Back on insulin and weight increasing again

[noraB]

Hello
I am new to this forum and this is my first post but I read loads about how supportive everyone is so I hope you can help.

I have been diabetic type 2 for about 22 years, I moved onto insulin around 2010. A few years ago I really pushed myself to improve my diabetes control and invested in a continuous glucose monitor. Whilst expensive I can honestly say life changing.

I managed to do enough to stop my 4 insulin injections a day and stay just on tablets. Having lost 4 stone I was delighted to finally have a normal BMI and loved my new wardrobe and confidence!

Unfortunately my hba1c started to increase. I have an amazing diabetes support team who explained I had done nothing wrong (I felt I had failed) but after this long my pancreas needs help.

So I am back of both fast and slow acting insulin and pleased my blood sugars are better. However I seem to be gaining weight weekly and as vain as this may sound, it's hard to accept. I always seem to gain weight on insulin but don't want to have to choose between a normal bmi or good sugar control?

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Reducing carbs has helped my blood sugar but then the hypos start!

Thanks in advance ☺️

 

[Kol]

Hi @noraB,
Reduced carbs will require reduced insulin, the tricky bit is balancing the two, otherwise you end up ‘feeding’ the insulin and hypo’s therefore eating when not really needed which probably results in weight gain.

 

[noraB]

That sounds familiar! Thanks just a bit of trail and error with the insulin then

 

[rayray119]

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Reducing carbs has helped my blood sugar but then the hypos start!

Thanks in advance ☺️

With regards to the fast acting insulin are adjusting to what you eat or on set doses?

 

[Kol]

Yes, we have all probably been guilty of that at some point in our history, since it is easier said than done, do you adjust doses or on fixed amounts of insulin?

 

[Kol]

With regards to the fast acting insulin are adjusting to what you eat or on set doses?

Beat me to it 🙂

 

[noraB]

Yes I am carb counting so doing my best to be as accurate as possible. I have reduced my long acting insulin (which I take before bed) as I was getting a lot of hypos in the night, thankfully over the past few days they have stopped.
I may estimate incorrectly I started this again just before Christmas after over a year off it, so I probably should go back to basics and weigh my food rather than guess. I probably should have always done that, always seem to blame being busy.

The additional snacks to address hypos definitely sounds plausible for the weight gain. Thank you both

 

[rayray119]

Yes I am carb counting so doing my best to be as accurate as possible. I have reduced my long acting insulin (which I take before bed) as I was getting a lot of hypos in the night, thankfully over the past few days they have stopped.
I may estimate incorrectly I started this again just before Christmas after over a year off it, so I probably should go back to basics and weigh my food rather than guess. I probably should have always done that, always seem to blame being busy.

The additional snacks to address hypos definitely sounds plausible for the weight gain. Thank you both

What long acting insulin(the name) are you on hypos in the night sujests. it's took long yes I would weigh the food. Knowing how much you are eating will help you work out your raditos

 

[noraB]

Toujeou. My specialist nurse has been great with advice on how much to reduce and when with that.

Think I may still be giving myself more than I need with meals but the hypos have reduced hopefully I can snack less now.

 

[rayray119]

Toujeou. My specialist nurse has been great with advice on how much to reduce and when with that.

Think I may still be giving myself more than I need with meals but the hypos have reduced hopefully I can snack less now.

Ah yeah is alot of trail and error to begin with.

 

[Proud to be erratic]

I can't help with the weight control bit. But since you are in your own way trying to restore the basics etc, many of us find it is helpful get one's basal as right as possible - first. If the background insulin isn't optimised then one's bolus is chasing basal shortcomings as well as meal needs. I appreciate your team are into this with you. You might find it helpful to get them to explain their "logic for analysis of basal" to allow you to become fairly independent, since it is something that might need considering when the Multiple Daily Insulin (MDI) process is not behaving properly!

This link gives some insight that might explain better than I can:

How To Successfully Test Your Basal Rate

Are you looking for basal rate information and testing instructions? Perfect! You're in the right place!

www.mysugr.com

Regarding trial and error I like to take a more positive spin on this and consider it trial and learning. Generally we don't set out to cause errors but are content to learn. I recall my physics master at school pushing this wisdom onto all of us who listened!

 

[noraB]

Thank you, that article is really helpful! Love the positive spin,definitely going to adopt that !

 

[Kol]

Regarding trial and error I like to take a more positive spin on this and consider it trial and learning. Generally we don't set out to cause errors but are content to learn. I recall my physics master at school pushing this wisdom onto all of us who listened!

I like the ‘trial and learning’ phrase, never heard that before, it as you say does add a positive.