Have I been misdiagnosed in the past?

[eternalteen1]

I found out I had Diabetes type 2 in October 2007, I am still learning to find out what I can eat to control my blood glucose levels. My doctor put me straight onto Metformin.

12 years ago I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. I was diagnosed by tests that I had an underactive thyroid for which I have been treated for ever since.  I have never weighed anything more than 144lbs. I am 5 ft 5 inches tall. When I was put onto the medication for Thyroid the weight dropped off and stayed off. I then weighed 135lbs and managed to maintain this weight until October last year when I was diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes.

First I didn't believe the doctor, but high glucose levels were found in my urine and blood, so I started working with him. I am not overweight problem and have no other symptoms. My doctor tells me I'm the fittest diabetic he has. But I am still confused.

Did they misdiagnose my Thyroid problem? I'm still losing weight too. Will I stop losing weight that I can ill afford to lose at somepoint and how do I manage to juggle maintaining the weight that I have and my blood glucose levels.

I've accepted that I have diabetes.. but still don't understand why?.. especially since it seems I am the first member of my family to get it.. I have found no links to genetics at all. And as for the tyroid.. I'm still unsure of the diagnosis as when I started on the Metformin the doctor lowered my dose of Thyroxine by 50 micrograms and this had no ill effect on.

Can you help?

[Anita Ramsetty, MD]

Hello,

I think your weight loss should stabilize once your blood sugars do(you may in fact regain some weight).

Given your absence of family history, one important set of tests that needs to be done soon should include antibodies against islet cells or GAD(anti-GAD and anti-islet cell antibodies), as well as a serum C-peptide level. The antibodies are markers for Type 1 diabetes, and the c-peptide level tells you how much insulin your body is making on its own. If you had autoimmune thyroid disease, then you are at a higher risk for Type 1 Diabetes than otherwise.

That said, non-overweight people can develop diabetes, although they often do have family history as well.

In regard to the thyroid problem, it should have been diagnosed based on thyroid blood tests, so it should have been relatively straightforward to diagnose.  Keep an eye on those tests too as you go along.

Hope this answers your questions,take care and speak to your doctor soon.

[eternalteen1]

Thank you for your reply,

I have arranged for blood works now and an appointment with the doctor, so will try and get some answers from these.

Thank you for your advice.