What to Do If You Test Positive for Diabetes Autoantibodies
If you test positive for diabetes autoantibodies, it is best to create a type 1 diabetes monitoring plan.
Testing positive for islet-cell autoantibodies can be scary, but at the end of the day knowledge is power.
For Which Diabetes Autoantibodies Do Screening Tests Check?
The autoantibodies for which screening tests check are:
- Islet-cell-cytoplasmic autoantibodies
- Glutamic-acid-decarboxylase autoantibodies
- Insulinoma-associated-2 autoantibodies
- Insulin autoantibodies
- Zinc-transporter-8 autoantibodies
If you test positive for one—or more—of these autoantibodies, you are either:
- At a greater risk of developing type 1 diabetes, or
- Most likely to develop type 1 diabetes in the future
What Do You Do If You Test Positive for Diabetes Autoantibodies?
After discovering you have islet-cell autoantibodies, there is currently no way to completely prevent the onset of type 1 diabetes.
However, knowing that you may develop type 1 diabetes can help to educate and prepare you for a possible diagnosis.
If you’ve tested positive for one—or more— of the diabetes autoantibodies listed above,. connect with your primary-care physician/doctor to develop a type-1-diabetes-monitoring plan.
To help paint a picture of where your blood-sugar levels—and overall health—have been over the past few months, your doctor may order one—or more—of the following blood tests:
A1C Test
An A1C test is especially helpful in determining if your blood sugar levels have been trending higher or lower over the past three months.
- An A1C below 5.7% indicates no diabetes
- An A1C between 5.7% and 6.4% indicates prediabetes
- An A1C of 6.5% or higher indicates diabetes
Oral-Glucose-Tolerance Test
A glucose-tolerance test will show a doctor how well your body responds to glucose.
A1C and glucose tolerance tests can help determine if a type 1 diabetes diagnosis may be imminent or not.
Fasting-Blood-Sugar Test
Fasting blood sugar tests can help rule out an immediate type 1 diabetes diagnosis.
- A fasting-blood-sugar level of less than 100 mg/dL indicates no diabetes
- A fasting-blood-sugar level between 100-125 mg/dL indicates prediabetes
- A fasting-blood-sugar level over 126 mg/dL (on two separate tests) indicates diabetes
C-Peptide Test
A C-peptide test measures the amount of C-peptide in the blood or urine.
A C-peptide test can help doctors determine if a patient has type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
For people who already have diagnosed diabetes, a C-peptide can show how well treatments are working.
The C-peptide test determines if your pancreas is still making insulin.
Insulin-Assay Test
This test measures how much insulin is in the bloodstream.
Normal, fasting insulin levels range between 5 and 15 µU/mL. With more sensitive assays, though, normal fasting insulin should be lower than 12 µU/mL.
People who are overweight usually have higher values, and very high circulating levels of insulin are found in people with severe insulin resistance.
How to Develop a Type 1 Diabetes Monitoring Plan if You Test Positive for Autoantibodies
After your autoantibody screening, your doctor will have test results from follow-up blood work. They can make a game plan of what to do next—including a type 1 diabetes monitoring plan.
The good news is that not all people with a single autoantibody develop type 1 diabetes.
However, most people with two or more autoantibodies eventually do.
- Even if follow-up bloodwork after your autoantibody screening comes back normal, your doctor will probably want repeat labs done every few months to monitor for any trends or changes.
- Your doctor may also wish to see you more frequently than an annual physical.
- This will look different for everyone, but seeing your doctor every two to three months is normal.
- Your doctor may also recommend purchasing an at-home blood-glucose monitor to test both your fasting and postprandial (after meal) blood-sugar levels and monitor any trends or changes.
- This can also be reassuring if you’re ever feeling “off” or are sick and want to be sure that you’re not in the early stages of a type 1 diabetes diagnosis.
Continuously Self-monitor for Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms
Even though autoantibody testing cannot monitor or diagnose type 1 diabetes, knowing the symptoms of type 1 diabetes can help make for a more timely diagnosis.
Knowing type 1 diabetes symptoms can also prevent a diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) diagnosis, which can be fatal.
Type 1 diabetes symptoms for which you can self-monitor include:
- Extreme thirst
- Frequent urination
- Unexplained weight loss
- Blurry vision
- Numb or tingling hands and feet
- Slow-healing wounds
- Lethargy or feeling tired
If you notice that you’re losing weight, urinating, or drinking more water than usual, call your doctor right away.
Seek Out New Medications to Delay Type 1 Diabetes
You can also ask your doctor about currently available medications that delay type 1 diabetes development.
While they can be expensive—and not everyone with diabetes autoantibodies will qualify to take them—these groundbreaking medications buy people more time before a type 1 diabetes diagnosis.
It is important to remember that they cannot prevent the development of type 1 diabetes altogether.
How to Financially, Mentally and Emotionally Prepare Yourself for a Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosis
Preparing yourself financially and mentally for a type 1 diabetes diagnosis—whether that is days, months or years— is crucial
Here are some ways to prepare:
Make Sure You Have Health-Insurance Coverage
Be sure to check their coverage policies for
Aim to be Financially Ready for a Life with a Chronic Disease Like Diabetes
If you’re able to start a small savings account, do that as soon as you can.
Build a Care Team That Works Best For You
This should include:
- A primary-care physician
- An endocrinologist
- A certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES)
- A social worker
- A registered dietitian, and
- A podiatrist
Develop an Exercise Routine
If you do develop type 1 diabetes, developing an exercise routine will be crucial for good blood-sugar management.
Focus on Balanced Meal Planning
Make sure you are getting all the macronutrients you need to be healthy and thrive.
Cultivate Healthy Habits
This can include (among other things):
- Journaling
- Yoga
- Meditative breathing to help calm and center yourself
Find Your People
This can be through an in-person or online support group for people living with diabetes, or for those newly diagnosed
Aim for Seven to Nine Hours of Sleep Per Night
Learn the Ins and Outs of Carbohydrate Counting and Insulin Dosing
Know That You Are Not Alone
This content was made possible by Sanofi-Aventis, an active partner of Beyond Type 1.
Beyond Type 1 maintains editorial control over its content.
