Type 2 diabetes

[doityourself]

Is there any link between PA, Hypothyroidism and type 2 diabetes?

[Nackapan]

There a link with type 1 diabetes as an autoimmune disease. Not type 2 to my knowledge, as its possible to be cured with a change of diet and lifestyle

[doityourself in reply to Nackapan]

Thanks Nackapan, just trying to make sense of why I've become Type 2 diabetic. Only recently inactive for medical reasons and 5 kg overweight and always been active before.

[Nackapan in reply to doityourself]

Yes it can be a cruel vicious circle cant it.My cholesterol raised . Part of the reason unable to be as active as before .

[topazrat]

There is some recent research that shows that some type 2 diabetes MAY be autoimmune. I am normal weight, eat a healthy, well balanced diet and exercise regularly and still have type 2 diabetes. As I have several other autoimmune conditions, I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that my type 2 is too.

I do get somewhat annoyed when I get told that I must've eaten too much sugar as a child, or the comment 'well you aren't fat!' The media have stereotyped all type 2s as overweight, lazy, junk food eaters, when it isn't always the case 🙁

[doityourself in reply to topazrat]

I do find myself agreeing with what you say. I guess there will often be multiple reasons why individual bodies respond in the ways they do. Agree on weight issue too. My sister is 18stone,never exercises and at 57 she's not diabetic. Too many poorly educated healthcare assistants applying a one cap fits all explanation at my GPS II fear.Thank you for your reply

[topazrat in reply to doityourself]

The first thing that any G.P. says when I have a phone consultation is 'If you lose a bit of weight, your diabetes will be better controlled'. My reply is always 'I'm 8 stone, how much weight would you like me to lose?' That it usually met with silence.

[Katherine1234 in reply to topazrat]

I am 8 stone 4 lbs, 5 foot 5" and just told I am pre-diabetic. I do have a sweet tooth though, but eat healthy most of the time, organic foods, organic eggs, grass fed meat, no processed foods. I find it funny that I have become diabetic since being prescribed T3. Put on 5 lbs and have a really bad sweet tooth now. Although my energy levels are a little better.

[B12life in reply to topazrat]

I think you are 100% right.

It's genetic. My mom is way o er weight, never got diabetes. Me and my dad, thin, got diabetes.

[doityourself]

Would be funny if not so frustrsting🙄

[grumpyold]

I think there is a link. I found this info.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/364...

The study found that B12 deficient rats, developed glucose intolerance/insulin resistance.

Speaking from personal experience, I was diagnosed with Hashi's in 1999. In 2015 I found out I was type 2 diabetic. I was utterly dumbfounded because I had eaten healthily and exercised my entire life. I had put on a bit of weight when my hypothyroidism was diagnosed, but I lost it when my thyroid meds were optimised. Like others have said, I know of many friends etc far bigger than me, who are not diabetic and who never exercise at all, so I felt "why me"?

I have been taking Metformin for 8 years now and despite me eating what would generally be deemed a "faultless" diet, my Hba1c just will not go below 46 ie still in the pre diabetic range.

Not everyone's diabetes is controllable nor curable by diet and exercise. I feel very aggrieved when the media leads people to believe that type 2 diabetes is a "lifestyle choice" and that sufferers are doughnut scoffing couch potatoes who have brought the disease upon themselves.

It is only now, that I am beginning to join up my ill health dots and investigate my possible B12 deficiency.

[doityourself in reply to grumpyold]

I am beginning to wonder if B12deficiency/PA has a far more reaching impact on the bodies systems than acknowledged or understood. Medics and research don't seem partially interested in investigating any links sadly for many

[MrsTuft]

I’m 48, a fitness geek, wholefood diet, etc and my blood sugars are suddenly in the diabetic range. I have multiple autoimmune issues so I have to assume it’s that. I’m currently trying to get a gp appt to get referred to endocrinology.

[doityourself in reply to MrsTuft]

Good luck with that. Hope you get a good Endo

[Hidden]

I'm one of those was on a healthy diet, and get 'too much' exercise and somehow developed type 2 diabetes. I'm fairly certain that I actually have Cushing's Syndrome, which is a metabolic disorder caused by excess cortisol (the stress hormone). I'm wondering if the cortisol has an effect on my B12 levels...

[doityourself in reply to Hidden]

It's a minefield for sure.

[Hidden in reply to doityourself]

It sure is!

[Forestgarden]

There is a link between hypothyroidism and diabetes. If thyroid hormones are not optimal they can have several different affects, including insulin resistance and less glycogen stored in liver. Your metabolism is controlled by your thyroid hormones, so can throw everything out of whack. Same with thyroid and cholesterol levels. Getting thyroid hormones optimal is key.

[doityourself in reply to Forestgarden]

That makes sence to me. Maybe I'll get Thyroid retested and post results on this forum for advice.

[Dancer57]

Hi

I have Hashimotos, low B12 at cellular level and have just been told I am now in the type 2 diabetic range (42) and my GP has put me on a 9 month diabetes programme.

I was also told I have too much good cholesterol!!!

I am very slim and have been my whole life. Over the last year I saw a nutritionist and have been eating healthier than I ever have done in my life. There is hardly anything left for me to cut out in way of sugar or saturated fats so I am bewildered how this could have happened too. I am under a private Endocrinologist and my Thyroid levels have been stable.

I can't make out if its my Thyroid again or lack of B12. I am going to re test Active B12 and MMA. Both were in the wrong direction last September.

Strangely my bloods have been low in white blood cells, my platelet count is decreasing since last October from 219 to now 184 and I now have nucleated RBCs in my blood which an adult shouldn't have as I understand it. The last 3 bloods draws I have been asked if I am on blood thinners as I bled very quickly.

All in all I have a suspicion all this is due to a combination of B12 deficiency and Thyroid problem. I don't have much faith in a GP joining up the dots though!!!

[doityourself in reply to Dancer57]

A very familiar story to me. It's so hard to get GPS to take an individual patient approach. It's one cap fits all from my experience. Sometimes I dispair as I don't feel it's going to improve in my lifetime.

[Dancer57 in reply to doityourself]

I agree. I have given up on GPs unfortunately for the very reason you say, one cap fits all approach also from my own experience. It is infuriating!!!!

[prillyb12]

My A1c has crept up, in the US I'm at 6.1. Not sure how this relates to the UK measurement. So this is prediabetic and I believe it happened because I've tried to gain a few much needed pounds. I've added too much rice, carrots and potatoes in the bean soup I make. Also I'm eating too many processed "Rice Cakes" and too many baked sweet potatoes. I did gain a few pounds but my energy is not good. I also have thyroid issues and cannot tolerate thyroid meds. I take iodine and l-tyrosine and these have kept my T-3 and T-4 in normal ranges. Then there is my B-12 level which just came back at 4,083, (normal range being 200 - 1100) so of course my new medic tells me to stop injections. I get the injections from a different provider who I see again in July. My lab was done one week after an injection. Anyway, seems like we can't win.

[doityourself in reply to prillyb12]

I think you might be right, it seems like we can't win. When things go well nature does an amazing job of balancing our bodies needs. But when something sends it out of kilter it seems very difficult for us to restore that balance. The rigid rulebook so many medics seem to live by doesn't help.Good luck.

[Oneash]

If you follow Sten Ekberg, who I know is controversial with some folk here, you learn insulin resistance builds with time. Eating fat does not stimulate the insulin response like sugar and starch does. We've been pedalled a low fat diet for so long, when sugar is the baddie.

[Dancer57]

Just going back on your post, sorry if I am repeating myself but I have Hashimotos Thyroid disease, am currently according to private tests B12 deficient at cellular level and have just been diagnosed as pre diabetic. My mum had PA and I tested positive for Autoimmune antibodies to Parietal cells but not Intrinsic Factor.

Just been diagnosed as Pre diabetes was a big surprise as I am a very slim person, always have been, since visiting a nutritionist last year eat more healthy than I ever have, sugar and carb intake is minimal, I do a reasonable amount of exercise, dance, walking, gardening. I am on a pre diabetic course via the NHS and to be honest I wonder why I am there as what they suggest is what I am doing already. It seems to be geared at the moment to losing weight and becoming more active and eat more healthily. I definitely do not wat to lose weight and do all the rest anyway.

By chance I stumbled across an article on the Diabetes UK website a condition called LADA Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults. Basically it is a cross over between Type 1 and Type 2. I am going to get my Endo to do Antibody test to see if I have antibodies relating to Type 1 diabetes which for adults happens at a much slower rate. It may not relate but worth finding out. I don't think?? the NHS officially recognise LADA also known as Diabetes Type 1.5.

[doityourself in reply to Dancer57]

Interesting what is creeping out from St Thomas' atm. My husband is under diabetic team there, initially as type 2. They are beginning to refer to it as type 1. I might think it was slip of the tongue but it's happened several times now. I think your right about 1.5. As it's diabetes it will get good research sadly thyroid and pernicious anemia seem to attract less attention regarding decent research.Thank you for taking the time to answer.

[Dancer57 in reply to doityourself]

Yes, I have never heard of type 1.5 but it does make sense for certain people who are diagnosed as Type 2 but in actual fact have the slow onset of Type 1 which is different to treat eventually.

I "think" NHS will only test for these antibodies if you are showing symptoms of Type 1, otherwise you just get slotted into the Type 2 category. and that's it.

As I said I hope to get my Endo (private) to test me for these Antibodies because being prediabetic for Type 2 definitely doesn't fit with me at all.

The ignorance around Thyroid and PA disease takes your breath away, I suppose you can't always blame the GP as it looks like they get next to no training on the subject and that's because as you say both get little research which being common diseases you think they would do but hey ho!!!

Take care.