production, but without the antibodies your not Type 1. You still have diabetes, but not type 1(1.5) or 2. Typically it's referred to as Secondary Diabetes. Now to confuse things insulin resistance may also be secondary, and secondary refers to having another desease first that causes diabetes. Your probably asking what desease can do this and at the moment three come to mind pancreatic cancer, thyroid, and hepatitis c, and there are others.The reason I'm curious is that I'm not overweight have good blood pressure and cholestorol.Your in good company. A lot of us Type 2's have been saying this. Although doctors have been slow to catch on they are now diagnosing prediabetes earlier and catching it before the weight gain that so many of us went through in the 2 or 3 years before dx. I did have a baby that weighed 9 lbs. 13 oz.Having a large baby shows a predisposition to insulin resistance. Just remember the best way to beat this desease or live with it is to manage it yourself no matter which type you have. Good Luck!

[frombc]

Hi Harold, Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply. There is so much information to sort through...too much information can be a dangerous thing LOL!

Anyway, let me try and get this straight. With LADA you're numbers are either normal or in the diabetic range...no in between? What does the honeymoon period refer to. I guess what I'm asking is, does anyone that has LADA start off as pre-diabetic?

I also found something else confusing on 'ask the diabetes team' website. This woman had pre-diabetic numbers with fasting glucose (5.6) but when she had an oral glucose test she had 212 after 2 hours. This scared me, thinking maybe I should have an oral glucose test done as well as the fasting. Is it possible to get different results (diagnosis) from the two tests. I was under the impression the fasting glucose was the test of choice. Sorry for all the dumb questions and thanks.

[liz32]

Not to sound ignorant but what is LADA? I've never heard this term before and am curious as to what you're talking about? Thanks
Liz

[Harold]

With LADA you're numbers are either normal or in the diabetic range...no in between?You have to be carefull when using the term NORMAL. Since you might mean normal as with no diabetes or normal for diabetes. With LADA your numbers could be all over the place, but usually high without insulin.
What does the honeymoon period refer to.Very simply put, the time period it takes for your beta cells to poop out and die.
I guess what I'm asking is, does anyone that has LADA start off as pre-diabetic? In the context your using it NO.
There is so much information to sort through...too much information can be a dangerous thing LOL!With this desease not enough information will be painfully deadly. Keep at it though it takes time to asorb it.

[Harold]

Not to sound ignorant but what is LADA? I've never heard this term before and am curious as to what you're talking about? Thanks
Liz
Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) is a form of type 1 diabetes aka Type 1.5

[dbc]

Hello,

I was just recently diagnosed as having pre-diabetes...totally blindsided me. I've been doing alot of research on the internet and came across diabetes 1.5 aka LADA. What I would like to know is, is glucose intolerance (prediabetes) a precursor to only type 2 or can LADA follow the prediabetic stage. Is it important to find out now whether I fit into this category rather than type 2. Can I be tested at this stage? The reason I'm curious is that I'm not overweight have good blood pressure and cholestorol. I did have a baby that weighed 9 lbs. 13 oz. Thank you if anyone can help.

I was (mis)diagnosed by my family doctor as T2 almost 2 years ago on the basis of fasting bs levels and a glucose tolerance test. I freaked out royally! - which most people on this forum will attest too, so you're not alone there.

Later I transferred to a specialist who diagnosed T1 LADA on the basis of antibody tests (I think the C-peptide test is more expensive??). I also am not overweight and have not had a cholesterol problem (didn't have a baby though, left that to my wife!)

I'm still in the honeymoon phase - my insulin production can more-or-less cope as long as I stick to a low carb diet. Don't know how much longer this will last - and the doctor can't say either, so I try and take things as they come.

Although the management of the diseases (T1/T2) aren't that dissimilar, for me it was important to know what I was dealing with, to "get my mind right". So I'd say yes, get the tests done, the better your knowledge the better you're equipped to deal with this.

[Simon]

LADA is supposed to be much rarer than the other forms though for some reason half the people on this forum seem to have it. This may be because it strikes people in their 30's and 30somethings are more likely to use the internet. Anyway LADA has a very long slow onset compared with type 1 which can make it more like type 2 in that respect (hence type 1.5). There is some research that suggests the antibodies can be destroyed by drugs and stop the diabetes before insulin is needed but this is very experimental at the moment.