DETROIT (WXYZ) — For new mother Elizabeth Babcock, the birth of her son Teddy began two journeys — parenthood and the fight for a correct medical diagnosis.
“First, I found out that I had gestational diabetes,” said Elizabeth Babcock.
LADA is a form of insulin resistance where the body can’t make enough insulin during pregnancy.
It occurs in up to 10% of pregnancies. And 50% of those women go on to develop Type 2 Diabetes. That was Elizabeth’s diagnosis. But after losing her pregnancy weight, she gained it all back. She went to the doctor and they found her blood glucose was over 300. So dangerous they couldn’t complete the planned tests.
“So, the nurse came in and said, I can't give you the sugar drink because it might kill you,” Babcock said when recalling her initial diagnoses.
Antibody testing pointed to Type 1 Diabetes. Elizabeth was on long-acting medication, short acting medication, pills, and injections. It was bewildering even for Elizabeth.
“Sorry, it's a little confusing because I have so many different diagnoses and so many different medications,” Babcock revealed.
It turns out Elizabeth has Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults or LADA. It’s referred to as Type 1.5 Diabetes.
“I thought she was joking. I didn't know that Type 1.5 was an actual diagnosis,” she said.
The disease has some elements of Type 1 and some from Type 2.
“Does that present a challenge in diagnosis? 7 Action News asked Dr. Bayan Chaker.
“Yeah, definitely it does,” Dr. Chaker said.
Dr. Bayan Chaker is an endocrinologist at DMC Sinai Grace Hospital. (Elizabeth wasn't treated by DMC providers.) Dr. Chaker says Type 2 Diabetes, which develops later in life, makes up 90% of all diabetes cases. While Type 1, an autoimmune form of the disease, usually develops in children and teens. As the name suggests someone with Type 1.5 can live a large portion of their life before developing a life-threatening change.
“They're fine. They don't need anything. And then they start quickly progressing into an insulin dependent type of diabetes,” Dr. Chaker said.
And that’s key. Someone with Type 2 Diabetes has a broader range of treatment options. Someone with Type 1, must take insulin. And so do many with Type 1.5.
A misdiagnosis can be dangerous or even fatal.
“You end up being hospitalized. And at that time you need, fluids, you need insulin treatment, you need to stabilize your blood sugars,” Dr. Chaker said.
But even when you do get the right diagnosis, getting insurance to pay can be its own challenge. Often insurers don’t want to pay for both medications often used for Type 2 and real-time continuous glucose monitoring typically used in Type 1.
For now, Elizabeth has it all worked out, getting the medication and monitoring she needs to manage her condition. It’s a relief, she says. Just as it’s a relief having answers to her own medical mystery.
Diabetes Type 1.5 has a genetic component just like Type1 diabetes.
So, there is no way to stop it from developing.
And because of that genetic aspect, Elizabeth says she's watching her son Teddy closely for signs of either condition.
