American singer and dancer Lance Bass has revealed that he has finally been diagnosed with type 1.5 diabetes – an autoimmune condition, after previously being misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes for several years. “When I was first diagnosed, I was having a hard time controlling my glucose levels, even though I made adjustments to my diet, my medications, and my workout routine,” Bass explained in an interview on social media. “Things just weren’t going well,” the former NYSYNC star said on Instagram.

“But, get ready for real trouble,” he added, “because I recently found out that I was misdiagnosed, and I have type 1.5.”

What is LADA or type 1.5 diabetes?

also known as LADA or latent autoimmune diabetes in adults – This condition shares characteristics of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. According to experts, LADA is diagnosed during adulthood, and it develops slowly like type 2 diabetes. But unlike type 2 diabetes, LADA is an autoimmune disease and cannot be cured even with diet and lifestyle changes.

It is estimated that at least 10 percent of people with diabetes have LADA. Bass said that despite the first diagnosis, he was unable to feel better.

“I was very depressed, and it really affected me because I felt like I was sick and I didn’t understand it,” Bass told Yahoo! Life in an interview. “I didn’t realize I was doing something wrong until I was 1.5 years old.”

Bass, 45, revealed he was diagnosed with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic and has experienced symptoms for years. “I would get really thirsty at times,” Bass tells Yahoo! Life. “I would get really sluggish at times. So now that I understand what diabetes does to me, I can totally recognize when my glucose is going up or when my glucose is going down.”

Bass said he now wears a continuous glucose monitor attached to his body that takes readings of his blood sugar levels every few minutes and sends an alert to his phone or receiver when the readings change.

What is Signs and symptoms of type 1.5 diabetes,

Experts say the early signs and symptoms of this type of diabetes are very vague and may include the following:

• Feeling thirsty frequently
• Excessive urination even at night
• unexplained weight loss
• Blurred vision and tingling nerves

If left untreated, type 1.5 diabetes can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition in which your body may not be able to use sugar as fuel due to the absence of insulin and starts burning fat. This leads to the formation of ketones, which are toxic to the body.

What causes type 1.5 diabetes?,

Doctors say type 1.5 diabetes usually begins with damage to your pancreas from antibodies against insulin-producing cells. Also, in many cases, genetic factors such as a family history of autoimmune conditions are also involved. When the pancreas is damaged in type 1.5 diabetes, your body destroys the pancreatic beta cells — as it does in type 1. If you have type 1.5 diabetes and you are overweight or obese, insulin resistance may also be present.

Methods for treating type 1.5 diabetes

Doctors say type 1.5 diabetes is caused by your body not producing enough insulin. But since it has a gradual onset, oral medications that treat type 2 diabetes may be effective in treating it, at least initially.

If you have LADA, you will need insulin frequently within five years of diagnosis. According to experts, insulin therapy is the preferred treatment method for type 1.5 diabetes and the dosage may vary daily.

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