Anyone dx'd with type 2 who is skinny? Possible dx, but confusing between type 1 and 2...

You can read my detailed post in the childs type 1 forum for background info. My ds has the symptoms of type 2, but is 5'3", 115 lbs and 14 years old. He exercises a lot, plays on a volleyball team and is very active. His symptoms aren't as severe as type 1 and he is definatley in type 2 range, but doesn't fit the typical profile. Just wondering if anyone else has been in this situation? Ds' fasting blood glucose levels were since this Friday - 131, 134, 121 and 102. He was 109 one hour after eating and 129 three hours after eating, yet had just spent two hours in a hard volleyball practice. So, Dr (who is also his vb coach) says that he is running 20 pts. above what he should be. Thanks.

 

I know that lean people are sometimes diagnosed with Type 2 (though I wouldn't think often at 14). Being overweight is a risk factor, but you can be insulin resistant without being overweight.

On the other hand, it seems possible too that your son may be in the very early stages of Type 1, still getting a fair bit of "help" from his pancreas but not producing quite enough insulin.

There is also a "type 1.5" which is a sort of gradual onset Type 1, that presents at first like Type 2.

There may also be other conditions, like an underlying infection, that also that slightly elevate blood sugar.

Which is to say it may be a while before things come clear. Hopefully whatever is affecting your son's blood sugars and energy level will get sorted out before long, and he'll be back to good health.

 

I agree that something is wrong with you son.

I thought the blood sugar needed to be over 200 to be diagnosed with diabetes -- along with symptoms. Your son has some of the symptoms, but not the high blood sugar.

Your son's readings are a little on the high side for someone without diabetes, but not high enough to be diagnosed. The defining test should be done in a lab, not using a home meter.

Unless the doctor/coach who is advising you is an endo, I am not sure he really knows what he is talking about. There are a lot of medical folks out there who are misinformed about diabetes.

Keep trying to determine what is wrong with your son -- I don't think diabetes is the correct path to investigate.

 

A fasting blood sugar of greater than 126mg/dL drawn from a vein and confirmed by a second test is diagnostic of diabetes.

There are many more rare types of diabetes aside from type 1 and type 2. I would encourage your son to be seen by a pediatric endocrinologist who has more specialized training than a general practitioner. Certain other medical conditions and medications can also cause elevated blood sugars.

 

I did talk to the nurse today and all of his blood work came back normal, with the exception of his blood sugar level. I got the feeling she thought I was over-reacting, but she did say that she would refer me to a pediatric endocronologist. I was told that it would take a very long time to get in, probably months. I don't know...maybe I am over-reacting. His blood sugar was perfect this morning - 82. But, he has also been more careful with how much sugar he is consuming. Could that be the reason? Also, the blood work came back with a blood sugar level of 107 drawn from the vein, yet the finger stick that the doctor gave in his office was 131 about 30 minutes earlier. I'm know it is not as difficult as y'all deal with, but I just feel like something might be going on here. Honestly, I was a little disappointed that his white count wasn't up since I could have just passed it off as his sugar going higher from him fighting an infection. Maybe I am worrying too much. I just hope I don't get the same frustrating reaction from a pediatric endo. Have any of you dealt with this or caught things early?

 

Well the 3 hour reading could of 129 could be from the adrenalin being kicked into his system from the volleyball game. It is common to see blood sugars rise after activity and then drop later. As to his numbers they look good to me.
Yes, people with type 2 can be very thin and still have type 2. Remember genetics plays a huge role in type 2. I have several friends with type 2 who are definitely not overweight at all.
If I remember correctly wasn't your son diagnosed as an infant with diabetes? There is such a thing as neonatal transient diabetes which can disappear and rear again later in life.
Also remember that the numbers at diagnosis do not tell what type of diabetes one has. That has to be determined with further testing. I have friends who numbers were really high and they were very sick and they are type 2.
I think it is good you are seeing a Ped Endo. I would keep records of your son's blood sugar numbers and a general food diary and take it with you. Please make note of any numbers over 200

 

I can't say for sure since we don't have a diagnosis, but that is the only part of type 2 in children that does not fit my daughter. She is really skinny too, but doesn't fit other aspects to concern me about type 1.

 

Hi,
While your son's fasting seems a little high, it could be a result from the liver kicking out glucose and other hormones to help your son start the day. Also adrenalin could be the culprit in higher numbers after exercise, especially hard vigorous exercise that your son is doing. Just the same you can ask for an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test to see how your son's body handles a big carb load. I also want to iterate that a lot of people with type 2 are diagnosed with high numbers and high
a1c's. A person's numbers at diagnosis will not dictate the type of diabetes one has. Other tests will have to be run to make that determination such as a C-peptide test and antibody tests.
I hope your son turns out not to have D but if he does you are in a great place for support.

 

I can't get into all the details since I am still learning all this, but I'll share our experience, my daughter started showing signs in November after being on Prednisone. She had wonky numbers on tests, some high, some normal, most considered borderline. We were refered to a pediatric endo and we didn't see him until January as our case wasn't an emergency case. Even then we only got a marginal dx...just more of a let's keep our eyes on her. We tested a couple times a week, faxing the numbers to the doctor and weren't seen again until April. Things were fairly the same until June when her numbers started to go higher. In June we started small doses of insulin. That was about 7 months after we started. We are still in a bit of a limbo, and they even wanted us to get tested for MODY, but that has been pushed back since she has been going higher again, although all of her fasting numbers are still perfectly normal.

Good luck with your endo appointment and just keep watching.

 

His numbers don't indicate diabetes to me.

 

No its not. It's higher than 126

 

This is a four-year-old thread.

 

Yes, it is. And from mayoclinic.com we get this: Fasting blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken after an overnight fast. A fasting blood sugar level between 100 and 125 mg/dL (5.6 and 6.9 mmol/L) is considered prediabetes. If it's 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) or higher on two separate tests, you'll be diagnosed with diabetes.

So that four year old quote of Jilmarie is accurate. This criterion is repeated web-wide.

 

there's a lot of that going on lately.

 

That and slamming of long time members...go figure.

 

Trust me, I'm a doctor

 

I thought they looked at, not only fasting BG, but A1c as well. I had high fastings for YEARS before I had an actual dx. I would have fastings >130, but A1c was 5.6. I wasn't dx until A1c was 6.5. The started on metformin. Been well controlled (A1c < 7.5 for 3 years). Very different than son who is Type 1

 

I do not know enough but if he has asthma and uses inhalers those numbers are not bad, but he could be mody.

 

Again, this is over 4 years old and the OP hasn't logged on since 8/2009. Can this be locked already? This is the 2nd time it's been randomly revived in the last couple of months.