Misdiagnosed and DKA

My Unexpected Journey with LADA (Type 1.5 Diabetes)

It was a Wednesday morning that my daughter found me unconscious. I left work early on Tuesday because I felt ill and inexplicably tired. She brought me some electrolytes and fortunately for me, decided to stay the night. The next morning, she called the ambulance because I was unresponsive and on the precipice of a coma.

I was in Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA).

The Road to Diagnosis

It started with a trip my local HEB grocery store. They do free health screenings on the second Saturday of the month. As I walked into the store, the pharmacy tech if I would like my blood sugar checked. I agreed since my dad had type 2 diabetes (T2D). My numbers were in the 300’s. Yikes. I had just eaten a breakfast taco, but that was very high. I asked for an A1C and that number was 10.3. Oh no! This was bad.

I immediately went home without any groceries and called into my insurance’s Teladoc.  I told him the test results, and he immediately called in a subscription to Metformin. After a month on Metformin, my numbers were in the high 200’s. Improvement, but not good enough. I asked myself, were the changes from the Metformin or my dietary changes? I visited the general practitioner doctor. Her answer? Double up on the Metformin. Two months later, and my numbers are in the mid 200s. The decision was made to change my medication. I was prescribed the drug that we see people singing and dancing about how they only take it one time daily at each day’s start. I started taking it on Saturday. I was in the emergency room by Wednesday. Before going unconscious, I remember losing my eyesight. I do not remember much else other than waking up in the emergency room. Scary stuff.

Upon release from the hospital, I was now told to do insulin injections. However, they still believed that I was T2D. I made it into an endocrinologist who sent me to a lab for some blood test. The result cam back that I was actually type 1 diabetic (T1D). Wait! What? I thought that was juvenile diabetes. How can that be? I was 59 years old. I had LADA.

Understanding LADA

If you’ve never heard of LADA, you’re not alone. I hadn’t either.

LADA is an autoimmune condition that develops in adults — usually over 30 — and is often misdiagnosed as T2D because of the age factor. Unlike classic T1D, which tends to appear suddenly in kids or young adults, LADA creeps in more slowly. But the end result is the same: your pancreas stops producing insulin, and you eventually need insulin injections to survive.

The tricky part? Many doctors still don’t test for it unless you push for answers.

The Emotional Rollercoaster

I wish I could say I handled the news calmly and gracefully. I didn’t.

At first, I was in shock. Then came the fear — fear of needles, fear of complications, fear of the unknown. I grieved the health that I thought I had. There was plenty of frustration, too. I now had to focus on food and give myself an injection 20 minutes before eating. There was a bit of embarrassment. I do not know why I was embarrassed. I did not want people to know, for some bizarre reason.

But slowly, I shifted from “Why me?” to “Watch me.” I decided that if I had to live with LADA, I was going to live well with it.

My First Steps After Diagnosis

The first step in my new lifestyle that I did not choose was to get a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and an insulin pump. Okay, so now I am plugged into the Matrix. Neo would be so disappointed.

I revamped my eating habits — not in a “never enjoy food again” way, but in a way that worked with my blood sugar instead of against it. I learned how certain foods spiked my glucose, how walking after meals helped, and how to plan ahead for dining out and special occasions.

I also sought out and found my people — both in real life and online. Talking to others with LADA reminded me that I wasn’t alone in this rare little corner of the diabetes world.ch me.” I decided that if I had to live with LADA, I was going to live well with it.

Lessons I’ve Learned So Far

I have learned that this diagnosis is not as restrictive as I thought it would be. I can enjoy foods and activities as I did pre-diagnosis. I have learned that my friends and loved ones are incredibly supportive. A few other things, too…

• Be your own advocate. If something doesn’t feel right, push for answers.
• Early detection is important. Getting on the proper treatment can mean the difference between life and death.
• Learn everything you can. Knowledge makes the unknown a lot less scary.
• Find silver linings. For me, it’s being more mindful about my health than ever before.

A Note to Anyone Newly Diagnosed

If your Type 2 diabetes treatment isn’t working, or if something about your diagnosis doesn’t sit right with you, ask your doctor about LADA. The sooner you know what you’re dealing with, the better you can manage it.

And if you’re walking this road already — welcome to The LADA Life. We may not have chosen this journey, but we can absolutely choose how we live it.

Have you been diagnosed with LADA or are you wondering if you might have it? Share your story in the comments — I’d love to hear from you.