I became Type 1 Diabetic, after going on Progesterone to treat Endometriosis. My GP at the time decided I didn't need treatment or the need of a specialist and should just 'cut out juices'. 1.5 years later, during which time I tried changing GPs, I finally found one but by that time had a leg abcess, eyebrows & hair fellout, skin was porous and in bad condition, I felt very ill indeed, and you can imagine the need to drink loads and constant wee'ing was exhausting.
I was sent immediately to hospital the following morning by my new GP. I was in shock and had to start insulin injections immediately. In no time at all, I went from over 8 stone to nearly 14 stone - in 3 months! I thought I was fat when I was 8stone, funny eh. Unfortunately, at age 30 I should have been seen by a Consultant, but was seen by a Junior Doctor - which may have stopped this scenario from happening. When I did get to see a Consultant a few months down the line, I was put on Metformin to counteract the Insulin Resistance. I was tested positive for Type 1. Injections were not a good experience, I just seemed to keep growing, I have always been a healthy eater and a dedicated exerciser, so this was soul destroying. Having starchy carbs to feed the insulin was a vicious cycle.
4 years ago, I started on animas insulin pump, thanks to my very good consultant. I am no longer feeding the insulin, rather it's feeding the relevant meal, carb-counting of course. But I still had this weight to lose, as a short person just over 5ft, being nearly 14 stone is an absolute killer. I've packed in my job to focus on my health. I have doubled my cardio exercise (step/aerobics, etc, etc), which in turn has made me insulin-sensitive. This allows me to reduce my dose, which in turn creates weight-loss. It's slow as you have guestimate if you have enough insulin to be hypo/hyper free during exercise, and not be over-insulated which prevents weight loss. I have managed to get down from 83kg to 68 kg since xmas. I am aiming to hit my target of 50kg. My Carb-Insulin Ratio has also changed as a welcome by-product of this.
If I was on injections, for which the dosage was continually increasing upto a pen per day for boluses! - it would be impossible. The only way is to be on an Insulin Pump/Carb Counting - most of my life I have had a naturally low-dairy/low-carb diet with plenty of protein & greens, and low-sugar fruit - before I was a Diabetic and have continued this way of life - real & tasty food only. As you have less hypos on a pump, you don't need to stuff your face with the emergency unhealthy carb.
I have reduced my total daily insulin dosage from 55 units to 15 units per day, inclusive of all bolus/basal.
I feel so much better, and feel like I'm on my way to who I used to be. Luckily, I've always loved exercise, not had a sweet tooth and would just love to look in the mirror and not see this fat-insulin face. Anniversary of becoming Diabetic is in end of this year, I hope to hit my target by then.
Reading Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes & The Blood Sugar Solution have validated with science what quiet a few of us Type 1's have experienced/felt already.
I cannot recommend enough, how important it is to count-the-right-carbs & be pumping!
