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Signs & Symptoms of Type 1.5 Diabetes

Type 1.5 diabetes is diagnosed in adults whose symptoms may be commonly mistaken for either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, Type 1.5 diabetes is the onset of Type 1 diabetes in adults. Type 1.5 is also known as Slow Onset Type 1 or Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults. To help ensure that your diabetes diagnosis is the right one, pay close attention to the signs and symptoms and communicate them to your doctor who will need as much information as possible to determine the appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

  1. Insulin

    • Type 1.5 diabetes causes the pancreas to stop making insulin at a much slower rate than in Type 1 diabetes, but faster than in Type 2. This loss in the long term ability to make insulin results from the immune system attacking the cells that make insulin. However, this damage takes place over time and can result in an undiagnosed case of Type 1.5 diabetes. In addition, the long term damage to the pancreas may initially allow the body to produce adequate amounts of insulin during the earlier stages of Type 1.5 diabetes. This may result in a positive reaction to Type 2 diabetes medication. If there is a suspicion of Type 1.5 diabetes, your physician may check your blood with a c-peptide test to obtain a reading of insulin levels. The c-peptide test helps differentiate between Type 1.5 and Type 2 diabetes.

    Weight

    • Adults with Type 1.5 diabetes commonly have a normal build and are within normal weight ranges. In addition, there is no family history of relatives with Type 2 diabetes. This is significant because Type 2 diabetes is linked to heredity and common among overweight and obese adults. If you are not overweight and have normal levels of good cholesterol in your body and normal blood pressure, speak with your doctor to help make the right diagnosis and identify the right treatment.

    Adulthood

    • Type 1.5 diabetes commonly affects adults between the ages of 30 and 50. Because of the adult onset of diabetes, patients may be initially diagnosed as having Type 2 diabetes. This is because Type 1.5 is very similar to Type 1 diabetes, which normally develops in patients under the age of 25. Misdiagnosed patients of Type 1.5 may respond well to Type 2 medications and a healthy regimen of exercise and eating habits.

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