How is this possible?

vashtee, RN · Jul 28, 2007

I am only a student, but am currently studying diabetes. If I had to guess, this is where I'd go:

Type I means your beta cells aren't producing insulin.

Type II means your cells aren't producing enough insulin AND/OR there is cellular resistance to available insulin.

Perhaps the beta cells are not producing insulin AND the insulin injected is meeting up with resistance?? Hmm... it's a mystery.

Anyway, I never heard of this, but what do I know??

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2007

I am surprised at how many slim and trim people I know who are type II diabetics.

I don't know why this is.

NPinWCH · Jul 28, 2007

My grandmother ended up with both type I and II. She was initially type two...didn't stick to her diet, went on oral meds...was controlled for a short time, but eventually needed insulin as her beta cells simply gave up.

We noticed that she was needing more and more insulin to cover. The doc said it was due to insulin resistance. So like natania said, you have resistance to the injected insulin and no natural insulin production.

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Jul 28, 2007

My grandmother ended up with both type I and II. She was initially type one...didn't stick to her diet, went on oral meds...was controlled for a short time, but eventually needed insulin as her beta cells simply gave up.
We noticed that she was needing more and more insulin to cover. The doc said it was due to insulin resistance. So like natania said, you have resistance to the injected insulin and no natural insulin production.

That doesn't make sense though. How could she be type I initially and be on oral meds? Type I diabetics produce NO insulin, they have to be on insulin from the beginning. And I have never heard of type II becoming type I, just progressing from non-insulin dependent to insulin-dependent, and then increasing insulin requirements, but still remaining type II.

Katnip, RN · Jul 28, 2007

I am surprised at how many slim and trim people I know who are type II diabetics.
I don't know why this is.

My father was very slender and fit and had Type II. I've met quite a few slim and fit folks with Type II. I've got it though I'm not quite so fit and slender. There could be some kind of genetic component to it somewhere.

NPinWCH · Jul 29, 2007

That doesn't make sense though. How could she be type I initially and be on oral meds? Type I diabetics produce NO insulin, they have to be on insulin from the beginning. And I have never heard of type II becoming type I, just progressing from non-insulin dependent to insulin-dependent, and then increasing insulin requirements, but still remaining type II.

Umm...yep you're right, that's what happens when you post after working 16 hrs over night and haven't gone to bed yet. I meant to say Type two then went to type one. My fingers were moving faster than my brain!! I have edited my post.

Sunflowerinsc, ADN, RN · Jul 29, 2007

Umm...yep you're right, that's what happens when you post after working 16 hrs over night and haven't gone to bed yet. I meant to say Type two then went to type one. My fingers were moving faster than my brain!! I have edited my post.

If you are type 2 , you may need to use insulin but that doesn't make you a type 1. Type 1 is a autoimmune condition and you produce no insulin. You start on insulin and stay on insulin, orals never help as your body produces no insulin. Many type 2 's are not able to be controlled by orals alone or have side effects from orals and use insulin for good control. But "we" are still type 2. There is a new series of TV and print ads that are explaining why insulin may need to be added to a type 2 's medication routine.

NPinWCH · Jul 29, 2007

OK, so here is a longer explanation. My grandmother had Type II, which according to the doc was from being overweight and possibly r/t problems from Lupus. She was initally tx with oral meds...did OK for awhile (changed and added meds occasionally).

She really wasn't following a diet so no one was surprised that her sugars sucked, but eventually no matter what she ate or didn't eat her sugars were REALLY elevated. A couple of of episodes of DKA later and doc switches her to insulin.

OK, so we figure still Type II, but being tx with insulin...after some tests endo determines that in fact, she is no longer producing any insulin. Which would change her diagnosis to Type I. Doc now says its because of damage from chemo/radiation she had undergone for colon cancer.

Her sugars still climbed, even on alot of insulin so endo adds oral meds back, since they help tx the actual insulin resistance. So, if you ask me she was at that time a Type I with insulin resistance, so call it what you want.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2007

I am surprised at how many slim and trim people I know who are type II diabetics.
I don't know why this is.

My father is 51 years of age, so he's not that old. Also, he has never been overweight during my lifetime. He is currently 140 pounds and, with a height of 5'9", he is rather slim. However, he was diagnosed with type II diabetes about 6 years ago. Even though he is definitely not overweight, other risk factors are present. Both parents were diabetics, and we are African-American. Even though dad was initially diagnosed with type II DM, the oral meds stopped working after 1 year. We all suspect that his beta cells withered away, and now he has a diagnosis of type I DM. Dad's sister, my aunt, was diagnosed with type II DM at age 33, but the oral meds stopped helping soon after. She has been on insulin for about 18 years.

vashtee, RN · Aug 13, 2007

I asked my instructor about this today. She said you can't be BOTH Type 1 and Type 2, but you CAN be "Type 2 insulin-dependent".