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Insulin
- Thread starter jimmy1221
- Start Date
Mep
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,461
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Insulin
Yeh you can gain weight on it as it is a fat storing hormone you're injecting. I think it is just getting the balance right that makes the difference. That's one of the first things my endocrinologist told me about when he put me on insulin telling me that it can cause weight gain.
TorqPenderloin
Well-Known Member
Insulin is one of the hormones our bodies use to grow muscle and store energy. Unfortunately, stored energy can also mean increased fat retention.
Insulin does not directly cause you to gain weight. However, more insulin equates to more stored energy which again can equate to stored fat.
Why don't you tell us a little about yourself, how diabetes affects you (what type you have), and a little about your diet.
When I first started on insulin, I gained about 30 pounds in less than 2 months. However, that's because my body was literally starting to eat my muscle due to lack of insulin (I have type 1). The picture I attached shows what I looked like at diagnosis, and then how insulin helped me to gain back the muscle I had lost.
Insulin does not directly cause you to gain weight. However, more insulin equates to more stored energy which again can equate to stored fat.
Why don't you tell us a little about yourself, how diabetes affects you (what type you have), and a little about your diet.
When I first started on insulin, I gained about 30 pounds in less than 2 months. However, that's because my body was literally starting to eat my muscle due to lack of insulin (I have type 1). The picture I attached shows what I looked like at diagnosis, and then how insulin helped me to gain back the muscle I had lost.
TorqPenderloin
Well-Known Member
It's important to understand that insulin by itself cannot be converted into fat. It simply aides the process of converting food into stored energy (fat).
Prior to starting on insulin, you may not have been gaining weight, but that was likely because your kidneys were working extra hard to filter all of that excess glucose out of your body. Over time, that will damaged your kidneys and in serious cases can lead to dialysis.
I say this, not to scare you, but to ensure you understand that you should NEVER avoid taking your insulin to avoid gaining weight. That's known as diabulimia and it's not worth trying to lose a few extra pounds. Diet and exercise are the only healthy ways.
Edit- thank you @mahola for the kind words.
Prior to starting on insulin, you may not have been gaining weight, but that was likely because your kidneys were working extra hard to filter all of that excess glucose out of your body. Over time, that will damaged your kidneys and in serious cases can lead to dialysis.
I say this, not to scare you, but to ensure you understand that you should NEVER avoid taking your insulin to avoid gaining weight. That's known as diabulimia and it's not worth trying to lose a few extra pounds. Diet and exercise are the only healthy ways.
Edit- thank you @mahola for the kind words.
Mep
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,461
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Insulin
and for some of us insulin isn't the only treatment that causes weight gain 
Having my docs play with my baclofen on me and I've suddenly gained weight and rapidly. I'm having a love hate thing with these drugs I think. lol. On a good note I've lost 2 kgs since coming down with this UTI. There you go.... get even more sick and there's a chance you will lose weight, oh yeh don't forget the ketones I got told off about that.
Having my docs play with my baclofen on me and I've suddenly gained weight and rapidly. I'm having a love hate thing with these drugs I think. lol. On a good note I've lost 2 kgs since coming down with this UTI. There you go.... get even more sick and there's a chance you will lose weight, oh yeh don't forget the ketones I got told off about that.