Weight gain of 2 stone since diagnosis

[Top Cat]

I'm Type 1 LADA and, since going on insulin (9 months ago), have put on nearly 2 stone. HELP!!! Tried low carbing and I do seem to lose a few pounds in a week and need less insulin (only use fast acting). However, just had colds and flu lasting almost a month and my insulin requirements have shot up from 1 unit for 10g carbs to 3 units for 10g carbs. What can I do! I'm 6ft2 female and have never been "skinny" (until diagnosis) but now I'm feeling chunky! Hate it and it's making me depressed and resent my diabetes and I was fine before. Don't want to be skinny - just want to be normal again! Any advice?

 

[NickW]

Hi,

It sounds like you know that eating low carb will help with the weight - you need to persevere with it. Try to make sure you eat good quality food - plenty of real food like meat and fish, non-starchy vegetables with every meal, and good fats to get in enough calories, and avoid processed and junk food. As you say this will reduce your insulin requirements as well as naturally helping to prevent overeating (it's really, really hard to eat too much salad leaf or broccoli!)

Combine a month of low-carb, good food choices with some exercise (ideally a mixture of weight training and some lower-intensity exercise that you enjoy, but realistically just anything you'll find fun and will stick with) and see what happens - but give it at least the full month.

 

[Useless Pretty Boy]

You ONLY use fast acting insulin? That's weird. I'd immediately assume that that might be a big part of the problem. Am i reading your post right, or have I missed something?

 

[angelaha]

i too have put on lots of weight - 3 stone in the two years that i have been diagnosed with diabetes. i have only seen a dietician once since i have been diagnosed and she laid out a plan of how many carbs to be eaten every meal - i inject twice a day 8 in the morning and 10 in the afternoon and i am on novomix - i have always been under the impression that you need lots of carbs to keep the glucose at the correct level is this not right?

i have always been lucky and never had to diet as i have always been a size 10 now i am a size 14

confused diabetic help

 

[fergus]

i have always been under the impression that you need lots of carbs to keep the glucose at the correct level is this not right?

:shock:
I'm afraid this is the sort of nonsense that often seems to masquerade as medical advice.
No-one, especially a diabetic, needs to eat lots of carbs for any reason. Particularly if those carbs are from refined or starchy sources when they offer nothing of value, merely a big rise in blood glucose.
If you are having to eat lots of carbs to counteract the insulin, you are taking too much insulin! As far as your long term health is concerned, the consequence of too much insulin comes a pretty close second to too much blood sugar.

All the best,

fergus

 

[Sar]

I also struggle with my weight. Always been 'largish' (lol) but certainly put some on since diagnosis about 4 years ago. Have decided I need to do something about it so am going to start low carbing and see how it goes.

 

[angelaha]

i think i am going to start a low carb diet - let me know how you get on

my levels have really gone up at the moment - do you think it is possibly because i am eating too many carbs and my weight gain

i know i may sound really thick but i thought i had got the hang of it as i have had really greeat control over the past 2 years and my last 2 h1bc have been below 7

 

[Top Cat]

Useless pretty boy (nice name!!)

Yes only use fast acting. Only been diagnosed a year and I started off on slow release and just a bit of fast acting but they took me off slow release as I was only having 6 units a night and it didn't make a difference to my morning readings but I was having to eat breakfast every day (which I hate) and still getting hypos nearly every day.

How long before lo-carbing makes a difference to weight? Does meetformin help with weight loss as I was put on this too when first diagnosed and taken off it again about 3 months later cos it wasn't making any difference. :lol:

Also, how long is slow release in your system - would my fast acting needs go down if I went back on this? Seeing consultant next week so might get some answers!!!