# Adult onset diabetes: slow or quick? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 20, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742 "2002-11-20T15:22:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/1 "2002-11-20T15:22:06Z")
That’s pretty much the question. Is this typically something where you notice over a period of years that your blood sugar levels (when you get a test) have steadily crept upward–or is it that from one year to the next, you get a test and say “Whoa–how did this happen.” ---
**Author:** ![G.Cornelius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@G.Cornelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G.Cornelius)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/2 "2002-11-20T16:46:24Z")
I am slightly diabetic. I have no symtoms and I am sure that I would have gone on for years had it not been picked up in a medical. In my case at least, the doctor said that blood sugar level creeps up slowly. There are lots of types of diabetes and many different causes. e.g. not enough insulin versus plenty of insulin but body cells not responsive to it. So I guess that the type would matter a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/3 "2002-11-20T17:27:33Z")
I’ve also found that “diabetic” is somewhat subjective. Meaning that there is a sort of sliding scale from regular, to insulin resistant to diabetic. And a diagnosis of diabetes will depend on what criteria the examining doctor uses. Adult onset diabetes is usually (always?) the ‘body doesn’t respond to insulin’ type. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/4 "2002-11-20T19:09:48Z")
IGT is considered as a pre-diabetic disease state, and is recognised by different ratios of blood glucose to insulin than either diabetics or normal people. biggirl, anyone with a fasting blood glucose of over 7 is diabetic. full stop. anyone with a blood glucose of between 6.8 and 9.9, 2 hrs after a bolus of 75g of glucose has been ingested has IGT. anyone with Blood glucose of over 10 is diabetic. you want to avoid NIDDM? excercise. 1 hr, 3 or 4 times a week. it’s been shown to reduce diabetic tendencies significantly in 58% of untreated type 2 diabetics. also, maintain your weight within the normal band, as a person with a BMI over 21 has much higher chance of developing NIDDM than a person of normal weight. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/5 "2002-11-20T19:11:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by G. Cornelius \* > \*\*There are lots of types of diabetes and many different causes. e.g. not enough insulin versus plenty of insulin but body cells not responsive to it. So I guess that the type would matter a lot. \*\* There are only two types of diabetes mellitus: type 1 and type 2. There is another disease called diabetes insipidus, which is not what most people think of when saying just “diabetes.” Type 1 was once called juvenile-onset diabetes because it begins at an early age. It is now called insulin-dependent diabetes, because the body does not produce enough insulin. Type 2 was once called adult-onset and this is caused because the body’s receptive cells for the hormone insulin lose their ability to receive insulin adequately. Obesity is the ususal reason. That causes problems with the receptors being able to receive the insulin. In its early stages, it is treated with medicine to enable the receptors to do a better job. If that fails and symptoms become severe, insulin will be used, just as it is in type 1. If your blood sugar is elevated but not enough to render a diabetes diagnosis, the diagnosis is glucose intolerance, which is a warning to you that you should change your life style: exercise, diet, and lose weight. ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/6 "2002-11-20T20:52:07Z")
Qadgop the Mercotan is an M.D. and a type II diabetic, and will probably be by shortly. If you have any health concerns, take them to your doctor, not the SdMB because even the doctors on the board cannot examine you. You should have regular check ups with your doctor, including blood tests, at least once a year if you are middle age. A standard blood test will give indicators of whether you need further testing done, but usually will clear you immediately of being a suspected victim. I am middle aged, fat and lazy and a glutton, but my most recent blood test eliminated any type II possibility at that time when I asked my doctor because of my concern of genetic predispostion and general hypochondria. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/7 "2002-11-20T21:21:03Z")
As for how quick it seems to hit, here’s my story: One day I went to the bathroom maybe twice. The next day I had to go every hour, on the hour. Over the next two weeks I lost 25 pounds. Those were the first symptoms of type I diabetes. I was 33 years old and had been about 20 pounds overweight for about five years. My doctor was quite annoyed with me that I was neither over 50 or obese. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/8 "2002-11-20T21:21:53Z")
I’m working with a patient now who had normal blood sugars 3 months ago, then showed up with glucose over 400. So it can do either. _Generally_ it develops relatively slowly. But not always. The gold standard for testing is not the fasting blood sugar test, but rather the glucose tolerance test. A fasting test is a good screening tool, but a lot of diabetics do get missed if only that is relied on. If the risk factors are high, I generally order a GTT. Hope that helps ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/9 "2002-11-20T21:30:23Z")
BTW, **Barb** , there’s also cystic-fibrosis related DM. Not really either I or II, but acts like a mix of both. Pancreatic fibrosis from thickened pancreatic secretions reduces insulin production at the same time elevated cortisol levels from chronic infections cause insulin resistance. It’s rare, but I know it all too well… ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/10 "2002-11-20T22:54:10Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m working with a patient now who had normal blood sugars 3 months ago, then showed up with glucose over 400. So it can do either. Generally it develops relatively slowly. But not always. Just as anecdotal support, I’ll note that according to the Hba1c I took at the time, my blood sugar was a elevated, but not severely so, right up until I was hospitalized with “non-specific duodenitis”, which then pushed it through the roof. So it appears I was pre-diabetic and trending that way, when the sudden stress pushed me over the edge to full-blown diabetes. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/11 "2002-11-21T00:55:55Z")
A guy where I work recently had his pancreas (and some other stuff) removed, and so became an instant diabetic. Would this be type 1, type 2, or something else? Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/12 "2002-11-21T01:16:20Z")
pancreas removal = absolute lack of insulin, or type I ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/13 "2002-11-21T01:17:37Z")
Let me hedge that, actually. It would act mostly like type I. True type I diabetics have pancreas failure generally due to an autoimmune process, which can have subtle nuances your friend wouldn’t have. But effectively he’s type I ---
**Author:** ![insider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@insider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/insider)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/14 "2002-11-21T02:07:21Z")
I was diagnosed with type II about two years ago. Just prior to being diagnosed I had pnuemonia and than a month later the flu. I was also about 25lbs overweight. I had a 400+ blood sugar and a 13.2 HBA1C. I could have been diabetic for several years prior to diagnosis, but I will never know for sure. I think in my case it was a slow process. I think that it is very individual for each person diagnosed with diabetes. If you have concerns about your blood sugar get yourself checked up. I have lost 20lbs and my last four HBA1C’s have been below 6%. Get checked up as soon as you can. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/15 "2002-11-21T02:13:34Z")
Yeah, I really feel for the man. He was watching his diet and exercising, doing all the right stuff, and showing none of the signs of diabetes, and yet he lost his pancreas anyway. He’s doing pretty good, though. He’s a precise person, used to doing what he’s supposed to. And he’s already into the diet and exercise routine, which is good. But having no insulin is bad. When are they going to be able to clone us a new one? 😉 I don’t _want_ to be a good boy. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/16 "2002-11-21T02:46:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\*As for how quick it seems to hit, here’s my story: > > One day I went to the bathroom maybe twice. The next day I had to go every hour, on the hour. Over the next two weeks I lost 25 pounds. Those were the first symptoms of type I diabetes. I was 33 years old and had been about 20 pounds overweight for about five years. My doctor was quite annoyed with me that I was neither over 50 or obese. \*\* Except for the ‘only 20 overweight’ bit (he was more like 50 overweight and 40 years old), exactly what happened to my father. Peachy-keen one day, pissing like a rainstorm the next. ---
**Author:** ![Friendly\_D.O](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b38774/32.png) [@Friendly\_D.O](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Friendly_D.O)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/17 "2002-11-21T06:44:34Z")
Another very common presentation of “new-onset” diabetes mellitus (DM), type2, is in a patient who has been put on steroids (most commonly Prednisone) for some other medical problem. This increases your insulin resistence and, in people with a predisposition to DM, can push them over the edge. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/18 "2002-11-21T14:04:20Z")
And once one is pushed over the edge into diabetes, there’s no real going back to a pure non-diabetic state. And a hearty allopathic welcome from me to our new osteopathic poster! ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/19 "2002-11-21T14:46:23Z")
Well, I’ve learned something from this thread - I didn’t know you could function at all without a pancreas. Doesn’t it have other functions besides the production of insulin? How does missing a pancreas affect your life? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742/20 "2002-11-21T15:14:39Z")
a person without a pancreas takes digestive enzyme capsules with food to supply the lipase, protease, and carbohydrase needed to break down food for absorption. They take insulin to control blood sugar. The pancreas also secretes glucagon, which is a hormone whose action is the opposite of insulin, but this is not really needed to sustain life. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-onset-diabetes-slow-or-quick/137742.md?page=2)