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Am I insulin resistant???

Lolli24

Lolli24

Well-Known Member
Messages
56
Hello, I'm very worried I have become insulin resistant and I don't know what to do.

I'm 24 and I have had diabetes for 6 years. I am currently taking novo rapid on a carb count with a ratio of 1:1 and I take Levemir in the morning and at bedtime.

I used to weigh 11.2 and since starting my new job 5 months ago I have put on over a stone and a half and now weigh 12.7. The job is very inactive I just sit at a desk all day (previous jobs have been very active e.g bar work) and since starting my job I have noticed that my insulin isn't absorbing as well and seems up be very high after lunch. Today I had a sandwich and lion bar I took 10 units and 2 hours later my bg was 23!! (11 before lunch) and this morning my bg was 19 (I took 22 units of Levemir at bed time)
I don't want to put on any more weight by taking more insulin but need to get my sugars down. I am hoping it's just with change of job as I never have low bg anymore and I used to be very very sensitive to insulin.

Sorry for waffling just really fustrated and scared as I'm only young :(
 
Inactivity and putting on weight can lead to insulin resistance, try getting more active and be careful with the foods you eat, a chocolate bar is fine as an occasional treat but not something you want to be eating everyday. Ask to see the Dietitian at your hospital clinic to discuss your weight issues.
 
So does that mean I'm definatly insulin resistant? I joined a gym today so going to see how that goes, starting to cut bad food out too, thanks for the reply
 
Lolli24 said:
So does that mean I'm definatly insulin resistant? I joined a gym today so going to see how that goes, starting to cut bad food out too, thanks for the reply
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If what you say in your opening post is correct that you take 1 unit of insulin to 1g of carbs (or I'm I reading it wrong and your referring to 1 CP) then it does appear to be the case, as I say weight gain is said to be the biggest cause of why people become insulin resistant, Gary Scheiner says in his book Think Like a Pancreas that gaining as little as ten pounds over a fifteen year period can cause insulin resistance to double.

Good luck with the gym and let us know how it goes!
 
Sorry I meant to say I take 1 unit per 10gm of carb so yeah 1cp. Just come back from the gym and I had a hypo from taking extra insulin after lunch earlier. So that was the first one I've had in ages. The insulin is lowering my bg but not as quick as it used too. I'm hoping once I loose some weight I'll be more sensitive to insulin again :)
 
Hi Lolli, do you take Metformin alongside your insulin? Metformin helps to reduce insulin resistance so it may be worth asking your GP if it would work for you?

Ali
 
No I don't, I was told to loose weight first but don't increase insulin :/ I've gained a lot of weight recently so I'm guessing that's the problem
 
Personally, I would adjust my diet considerably so that higher insulin levels are not required. The more insulin needed then the more fat cells will be laid down in the body tissues leading to yet more insulin needed... its a vicious circle that needs to be broken.
 
Worth a discussion with your GP then as the Metformin can only help the insulin and because of what it does, it is not known as a weight adding med.

Ali
 
Aye, in short if you can cut down a bit on the carbohydrates, especially the fast ones (sugar and refined starches), you could perhaps get a bit better control and avoid the spikes after meals a bit more and reduce the amount of insulin you take slightly. Less CPs, less insulin.

If you have time in your lunch break to go for a quick stroll, that might also help a bit along with the gym, obviously.

If you know how many carbohydrates you eat now, you could try and cut out the 20 percent you find you need the least. The chocolate would be a good place to start - even replacing it with fresh fruit in your example would be brilliant especially apples, berries and not bananas :) or you could chop up a few veggies and bring with you. You can try how your body deals with raw carrots - they keep well in a plastic bag with a spoonful of water from the fridge in the morning.

Try browner versions of bread, pasta, rice when you have them - they release a bit slower into the blood stream, too.

If you can get away with eating as many colours as possible also in a meal (avoiding smarties, heh), but 2 colours of pepper, tomato, carrot... you might find your eyes also tell you sooner when you're full.

Good luck
 
A ratio of 1unit to 10g of carb is 'normal' and not resistant. Extra weight certainly can decrease sensitivity... and this will probably account for your increase in BG's... increased blood glucose also reduces insulin sensitivity and therefore you can get into a spiral effect where you BG's run high because your insulin is less effective.

Firstly and this may seem a bit obvious but are you injecting correctly at the correct depth? secondly are you changing your injection site frequently?

If you are then I would suggest as others have looking at a change of diet / lifestyle; you may also consider swapping to a different insulin.. some people react differently to different insulins.
 
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