I was diagnosed 2 weeks ago as diabetic, but doctors were confused as I don't fit the typical profile for type 1 or 2. They sent off for some more tests to confirm which type, which could take 6 weeks (!) and in the meantime said they had to treat it as type 1 as it's dangerous if not treated if it is. So put straight on insulin injections. It seems more likely that I have type 2 (I previously had pre-diabetes in 2016 but put it in remission) so my question is, if you are insulin resistant with type 2, will injecting insulin 3 times a day make that insulin resistance worse? I am trying to eat lower carb to reduce the amount of insulin I have to take. Thanks.
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Do insulin injections worsen insulin resistance?
- Thread starter Vectian
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Leadinglights
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- Type 2
Welcome to the forum
Did they tell you what your HbA1C result was and what insulin have you been prescribed. Yes the tests do take a while to come back but if your blood glucose is very high then it is important to get it down to minimise the risk of DKA.
Have they advised you about the amount of carbs you should have at each meal to take account of the insulin dose. What means of testing your blood glucose do you have.
Sorry for all the questions but it will help people make appropriate suggestions and comments.
Hi thanks yes the A1C was 97, which I know is high. The previous test was 2 years ago which was 38, and in the 30s every year for 5 years before that with minimal changes in diet. I was put on 10 units Abasaglar, which made me feel very ill and within a few days was putting me below 4 during the night. After a week I cam off that and found that I didn't need it, I have a continuous monitor and it's in the normal range and down to 4.5 at night. So I just have the fast acting insulin, usually about 10-12 units a day as I am keeping carbs down in case it is type 2. At the moment 1 unit per 10g carbs. I have also discovered that 10mins brisk walking after eating reduces the spike and generally keeps it lower, so may be able to reduce the insulin further. I am just concerned that if I do have type and so pretty insulin resistant, injecting more insulin is going to make that worse.
Inka
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- Type 1
If you don’t have any signs of insulin resistance, then you might well not have it @Vectian It’s more important to control your sugars while you’re waiting for the test results. Eating too few carbs can cause a kind of insulin resistance itself, so personally I’d just eat a normal healthy diet, especially if you’re not overweight.
I'm not overweight, but you can still have visceral fat around the pancreas and liver with a BMI in the normal range. There is a recent study about this https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-us/news-and-views/retune-study-lower-body-weight
The signs of insulin resistance are the high blood sugar and also lipids were above/below what they should be. I'm not doing keto or anything, just avoiding all sugar, between meal snacks and things that cause a big rise like white bread/pasta/rice/potatoes etc. Which ends up with lower carbs and is generally much more healthy than I was eating before! How does eating too few carbs cause insulin resistance I haven't read that anywhere? A low carb diet is one of the main ways of putting T2 into remission (I know because I have done it before).
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This seems to be something which is commonly missed, especially when managing Type 1 with a low carb diet (with injected insulin).
The other thing to remember regarding insulin resistance is that the higher the BG, the more insulin is required.
So, not treating a high BG with insulin can make insulin resistance worse in the short term.
Inka
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Edited to amend after seeing your mention of ketones on another thread - if you’re seeing ketones, then maybe that is very low carb. Yes, very low carb causes physiological insulin resistance. The body thinks it’s starving, so increases insulin resistance.
High blood sugar isn’t a sign of just insulin resistance. It can also be a sign of insulin deficiency, as in Type 1 and other types too. Although I can totally understand why you’re thinking it’s Type 2, it’s sensible of the doctor to check. It should also bring you reassurance too to have a diagnosis you know is right 🙂
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Lucyr
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No it won’t. Injecting insulin will just give the additional your body needs but isn’t producing, it won’t make insulin resistance worse
Eating too few carbs can cause insulin resistance though. I’d just eat a normal healthy diet until you have the results. If low doses of insulin were sending you too low then you’re likely not insulin resistant
I don't think it's super low carb, the keto diet is 20 or 30g carbs a day, I am having 80-90g or so. Apparently it's quite difficult to stay in ketosis even if you are trying. Everything I have read says to avoid white bread/pasta/rice, potatoes and sugary rubbish and processed snacks, which is pretty much all I'm doing. I understand why they have to treat it as T1, just frustrating it takes so long for these tests and I have never felt so ill since taking insulin. I felt 10 times better with high blood sugar!
Inka
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
No everything, although veg seems to be very low in carbs anyway other than potatoes etc. It's the insulin itself that made me ill, specifically Abasaglar, when I came off it I felt much better. But I don't need the long acting one anyway, I am down to 4.5 or so at night without it, just taking the meal time insulin around 10-12 units a day. Also discovered that a 10min brisk walk after eating really helps to bring it down.
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Ok, the reason I asked about the carb counting was that if you were totting up broccoli, carrots, etc etc you might erroneously think you were eating more carbs than you are. You say you’re seeing ketones and, if you’re not eating very low carb (hence my question about counting) then that would be a concern.
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
You might find it helpful to get the Carbs and Cals book or app as it gives carb amounts for various portions of a whole range of foods.
Some will be quite a surprise, good or not so good. Most green veg are low carb but there are some veg not just potatoes that people need to be careful of portion size
Aren't you supposed to count everything? Veg doesn't contribute much to the total anyway. I think the ketones may have been because I was doing intermittent fasting then and eating 2 meals a day which must have pushed into ketosis (ketone level was 3, which is normal for those on a keto diet but alarm bells if a diabetic!). Ended up in A&E but consultant said if blood sugar isn't high then DKA wouldn't happen. Since then I've made sure I'm above about 60g a day so hopefully shouldn't have crazy ketones now.
Inka
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- Type 1
The carb amounts listed usually omit veg, so someone who counted the carbs in veg might actually be getting a ‘wrong’ figure and think they’re eating more carbs than they are when compared to the carb amounts listed. I hope that makes sense! I mean we might be talking about two different things but mistakenly think we’re talking about the same amount of food/carbs.
OK, it wouldn't be that massively different a figure anyway as the veg contributes so little. Are you T1? Seems like a scary prospect if it turns out I am T1!
Inka
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- Type 1
Yes, I’m Type 1. I’ve had it for more than 30 years. Still waiting for a cure!
Did it start as an adult, and if so was there some trigger that caused it? How many units of insulin do you have to take a day?
What is so scary about it?
Injecting insulin, avoiding hypos, carb counting to calculate insulin dose or more?
I was diagnosed with Type 1 in my mid 30s and after 20 years of this, I have no complications, am healthier than other my age and live a very full active life.
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
The trigger for Type 1 is currently unknown (there might be more than one). It’s an auto-immune condition. You need the Type 1 genes but most people with those genes don’t develop Type 1. Something in the environment starts the auto-immune response. Possible suspects are cows milk, viruses, damage to the gut, etc.
It depends what I eat but I take around 15 units of insulin in total a day.
No, it’s not really scary, although it is a pain in the bum. The reason it’s not scary is because we’re lucky enough to have insulin. Before that, Type 1 was a terminal condition.
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