I Was Misdiagnosed With Type 2
One mans experience with the uncertainty of a later-in-life Type 1 diagnosis. Approaching 50, I found myself 70 pounds overweight and always exhausted. I felt a change was due as I celebrated my 49th birthday. My wife purchased an elliptical machine for my birthday and I surprised her by actually using it. The first couple of weeks started okay, but then I started to feel worse. The weight started to come off, and then it really started to come off. I was losing five pounds a day and feeling terrible. There was the classic thirst, lethargy, and frequent night urination, but I explained it away. I kept telling myself it was my age or that I needed to slow down, but I was feeling all the energy flow away from my body. After cutting the lawn one day, all I wanted to do was lay down upon it. Instead, I went inside the house and told my wife, Something is wrong. I need to see a doctor. I had my blood drawn. The first indication that I was in trouble was the wow that escaped the nurses lips. I was in the mid 300s with an A1C at 10.5. Those numbers at the time meant nothing to me. Due to my age, lifestyle, and ethnicity (Hispanic), it was likely that I had developed Type 2 diabetes. I was given a prescription of Metformin, diet, and exercise. During the months that followed, I was determined to reverse my condition. I attended diabetes education classes at the local hospital and continued the diet and exercise program I had started earlier. My blood glucose levels didnt improve. Further testing was ordered, and then an endocrinologist visit. Finally, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I had to go back and relearn everything about diabetes over again. I found myself in a state of disbelief, if not complete denial. Soon I felt the oppressive weight of the diagnosis. I knew t Continue reading >>
Wrong Diabetes Diagnosis.
On Monday, the Wall Street Journal (look at me, linking to a real publication instead of a Strongbad email) had an article about doctors misdiagnosing type 1 diabetes in adults. I posted a link to the article, called "Wrong Call: The Trouble Diagnosing Diabetes," on my Facebook page and received several comments from people who went through a similar misdiagnosis. They have offered to share some of their story here, and I'm hopeful that their words will help someone else in a similar situation. The Initial Symptoms. Jessica, diagnosed at age 26, was already familiar with type 1 diabetes. "My diagnosis story actually begins with my husband, diagnosed with type 1 on his 21st birthday. Fortunately he was diagnosed correctly and quickly, and we were able to get him all of the help he needed." She described hitting a wall of thirst and exhaustion that set in when her son was nine months old. "These symptoms continued for about a week, and mostly only bothered me at night. During the day, although I was tired, I wasn't going to the bathroom constantly or super thirsty." Lindsay had a similar experience, just before she turned 27. "I was just a few weeks s hy of my 27th birthday. I had been sick a long time with weight loss, hair loss, you name it. I ended up with intense upper GI pain that couldn't be ignored, so my mom took me to the ER where the symptoms were investigated with an ultrasound, blood work, etc. The doctor came back to report that I had 'viral gastritis, likely due to your increased blood glucose level, which is 277. Now, because of your age, you'll be considered a type 2.' Love that one, eh?? My mom and I sat stunned; my dad had JUST been diagnosed with type 2 three weeks before." Sarah also sang the same symptoms tune: "The morning of February 22, 2007 I woke Continue reading >>
There's A Totally New Type Of Diabetes And It's Being Misdiagnosed As Type 2
Most people are familiar with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Recently, though, a new type of diabetes has been identified: type 3c diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is where the body's immune system destroys the insulin producing cells of the pancreas. It usually starts in childhood or early adulthood and almost always needs insulin treatment. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas can't keep up with the insulin demand of the body. It is often associated with being overweight or obese and usually starts in middle or old age, although the age of onset is decreasing. Type 3c diabetes is caused by damage to the pancreas from inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), tumours of the pancreas, or pancreatic surgery. This type of damage to the pancreas not only impairs the organ's ability to produce insulin but also to produce the proteins needed to digest food (digestive enzymes) and other hormones. However, our latest study has revealed that most cases of type 3c diabetes are being wrongly diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Only 3 percent of the people in our sample – of more than 2 million – were correctly identified as having type 3c diabetes. Small studies in specialist centres have found that most people with type 3c diabetes need insulin and, unlike with other diabetes types, can also benefit from taking digestive enzymes with food. These are taken as a tablet with meals and snacks. Researchers and specialist doctors have recently become concerned that type 3c diabetes might be much more common than previously thought and that many cases are not being correctly identified. For this reason, we performed the first large scale population study to try and find out how common type 3c diabetes is. We also looked into how well people with this type of diabetes have their blood sugar Continue reading >>
Third Type Of Diabetes Can Be Misdiagnosed As Type 2
Three’s a crowd. British scientists say Type 3c diabetes may be more common than previously thought, saying some people with Type 2 may have been misdiagnosed. The study, published in the November issue of Diabetes Care, found that about 1.5% of 31,789 new cases of diabetes over a 10 year period were diagnosed as Type 2 instead of Type 3c. 1% of new cases were Type 1 diabetes, making Type 3 more common in adults in this research. The study says Type 3c forms differently than the first two. Type 1 diabetes typically forms in childhood and is when your body doesn’t produce insulin at all; while Type 2 is seen in adults when your pancreas can’t keep up with insulin demand. Type 2 is usually related to weight gain and poor eating habits. Type 3c, however, is seen after damage is done to the pancreas due to inflammation, cystic fibrosis, cancer or surgery. Type 3 affects the pancreas’ ability to produce insulin but also the body’s ability to properly digest food properly. While it’s a relatively small portion of patients, study author Andrew McGovern wrote in The Conversation that, “Researchers and specialist doctors have recently become concerned that type 3c diabetes might be much more common than previously thought and that many cases are not being correctly identified.” Those with Type 3c diabetes need insulin as well as supplemental enzymes to assist with food digestion. Type 3 could present as late as ten years after the initial damage to the pancreas was done. A National Institutes of Health study from 2008 also identified Type 3c as an underdiagnosed form of diabetes, but still many people aren’t aware of it. McGovern said correctly diagnosing Type 3c diabetes is important in determining proper course of treatment. Continue reading >>
Is It Possible For Type 2 Diabetes To Turn Into Type 1?
Type 2 diabetes can’t turn into type 1 diabetes, since the two conditions have different causes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. It occurs when the insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas are completely destroyed, so the body can’t produce any insulin. In Type 2 diabetes, the islet cells are still working. However, the body is resistant to insulin. In other words, the body no longer uses insulin efficiently. Type 1 diabetes is far less common than type 2. It used to be called juvenile diabetes because the condition is typically diagnosed in early childhood. Type 2 diabetes is more commonly diagnosed in adults, though we’re now seeing more and more children being diagnosed with this disease. It’s more commonly seen in those who are overweight or obese. It’s possible for someone with type 2 diabetes to be misdiagnosed. They may have many of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes, but actually have another condition that may be more closely related to type 1 diabetes. This condition is called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). Researchers estimate that between 4 and 14 percent of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes might actually have LADA. Many physicians are still unfamiliar with the condition and will assume a person has type 2 diabetes because of their age and symptoms. In general, a misdiagnosis is possible because: both LADA and type 2 diabetes typically develop in adults the initial symptoms of LADA — such as excessive thirst, blurred vision, and high blood sugar — mimic those of type 2 diabetes doctors don’t typically run tests for LADA when diagnosing diabetes initially, the pancreas in people with LADA still produces some insulin diet, exercise, and oral drugs usually used to treat type 2 diabetes work well in people with LADA Continue reading >>
My Diabetes Was Misdiagnosed—and It's A Lot More Common Than You'd Think
The diagnosis from my primary care doctor was type 2 diabetes, but the specialist sitting across from me could tell that was wrong just by looking at me. I was 33 years old and slim, a new mom who'd been diagnosed with gestational diabetes while pregnant. All the hard work I'd been doing for the last year to control my blood sugar levels—fitness boot camp, a diabetic diet with drastically reduced carb intake—wasn't working anymore, so I'd booked an appointment with Jessica Castle, MD, an endocrinologist at the Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center of Oregon Health and Science University. Castle told me I didn't have type 2 diabetes, the kind characterized by insulin resistance, where the body's cells are unable to fully use the insulin the pancreas makes. I had type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that destroys the beta cells of the pancreas that produce insulin. MORE: 9 Everyday Things Making Your Gut Really Unhappy "It's OK," said Castle, handing me a box of tissues. "You're not the first person to cry in this office. You're not even the first person to cry in this office today." Type 2 diabetes, tied to obesity and genetic predisposition, has become an epidemic in the United States. Ninety to 95% of all 30 million diabetes cases are type 2. Type 1 diabetes is less common, representing approximately 5% of cases, with most of those surfacing during childhood. gettyimages-200454896-001-sweets-jw-ltd.jpg But those numbers may not be entirely accurate: A 2005 study found that about 10% of those over age 40 diagnosed as type 2 actually tested positive for the antibody cells associated with type 1 diabetes. For those younger than 35, the rate was closer to 25%. Castle says her practice sees multiple cases every year of people misdiagnosed with type 2. Many primary c Continue reading >>
6 Signs Your Type 2 Diabetes Might Really Be Type 1
Reviewed by endocrinologist Stanley S. Schwartz, MD, emeritus Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and George Grunberger, MD, FACP, FACE, Chairman of the Grunberger Diabetes Institute, Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine and Molecular Medicine & Genetics at Wayne State University School of Medicine and President of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Up to 10%1 of people with type 2 diabetes may actually have a form of diabetes known as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults, or LADA, where the immune system slowly destroys insulin-producing beta cells. That’s the conclusion of a string of studies that have looked at this mysterious high blood sugar problem since it was first recognized by Scottish endocrinologists in the late 1970s.2 Yet 39 years later, most of the estimated 3 million or more Americans with LADA think they’ve got type 2 diabetes. That misdiagnosis can cause frustration, misunderstandings and even health problems, says endocrinologist Stanley S. Schwartz, MD, an emeritus Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “If your doctor is not thinking about the possibility of LADA, he or she may not prescribe the diabetes drugs early on that could help extend the life of your insulin-producing beta cells,” Dr. Schwartz says. “With LADA, you lose the ability to produce insulin much more quickly than the typical type 2. But a doctor who believes you’re a type 2 may hesitate to prescribe insulin when your blood sugar levels rise, thinking that a healthier lifestyle and higher doses of other medications will work.” As a result, your blood sugar could skyrocket, increasing your risk for diabetes complications, says George Grunberger, MD, FACP, FACE, Chairman of the Grunberger Di Continue reading >>
An Incorrect Diagnosis Of Type 2 Diabetes
What happens when you’re diagnosed with type 2 instead of type 1? Everyone has heard of ‘diabetes’ but what they may not be aware of is that there are a few different types of diabetes out there. Each with their own unique circumstances of development and treatment options. Unfortunately, a lot of the more widely known information about diabetes is surrounded by misconceptions which many often come with dangerous advice. There have been way too many reports of Type 1 diabetes misdiagnoses. Even more common is the initial incorrect diagnosis of type 2 diabetes instead of the correct diagnosis of type 1. This vital mistake is an oversight in the medical profession which can have fatal consequences. Let’s first take a look to familiarize ourselves with the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes: What is Type 1 Diabetes? Type 1 diabetes was previously referred to as “juvenile diabetes”. It is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s own immune system sees the beta cells within the pancreas (responsible for insulin production) as invaders and launches an attack. Type one diabetes more commonly develops in children and adolescents but adults of all ages can also be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. When you have type one diabetes, you are insulin dependent for the rest of your life. This type of treatment regimen consists of multiple shots given daily (MDI) or with an insulin pump attached to your body with an infusion set. This infusion set features a plastic cannula placed right underneath the skin subcutaneously. The insulin pump mimics the function of the human pancreas by giving a background dose of insulin throughout the day (referred to as basal), and allows you to give yourself insulin at mealtime (referred to as bolus). You can read more about di Continue reading >>
Diabetes Distress V. Depression: Are People With Type 2 Being Misdiagnosed?
Diabetes Distress v. Depression: Are People with Type 2 Being Misdiagnosed? Treating diabetes distress lessens symptoms of depression in people with type 2 Second study finds higher mortality rate in people with type 1 diabetes who report symptoms of depression Researchers have long understood there is a strong association between diabetes and depression. But new research presented at the American Diabetes Associations 74th Scientific Sessions shows that symptoms of depression in people with type 2 diabetes can be significantly reduced through interventions for diabetes distress, suggesting that much of what is being labeled as depression may not be a co-morbid psychiatric disorder after all, but rather a reaction to living with a stressful, complex disease that is often difficult to manage. A second study, of patients with type 1 diabetes, emphasizes the potential importance of treating depressive symptoms regardless of their cause: It found that the greater depressive symptoms a patient reported, the higher that persons mortality risk. Because depression is measured with scales that are symptom-based and not tied to cause, in many cases these symptoms may actually reflect the distress that people are having about their diabetes, and not a clinical diagnosis of depression, said lead author Lawrence Fisher, PhD, ABPP, Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Fisher and his team developed measures of diabetes-specific distress that reflect whether a person had been feeling worried about a variety of problems associated with living with their diabetes, such as hypoglycemia. They also asked patients to fill out the Patient Health Questionnaire to measure depressive symptoms. Those who reported high levels of distress and h Continue reading >>
Some Type 1 Diabetes Cases In Adults Misdiagnosed As Type 2
Some type 1 diabetes cases in adults misdiagnosed as type 2 Some type 1 diabetes cases in adults misdiagnosed as type 2 Doctors 'wrong to assume type 1 diabetes is childhood illness', says The Guardian. This follows a study looking at a large number of adults in the UK to see if they had diabetes and if so, which type of the condition they had. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the body destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, so is reliant on life-long insulin injections. Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the person produces limited insulin, or their body can't use it so well. It can be managed in the early stages with changes to diet and medication. Type 1 diabetes is often thought of as a childhood illness as most people are diagnosed at a young age. For this reason, people who develop diabetes as adults are often assumed to have type 2. Perhaps the most famous example is Prime Minister Theresa May who was, at first, misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2013, when in fact further tests revealed she had type 1. This study looked at 13,250 people diagnosed with diabetes at a range of ages. Of all people who developed type 1 diabetes, surprisingly 42% were not diagnosed until after the age of 30. However, only 4% of all newly diagnosed diabetes in the over 30s were type 1. Therefore, although type 1 diabetes starting in adulthood is uncommon, it still highlights the need for healthcare professionals to be aware that not all people who develop diabetes in adulthood automatically have type 2. Making sure that people receive the correct diagnosis, and therefore the correct treatment, is crucial. If you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes but are not responding to treatment, it may be worth discussing the possibility of further testing w Continue reading >>
Type 2 Misdiagnosis?
I was diagnosed in August. I was in the ER for something else, and my glucose was 367. I was immediately put on Meds, and I took them for two months while I lost weight. I've now lost 25 lbs, no Meds, and my blood sugar is always in the "normal" range, no matter what I'm eating. The only highs I'm having are first thing in the morning- 130's sometimes. Liver dump? I don't know. My thought is that I was taking Provera which is progesterone for a year before my diagnosis, daily without a break. I've read that this drug can raise blood sugar. I also had a huge fibroid tumor and fibroids excrete estrogen. Estrogen decreases insulin sensitivity. So I think this was part of the issue. I see the Endo in a week, so of course I will ask all of these questions. I just wanted to know if anyone else has experienced something similar. Thanks! Any illness or inflammation will cause bgs to rise. Many medications also cause bgs to rise. Many women seem to be dx'd during pregnancy or after menopause, both hige hormonal events. So yes hormones can mess you up. As for your high morning bgs, that means unfortunately you are probably still diabetic. Even if you are getting DP, your own insulin should kick in and feel fasting bgs in the 70-90 range. 115 pounds, Breast Cancer dx'd 6/16, 6 months of chemo and 6 weeks of radiation 2000 metformin ER, 100 mg Januvia,Glimperide, Prolia, Gabapentin, Meloxicam, Probiotic with a Prebiotic, , Lisinopril, B-12, B-6, Tumeric, Magnesium, Calcium, Vit D, and Occuvite mostly vegan diet, low fat and around 125 carbs a day, walk 5-6 miles every other day and 1 hour of yoga and light weights. Ok thank you. That makes sense. I guess I will wait and see what my a1c is, keep losing weight and exercising, and see what happens. I am happy to see my daytime number Continue reading >>
Why Is Type 1 Diabetes Misdiagnosed?
Many people with Type 1 share a similar diagnosis story. They display all the classic symptoms (extreme thirst, weight loss, frequent urination, nausea) and were fortunate enough to be accurately diagnosed by their primary care doctor. However, some people with Type 1 are not as fortunate to quickly receive a correct diagnosis. It is important to remember that the only way to have an accurate diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes is to test for the diabetes-related (islet) autoantibodies. If ICA, GADA, and/or IA-2A are present in a person with diabetes symptoms, then you have confirmation that the diagnosis is Type 1 diabetes. If IAA is present in a child with diabetes who is not using insulin, then the diagnosis is Type 1 instead of Type 2. If no diabetes-related autoantibodies are present, then it is unlikely that the diagnosis is Type 1 diabetes. Only in extremely rare incidents does someone have Type 1 and does not develop detectable amounts of islet autoantibodies. Some people who have Type 1 diabetes will never develop detectable amounts of islet autoantibodies, but this is rare. Approximately, 95% or more of people with new-onset Type 1 diabetes will have at least one islet autoantibody (labtestsonline.org). The following are some conditions and ailments that people are often misdiagnosed with after first experiencing symptoms of Type 1 diabetes. A misdiagnosis can be extremely dangerous and in some cases, fatal. Type 2 diabetes A common misdiagnosis is the other “type”: Type 2 diabetes, as most of the early symptoms are the same or very similar to that of a Type 1 diagnosis. Depending on your current state of health, weight fluctuations, eating habits, and other factors – a medical professional may wrongly assume that you are suffering from Type 2. Read Grace Bonne Continue reading >>
Wrongly Diagnosed? | Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community
Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community I am wondering if anyone else has had experience with being wrongly diagnosed? i got diagnosed in April 2016 with type 2 and i can't help but wonder if i have been wrongfully diagnosed. from what my diabetic team have told me Type 2 comes on gradually over time which is correct with what i have also read but before i was diagnosed after having a lumbar puncture - two maybe 3 months before that i had a blood test and nothing shown up to suggest diabetes. From what i have read and been told once again Type 1 comes on suddenly in children and in adults it can take a month or two and i can't help but wonder if i am actually type 1 and not two as none of the medication i have been given to treat type 2 is working. i am on yet another course of medication which isn't working so i want to know if anyone else has ever been wrongfully diagnosed? Yes, quite a few adults are misdiagnosed with Type 2 but actually have Type 1. Some doctors seem to,assume that any adult must be a Type 2 as Type 1 is a 'child's condition' but it's not. Recent research has shown that more people are diagnosed with Type 1 over the age of 16 than under 16, and that the age at diagnosis is fairly evenly spread across the whole age range. What are your blood sugar results like? If you're concerned you may be Type 1, ask for a GAD test and a C Peptide test. my levels are all over the place and never lower that 15. i have been placed on all types of medication and none of them are working but my GP doesn't care about it my levels are all over the place and never lower that 15. i have been placed on all types of medication and none of them are working but my GP doesn't care about it Ok, 15 Continue reading >>
There Is A Third Type Of Diabetes: Experts Warn People With Type 3c Are Being Misdiagnosed And That Is Why They Aren’t Recovering
People are at risk for developing severe problems with their pancreas after being misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes, a study claims. Type 3c diabetes occurs as a result of pancreatic inflammation, abnormal growth of tissue on the organ or surgically removing part or all of the tissue, which affects the body's ability to produce insulin. The study claims that people who previously had a pancreatic disease could've been misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes, which can cause the wrong treatment plan. Researchers said the National Health Service and health experts need to distinguish between the types of diabetes to avoid providing the wrong care to a patient. Scroll down for video Experts from the University of Surrey examined the patient medical records of more than two million Britons to assess the frequency of different types of diabetes and the accuracy of diagnosis. The study, published in the journals Diabetes Care, found that up to 97.3 percent of people who have previously experienced pancreatic disease are misdiagnosed, typically with Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body doesn't produce enough insulin to function properly, or the body's cells don't react to insulin so the glucose stays in the blood instead of being used as fuel. This is often associated with obesity in people middle-aged or older. In contrast, type 3c diabetes happens following damage to the pancreas. It is also termed 'pancreatogenic diabetes'. Someone might have this if they are experiencing symptoms of cystic fibrosis, inflammation in the pancreas or pancreatic cancer. A wrong diagnosis can impact the treatment offered to patients. Type 3c diabetes requires insulin therapy more urgently than type 2 diabetes to defect the glucose deficiency in the blood. Senior author Professor Simo Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetic Misdiagnosis Discovering Type 1 In Adults
Type 2 diabetic misdiagnosis may happen to one in five people who have been told they have adult-onset diabetes. That's 20% of new diabetics. Doctors look at high blood sugar, age and being overweight as the top defining factors for diabetes. Vast numbers of us are becoming type 2 diabetics. In the U.S. the number grew from 8 million in 1995 to 25.8 million in 2010. If you are normal or underweight but develop high blood sugar, your doctor should suspect latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). But you will probably get the type 2 diabetic misdiagnosis, because we think of type 1 as a children's disease. Experience has taught us to expect age to be a factor in type 2 diabetes. So if you develop diabetes as an adult, doctors will assume you are one of the 90% of diabetics who are type 2. There are stories on the LADA websites of diabetics who found out they were type 1 after ending up in the hospital. Believe it or not, some doctors do not suspect that type 1 diabetes has developed in a grownup. Mary Tyler Moore was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was 33. That was years ago, so doctors ought to be looking for latent autoimmune diabetes in adults. So how can 20% of patients with high blood sugar have type 2 diabetic misdiagnosis? Some have developed ketoacidosis before someone caught the mistake. In adult onset type 1 diabetes the beta cells are being slowly destroyed by the person's own T-cells. It is an autoimmune disorder. To see this attack in action, go to your web browser and type in "T cells attack pancreatic islets." You will be directed to a video made with a proton camera at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology. It captures the T cells attacking a beta cell in a mouse, the first live proof of what happens in a type 1 diabetic. Latent aut Continue reading >>
