Need a help soo badly..

ringi

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,365
Type of diabetes
Type 2
@ringi does metformin works in type 1 diabetics?

Yes, but only if you have insulin resistance. Metformin reduces insulin resistance. Lots of people regardless of diabetes have a level of insulin resistance. Metformin is also used to help some obesity people who don't have diabetes lose weight, it is also used for polycystic ovary syndrome. Until a few years ago ladies with polycystic ovary syndrome were just told to lose weight.

Doctors are only just beginning to understand insulin resistance and now many health conditions it is linked to. One issue is that no company makes a lot of money from Metformin, hence there is no funding for research into its usage outside of Type2 diabetes.
 

ringi

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,365
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Personally, I don't think that weight gain esp. with insulin (I take glyclazide and metformin) is as important a factor as risking a hypo with less food. Perhaps exercise is a good thing. Take care.

Provided BG is check often, and the insulin dose is work out correctly with "carb counting", there should be no additional risk of hypos with low carb. However basal may also need to be reduced, but BG tracking will show if this is an issue, if so then @Sweet_you_ can ask someone with Type1 to explain "basal testing" if she does not know how to do it.

We are all assuming that @Sweet_you_ has been trained in how to adjust her insulin dose herself.
 

ringi

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,365
Type of diabetes
Type 2
@Erin even im not knowing the reason for my wt gain as told by my doctor as insulin is a hormone it is d reason for wt gain and the shorter acting insulins hav more wt gain thn the longer acting one..

insulin's job is to remove glucose and ketones from the blood by "allowing" cells to use them. A very low-level of insulin give cells "permission" to use ketones, a "normal" level "allows" cells to use glucose, a high level "instructs" cells to convert glucose into fat. A "normal" level of insulin also stops cells from burning fat as the body want the cells to use glucose. Most people will have times of the day with an insulin level low enough that their cells burn the fat that was stored at other times of the same day.

All carbs get converted into glucose when we eat them. Protein is converted into glucose by the liver at a much slower rate if we eat more protein then our body needs. (Hence a very high protein meal with few carbs may need two spaced out doses of insulin. Therefore very low carb works best when high fat, rather than high protein.)

Insulin resistance makes it harder for our muscles to use glucose when the insulin level is normal, hence forcing a higher insulin level and the storage of glucose as fat. Then is where metformin may help. Resistance training and HITT are also proven to reduce insulin resistance, and work a lot better than for example running at the same speed for a long time.

It also seems that a large drop in insulin level is one of the triggers for making people hungry and hence lots of people find they eat less without trying when they avoid most carbs. (Other hormones that make us feel "fill up" are not triggered as much by carbs, then they are by protein or fat, so it quickly gets very complex when you look at the details of the science.)
 
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himtoo

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Retired Moderator
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4,805
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Pump
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why can't everyone get on........
hi there @Sweet_you_
welcome to the forum. !! :)

as you have been doing this D thing for 15 years you will know a fair bit of what works for you.
I know when I want to lose a bit of weight I try to cut down on portion size a bit , definitely try to exercise a few times per week, and use my knowledge of carb counting to adjust my bolus dose accordingly -- I also would suggest doing some basal testing to make sure your background insulin ( lantus or levemir is set correctly for you )
see basal link here https://mysugr.com/basal-rate-testing/

i can understand that you feel your body clock is ticking as regards wanting a family -- i would try to be kind to yourself and allow your self a fair few months to try and lose that weight -- don't try too hard and upset your routine so much you end up chasing yourself blood sugar wise -- you have all the tools to do this in a nice methodical manner.

I am going to tag @claire1991 as she has a young child and is type 1 too .
also tagging @Mrsass as she had a child recently and is type 1 too.

all the best !!!!
 
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DCUKMod

Master
Staff Member
Messages
14,298
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi @Sweet_you_ - Have you discussed your management regime with your DSN at all? Has she, or any of your medical team, given you any tips for tweaking your balances to maintain your improved control, with a stable or decreasing weight?

Do you do any record-keeping around what you're eating, coupled with the insulin doses you're taking, plus weight plotting? I'm a bit of a data geek, and find really going back to basics, and keeping accurate, records helps me identify my trends and why things might be working out as they are.

It's easier to look back at data collected over a period of time than to know "in the moment" why things might be going a bit wrong. It can also make these things a bit easier to discuss when you see your nurse.

I'll also tag a couple more T1 lady members, @catapillar , @Snapsy , who like to exercise.

Just a final thought; Your thread is in the "Ask a Question" area of the forum, which is absolutely fine, but you might bump into a few more, experienced T1s in the Type 1 sub-forum. If you would like your post moved to there, just tag me, or any of the other Mods who can do that for you.
 

Snapsy

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,552
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
When I was on MDI I used to be very prone to hypos, and I used to carry more weight than I do now. In terms of my weight, hypos were my problem - I was constantly chasing excess insulin with food I wouldn't have ever had if I weren't hypo, and I found it so hard to achieve the right balance.

I was absolutely staggered - in a good way - when I lost weight when I started using an insulin pump - I had fewer hypos and had less insulin on board, and my blood sugars were optimal. On MDI - or indeed pump - I would want to know that my basal rate was right for me, and then see if reducing my mealtime insulin a little before exercising to see if that made a difference to my likelihood of hypos.

Working out what's right for you is very much a trial and error exercise - and can have its frustrations! Record keeping, as @DCUKMod recommends, will stand you in good stead.

These days, in order to be able to avoid having large doses of insulin on board which might put me at risk of hypos while exercising and yet keep my blood sugar levels as consistent as I can, I have reduced my carbohydrate intake together with my insulin doses. I find in this that I'm no longer having to chase excess insulin with food, and minimising my risk of hypos AND hypers.

Testing, testing, testing is your friend, @Sweet_you_ . Hugs!

Love Snapsy
:)

PS Edited for clarity
 
Last edited:

Sweet_you_

Member
Messages
22
Type of diabetes
Type 1
@Snapsy.. Yea vl sure give a try by reducing my carbs and insulin intake as well. But it looks soo frustrating with weight gain and subsequent hypos with exercises hope wat u said works with me.. Thank you.
 

Sweet_you_

Member
Messages
22
Type of diabetes
Type 1
@dcuk mod hii yea i informed my doctor abt weight gain with tight controls thn doctor adivsed me to take long acting insulins(degludec/xutophy) once a day.. But tht didn't workout with me.. Had severe hyperglycemia so again i shifted back to my normal routine i.e with 3novorapids and 1levemir. hope weight gain controls with vlc.
 

librarising

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,116
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
@dcuk mod hii yea i informed my doctor abt weight gain with tight controls thn doctor adivsed me to take long acting insulins(degludec/xutophy) once a day.. But tht didn't workout with me.. Had severe hyperglycemia so again i shifted back to my normal routine i.e with 3novorapids and 1levemir. hope weight gain controls with vlc.
@Sweet_you_ if you don't copy the name properly, the person does't get tagged in, and the intended tag appears black rather than red. Don't worry - it's only a learning curve. Compare
@dcuk mod
@DCUKMod
Geoff
 

DCUKMod

Master
Staff Member
Messages
14,298
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
@dcuk mod hii yea i informed my doctor abt weight gain with tight controls thn doctor adivsed me to take long acting insulins(degludec/xutophy) once a day.. But tht didn't workout with me.. Had severe hyperglycemia so again i shifted back to my normal routine i.e with 3novorapids and 1levemir. hope weight gain controls with vlc.

When you say you insulin was changed, then when that didn't work, you swapped back; did you medical team tell you to switch back, or did you just go back to what you knew? If your Team told you to switch back, what was their suggestion when you switched back, bearing in mind that didn't work for you before?

Whilst I'm not T1, or have experiences with your regime, I'm really just trying tio really understand your frustrating journey.
 

claire1991

Well-Known Member
Messages
498
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
@Sweet_you_ I don’t really have much to add that others haven’t already said. This thread has opened my eyes to my own weight issues to be honest!

Try not to beat yourself up over this and take it one day at a time.
Have you tried any slimming groups?
MyFitnessPal is a really good app for recording your food intake. Will also work out your carbs etc so you’ll be able to see how many carbs you’re consuming in a day so that may help you cut down.

With regards to pregnancy I’m trying to get my bloods right to start conceiving again at the moment.
I’ve done basal testing and I’m doing pre meal testing and then testing again 2 hours later to tighten up my control so this may help with getting your hba1c down even more than you have already :)