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Insulin type 2 and weight gain

claymic

Well-Known Member
Messages
503
Location
Leicester
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi I am type 2 and my control has been awful for months. I have finally summoned enough courage to go to doctor. I have a blood test in a couple of weeks.

I know that the next stop is insulin and I am honestly petrified. Mostly due to potential putting on weight (I am already very overweight) but also of the diabetes management taking over my life.

I would really appreciate if I can some insight from other type 2 people when went on insulin about their experiences.

Thanks
Clay

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Hi. I note that your are already on Byetta to help with weight reduction. So, are you seriously low-carbing? If not you must start now. Set yourself a target of 100gm of carbs/day or less. Going onto insulin when insulin resistant is not the best move as you would be adding insulin to a body already overloaded with it and the result would be large injections units and difficulty in getting the balance right. Insulin only results in serious weight gain if you are taking too many carbs. How many carbs per day are you currently having?
 
Well I try to low carb but I am fighting a binging disorder so yeah it is carb heavy. I suppose I cannot refuse insulin though because nothing else is available to reduce my bs

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Sadly insulin may not help you that much for the reasons I mentioned in my post. I hope you are getting some help for your binging disorder. Go for proteins rather than carbs where you can
 
I hate to say it but until you get a hold on your diabetes it will take over your life.

Yes it is scary to think about going on insulin - but it doesn't automatically make you gain weight. It's the food you eat that makes you gain weight as you are obviously aware with having an eating disorder and already being overweight. I was 21 1/2 st on diagnosis 15 years ago, and I'm down to just under 15st now (yes it's taken that long to lose the weight) - I started on Metformin and then when that didn't work I went onto insulin (not sure how long ago that was). Only in the past few years have they tried me on Victoza and now Forxiga.

Does the byetta not make any difference? Have you spoken to your Dr/DSN about trying a different medication like victoza or forxiga?

As Daibell said going on insulin is not the easy answer and it doesn't work for everybody.

Don't be scared of insulin - at the end of the day if it brings your blood sugar's down it's a good thing!

Good luck - let us know how you are getting on.
 
Thanks for the replies. I am going for a blood test on Friday and then I ll wait for my life to change again.... I dont think I can ever accept that I am sick forever. I hate diabetes. I hate that while other people ny age are playing happy families all I ll have is injecting myself and a life that revolves round diabetes ....

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Don't despair. The thing is with Type 2 there is a chance once you get it under control that u can stop the insulin and the meds. Especially if u lose the weight and get ur head around a good healthy eating plan. It is hard to get ur head around, it's taken me 15 years and I still struggle and have wobbles. U just have to remember u r not alone in this and it's not as bleak as u think. Good luck for ur test. Let me know how u get on.


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I’m gaining weight on less than 50g carbs a day. But that’s me. I lost over 49 kilos on Oral meds in ten kilo lots. I’d agree, reduce the carbs and get a little bit of extra exercise. Remember muscle uses more energy so try light weights if you find movement difficult. To me it seems very early to be considering insulin. I lasted thirty years and I’m only on it because I have cardiomyopathy (viral, not diabetes).
 
I’ve been using h3 insulin the dB told me to keep putting the units up till my levels are around 8 my levels are between 10 and 12 which is the lowest I’ve been for years but I’m taking 50 units of insulin does this sound right
 
Hi Claymic,
I can't be much help regarding weight since I've never had weight problems. It is only when my T2 must've started that I accumulated visceral fat, as my body fat redistributed. So now I have a skinny bum (it is uncomfortable sitting on hard surfaces) and stick like legs, but w rounded belly.
As far as I understand the biochemistry, the hyperinsulinemia resulted in my body accumulating visceral fat. This is not the subcutaneous fat, but fat that accumulates around the internal organs.

After a number of years I have moved to insulin and tbh I regret not having done it earlier. I haven't put on weight and I don't think insulin will contribute to weight gain because it lowers my BS which in itself reduces insulin production by the pancreas, reduces the hyperinsulinemia which causes the fat accumulation.

Of course, what and how much you eat matters. The more carbs or larger meals will lead to increasing weight. Insulin only addresses the carbs you have eaten.if you eat a big cake, you'll need more insulin to make use of it. And we all know that cake is weightgaining food.

As for being on insulin, once you learn, it can give lots of freedom (within certain bounds) and better quality of life. I know, the promoters of the keto diet had a go at me today, but I do not believe that causing my body to react to extreme and using up only fat with ketones as byproduct, is healthy. Also, I do not believe in extreme dieting, which potentially cases more harm than good. And lastly, I am in control, not the diabetes, and I finally have quality of life.

It is a personal choice and any treatment plan should be personal, fitting individual needs. As a nurse I rather follow NICE guidelines. Biochemistry and metabolic processes are extremely complicated with many effects on different areas of the body. I believe that keeping the body functioning closest to normal is best. Insulin injecting is closest to what should be happening in a healthy person.

Anyway, wish you luck. You will find the right treatment for you, I'm sure.
 
sbrandon1320 said:
I’ve been using h3 insulin the dB told me to keep putting the units up till my levels are around 8 my levels are between 10 and 12 which is the lowest I’ve been for years but I’m taking 50 units of insulin does this sound right
Click to expand...
You need to take whatever units is enough to give you good control.
Good control gives you the chance to lose weight.
I don't lose weight until my bgs and thyroid levels are perfect. No matter how much insulin or levothyroxine I'm using.

I'm using heavy units but just keeping under 10s so no weight loss like last year. Since stopping metformin I've regained some weight.
I'm desperate to use metformin again.
I'm looking to lose at least 3kgs for my surgery date to be given.
 
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Hi I’ve just been put in novorapid but I’m only needing 2-4 units before each meal which is really low as I was always told type 2’s needed large amounts of insulin due to insulin resistance. I’ve been on metformin, gliclazide, Victoza etc and had horrible tummy upsets etc but so far insulin is better???
 

I agree with you. A healthy diet. I’m wondering how many low carb people will have kidney disease in future.
 
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