Rapid weight gain

[kellyb8511]

Hi everyone

I have suffered from diabulemia for years. I have been down to 8 stone and still felt extremely conscious about my weight. My arms and legs were stick thin but I have a big belly. Anyway I have made the decision to start my insulin properly.
It is making me feel awful. I am forever hungry and sick to death of carb counting and hypos. I’m just so sick of it and I really stuck my head in the sand. But the worst thing is in 3 months I have now put on 3 stone!!! This isn’t normal surely. It’s that rapid that I struggle. My body is hurting and I get out of breath putting my shoes on. Is there a way of stopping the rapid weight gain when having insulin properly. Or is this even normal??
I can tell that it is sending me back to diabulemia as already I have missed a couple of doses or even not had as much! I’m scared to death of what is lying ahead of me but I can’t seem to control it.

 

[jaywak]

If your body is now working better and everything is functioning as it should you will put on weight but as you say you are having hypos it suggests you are taking too much insulin and then counteracting it with carbs , You could just try injecting less and then eating less carbs , I'me doing this at the moment and have lost a stone and never felt better !

 

[urbanracer]

Hi everyone

I have suffered from diabulemia for years. I have been down to 8 stone and still felt extremely conscious about my weight. My arms and legs were stick thin but I have a big belly. Anyway I have made the decision to start my insulin properly.
It is making me feel awful. I am forever hungry and sick to death of carb counting and hypos. I’m just so sick of it and I really stuck my head in the sand. But the worst thing is in 3 months I have now put on 3 stone!!! This isn’t normal surely. It’s that rapid that I struggle. My body is hurting and I get out of breath putting my shoes on. Is there a way of stopping the rapid weight gain when having insulin properly. Or is this even normal??
I can tell that it is sending me back to diabulemia as already I have missed a couple of doses or even not had as much! I’m scared to death of what is lying ahead of me but I can’t seem to control it.

As I understand the basic mechanism for insulin induced weight gain, too much glucose is passing into cells and it gets stored as fat if you're not using it up doing star jumps or whatever.

As @jaywak has stated, too many hypo's also suggests that you have excessive insulin swilling around inside you so take a closer look at your ratios and maybe do a basal check. My modding colleague @Jaylee has previously referred to basal as the foundation - get it right and then build on it.

I see that you posted about weight gain 6yrs ago too, and you were waiting for the results of some hospital tests, how did that work out?

 

[oldgreymare]

Hi everyone

I have suffered from diabulemia for years. I have been down to 8 stone and still felt extremely conscious about my weight. My arms and legs were stick thin but I have a big belly. Anyway I have made the decision to start my insulin properly.
It is making me feel awful. I am forever hungry and sick to death of carb counting and hypos. I’m just so sick of it and I really stuck my head in the sand. But the worst thing is in 3 months I have now put on 3 stone!!! This isn’t normal surely. It’s that rapid that I struggle. My body is hurting and I get out of breath putting my shoes on. Is there a way of stopping the rapid weight gain when having insulin properly. Or is this even normal??
I can tell that it is sending me back to diabulemia as already I have missed a couple of doses or even not had as much! I’m scared to death of what is lying ahead of me but I can’t seem to control it.

Huge belly, skinny limbs is indicative of severe African famine symptoms? That will never work as a healthy lifestyle. I was in denial before I was diagnosed, had welcomed the weight loss ( over 2 stone), if not the constant thirst and peeing. On starting insulin, suffered massive shock of the immediate jump in weight and water retention as I had been in chronic dehydration.

I'm still struggling to balance body fat versus good BG levels - unfortunately even though I'm type 1, I am acutely sensitive to any carbs, almost any protein, hard exercise - all seem to exacerbate insulin resistance ...so trying to retrain my self to follow a consistent keto if not carnivore diet, plus exploring fasting to lose body fat as now back up to 1.5 stone over my comfort zone, but at least much stronger and with good health markers. - I do self fund a Dexcom G6 CGM to study BG trends. The NHS almost never prescribes the G6, but most Type 1s ought to be eligible for the Libre app.

 

[Jaylee]

Hi everyone

I have suffered from diabulemia for years. I have been down to 8 stone and still felt extremely conscious about my weight. My arms and legs were stick thin but I have a big belly. Anyway I have made the decision to start my insulin properly.
It is making me feel awful. I am forever hungry and sick to death of carb counting and hypos. I’m just so sick of it and I really stuck my head in the sand. But the worst thing is in 3 months I have now put on 3 stone!!! This isn’t normal surely. It’s that rapid that I struggle. My body is hurting and I get out of breath putting my shoes on. Is there a way of stopping the rapid weight gain when having insulin properly. Or is this even normal??
I can tell that it is sending me back to diabulemia as already I have missed a couple of doses or even not had as much! I’m scared to death of what is lying ahead of me but I can’t seem to control it.

Hi @kellyb8511 ,

What insulins are you prescribed?
How often do you get the lows?
Is your breathlessness happening when your BGs are high?

You can feel hungry if your BG s are high because the body isn't utilising the energy in the body due to incorrect insulin dosage.
It's basically waiting with nothing to do?
Or by the same token you can feel the need to eat when low.. (I know i do.)
Heavy BG swings can sometimes also trigger negative thoughts..

It's about finding that balance. & achieving more positive days than not..

@urbanracer is correct, i quite often use the building analogy of starting with getting your basal dose right first as a foundation before laying the stone regarding bolusing for meals?
Here is a link that may explain. https://www.mysugr.com/en/blog/basal-rate-testing/

Best wishes.

 

[kellyb8511]

Hi thank you both for your responses. My diabetes is a very strange 1 and the hospital are still

If your body is now working better and everything is functioning as it should you will put on weight but as you say you are having hypos it suggests you are taking too much insulin and then counteracting it with carbs , You could just try injecting less and then eating less carbs , I'me doing this at the moment and have lost a stone and never felt better !

My diabetes is a very strange 1. Even though I don’t eat that much I need masses of insulin but what you have wrote suggests to be accurate. I think my best course of action will be to go back to the drawing board! Thanks for your reply

 

[kellyb8511]

As I understand the basic mechanism for insulin induced weight gain, too much glucose is passing into cells and it gets stored as fat if you're not using it up doing star jumps or whatever.

As @jaywak has stated, too many hypo's also suggests that you have excessive insulin swilling around inside you so take a closer look at your ratios and maybe do a basal check. My modding colleague @Jaylee has previously referred to basal as the foundation - get it right and then build on it.

I see that you posted about weight gain 6yrs ago too, and you were waiting for the results of some hospital tests, how did that work out?

hi thanks for your reply yes years ago I was tested to see what type of diabetes I have as I don’t seem to fall in any category. Unfortunately my results seemed to leave the drs even more confused. There only answer every time seems to be to change which insulin I am on! But the underlying issue is never resolved.

 

[kellyb8511]

Huge belly, skinny limbs is indicative of severe African famine symptoms? That will never work as a healthy lifestyle. I was in denial before I was diagnosed, had welcomed the weight loss ( over 2 stone), if not the constant thirst and peeing. On starting insulin, suffered massive shock of the immediate jump in weight and water retention as I had been in chronic dehydration.

I'm still struggling to balance body fat versus good BG levels - unfortunately even though I'm type 1, I am acutely sensitive to any carbs, almost any protein, hard exercise - all seem to exacerbate insulin resistance ...so trying to retrain my self to follow a consistent keto if not carnivore diet, plus exploring fasting to lose body fat as now back up to 1.5 stone over my comfort zone, but at least much stronger and with good health markers. - I do self fund a Dexcom G6 CGM to study BG trends. The NHS almost never prescribes the G6, but most Type 1s ought to be eligible for the Libre app.

this is 100% me!! I have kind of just lived with the constant thirst and peeing which also results in other issues but as soon as I start having insulin properly my weight just piles on and I look swollen. It definitely isn’t anything to do with food I am eating but I think it’s water retention as well. I have considered the carnivore approach but I just don’t really eat a lot of meat as it is so I struggle. If it wasn’t for the weight I would do my insulin perfectly I have gone from a size 8 to a size 14 in just over 2 months but already I’m slipping off the wagon and sat here just downed a pint of water and my lips keep sticking I’m that thirsty.

 

[kellyb8511]

Hi @kellyb8511 ,

What insulins are you prescribed?
How often do you get the lows?
Is your breathlessness happening when your BGs are high?

You can feel hungry if your BG s are high because the body isn't utilising the energy in the body due to incorrect insulin dosage.
It's basically waiting with nothing to do?
Or by the same token you can feel the need to eat when low.. (I know i do.)
Heavy BG swings can sometimes also trigger negative thoughts..

It's about finding that balance. & achieving more positive days than not..

@urbanracer is correct, i quite often use the building analogy of starting with getting your basal dose right first as a foundation before laying the stone regarding bolusing for meals?
Here is a link that may explain. https://www.mysugr.com/en/blog/basal-rate-testing/

Best wishes.

hi thanks for your response

I am currently on levimir and nova rapid
Levimir I have 40 units a day and nova rapid is different with each meal but generally about 5-6 units. I have approx 2 hypos a week. My doctor said it was because my body is used to being so high that it is having hypos when I’m not even low! Also I’m hungry when I’m at the target range which again my doctor said it’s because my body is craving sugar as it is so used to working off sugar that now it is at a recommended level it struggles. He said to compare my body to a drug addict and now I have taken away the sugar (the drug) it’s fighting to get it back. I do also think my levels do swing quite heavily
I’m just at a loss with myself and it doesn’t help that I am so unorganised when it comes to looking after myself so I regularly forget to have my nova rapid so I end up playing catch up to get my levels down!!!
If there is ever a trial for a fake pancreas I’m in! Xx

 

[Jaylee]

hi thanks for your response

I am currently on levimir and nova rapid
Levimir I have 40 units a day and nova rapid is different with each meal but generally about 5-6 units. I have approx 2 hypos a week. My doctor said it was because my body is used to being so high that it is having hypos when I’m not even low! Also I’m hungry when I’m at the target range which again my doctor said it’s because my body is craving sugar as it is so used to working off sugar that now it is at a recommended level it struggles. He said to compare my body to a drug addict and now I have taken away the sugar (the drug) it’s fighting to get it back. I do also think my levels do swing quite heavily
I’m just at a loss with myself and it doesn’t help that I am so unorganised when it comes to looking after myself so I regularly forget to have my nova rapid so I end up playing catch up to get my levels down!!!
If there is ever a trial for a fake pancreas I’m in! Xx

Hi,

I'm liking your doctor's analogy. Lol, one which also use. Yes, there has been a tolerance build up to the "high" (in a Diabetic sense high BG.) that an unhealthy tolerance level has been built up to it.
So, when they drop into healthy parameters, it's like "cold turkey.."

Fake panaceas? i already have one.. purely for "decorative" purposes. would prefer something else that actually does the job..

I feel if you could focus on lower optimal BGs you may feel a little more comfortable with how you feel?
Easier said than done on the management front.

 

[oldgreymare]

this is 100% me!! I have kind of just lived with the constant thirst and peeing which also results in other issues but as soon as I start having insulin properly my weight just piles on and I look swollen. It definitely isn’t anything to do with food I am eating but I think it’s water retention as well. I have considered the carnivore approach but I just don’t really eat a lot of meat as it is so I struggle. If it wasn’t for the weight I would do my insulin perfectly I have gone from a size 8 to a size 14 in just over 2 months but already I’m slipping off the wagon and sat here just downed a pint of water and my lips keep sticking I’m that thirsty.

Hi @kellyb8511 It is an encouraging sign that you are posting now about your struggles - It sounds like you are aware how dangerous diabulemia can be. This is even more counterproductive than yoyo calorie dieting for a non diabetic individual. Please don't yoyo on insulin - this can chronically wear your body out big time or even acutely kill you via DKA.

So please considering making it a primary goal to achieve consistent BG levels just as part of your normal boring background long term lifestyle. If trying low carb as well as more structured insulin regimes be aware the switch over for your body's hormones and enzymes from carb energy to fat/protein energy sources can easily create sensations of "low carb flu" for a time - if you can, just ride it out for 3-4 weeks and the excessive hunger and malaise symptoms should resolve. Check out dietdoctor.com.

Pragmatically, if you have been recently chronically high in BGs and as a result are dehydrated, your kidneys and associated hormones will be struggling and this can easily create rebound volatile high water retention issues - but these will be short term IF you just focus for the immediate term (maybe try 4-6 weeks) to reining in your BG levels.

Stable BG levels will allow your kidney and liver hormones to stabilise, so that you can focus on the next challenge - no excessive water retention and reducing body fat to a level that you feel positive about - but this may not immediately equate to the dehydrated, unhealthy low body fat, low muscle mass state that you may have experienced previously in dangerous diabulemia. So create sustainable goals for energy, fitness (more muscle needed?).

Do you have access to a Libre? If not, aggressively lobby your GP for one. Also for a meter and strips able to measure blood ketone levels. You need the tools to be able to take personal control of your diabetes - this will enable you to decide a realistic strategy you can own to help cope with your diabulemia.

 

[VashtiB]

No advice from me but a virtual hug. It sounds like you are having a really tough time.

I am sure those who have already posted have given you some help. I also suggest reading the type 1part of the site. You never know what threads might strike a cord and help.

Take care of yourself- mental health is as important as physical health. Both are so important. Take care.