When someone is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and is put on medication for many years but then requires insulin, are they then considered to have type 1 or type 2 diabetes?

Great question. We would consider that person to still have type 2, but requiring insulin. The diagnosis of the most common form of type 1, type 1A, involves being insulin dependent from the time of diagnosis and if measured, having autoimmune antibodies.

LSF

[Editor’s comment: The majority of people with type 2 diabetes do require insulin after a number of years because one of the things about type 2 diabetes is that the story line changes over time. Eventually, the pancreas “poops out” and stops making enough insulin, and the only way to replace it is by injection. Patients need to keep monitoring, and, if their sugars go outside the target range that their physician has set for them, the patient is to call and consideration given to additional therapy to get sugars back in target range.

SS]