[jeggeman31]

I was just wondering what everyone thought on this. I know each 3 months my blood work comes back and I produce less and less insulin. My ENDO feels that one day soon I won't be producing any insulin. So when that happens do I become type 1 then ?

[am1977]

A type 2 doesn't "become" type 1, just b/c they take insulin. Type 1s have an autoimmune disease, where the body confuses healthy cells fore enemy cells and starts killing these cells which produce insulin. Usually, Type 1s enter a state of DKA when first diagnosed, whereas Type 2s usually don't experience that. Type 2s usually make insulin, but in time could come to need to inject it to manage the disease.

It's confusing, but I hope I cleared it up a little

[middnite03]

this depends on which dr you ask,... you you do become a type one after a while, (your body does not make insulin anymore), (in some people) some say they you are a type 1, and it just took along time for your cells to stop making insulin, others will call you a type 1.5 which means you not only make no more insulin, but also have insulin resistance. when I was diagnosed at 7 years old, I was able to use oral meds for 2 years, which ment I was dx'd as a type 2, it was 2 years later that I went on insulin. some people have lasted as long as 4 to 5 years this way, but all in all no matter how your termed or dx'd, if you do not make insulin you are a type 1, and that also means you can have type 2 issues like insulin resistance.....

hope I did not confuse you more...

[camjen1]

Originally Posted by middnite03

this depends on which dr you ask,... you you do become a type one after a while, (your body does not make insulin anymore), (in some people) some say they you are a type 1, and it just took along time for your cells to stop making insulin, others will call you a type 1.5 which means you not only make no more insulin, but also have insulin resistance. when I was diagnosed at 7 years old, I was able to use oral meds for 2 years, which ment I was dx'd as a type 2, it was 2 years later that I went on insulin. some people have lasted as long as 4 to 5 years this way, but all in all no matter how your termed or dx'd, if you do not make insulin you are a type 1, and that also means you can have type 2 issues like insulin resistance.....

hope I did not confuse you more...

Sorry, I have to disagree. As Andrea said T1 are T1 and T2 are T2 no matter if you are no longer making insulin. What makes them so different is T1 is a sudden cut off of insulin while T2 is a slowing down of insulin production.

[klpants]

Originally Posted by camjen1

Sorry, I have to disagree. As Andrea said T1 are T1 and T2 are T2 no matter if you are no longer making insulin. What makes them so different is T1 is a sudden cut off of insulin while T2 is a slowing down of insulin production.

I also have to disagree with Middnite03, there is a very distinct difference in the two types, as outlined by AMI1977. I just don't understand where type 1.5 comes into play??. If you are diagnosed as type two but not right away injecting insulin and then have to start injecting this still means you are type 2, a lot of type 2's start out this way, this NEVER makes them a type 1.

Have a look on the American Diabetes Association for clarity.

http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp

These are the facts not word of mouth...........

[duck]

So if a T2 stops making insulin altogether...they are still T2? Insulin-Dependent T2?

[TAutry]

I just don't understand where type 1.5 comes into play??.

As a 1.5 I can tell you that it never ceases to be confusing. In general, we 1.5s don't fit the accepted definitions for either type 1 or 2. In fact, a 1.5 can have signs and symptoms of both types 1 and 2, or neither. When I was diagnosed I had symptoms of both and was intially listed as type 2.

I suppose a diagnosis of 1.5 is much like the doctor saying you have a virus or prescribing antibiotics when they really don't know what the problem is. It happens quite often.

To echo some others, a type 1 is a type 1, a type 2 is a type 2 and, believe it or not, a type 1.5 is a type 1.5. At the risk of echoing Rodney King: "Can't we all just get along?"

Travis

[camjen1]

Originally Posted by duck

So if a T2 stops making insulin altogether...they are still T2? Insulin-Dependent T2?

I would say so. T1 is diagnosed from how the body attacks itself or auto immune, T2 is diagnosed because of insulin resistence or not using the insulin as it should be or making to little. If your T2 you can't change the diagnosis just because you went on insulin.

[liz32]

Just a note about the type 1.5: we have a lady who got pancreatitis and now makes no insulin. She wasn't diabetic before this happened and is now, as a result, insulin dependant. Our CDE said that she's type 1.5. I think it's a generalization for people who don't specifically fall into either t1 or t2 catagorys.

[JasonSmithMT]

Originally Posted by liz32

Just a note about the type 1.5: we have a lady who got pancreatitis and now makes no insulin. She wasn't diabetic before this happened and is now, as a result, insulin dependant. Our CDE said that she's type 1.5. I think it's a generalization for people who don't specifically fall into either t1 or t2 catagorys.

Uh ... no ... think the CDE would know better. The correct classification of this is Secondary Diabetes. More specific it is Secondary Diabetes due to exocrine pancreatic disease (in this case chronic pancreatitis). There are many causes of secondary diabetes.

Type 1.5 is not used as a neither type 1 or type 2 thing. While type 1.5 is being commonly used by diabetics and clinicians, etiologist and pathologist purest would classify it as a type 1 based on current WHO and ADA classification.

Some things to clear up: Type I is mainly autoimmune (Type 1A) but there are cases of autoimmune negative type I (Type 1B) diabetes. Many type 2 diabetics do progress to a point where they stop producing insulin and are still classified as type 2.

Here are two good current references (be warned: it is at a level for physicians and scientist) for those who want to know way more.

Endotext.org (CLASSIFICATION AND DIAGNOSIS OF DIABETES MELLITUS)

ADA 2005 Clinical Practice Recommendations - Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus

When all is said in done, as long as appropriate care is being given, it doesn't matter what type you call yourself.

Jason

[duck]

Wow, Jason...I felt like I was exposed to the Orb of Confusion before I read those articles...Ouch...

[klpants]

Ok, Travis, I can see how there are some exceptions to the rule.

Originally Posted by TAutry

As a 1.5 I can tell you that it never ceases to be confusing. In general, we 1.5s don't fit the accepted definitions for either type 1 or 2. In fact, a 1.5 can have signs and symptoms of both types 1 and 2, or neither. When I was diagnosed I had symptoms of both and was intially listed as type 2.

I suppose a diagnosis of 1.5 is much like the doctor saying you have a virus or prescribing antibiotics when they really don't know what the problem is. It happens quite often.

To echo some others, a type 1 is a type 1, a type 2 is a type 2 and, believe it or not, a type 1.5 is a type 1.5. At the risk of echoing Rodney King: "Can't we all just get along?"

Travis

[jeggeman31]

Originally Posted by am1977

A type 2 doesn't "become" type 1, just b/c they take insulin.

I understand that, I was always told that because I produce my own insulin I was told I was type 2. Now that I am closing in on not producing my own insulin I was just wondering where I went from here. Prior to my Endo I have now and my MD that sent me to my ENDO I had very little education on this. My prior DR just tossed me on medication and kept collecting my co pay every 3 months. Not one DR sent me to a CDE or ENDO until just within the last 6 months.


Thanks All for your response.

[klpants]

Hi Jim

If your doctors aern't prepared to give much info on diabetes then why not research your self? There is loads of info on the web, just make sure the info comes from reputable sources like ADA and others, it's really up to you to find out as much as you can, the more eduacted you are the better (Jeez, am I repeating myself, I think I put this phrase on most of my posts!!)

Good luck

Originally Posted by jeggeman31

I understand that, I was always told that because I produce my own insulin I was told I was type 2. Now that I am closing in on not producing my own insulin I was just wondering where I went from here. Prior to my Endo I have now and my MD that sent me to my ENDO I had very little education on this. My prior DR just tossed me on medication and kept collecting my co pay every 3 months. Not one DR sent me to a CDE or ENDO until just within the last 6 months.


Thanks All for your response.

[middnite03]

Actually if you read my exact response... it said "it depends on which dr you ask"... in other words, if you have 3 dr's lined up, 1 will call you a type 1, another will call you a type 2, and the third will call you a type 1.5. it seems there is NO clear point of reference on either way. even if you have read up on ADA over the past 20 years.... at one point in time they have 1 opinion about type 1 and 2, and a few years later they have different opinions...

but either way we are all diabetic, and here to help one another..... so actually who cares what type people are, as long as we work together to to find a cure, are at least make enough noise so the government will pump (on pun intended) money into fining a cure.......