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Diagnosed Type One at the age of 54.

Posted , 3 users are following.

pamela27602
pamela27602

I've been a Type One diabetic for 10 years. I was diagnosed in the hospital on the brink of a coma. My blood had been checked in February of that year and everything looked fine. By April my eyesight changed from longsighted to short sighted; by May I was becoming thirsty all the time and by June my weight had dropped drastically. Not to mention extreme cramping in my legs in the morning.

By the end of June I was in the hospital. There has been no history of diabeties in my family on either side. Up until then I was a relatively healthy 54 year old, the right weight for my height keeping up a heavy work load as a primary school teacher. I did have an underactive thyroid caused my Hashimoto's disease.

The specilist at the hospital told me this is rare but has happened before. (I'm in Canada.) Everyone was totally surprised. My family and doctor most of all.

I am finding it hard to find literature meant for cases like mine. Most type one contract the disease much earlier.

Is there anyone that has had a similar experience?

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • jane243
    jane243 pamela27602

    Posted

    Actually our Home Secretary Theresa May was diagnosed with Type 1 at a similar age to you. They apparently thought it was T2 initially due to her age. Can't remember where I read all these details. Someone had suggested that it was not T1 in an older person but rather late onset diabetes frequently known as LADA. You could try the site known as diabetes uk - they do have a very extensive forum and all sorts of info. Good luck
  • jane243
    jane243 pamela27602

    Posted

    Actually our Home Secretary Theresa May was diagnosed with Type 1 at a similar age to you. They apparently thought it was T2 initially due to her age. Can't remember where I read all these details. Someone had suggested that it was not T1 in an older person but rather late onset diabetes frequently known as LADA. You could try the site known as diabetes uk - they do have a very extensive forum and all sorts of info. Good luck
    • pamela27602
      pamela27602 jane243

      Posted

      Dear Jane,

      Thanks for the input. I will try the Lada sight. The blood tests they did here did show it was type one though. Hope all goes well for you.

      Cheers

  • Taffytom
    Taffytom pamela27602

    Posted

    Hi Pamela. I was diagnosed initially as LADA, in 1999, but then became Type 1 Diabetes. I also have an underactive thyroid from about 1999 and DH - a cousin of coeliac disease. I am also a Celt. So interesting to see your case. r u ok now?

    My HbA1c is only reasonable, as I do a lot of cycling and eating good food. Also get very stressed when I am occasionally teaching, but I feel that this stress causes my blood sugar number to go DOWN [most literature says that it should go up!?

    • pamela27602
      pamela27602 Taffytom

      Posted

      Hi Taffytom,

      Thanks for responding. It's rarely that I hear from someone with a similar experience. Odd that we are both school teachers. One of the theory's my doctors have is that I picked up a virus at school that set things in motion.  My roots are Scandinavia, Scotland and English. I am just a 2nd generation in Canada.

      I am fine now. I run into highs and lows when my schedule and eating times change. Stress is a big factor. Physical stress and mental stress. (Occasional teaching would do both of these things to you.  I chose not to because I had many lows in my final year of teaching fulltime.) 

      I am using an insulin pump and have a continous glucose monitor that I wear from time to time to help me regulate my sugars.

      Have you found any sites dedicated to our type of Type One?

      Hope you are well now. Have a happy and safe New Year.

       

  • Taffytom
    Taffytom pamela27602

    Posted

    But all web article say that stress pushes UP the blood sugar numbers - mine inevitably go down!

    I have only explored Diabetes.co.uk so far.

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