“I lost 20kg and my vision is blurry”…is it type 1.5 diabetes that starts from the gums?

A man who lost nearly 20kg of weight in a year and had blurry vision before being diagnosed with diabetes

“I lost 20kg and my vision is blurry”…is it type 1.5 diabetes that starts from the gums?
Gary Ryan, in his late 30s, was diagnosed with adult delayed autoimmune diabetes. (Photo = Capture of ‘Metro’ press release)

It was thought that eyesight naturally deteriorated with age, but the story of a man who was unexpectedly diagnosed with diabetes was introduced.

According to a report by British media outlet Metro, Gary Ryan, who is in his late 30s, felt his eyesight deteriorating at some point. My vision became blurry, so I had to squint to see my phone screen, and I had to look at small text close to the light. Then, the world gradually looked hazy like fog, even taking a step down the stairs felt dangerous, and people’s faces seemed to have melted like ghosts. The doctor who treated him asked to measure his weight before undergoing an eye exam, and at that time he weighed only about 44 kg. I lost nearly 20kg in just one year.

The doctor expressed concern and recommended a blood sugar test, and the test results showed that the level was over 30 mmol/L. Normal fasting blood sugar is between 3.9 and 5.6 mmol/L. A level of 5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L is considered pre-diabetes. He rushed to the hospital and was diagnosed with Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA). Adult delayed autoimmune diabetes is also called type 1.5 diabetes. This is because type 1 diabetes, in which the body’s immune system destroys the beta cells that produce insulin, and type 1 diabetes, in which the body does not produce enough insulin or insulin does not work properly. This is because it has all the characteristics of type 2 diabetes.

He said his symptoms started a year ago with bleeding gums. He went to the hospital after his dental hygienist recommended a diabetes test, but the doctor said he was too thin and active to be concerned about diabetes, he claims. Then, in November of last year, I started experiencing extreme thirst. My mouth was very dry and I had to urinate often. The sweet food was so tempting that no matter how much chocolate I ate, I couldn’t get my fill. He suspected he might have type 2 diabetes, but his doctor didn’t take it seriously.

Currently, he injects long-acting insulin once a day and short-acting insulin 10 minutes before meals. They also use a continuous glucose meter to track their blood sugar levels. You must constantly pay attention to ensure that your blood sugar does not get too high or too low. As the body adapted, symptoms worsened, including worsening vision and nerve pain in the hands and feet, but the condition is now stable.

Type 1.5 diabetes with both type 1 and type 2 characteristics… The American Diabetes Association classifies it as type 1.

Adult delayed autoimmune diabetes is a type of diabetes that begins in adulthood and gradually worsens over time. Like type 1 diabetes, it occurs when the pancreas no longer produces insulin. This is because the autoimmune process damages cells in the pancreas. However, unlike type 1 diabetes, it progresses slowly and often does not require immediate insulin administration.

Although it is also called type 1.5 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) considers adult delayed autoimmune diabetes not as a distinct type of diabetes, but as type 1 diabetes that develops in adults and progresses slowly. Many cases are initially diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Symptoms usually begin after the age of 30, and this is because the pancreas still produces insulin.

Symptoms appear similar to other forms of diabetes, including frequent urination, thirst, fatigue, and weight loss. Symptoms generally appear much more slowly than type 1, but appear more clearly and quickly than type 2. While being overweight is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, people with adult delayed autoimmune diabetes are often at a healthy weight.

At first, it can be managed with medication and lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, weight loss, a healthy diet, and quitting smoking, but as the body slowly loses its ability to make insulin, insulin injections are eventually needed in most cases. Like other forms of diabetes, this disease also requires ongoing management to slow its progression and prevent complications that may arise from the disease.








Source: kormedi.com