Insulin dependant diabetes

[Bonkerz]

I'm after some advice as I'm a little worried and concerned about my DH.
He was diagnosed with diabetes 10 years ago and started taking insulin. He usually injects twice a day and controls his levels well. He has never been high or low and never had any other symptoms etc even when his diet is rubbish! He eats chocolate and drinks milkshakes and is the worst diabetic ever. He is checked 6 monthly by the nurse and yearly he has his feet and eyes looked at. All fine and no issues.
Recently he started 'dieting' I use this term loosely because he basically just stopped eating. I was away for a weekend and when I came back he confessed he was fasting only drinking water. He then told me he had not had any insulin for 5 days!
Obviously I freaked out and went mental at him and told him he was selfish and demanded he went to drs immediately! After a huge row and talks about insurance and driving implications he agreed to start taking his insulin. He has also ended the fast and started eating fish, veg and fruit. He has been doing his levels 4 times a day and has had to reduce his insulin from a dose of 28 to a dose of just 8 (this is twice a day). He has an appointment in April with the diabetic nurse to discuss things but he is convinced he is no longer diabetic! This cannot be right surely????

Any help or stories or advice appreciated. TIA

He was 35 when diagnosed. He had bloods done when he saw nurse last week. He has appointment on 4/4 for results

Sounds more type2 diabetes on insulin.

Weight reduction has reduced insulin resistance therefore he needs less insulin.

We're he a true type 1 he'd be gravely ill with no insulin for days.

We are now thinking he was misdiagnosed as type 1 all those years ago. He has been looking into low carb diets etc too. I suppose we wait now though till his next appointment.
He wants to stop taking insulin again but I think that's too much of a gamble. Does anyone know how it would affect driving etc and life insurance if he didn't take it? He is obviously doing his levels every 4 hours during day

What made them think he was type 1? I guess it's tricky in an adult!

He needs to speak to whoever supervises his diabetes GP, Specialist Nurse, Consultant first.

He'd need to be monitored for ketones as well as blood glucose.

Dangerous to do it independently if he is type 1.

Thanks for the advice. I have got him so ketone strips so we will keep an eye on this too before his next appointment.

Is your DH type 1? There has been a lot of discussion in the press of how type 2 diabetics can get rid of all symptoms with changes of diet and lifestyle, this could have influenced him to behave in the way he is.

Unfortunately this is not possible for type 1s who will always need insulin to survive, these diabetics will become seriously ill in a very short time without insulin.

Sounds like he needs a review before April

Yes he was diagnosed as type 1 just over 10 years ago

I would really doubt that he has Type 1 because you say "he has never been high or low" - that just doesn't happen. Especially on insulin mixes.
He is either type 2 or has one of the other sorts of diabetes. There is one called LADA which is like T1 but really slow onset - so the pancreas keeps producing insulin for a long time, just not quite enough.

Get him to ask to see a specialist now and ask them to test for antibodies - they can work out if he is producing his own insulin.

I tend to agree with Jelly and Chesty. if he was overweight at diagnosis it could be that he was insulin resistant and indulging in too many cakes and biscuits. The insulin therapy brought the high sugar down and allowed him to continue eating chocolates and drinking milkshakes. Losing weight and changing diet has reduced his need for insulin dramatically.

Type I diabetics who miss insulin doses get ill very quickly-sometimes within hours.

Diabetics can be misdiagnosed, many doctors are not well informed on the complexity of the condition and as Paddy says it is tricky in an adult. He should see his doctor ASAP as chesty says messing around independently with treatments can be dangerous

Thanks all. It's DEFINATELY given us some questions for the GP. He's taking his insulin again although a small amount but levels are stable which is the main thing. Ketone testing strips arrived this morning and he's fine at the moment too. Will be giving dh a list to question GP with as this is all very confusing.

Will you get back to us with the answers? Your DH is certainly an interesting case.

Ofcourse and I really appreciate all the info and stories. It's all confusing for me and DH is bewildered with it all!

He's now started a diary to record everything in including food eaten so hopefully when he goes docs on 4/4 we will be able to get some clarity on the situation