Confused(sorry for long post) anything helps.
I’m a nurse, but I’ll be the first to admit diabetes classification is not my strongest area, so I’m trying to understand what happened with my husband. He was around 21 when he fell asleep while driving. We thought it was just exhaustion, but he went in for a checkup and everything was supposedly clear. At 22–23, he was sitting at the table with his cousin, who has Type 1 diabetes, and his cousin jokingly said, “Check your blood sugar.” The meter read HI. They kept checking, and he was repeatedly over 600. Went to Dr right away. He was officially diagnosed with diabetes at that point and was initially told Type 1. After tons of blood work. A1C was like 17 no joke. She was so concerned.
For years, he rotated through different doctors. Same office. Eventually one doctor started calling him Type 2. We were young, didn’t know enough to question it, and honestly just assumed the doctors knew what they were doing. He wouldn't respond to insulin. Like 20 units of novels does NOTHING for him. I met 2 patients in 12 years like this. For roughly the next 10+ years, he was treated on and off with different medications and insulin. His blood sugars were ALWAYS difficult to control. Huge roller coasters. Came down for no reason outside of getting insulin. He would have episodes of DKA. Diet and exercise never seemed to make a meaningful difference. Every move he has made. Shoots his BS sky high. He is an active man.
After we moved to Florida, I told that doctor that he had originally been diagnosed as Type 1. She continued treating him as Type 2. Disregarded me completely. I had to advocate pretty hard. I questioned it because his diabetes has never behaved like what I understood typical Type 2 diabetes to look like. He is also insulin resistant and has struggled with weight, so I understood why she was thinking Type 2. And wouldn't budge. She checked his C-peptide, and he was still producing some she said. Because he was producing, was overweight, and was insulin resistant, she told us his diabetes was behaving like Type 2 and that she would not pursue any other checkup on Type 1. I asked her to run the diabetes antibody panel to clarify things. She refused, called him “noncompliant,” and ultimately stopped treating him. Saying he was requiring such high dose of insulin he needed to go to Tampa for a specialist.
Fast forward to now. His new doctor took over and, without us even asking, ran the antibody testing. I felt to maybe provoke me and prove me wrong because I said what happened at last office. His diabetes antibodies came back positive and really high. The new doctor told him that he is Type 1 AND Type 2. And now I’m sitting here trying to understand how this could have happened. Could he have originally been Type 1 and had significant insulin resistance, essentially having a Type 2 component as well? Could he have originally had Type 2 and later developed LADA/autoimmune diabetes? Could someone have autoimmune type one diabetes for decades while still producing measurable C-peptide? And could the insulin resistance and weight have caused multiple doctors to assume Type 2 when he was actually autoimmune?
I know it seems wild. But nothing is impossible. I feel someone might have some kind of similar experience or being really educated on this. I’m not looking for anyone to diagnose him over Reddit. I’m genuinely trying to understand how positive antibodies + measurable C-peptide + severe insulin resistance + recurrent DKA can all exist in the same person. If anyone has experience with LADA, Type 1 with insulin resistance, “double diabetes,” or long-standing autoimmune diabetes, I would really appreciate some explanation. Because after 25 years, I’m honestly wondering if we were treating the wrong thing this entire time. 😩 no hate please. I understand quick and easy, just want more real life not textbook. Tia.