I just started insulin a week ago and I wanted to know if it will help me gain weight.
When I was diagnosed with Diabetes I went into the ER DKA. However, the weight loss had been gradual. I noticed it probably a month or so in advance. At 5'9 I was at my ideal weight of 155 pounds. After I got out of the hospital I was 143. Since that time, after having done an extreme low carb diet to control my BG's (translation: starvation), for months, I'm now at 137.
I absolutely hate it.
Believe it or not, aside from my near death experience with DKA (well it felt like I was dying. Don't know if I was), this has actually been the worst part of my diagnosis. I can't fit into any of my clothes (went from a 31 waist to a 28); and I'm just now finally seeing some muscle mass comeback (I was literally stripped to the bones when this happened).
Anyway, when I started dosing insulin (once a day long acting Lantus)I immediately felt better and healthier.
However, I am finding that I have to eat more to cover the insulin (I've found several times that I am extremely insulin sensitive), which is good I suppose. The dietician wants me to eat more to keep from being underweight. I've taken her suggestions and surprisingly my BG's are always consistently good (I only had one spike and that was because I stuffed my face with toffee coated peanuts, all at one time. Moment of weakness).
I still exercise lightly because the doctor told me it would be good for the insulin...but I'm afraid to exercise because, as I've stated, I've always been pretty slender. I can drop weight like that. But pre diabetes I was eating enough carbohydrate to maintain weight...
That and I'm on Metformin (which i HATE). I just found out that it promotes weight loss.
I am going to ask about going off of it since I'm controlling with insulin, diet, and exercise now.
Be that as it may I really would like to gain at least ten pounds and no more than fifteen.
What can I do if insulin does not help?
Okay I know someone will inevitably say go to the gym and lift weights. That is not optional at this point in time (as I am physically active enough).
I would happily give you 15 pounds. Free. (Seriously, I bet your body will get itself straightened out now that it's happy.)
I am a little taller and a little heavier. I was 165 lbs before I started losing weight to uncontrolled blood sugars and was about 147 at diagnosis. My weight continued to fall to a low of around 141 about 18 months in on MDI. One of the reason I went on the pump was to gain a bit of weight. I have - I'm up to about 151 now - but it's been a four year slog. Work at it and the weight will come back but don't think it's going to be easy.
If you're lucky and it is easy so much the better but don't get discouraged if the improvement at times is slow.
Now that you've been retyped as T1 there is probably no reason for you to be on metformin.
Maurie
when I was first dx a few months ago I had dropped 10lbs and looked a mess, I am pretty small to start with so losing 10lbs on me was not good! it stressed me out, every time I stepped on the scale I wanted to cry, usually people want to cry because the number is too high but not me lol. Anyway once I got straightened out on insulin rather than oral meds I gained the weight back and now am at my normal weight, probably because I could eat more and I wasn't such an anxious mess! I was briefly on metformin and it made me horribly sick! blah! Good luck hope you are able to put some weight back on!
Your BMI is almost perfect..don't worry if your like many of us when you get a little older it will be hard not to gain weight and the insulin will just create a perfect storm for weight gain. When I was first diagnosed my weight had dropped 30 lbs and thought I would never regain any weight, there's something wrong with me, but I was wrong 20 years later I had gained 50lbs and then I was looking for ways to loose 20-30 lbs....cycling worked best.
I went from 5'10" ~138 lbs before diagnosis to 126 lbs when I was diagnosed in the immediate care clinic I stopped at. On just oral meds, I got one shot while at the clinic, I was back over 130 lbs three days later for my follow-up and was back to pre-condition weight within a week. I ate mostly "normal", stopped eating candy and other pure carb snacks and stopped drinking regular pop/energy drinks.
I quit the nasty Metformin after 9 months, my BG's got better! I did this even though the doctor said to keep taking it. When my next A1C came back better and I told the doc I had quit the Metformin, the doc said "It was probably not doing anything for you anyway". I was flabbergasted, I had to sit there a moment and make sure he had actually said it. I have since quit the Doc as well. Quit taking the metformin is my opinion, if the doc wants you on an agent to reduce postprandial spikes, suggest to him/her Amylin/symilin(another synthetic hormone your pancreas makes, or doesn't make in the case of us type 1's.
I gained weight pretty quickly when I was put on insulin, but I hadn't lost as much as you have. I'm sure you'll be able to gain back the weight now that your body is able to metabolize your food properly. :)
Hi Tommy,
There are many, many diabetics who would like to be in your position, I am one and a very close friend is another. Having said that, with the weight that you are carrying, or not carrying, you can be a little more liberal with your meal choices, as long as you count the carbs and take your insulin accordingly. As a general rule, insulin use will foster weight gain, or at least, make it more difficult to loose weight. I lost a lot of weight after diagnosis, and was originally treated as a type 2. Finally, all treatment with oral and insulin failed, and I went through a series of tests that discovered antibodies, so my diagnosis was changed to LADA, and the whole insulin thing was redesigned to something that would work. As for the metformin, My endo tells me that metformin makes cells accept insulin more effectively. I take it and have no problem with it. I don't know why is is somewhat despised in the community, but it works well for me. I urge you to try it before discounting its usefulness.
You can stand to gain a few pounds, but I urge you to be careful not to let your weight get away from you. You are doing well. Keep at it, and remember we are here for you.
Brian Wittman
the insulin won't HELP you gain weight BUT it will regulate your BS levels and that right there will help you gain the weight back.
My DDay was in 5/2003 at 13. I went from being 130lbs to a skeletal weight of 64lbs in a matter of maybe 2 months. I was so far into DKA that the ER doctors were all shocked I wasn't in a coma already. My BS was 713. But once I had my levels regulated and was able to eat right again I quickly gained weight back. so it will just take some work. just don't over do it and think you need to eat bunch of crap food. I used protein shakes once a day to help gain mine back.