Living with LADA: My Diagnosis, Symptoms, & StorY

Watch the video vlog version on my YouTube channel here

Hi lovelies. Today’s post is a little more personal than usual. I wasn’t even sure if I’d share this at all, but after everything, I realized that if even one person reading this feels a little less alone, then it’s worth it.

I’ve been away from here for a bit, and honestly, it’s because my health hasn’t been great. I always want this space to be uplifting. Somewhere we can romanticize life, celebrate personal style, and find inspiration together. So I usually don’t share the harder parts of my life. But the truth is, living with a chronic illness can be devastating. It’s isolating. Exhausting. And at times, it feels impossible to keep going.

Most days I’m posting fashion content, outfit inspiration, or little snippets of my daily life. But this is different. This is deeply personal. I debated making this lighthearted, maybe a “get ready with me” style post to soften the heaviness. But that would’ve minimized something that has been terrifying, frustrating, and honestly, heartbreaking. So today, I’m just sharing my story exactly as it is.

I was diagnosed with LADA, a form of type 1 diabetes that develops later in life. And I’m telling my story in the hopes that it reaches someone who needs to hear it. Maybe you’re going through this yourself. Maybe you’re supporting someone who is. I just want you to know you’re not alone.

I almost didn’t write this. I kept asking myself, who’s even going to care? But this journey has been so isolating, even with a supportive family. And if it helps even one person feel seen, then it matters.

So here’s where it begins.

I’ve had health issues since birth. Chronic pain, kidney infections, and a vague autoimmune diagnosis that no one could ever really give me solid answers about. I spent years going through tests, seeing specialists, spending so much money, only to give up. I just wanted to live.

In 2015, I got sober and quit smoking. In 2017, my doctor told me my immune system was extremely fragile. He urged me to slow down, so I left my high-stress sales job. By 2020, when the pandemic hit, I was being extra cautious. Avoiding public places, keeping my circle small. But despite that, I must have caught it. I never tested positive, but my body started shutting down in ways I couldn’t explain.

My autoimmune issues meant that every time I got sick, even just a cold, my body would overreact. It couldn’t fight off illness the way a typical immune system would. Instead, it would get confused and attack my own healthy organs. I’m not a doctor, so it’s hard for me to explain, but that’s the gist of it. It’s like a switch would flip inside my body, and suddenly I’d be experiencing symptoms of other chronic illnesses, even though I didn’t technically have them. It was scary and confusing. And it meant I felt like I couldn’t get sick. Ever.

In 2021, everything came crashing down. I was essentially bedridden. Just getting to the couch felt like a marathon. Taking a shower was an accomplishment. I was exhausted, in constant pain, numb in my hands and feet, starving but unable to keep food down, and still somehow gaining weight. I was anxious, depressed, and angry. Deep down, I knew something was very, very wrong. I could feel it.

I was too scared to go to the doctor with everything happening in the world, and I didn’t believe anyone could help me anyway. So I stayed home and watched my health spiral. At the same time, I was watching my late mother lose her battle with a rare form of dementia. Unfortunately, it felt like my family and people I once considered best friends, completely abandoned me and my dad. It broke me.

And still, I was trying to build a career as a content creator, even though I could barely stand for 10 minutes. My husband helped me more than I can ever put into words. But that’s a story for another time….

By 2022, my husband had had enough. He made me see my doctor. Finally, someone ran a full panel, including my A1C. It came back 7.8. My kidneys were failing. But, just like that, I had an answer. LADA. Late onset type 1 diabetes.

My general practitioner, who has always been wonderful, referred me to an endocrinologist - that’s when things got complicated.

I had so many questions about my future, my fertility, my life expectancy, I was nothing but questions. However the endocrinologist was cold, dismissive, and completely unhelpful. She wanted me to attend a class about diabetes and made it crystal clear she had no time for a very upset me. She kept telling me, “You’ll learn all of that in the class.” (Spoiler, the class answered nothing).

She dismissed my symptoms, told me my nerve pain and mood swings had nothing to do with diabetes, which I knew wasn’t true. Then she handed me insulin, handed me needles, and sent me on my way. No instructions. Nothing. I have always been absolutely terrified of needles. I didn’t even know when to check my blood sugar, or what any of it meant.

Then came the so-called class. It was once a week for a month. I thought I’d finally get answers. Instead, it was a generic course for people with type 2 diabetes. It was focused on managing an unhealthy lifestyle with medication. I wasn’t even on meal insulin. I didn’t eat fast food. I was doing keto and intermittent fasting at the time! None of it applied to me.

I asked for real information. I asked for help. I asked for counseling. I was ignored.

So I started figuring it out myself. Through diet, exercise, and a lot of prayer, my A1C started dropping into the normal range. But my endocrinologist didn’t believe the results. She pushed insulin pumps on me, even though my pancreas still worked sometimes. Other doctors told me that could actually be dangerous and there was no reason to be so dependent on medical devices at this stage. But she kept insisting. Why? Because she more than likely gets kickbacks from pharma companies.

So, I fired her. And yes, you can absolutely fire a doctor!

My GP took over my care from there, and by 2023 I was doing better than ever! My mental health stabilized. My A1C stayed in a pre-diabetic range. And for the first time in my life, I felt good. Truly healthy.

Then, in January of this year, I got the flu. And everything fell apart again. My blood sugar spiked, my kidneys were hit, and my A1C shot up to 7.3. It was terrifying.

I’m still recovering. My blood sugar is pretty much back to normal, and I haven’t retested my A1C yet. But I’ll keep you updated if you want me to.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you. I know this was a lot. I’m trying not to be embarrassed for sharing all of this. I never want my content to feel heavy or negative, but I also believe in honesty. And if you’re going through something similar, please know you’re not alone.

This has been one of the hardest experiences of my life. But I’m still here. Still fighting. And more sure than ever that taking ownership of your health is not just important, it’s essential.

June 2025 update: After several more visits with my doctor and him, teaching me some new insulin and lifestyle management techniques, I am so happy that my average blood sugar is back in a normal range and that I am feeling better than ever!

More updates! - https://youtu.be/huIT6w10qK4