December 28, 2006 No medications, no insulin, testing about 5 times a day.

When I started testing BGs the very tag end of 2006, I quickly saw that any really carby thing upped my BGs, and went from low to very low carbs. I seldom had readings above 120.

January and Februrary I had two readings of 140 and one of 166, and 21 BGs under 90. Looking back what is more ominous is that I was steadily having "higher" lows.

March and April: Continuing with diet and exercise alone my highs were pretty good, nothing above 137, but I had only 7 BGs below 90.

May and June, one high at 162 and two in the 130s, 11 BGs under 90.

July FBGs suddenly go into the diagnostic realm, after having been 100-115. Other readings, one under 90, a few in the 130s. I started Metformin early July.

August FBGs generally under 115 until end of August when they move to 120s. I buy over the counter Regular Insulin and slowly titrate up. By the end of August not many readings over 120, and a few in the 90s

Mid September, my only low, a reading of 52, I take glucose tablets. Ending Sept. and Oct, most reading between 100-120, several a little higher, a couple in the 90s

November - GERD attack, off Metformin (note, I tried twce over the next year to cope with a small dose of Metformin ER, GERD always came back).

For the rest of 2007, and until June of 2008, a couple highs in 160s, couple lows in the 60s, otherwise 75-125.

Starting in July, I have had to bolus to keep PP BGs below 120, let along 100 which is my goal.

I have not had spikes in the last 18 months, and very few readings over 140. So why is my glucose metabolism failing? My best guess is that it is my immune system attacking beta cells. I am hoping my new doctor who I see in August will do some testing. My current doctor is USELESS.

Type 1 is an autoimmune disease. You cannot convert to it.

V.

not a logical statement. Should my immune system be attacking my beta cells, my diabetes could be coming as much from a type one, as the type 2 already Rx'd, i.e., I am converting to a T-1. I am trying to figure out why I am needing more and more insulin. Jenny reports that lots of spikes can destroy beta cells. I am not having any really high spikes, yet my glucose metabolism is degrading.

Rob
Maybe you would be considered a type 1.5 diabetic.
My understanding is that a type 1.5 starts out as a type 2
and converts/changes to type 1.I may be wrong.
Regardless of what name is attached to your condition,
it sounds like you need a good doctor.
Good luck in this
Eddie

Eddie - good point, I had not checked out the 1.5 threads on another blog. I will do so. At this point I am not real hopeful about doctor, but hope springs......

I would suggest googling LADA, Rob, and would kind of agree with Eddie. I did have another thought: Didn't you mention something about an infection? That would cause me to spike and a simmering infection causes me to become IR. I used to have subclinical UTIs which would go for weeks before I had any symptoms, but my BG would reflect it.

Keep us posted!

Either an infection or statin reaction (or something else with those sorts of symptoms). One of my suspicions is that everytime I get an infection my immune system revs up, and may also attack pancreas. I have been left with a very weak left grip, actually more in the fingers. And I can only do about half the volume at the gym from before. Otherwise I feel great - I can be lazy without guilt - my wife is a very good sport about all of this. I did read all of the info on T1.5 on another site, and I will checkout LADA today or tomorrow. Thanks - Rob

That sounds very serious, Rob, almost like a stroke. It's great that you have an understanding wife and I hope you can find a doctor who is understanding enough to perform a c-peptide test and get to the bottom of it.

I wouldn't want to wish Type 1 on anyone, but it hasn't been so bad for me. It is manageable and shouldn't stop you from doing anything you want to do.

Doctor who I saw a few days after this happened did some of the standard 'examining room things', and did not think I had a stroke. And I didn't think so either, it started off bi-lateral, both hands, but only one recovered. He did order an MRI of my head after the second visit, wished he also had it extended to my upper spine where nerves to hands and arms emerge. The MRI of brain came out with no problems apparent. I have a friend, as does my brother who had similar problems, and no cause was ever found. Life is often a mystery. At this point all I want to know is, Can I go to the gym and work out as hard as I want without causing damage - I can cope with the weakness and tiredness - just don't want to stop lifting and sprinting. They rank almost up with reading. I measure my reading in books per week.

Do you think you can get a referral to a neurologist or a physiatrist? It would be a shame not to pursue your workouts since you enjoy them so much and they are very healthy. I couldn't imagine giving up books either and one of my biggest fears as a diabetic is going blind.

In May when this first started they made an appt for a neuro, first date available was mid August. The neuro nurse there did give me a list of symptoms for which I should go to the emergency room. I have been on the 'call if there is a cancellation list', but no call, at least yet. My only concern with heavy exercise is that I don't want to further damage any nerves which hopefully are healing. By the way my 91 year old mother, decrepit and a little dingy, now blind and deaf, was an invererate reader. She tells me that she has coped, but still strongly misses her books. Macular Degeneration was the cause.

EDIT - CORRECTION - appt with neuro is July 11

But you can have a slow developing form of autoimmune diabetes that takes between 4 and 10 years to progress to full fledged Type 1.

This is called LADA and it turns out to be more frequent than realized and often misdiagnosed as Type 2 as it strikes older people.

I didn't mention in above posts, regarding the infection/statin reaction which struck in May did tip my decision into no more statins. Internist is pissed. Tough.

You have to do what is right for you, Rob. Internist be damned. Sorry to hear about your mom's loss of eyesight.