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Concerned about rapid weight loss!!

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NIKKI JOLLY

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Hi I'm concerned about my husband he is a type 1 diabetic doesn't keep control very well has high blood sugar levels has got better over the yrs but was diagnosed 4yrs ago. He still feels he can eat what he likes has a very sweet tooth. I cook healthy meals as I follow the slimming world plan so there is always fresh fruit and veg in the house and we are both not bigger people by all means. But before Xmas he was an ok weight of 12ish stone and a 34 waist in trousers and since then up until now has not through exercise or trying has gone down to a 30 inch waist and when he went to his clinic appointment was just over 11 stone and he is now looking ill. He said hospital didn't seem concerned. As I'm unable to go to his appointments due to my work. I'm getting worried as he eats far more than me.
 
Welcome NIKKI. I have been T1 for more than 50 odd years & never been over 11st & I have lots of 30ins jeans. I think you should have a talk with his health team. 🙂
 
Hello Nikki and welcome 🙂

What kind of blood glucose levels is your husband getting if he isn't managing to keep control very well? If he's injecting insulin but not enough for the carbohydrates he's eating then his blood glucose levels will be high and the kidneys will try their best to excrete some of the excess glucose. This leads to a lot of the calories eaten being excreted and leads to weight loss but is not a good way to be.

Has he had a recent HbA1c blood test that gives an indication of control over the last 12 weeks? If he wants to lose weight and is achieving good glucose levels then that's fine but if the weight loss is due to constantly high blood glucose then that is a problem. Has he been on a carb counting course such as DAFNE to match carbs to insulin? Did he say what the diabetes team said to him about his control even if they didn't mention his weight loss?
 
I agree with all the has been said above.

Another possibility for T1 is an issue with thyroid, which can also cause weight loss (or gain). That is why thyroid functiion should be one of his annual tests. Has he had this done recently?
 
Tbh he doesn't tell me alot and I never see him testing his blood sugar levels altho he tells me he does. He came home and mentioned about being put on a pump but I thought you had to be under good control for That??
 
Everytime I mention it he gets all defensive and says it's not like I'm trying to lose weight. I told him earlier he looked I'll and he just said stress and I know it can't be.
Can I contact the diabetic clinic or the dr and speak to them about him and voice my concerns I know they cannot discuss directly but they could get him in for an appointment as I feel that is the only way he will go in.
As the only time he see anyone is when he gets his annual clinic check and eye screening.
 
NIKKI JOLLY said:
Tbh he doesn't tell me alot and I never see him testing his blood sugar levels altho he tells me he does. He came home and mentioned about being put on a pump but I thought you had to be under good control for That??
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I do blood tests more than 5 times a day. & pumps are great & they really help control. Good luck.🙂
 
HOBIE said:
& pumps are great & they really help control. Good luck.🙂
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They are only good if you do the blood tests and use the pump correctly.
NIKKI JOLLY said:
Tbh he doesn't tell me alot and I never see him testing his blood sugar levels altho he tells me he does. He came home and mentioned about being put on a pump but I thought you had to be under good control for That??
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The one way to check if he is testing is to see how often he puts in a repeat prescription for his test strips and also check his meter, this will tell you how often he tests.

If he drives I hope he tests before he drives and every two hours as per DVLA rules.
Pumps are given to people with poor control as long as they have put in the effort to try and improve the control via injections first. There are lots of ways to get a pump without good control being a factor.
 
Sue Pumps They really do help me in my control. Temp basal & when I am at work great. 🙂
 
HOBIE said:
Sue Pumps They really do help me in my control. Temp basal & when I am at work great. 🙂
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Yes that's fair enough but you implied that they helped everyone my point was that they do not unless you are prepared to put a lot of work into managing your diabetes. A pump is not plug and play.
 
I think pumps are really really easier than changing needles & are just a couple of pushes of buttons. Yes being diabetic is hard work but pumps do help me lots at work. Wild horses would not get my pump off me :D
 
If he doesn't take enough insulin he will lose weight as the body can't metabolise the carbs. BTW I'm a 30" waist so in itself that's not bad but I do have a small body size i.e. 5' 6" height but BMI 22.
 
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