One possibility is that she she got her wires crossed and miss informed you.
Maybe what she was told was this:
"During the pre-diabetes stage in T2s, there is hyperinsulinaemia, which is the body’s response to dealing with insulin resistance in the muscles and liver. That is, the pancreas puts out more and more insulin into the blood stream to try and compensate for the insulin resistance (so the hyperinsulinaemia). This causes alot of people to feel very very hungry, hence the weight gain in the vicious cycle of eating simple carbs, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinaemia, hunger, more bad carbs, hunger weight gain etc.
Well… I had asked people if my Diabetes progresses, can I skip taking any pills, and go straight to insulin – and what people thought about that… and she said she wished she could go back to insulin, because insulin made her ravenously hungry, and gave her constant hunger pangs, and that the doctor said it was the insulin that did that… but I dunno how many carbs she has…
oops
Here’s more than a couple links to Symlin the synthetic version of Amylin that IDDM might stop the production of along with insulin.
I’m interested in the real world use of Symlin. Someone should start a group on it.
http://forecast.diabetes.org/search/node/Symlin
http://forecast.diabetes.org/search/node/Amylin
I’m with you on this TS. I’ve been diabetic for 25 years and back when my blood glucose used to run high I’d not only have unquenchable thirst but unfillable hunger cravings too. Probably my body confusing thirst for hunger. Either way I’m sure my cells were being starved for fluids and glucose which probably contributed to feeling hungry as well.
Back in about 2004 I had read an article about Symlin and Byetta in my Diabetes Forecast Magazine. Something about my pancreas not producing amylin as well as insulin which was news to me. Sounded like it would slow the release of glucose into my blood as to sustain my energy allowing for less bolus insulin to compensate for caloric intake and hence less hypos. I was really having problems with spiking and needing more energy for exercise little lone getting through the day and night… … .
When I asked my Endo about it he told me that it was for type2’s and that I could afford to gain wait. That really pissed me of as I wasn’t considering it to lose weight but to help with avoiding BG rollercoastering and becoming more stable.
That would mean 27 plus years of constant hunger for me ?
No is my response .
Hello! I agree that I don’t think insulin makes you hungry… but of course low blood sugar does! Our bodies are so amazing like that!
However, being a vegetarian, I eat a lot more carbs than protein for my meals. I definitely notice that I get hungrier faster when this is the case and have started making sure to add more protein into my meals to make them digest slower (or something!). For example, I add nuts to my breakfast cereal so I’m not dying for a mid-morning snack! This has really helped with my hunger. : )
Great idea! I eat primarily vegetarian also and end up eating too many carbs (in my opinion) and very little protein. I think it also keeps me feeling hungry between meals. I always think of protein as either meats or tofu, and struggle to build meals with these…but adding nuts to cereal and salads, I can do that. Care to share more of your protein tricks?
Cheese, beans, eggs, milk, peanut butter, asparagus…
To reply to the original question, no, insulin doesn’t seem to make me hungry at all. I’ve actually had a decrease in appetite since my diagnosis, but some of that might be natural aging process. (I’m 61, diagnosed at 58). I also seem to differ from most people in that I don’t feel hungry when I’m low. To recover from my eating disorder I began the habit of eating three meals a day and nothing in between 16 years ago and that works fine for me. The only time I actually feel hungry is breakfast sometimes.
I’m also a vegetarian. I don’t eat really low carb, but keep it around 100 a day. I do this by doing a LOT of cooking though, and making time intensive recipes. I get my protein from: eggs for breakfast, lunch usually has cheese, sometimes nut butter. As for dinner that’s the meal that varies the most and tends to not always have protein in it. I always add nuts to salads (walnuts mainly), eat tofu but it has to be cooked in an interesting way, eat black beans, lentils, more things with cheese, vegie burgers when I don’t feel like cooking, I have usually two cappuchinos a day so the milk has protein as well. Seems to work for me.
well, i am single and i cook, but it’s not always something fancy! of course i am in loooove with cheese, so eat that with everything!
i like a lot of the fake meat products… i don’t know if you’re into those or not. morningstar farms - i like grillers original and eat them like they’re going out of style! they also have “crumbles” (like ground beef), that can be added to your spaghetti sauce or chili or whatever. there are tons of items and it seems like they are always coming out with more. boca’s italian sausages are really good. (all these are in the freezer section) … do you have a trader joe’s near you? they also have a lot of good veggie stuff.
but don’t let me fool you… i love carbs! i love food in general. heheheeeee i eat ice cream… and add peanut butter to it!
does this help at all? there are also a few veggie groups on here but i haven’t joined yet, so you might want to check them out. : D
Gerri - I believe it is different for T1s and T2s who are insulin dependent. Insulin CAN induce hunger for T2s with severe insulin resistance. The only way I have found to tame that hunger monster is through a low carb diet. I rarely have hunger anymore - although, if I am going high, strangely enough, this will create a bit of hunger as well. I don’t understand it all - we have so much more to learn (scientifically) about insulin resistance - but I know it’s true for me and for some other T2s I’ve talked to. Low carb is my best defense against it and keeps me in tight control, so it’s very worth it.
I didn’t know asparagus has protein!! I adore asparagus. One of my treat weekend brunches is eggs benedict vegetarian style-low carb english muffin (orowheat double fiber), egg over easy, hollandaise sauce asparagus and tomato…yum! (Not for those watching calories! I only eat it about once a month so I don’t have to start watching calories!!)
Yeah… 1 cup of asparagus has 3 grams of protein. 
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2311/2
Sorry, I didn’t realize this for T2s on insulin. Certainly makes sense.Thanks for setting the record straight.
Learn something every day! I just looked at the nutrition list I use and realized that all vegetables have some protein. Who knew!
No, Insulin doesn’t make me hungry.
We have a Relative who is skinny, can’t gain weight and eats a lot and complains of being hungry often. She has been like this for at least 35 years and does not have Diabetes. I’ve even tested her many, many times. She does have Hyperthyroidism.
I don’t feel hungry any more so on insulin then when I wasn’t. The exception to this ruke is wehn I am VERY low - I will eat anything in site.
This is so. Insulin use in type 2 can make you look like the michelin man. Minimizing the amount you use by all means possible is very important.
I’m Type 2 and just started on Humolog and Lantus 3 days ago, my numbers are crazy high and all over 193-454 and I’m hungry all the time
Sorry, I don’t know what IDPWD is an acronym for…however, I have been Type 1 for over 30 years. The answer is YES. I find that when I’m well controlled (4 shots that are tailored to my glucose test results and the food I am about to eat) I tend to be hungry all the time.
Perhaps off topic, but when it is my time of the month, I can eat from the time I get up in the morning until the time I go to sleep. In between times like breakfast and lunch, my stomach actually growls.
Oh, have to apologize again since this response is months late.