After being misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes, singer and NSYNC member Lance Bass recently announced on social media that he actually has type 1.5 diabetes — a lesser-known condition also called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA).
“I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes a few years back. But when I was first diagnosed, I had a difficult time getting my glucose levels under control even though I made adjustments to my diet, my medications, and my workout routine,” Bass said in a video posted on Instagram. “Things just weren’t adding up.”
He later found out the type 2 diagnosis was incorrect, and he has LADA, or type 1.5 diabetes, saying, “It has been quite the journey.”
Although LADA may be a new topic for many members of the public, it’s a well-known issue for experts like Neda Rasouli, MD, the associate division head for the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes in the University of Colorado Department of Medicine and director of the CU Diabetes and Endocrinology Clinical Trial Program.
We recently spoke with Rasouli to learn more about LADA, including how it differs from other types of diabetes, the diagnosis process, and the need for more research.