Weight gain and the pump

Becca6510

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First of all I want to start off by saying how incredibly lucky I feel to of been given the opportunity for the pump after years of trying to convince my endo.

A bit of background info - I suffered with diabulimia for years in my teens and young 20’s. I have since changed it all around got a reasonably good hba1c of 60mmol and striving to improve that , however with gaining control I have gained A LOT of weight. I’m going to the gym sometimes twice a day, and doing low carb.

My friend who is on the pump said that when she first went on she found she out a lot of weight on. As it’s a sore issue for me currently and it’s something I constantly battle my mental well-being with I’m a little concerned

What have everyone’s experiences been with weight gain whilst on the pump?

Thanks!
 
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I am sorry to read about your past problems and continuing battles.

I started pumping about three and a half years ago. I was already a gym going but exercise was causing problems with hypos. This was the major reason for pump qualification.
Since pumping, my weight has barely changed although it has helped greatly with exercise and I have concerted some fat in muscle ... without gaining weight.

I remember in one of the first "pumping lessons", when we were told about how to take snacks (dose for everything), we were told there is a tendency to think "great I can eat whatever I want whenever I want" whereas when injecting snacking is more limited to avoid extra injections. This is the only reason I can think that a pump would lead to weight gain.

Others may have other ideas and thoughts and experiences.
 

Juicyj

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Hi @Becca6510

I found I did put on a bit of weight when I started on the pump, I knew I might but as my aim was to improve my control this wasn’t an issue for me, the most positive aspect of using the pump has been adjusting my basal to cope with exercise and giving me much more flexibility than injections so I exercise more now and with confidence and the weight has fallen off - weight to me is a temporary thing but getting better control and staying healthy is much more important.

I now run 10kms something I would never of dared to do on injections. Stick with it Becca it’s well worth it x
 

Juicyj

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@helensaramay Unsure if snacking is the cause my thought process was the body was running better and more controlled bg levels so utilising glucose more efficiently.
 

Becca6510

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I am sorry to read about your past problems and continuing battles.

I started pumping about three and a half years ago. I was already a gym going but exercise was causing problems with hypos. This was the major reason for pump qualification.
Since pumping, my weight has barely changed although it has helped greatly with exercise and I have concerted some fat in muscle ... without gaining weight.

I remember in one of the first "pumping lessons", when we were told about how to take snacks (dose for everything), we were told there is a tendency to think "great I can eat whatever I want whenever I want" whereas when injecting snacking is more limited to avoid extra injections. This is the only reason I can think that a pump would lead to weight gain.

Others may have other ideas and thoughts and experiences.

Yes I can understand that. I’m not really a snacky person. I’m trying hard to diet at the moment but not seeing much result! I’ll persevere! Yes the nurse who runs the pump clinic looked at me and told me that ‘I shouldn’t be allowed a pump with a hba1c of 61’ but then explained to her the amount of nocturnal hypos and hypos after or before exercise. My renal consultant and diabetic team want me to lose some weight it’s just such a slow slog!
 

Becca6510

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Hi @Becca6510

I found I did put on a bit of weight when I started on the pump, I knew I might but as my aim was to improve my control this wasn’t an issue for me, the most positive aspect of using the pump has been adjusting my basal to cope with exercise and giving me much more flexibility than injections so I exercise more now and with confidence and the weight has fallen off - weight to me is a temporary thing but getting better control and staying healthy is much more important.

I now run 10kms something I would never of dared to do on injections. Stick with it Becca it’s well worth it x

Yes- ultimately deep down I know that better control is what I want I just can’t help but worry!! I can’t run at all but tend to do cycling and Boxing. I’d love to be able to run I’m just no good st it!
 

Juicyj

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Yes- ultimately deep down I know that better control is what I want I just can’t help but worry!! I can’t run at all but tend to do cycling and Boxing. I’d love to be able to run I’m just no good st it!

Try not to worry - I was so excited when I got mine as took almost a year to get it - haven’t looked back since, I have also heard that some lose weight with it too on the flip side but we are all different so respond differently.

Doesn’t matter what exercise as long as you enjoy it :)
 

Becca6510

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Try not to worry - I was so excited when I got mine as took almost a year to get it - haven’t looked back since, I have also heard that some lose weight with it too on the flip side but we are all different so respond differently.

Doesn’t matter what exercise as long as you enjoy it :)

Thanks. It sounds like I’m being ungrateful - I feel so blessed. However once you’ve struggled with an eating disorder it’s always niggling fleeting thought with things like this!
 
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@helensaramay Unsure if snacking is the cause my thought process was the body was running better and more controlled bg levels so utilising glucose more efficiently.
That's interesting as it is different to my understanding of Type 2/insulin resistance where the hypothesis seems to be more insulin leads to weight gain.
With a pump most people need less insulin.
 

Shiba Park

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First of all I want to start off by saying how incredibly lucky I feel to of been given the opportunity for the pump after years of trying to convince my endo.

A bit of background info - I suffered with diabulimia for years in my teens and young 20’s. I have since changed it all around got a reasonably good hba1c of 60mmol and striving to improve that , however with gaining control I have gained A LOT of weight. I’m going to the gym sometimes twice a day, and doing low carb.

My friend who is on the pump said that when she first went on she found she out a lot of weight on. As it’s a sore issue for me currently and it’s something I constantly battle my mental well-being with I’m a little concerned

What have everyone’s experiences been with weight gain whilst on the pump?

Thanks!
Could it be that, with better control, you're body is not excreting as much glucose? If so, that glucose has to go somewhere...
 

novorapidboi26

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I actually found that I lost a stone effortlessly once I went on the pump.......and that was basically down to the much more accurate basal delivery and general efficiency of the pump...

I have since put on weight but thats just down to diet and little exercise.....

If you can try and fine tune your basal rates as much as you can you may find you end up taking less insulin in a day, which should help with any weight gain.....how many rates have you got currently....?

considering your past and the diabulimia it may also be that you are at a healthy weight and for someone not having suffered with it, it may not be an issue....

are you overweight.....?
 

Becca6510

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Messages
63
I actually found that I lost a stone effortlessly once I went on the pump.......and that was basically down to the much more accurate basal delivery and general efficiency of the pump...

I have since put on weight but thats just down to diet and little exercise.....

If you can try and fine tune your basal rates as much as you can you may find you end up taking less insulin in a day, which should help with any weight gain.....how many rates have you got currently....?

considering your past and the diabulimia it may also be that you are at a healthy weight and for someone not having suffered with it, it may not be an issue....

are you overweight.....?

Ahhh wow that’s promising. I have a very healthy diet with the occasional drink. Don’t drink or smoke, and exercise up to 4/5 times a week. But the weight is so stubborn to lose. Others would say I’m not massively overweight but my BMI is in the category of overweight and it seems to be all around my stomach so I’m keen to get it off just struggling no matter what I do!

I’m hoping the pump will bring better control and more weight lost. I haven’t started it yet, I get it on the 15th
 
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novorapidboi26

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Type of diabetes
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It sounds like you might just need more localised targeting of areas.......so some muscle exercise in the stomach area....