Type 1 diabetic gaining weight

Kels*

Active Member
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28
Hi I wonder if anyone has had similar or can give me any advice or tips or just general information from past experiences.

I’ve been diabetic since I was 15 I’m now 25 , when I was first diagnosed was brilliant at controlling my sugars and just generally fit and healthy. However as I started to grow older in my late teens I just lost complete control and practically gave up didn’t test (sometimes for weeks) I’ve had DKA once and now got background damage only slight in my eyes. I’ve started to take back control after many years of giving up . I now have the libra and it’s amazing i have gone from testing once a week or less to 8+ times a day , however my question is I’m worried about weight gain I have started gaining weight and nothing to over but slightly over normal BMI for my age and height am just wondering if this is something that settles down once my hba1c reduces ?

I eat a varied balanced diet . I do drink alcohol occasionally over the week and go for diet mixers . But for what I eat during the day it doesn’t really make me think I should be gaining I say I have put on around 6 pounds since controlling my diabetes.


Thanks :)
 
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EllieM

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Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
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What is your insulin regime? If basal/bolus it might be worth ensuring that you are not taking too much basal. Unfortunately if your diet hasn't changed but your insulin needs have gone up to keep your levels steady it may be that you need less food (or more exercise) than you thought in order to maintain your weight, as previously some of your carbs weren't being processed by insulin.

Otherwise, reducing carbs (and hence insulin) may help you if you want to lose weight. But try to avoid hypos. I always find it very depressing when I'm going low carb and then I have to pop glucose tablets to avoid a hypo. (I could be eating something I actually like instead of those glucotabs!:))

But well done on the improved diabetic control. Sometimes you just have to prioritise things - more normal bgs are more important than a bit of weight gain.

Good luck.
 

hyponilla

Well-Known Member
Messages
81
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Congratulations on controlling the diabetes! Unfortunately I don't think there's a correlation between reduced hba1c and weight. Could it be that you're eating more and moving around less? I know I've put on 6 kg since the covid-paralysis set in from hanging out by the fridge. Might be worth keeping a food diary for a while.
 

NicoleC1971

BANNED
Messages
3,451
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi I wonder if anyone has had similar or can give me any advice or tips or just general information from past experiences.

I’ve been diabetic since I was 15 I’m now 25 , when I was first diagnosed was brilliant at controlling my sugars and just generally fit and healthy. However as I started to grow older in my late teens I just lost complete control and practically gave up didn’t test (sometimes for weeks) I’ve had DKA once and now got background damage only slight in my eyes. I’ve started to take back control after many years of giving up . I now have the libra and it’s amazing i have gone from testing once a week or less to 8+ times a day , however my question is I’m worried about weight gain I have started gaining weight and nothing to over but slightly over normal BMI for my age and height am just wondering if this is something that settles down once my hba1c reduces ?

I eat a varied balanced diet . I do drink alcohol occasionally over the week and go for diet mixers . But for what I eat during the day it doesn’t really make me think I should be gaining I say I have put on around 6 pounds since controlling my diabetes.


Thanks :)
I've had this experience following on from chaotic eating and dosing.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your body store fat in your cells. When you don't take enough you will be peeing out some of the glucose (bread, sugar,pasta,rice tec.) that you eat rather than storing it for energy. You also get lots of glucose in your blood and this is obviously very dangerous and unpleasant so well done on getting it under control.
So the weight gain could just be a sign of your body recovering and restoring whatever you weren't keeping on beforehand due to inadequate insulin.
My suggestion would be don't count calories but do be careful on the carbs as the body preferentially stores these as fat. Protein is mainly used for repair and all those calories everyone has as body fat are only accessible if you're a) not having to take bolus shots all the time due to the carbs you're eating b) you're not eating big portions of carbs with accompanying large boluses which make it easy to store the carbs as fat.
Eating more fat and protein means you will need less insulin and will be eating better quality food without feeling the need to snack or overeat at meals so your weight should stabilise at whatever it is meant to be.
Exercise is great but doesn't work for weight loss other than indirectly by increasing your muscle mass and metabolism so tactics wise 1) don't panic - are you actually overweight or just stabilising after a period of poor control? 2) how could you eat more eggs, fish, meat ? 3) you will need less bolus and possibly less basal too but in my experience going low or lower carb means less hypos.
 
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Heathero

Well-Known Member
Messages
362
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I eat healthy food mostly low carb avoid bread pasta, rice and only max of 10-15 g of potato. Once or twice a week. I use soya organic spaghetti hardly any carbs . ( from Aldi) helps to add substance to meals, when spaghetti/ rice would be the norm. I am also overweight but do exercise classes for at least 1 1/2 hrs . 4-5 times a week. Plus walks as well .Treating Hypos I believe are responsible for this if exercising I need to take more glucose / snack . So over treat easier if able to take smaller correction and wait for BG to rise, very difficult to avoid despite reducing Basel or suspending insulin if going low. Have become heavier over the years since lat 20s . My metabolism is slow unfortunately. Unsure if this is common with Diabetics? I am 59 now.
Type 1 since 1965.
 
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Heathero

Well-Known Member
Messages
362
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi I wonder if anyone has had similar or can give me any advice or tips or just general information from past experiences.

I’ve been diabetic since I was 15 I’m now 25 , when I was first diagnosed was brilliant at controlling my sugars and just generally fit and healthy. However as I started to grow older in my late teens I just lost complete control and practically gave up didn’t test (sometimes for weeks) I’ve had DKA once and now got background damage only slight in my eyes. I’ve started to take back control after many years of giving up . I now have the libra and it’s amazing i have gone from testing once a week or less to 8+ times a day , however my question is I’m worried about weight gain I have started gaining weight and nothing to over but slightly over normal BMI for my age and height am just wondering if this is something that settles down once my hba1c reduces ?

I eat a varied balanced diet . I do drink alcohol occasionally over the week and go for diet mixers . But for what I eat during the day it doesn’t really make me think I should be gaining I say I have put on around 6 pounds since controlling my diabetes.


Thanks :)
 

Heathero

Well-Known Member
Messages
362
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Ps protein with or without food can increase blood sugars hours later. An increased bolus extended can stop this for me over 100g of protein needs addition 10g of Carbs added. Bonus extended time varies if with carbs or not.
 
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