Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard has worked in the diabetes research field ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.
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If you were misdiagnosed with something else before being diagnosed with T1D, did you end up in DKA due to the misdiagnosis? Cancel reply
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I was not misdiagnosed but due to lab mix up, I went a weekend with no treatment & ended up in a coma. The doctor knew what was happening from phone call with my Mom. He asked for a fasting and if it was normal to bring me in Monday morning. Worst weekend of my life. The call never came in and I went downhill fast.
I went to urgent care with an infected bug bite that would not heal. Was feeling and looking terrible. Was sent home with antibiotics and 48 hours later Was in ICU.
I had ketones when I was put on insulin over the telephone, however the endo Dr. called me a 1 and 1/2. Then my hometown Dr. treated me as a 2 which didn’t work at all on glucophage. Finally the term LADA came out in the diabetic realm and that is what I obviously am dealing with for the rest of my life. Without insulin, I would have wasted away because I kept losing weight and strength at the age of 49. Happy Birthday Insulin!!!!!
I said ‘yes’, however, I was in DKA and then misdiagnosed, and waited days days for the antibodies test results. Then almost went back into DKA after going home and put on wrong insulin/metformin that did nothing except bounce me back up into the 400s. Was taught nothing helpful on insulin, carbs and figured it out all on my own. It was a scary couple months until I got it relatively under control.
I’m pretty sure I was already on the verge of DKA in the days leading up to my official diagnosis. Being correctly diagnosed sooner more than likely wouldn’t have made much difference.
They told my parents I had the flu. I was really in DKA (I was only 3).
I was diagnosed in 1945. Was DKA a known thing back then? My doctors never mentioned it. They still don’t. They are only concerned about lows. I never heard of DKA until 2006 when I joined an online support group.
I was not misdiagnosed, but I was in DKA at diagnosis. I was diagnosed when I was 20, and I had studied abroad the semester before I was diagnosed. I had always been thin, and when I started losing weight, we all thought that it was just because of how much I walked studying abroad. When I came home for spring break in March, I was 90 pounds, eating a ton, peeing a ton, and barely able to stay awake or walk.
I ended up in the hospital for nearly a week.
I wasn’t misdiagnosed but presented DKA at diagnosis. Before finally going to the hospital, my parents thought I had an eating disorder because I wasn’t eating, and anything I did eat came right back up (but not “formally” misdiagnosed).
In the fall of 1962 I was 8 years old and my brother and I had the mumps. He recovered and I kept getting sicker and sicker – losing weight, unquenchable thirst, peeing all the time, listless fatigue, and eventually dry heaves with rapid, shallow Kussmaul breathing. Among other things hey tested me for leukemia. On December 26, 1962 I went into the hospital for 3 weeks and began my life long journey with “brittle juvenile diabetes”. There was no T1 or T2 distinction back then. It was also called “sugar diabetes”.
I was a brittle, too. We all must have been since we were flying blind back then. Glad you made it.
I was 8 years old and already in DKA. My doctor thought it was my appendix and sent me to the hospital. He asked for a second opinion and the doctor told him he thought it was diabetes. My doctor then did a glucose tolerance test that sent me into a coma for several days. This was 1974.
1981, I was misdiagnosed by our family doctor, as having the flu, although he did have a urine sample that showed I had very high sugar. The last thing I remember was leaving the dr. Appointment. My parents kept me home for two more days and finally took me to the ER. They diagnosed me correctly with DKA, and I woke from the coma after about 24 hours. Sadly, a boy that had labs only slightly worse than I, was admitted the same night, but did die. The doctors warned my parents I may not make it either. When I did regain consciousness the doctor came in to assess for brain damage, but I was ok. DKA is life or death, and sadly is still not widely discussed by all pediatricians or the medical community in general for adults.
I was already in DKA when I was taken to the hospital, barely able to stand and down to the weight of 78lbs at 14 years old. I was drifting in and out of consciousness. They told my mother that I had leukaemia.
I was diagnosed as a Type II. Twelve years later I experience DKA and nearly died. In retrospect, I believe I actually had LADA but have never had it confirmed by lab results. I never “fit” the usual characteristics of a Type II, and after discussing with another insulin-dependent friend (who became so around age 40), talking to a retired doctor, and doing some of my own research, I do think I was actually LADA. I also believe I postponed the DKA by living mostly low carb for those 12 years.
I was diagnosed 35 years ago, so T1D was fairly unheard of. Initially I was diagnosed with the flu, then after 3 days I lost 15 pounds and peaked of acetone.
REAKED, not peaked, not reached! My personal showdown with spell check….
I was misdiagnosed in 1992. The doctor told my mom told my mom that I probably had a summer cold that was going around. About 4 days later after sucking down oranges and Gatorade because I was so sick to my stomach… my dad carried my lifeless body into the emergency room. The doctor asked about my insulin and dad didn’t have any answers. I was transported my ambulance to a larger hospital and my blood sugar was over 800. I don’t remember much about it, I was 11.