Identity Crisis - Part 2

Not Knowing Who I Am...

What kind of Diabetic am I?

I was lost in a book today - as I'm prone to be found these days - about health and nutrition in America and the causes of Western Diseases aka Diseases of Affluence (Coronary Heart Disease, Cancer, Diabetes) and I came across a statistic that I've seen many times in the last few months: between 85-90% of diabetics are type 2, the other 10-15% are type 1. Okay, simple enough, I'm diabetic so I must be type...

What are my choices again?

Type 1: Insulin dependent. Diagnosis depends on symptoms and a one time random blood glucose reading that is high. Well, I had symptoms polyurea (peeing), polydipsia (thirst), weight loss, etc. AND when I went in for blood work my blood glucose was 569. My A1C (average blood sugar level) was in the 13s and my C-Peptite was .5. Simple enough, I'm Type 1.

But wait a second. After switching to a gluten free diet and starting a vitamin supplementation program I've gone from 30 units of insulin per day down to 5. My C Peptide has popped back up to 1.6 and now I only need .5-1 mg of Prandin per meal to maintain glucose control. Prandin doesn't work on Type 1 Diabetics so I must be Type 2...

But wait a second. Type 2s usually are accompanied by weight gain, show gradual increases in blood sugar (not 569) and have abnormally high C Peptide numbers because they're insulin resistant. In other words they produce a lot of insulin but their body doesn't use it well. That's not me either, If I inject one unit of insulin it's going to eat up everything in my body and make me crash - hard.

So what type am I? Type 1.5? Come on, now I feel like you're just making it up. Try telling your friends, or even your doctor for that matter, that your a type 1.5 diabetic. They won't know what you're talking about. And what am I supposed to get on this medical bracelet that supposedly I should wear forever... type 1.5? People who find me passed out will think I'm part of a hidden camera show. I feel like "type 1.5" is a name they gave to diabetic anomalies to keep them from asking difficult questions. As if by giving it a name it's totally under control. "Oh that? That's just type 1.5 diabetes... nothing weird there!" Insert salesman smile as they hand you the bill for the "diagnosis."

And what's worse?

There is basically NO information about Type 1.5. Take this quote for example from Diabetes Forecast magazine: "As of now, there is still a lot of uncertainty over how exactly to define LADA (Type 1.5), how it develops, and how important it is for patients to know if they have it."

How important it is for patients to know if they have it? What the hell is that supposed to mean?

From everything I've read I feel like there's a window of opportunity here. That Type 1.5 is some sort of pre-Type 1. It's the first sign of an inevitable progression to being fully insulin dependent. It's like one of those narrow escape scenes from the movies. There's a door in the distance that is slowly closing. Most doctors say, "nah, forget it, just stay in here, once the doors are closed you'll get used to it quickly, you'll adapt, it's better that way." And there I am I'm sprinting towards the door, but I don't know what to do if I get there. Do I run through? Can I run through? Can I prop the door open? How? IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO??


Dailies:

11:11 -> 81 Took 2 Prandin w/ v cereal 110c. At 1:30 had vitamins and apple 20c. Banana 27c at 3:30. Total 157c
4:56 -> 78 Took 3 Prandin w/kidney beans and quinoa 83c, yam 75c, salad 30c, grapefruit 30c and fake coffee 5c. Total 223c.
10:40 -> 56 Felt low. Had a Larabar 26c.
11:55 -> 59 Geez! No bueno! Had quinoa 60c, peas 17c, indian eggplant 26c = 103c with 1 Prandin. Took 5 units of Lantus.
2:50 -> 132 Lower than I expected, and lower than I feel comfortable going to sleep. Had celery with peanut butter 15c and blueberries 20c.

Gratitudes:
1. A beautiful sunset.
2. The energy and desire to workout on the river at sunset.
3. Unsweetened Baker's chocolate.

Day 74