Type 1 Diabetes & Weight Loss

[JoB90]

Hi,
I was diagnosed with diabetes in August 2009 when I was about to drop into a diabetic coma. I Am type 1 diabetic now & have to take multiple injections a day. I was 14 at the time I was taken into hospital and became very ill ever since. When I was first diagnosed I took my insulin and checked my blood sugar religiously. I then when through the phase of eating and drinking as much sugar contained food and drink as i could took no insulin for it which in turn caused me to loose so much weight i went down to just above 6 stone. I looked awful so I got my blood sugar under control and started eating healthy and my portions were not too big and i maintained a healthy weight of 8 stone 7 lbs. Last week i was took into hospital for 4 day due to my insulin forming lumps and not going in, when i was admitted i was 8 stone 9 lbs, yesterday i went back to my diabetic clinic and was weighed at 10 stone 9.4 lbs i was truly shocked at how much weight i had put on in a week it was unreal.
I would like some advice on how to loose weight and eat healthier.
On a average day i tend to have
2 small wholemeal toast in the morning
Lunch i have a salad - no carbs usually as im in college and there is no place to inject!
Tea is usually where some to most of my carbs come from.
In between i usually have a small salad or a oat & fruit bar to keep me going.
Thanks.

 

[mo1905]

Re: Type 1 Diabetes & Weight Loss

Sorry to hear your story. Sounds like you've had a very bad time of things up til now. If I read your post correctly, you've gained 2 stone in a week ? Is this correct or have I made a mistake ? I would have thought that much weight gain would have been nearly impossible. Has your doctor not mentioned it ? If not, I would start there first. Good luck.


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[Deanna_Griff]

Re: Type 1 Diabetes & Weight Loss

You seem to be eating okay, what happened to you, happened to me too this year in Feb. I was 11 stone, due to Ketosis, i lost weight & went down to 8 stone within 2 weeks. Now that my body is getting insulin now, i have put weight back on, as you're type 1 diabetic, you must eat, you shouldn't be afraid or whatever to inject in college, I do it where ever i have to, yea some people might stare, only because they're curious!. If you want to loose weight, just exercise more , speak to your gp/nurse if you're really concerned


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[noblehead]

Wow...2 stone is a lot in a week and I'm thinking there's been some kind of mistake, you would know if you've put on 2 stone because your clothes would feel tight or simply wouldn't fit.

Give it another week or two and try weighing yourself again, if the outcome is the same then speak with your diabetes team, you can see a Dietitian as part of your care and they can advise you on your diet and how to lose weight.

Good luck!!!

 

[JoB90]

Hi,
Thank you for the advice & once i got out of hospital i did notice a massive difference in getting in my clothes.
I also noticed that i put on weight after i got rid of my keytones and stared eating properly that my weight did go up and i was happy with that, i must also say that i don't think the food in the hospital helped as it was not healthy at al and had tonnes of carbs in as well.
Thanks for helping

 

[ljwilson]

I think there must be a problem with one of the sets of scales! 2 stone in a week just can't be right!

The carbs in the food in the hospital would have been matched by the insulin you were given. I need to lose a lot of weight and I am seeing the consultant tomorrow, I am hoping to go on a pump which I believe will help in my weight loss campaign

Lorna

 

[ljwilson]

also I suppose you were severely dehydrated when your levels were sky high so once you started retaining the fluids as you are supposed too you would have gained some weight

 

[JoB90]

Hi Lorna,
I have retained a lot of fluid, i have been to my local GP and was told to do lots of walking around which i do mostly anyway, i got told that the pump would help me loose the weight i have put on. I know that i had put weight on after i was in hospital but i did not expect it to be this much im hoping that the scales were faulty!
Good Luck with loosing weight
Jo

 

[Juicyj]

Hi Hun, as the other posts have said 2 stone in a week is impossible unless they were feeding you concrete !! Weight is a by product of diabetes but it's really not something I would stress about. The most important thing is to get you back to the stage where you were religiously monitoring your blood sugars and keeping good control, as this where you will achieve optimum health. Weight loss will occur when you have reached this stage and are taking the right levels of insulin, then losing weight is easier as you can exercise and reduce your carb intake, as long as you matching your carb ratio accurately your body will find its natural weight. Any ideas about not taking insulin are dangerous as your body needs this hormone, so please put your health first and start with getting excellent control the rest will happen in good time. Good luck x

 

[kendod666]

I was 82kg on admition to hospital with my DKA very serious like yourself on the 9th of may.

By the 17th of may I was back to 94kg.

So it is 100% possible to put on so much weight after correct treatment resumes.

I looked amazing at 82kg, never looked better! But ironically had never been so ill!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com

Please have a look at the link above, will give you some really good planning tools to work out exactly how much and what you should be eating.

 

[ljwilson]

I was 82kg on admition to hospital with my DKA very serious like yourself on the 9th of may.

By the 17th of may I was back to 94kg.

So it is 100% possible to put on so much weight after correct treatment resumes.

I looked amazing at 82kg, never looked better! But ironically had never been so ill!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com

Please have a look at the link above, will give you some really good planning tools to work out exactly how much and what you should be eating.

I think a lot of the weight loss must be due to dehydration then?

 

[JoB90]

Re: Type 1 Diabetes & Weight Loss

When i was admitted i was really ill & they just kept injecting me with lots & lots of insulin ( far more than i would ever take) i was also a little dehydrated as well, my levels are almost back to normal and my HBA1C has come down from over 14 to 11 which i was pleased with, thanks for the link ill have a look at it
Thanks :smile:
Jo

 

[kendod666]

I was 82kg on admition to hospital with my DKA very serious like yourself on the 9th of may.

By the 17th of may I was back to 94kg.

So it is 100% possible to put on so much weight after correct treatment resumes.

I looked amazing at 82kg, never looked better! But ironically had never been so ill!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com

Please have a look at the link above, will give you some really good planning tools to work out exactly how much and what you should be eating.

I think a lot of the weight loss must be due to dehydration then?

Yes I was very dehydrated....few days left to live apparently! ;-/

 

[ljwilson]

I really struggle to lose weight and sometimes I think to myself just stop taking insulin and start eating mars bars and it will soon shift! I would never do it as I know how dangerous and stupid that would be but I do understand how some young girls go down that road.

Lorna

 

[Donkeymad]

You were almost certainly dehydrated, so much of the weight gain will be fluid, are you bloated at all? It will take time for your weight to settle.

It also sounds to me as if you may not be eating enough. Eating too little apparently puts your body into 'starvation' mode where it stores all it can.

Take care. I hope you are better and back to ideal weight soon. :wave: