I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 11 years old. At the time I was diagnosed, I was told I had type 1 diabetes. A couple of months later, they said I had type 2 and took me off insulin completely. Well, oral medications didn’t last long, no more than a month or two. I was then put on Humalog mix, however, due to my extremely elevated numbers, I was changed to Lantus and NovoLog. I took 60 units in the morning and the same at night, plus I had to correct with Humalog every time I ate or when I had a high. Still, my blood sugars were out of control. Now, I have been put on Novolin 70/30, 70 units in the morning and 70 units at night. I use Novolin Regular to correct high blood sugar readings. I also take metformin XR. The reason I was said to be type 2 is because I tested negative for antibodies. However, is it possible to have type one and no antibodies? Could I possibly be type 1? Also, I have been on Medicaid all my life, but now that I’m 19, they have taken my coverage away. Do you know of any affordable, health insurance agencies that are willing to accept people with diabetes?

It sounds like you have type 1 diabetes. I put a lot of emphasis on the fact you had to go back on insulin right away after oral agents were tried. That doesn’t mean you don’t have a component of insulin resistance. You do have resistance as evidence by the overall dose of insulin that you require. The antibodies that are measured are helpful in confirming type 1 diabetes, if they are positive, but they do not necessarily rule out the diagnosis if they are negative.

As for insurance, this is a problem around the country. By virtue of a diagnosis, you are made a second class citizen. To me, this is prejudice based on health. In addition to writing your congressmen, I would recommend you check with local independent insurance agents who can look at a number of health care plans for many companies. In addition, you should see if your state has a program whereby you can buy insurance through the state. This is usually provided to citizens of the state who have trouble buying health insurance from other sources.

JTL
Additional comments from David S. Holtzman, Esq.:

With respect to your concerns about obtaining affordable health insurance, Georgia does not provide any assistance or protections for individuals with chronic health conditions to obtain affordable health insurance coverage. However, group health insurance plans in Georgia generally must cover all who enroll without regard to their health status. My best advice is to find employment that provides group health insurance, even if you can only work part-time. I recommend that you look at A Consumer’s Guide to Getting and Keeping Health Insurance in Georgia, the guide published by the Georgetown University School for Health Policy for more information.

DSH