Newbie

[TinkV]

Hello. I was told I might be type 1 last year when I was treated for symptoms of DKA when I was in last stages of pregnancy. After having my baby and repeating the antibody test, it showed I was no longer positive. However, I am regularly reviewed and wear a libre where I monitor my figures (currently in range 92% of time) with no insulin.

I am however still losing weight which is stressing me out. I am still breastfeeding.

I imagine when I see my Dr again he will say I will have to consider insulin. Is this the only cure for weight loss? Will it men’s I will gain tons of weight instead?

Any advice appreciated. Thank you

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Your situation does sound a little odd @TinkV

Great to hear that you are in range 92% of the time!

I’m not medically qualified, but that makes me think that any weight loss possibly isn’t due to diabetes or low insulin levels.

Weight loss in undiagnosed T1 comes about because there isn’t insulin to process carbohydrates in food, so the body begins breaking down fat and muscle (and eventually organs!)

But if that were the case your sensor results wouldn’t be in-range, they would be much higher wouldn‘t they?

My experience of insulin over 30 years is that it hasn’t caused weight gain for me. My weight has gone up, and gone down over the years, but that has always been in relation to whether I am eating more than usual or less than usual, not because of the insulin that processes the food. 🙂

 

[trophywench]

Exactly what Mike said above - yes!

 

[trophywench]

Oh - and you do actually need to eat a bit more whilst still breast feeding I seem to recall to keep a good supply of milk for little 'un.

 

[Austin_98]

Hello. I was told I might be type 1 last year when I was treated for symptoms of DKA when I was in last stages of pregnancy. After having my baby and repeating the antibody test, it showed I was no longer positive. However, I am regularly reviewed and wear a libre where I monitor my figures (currently in range 92% of time) with no insulin.

I am however still losing weight which is stressing me out. I am still breastfeeding.

I imagine when I see my Dr again he will say I will have to consider insulin. Is this the only cure for weight loss? Will it men’s I will gain tons of weight instead?

Any advice appreciated. Thank you

[I'm by no means a medical professional or diabetic expert btw]...pregnancy CAN sometimes cause a sort-of pseudodiabetes that often resolves after giving birth. Fantastic that you are in the normal rage over 90% of the time!
Breastfeeding itself can actually cause weight loss as your body is burning off calories in order to produce the breast milk. The longer you have been breastfeeding, the more calories this will burn, too, as as the baby grows it obviously require more calories/nutrition, so the fat content of your milk will rise accordingly. You can almost think of it as the baby taking the calories from your body is that makes sense?

If you're definitely diabetic, you'll gain weight when you first start taking insulin, but it's not as scary or dramatic as you might think. It depends on calories in vs calories out still. I was scared to start insulin myself for the weight gain reason. I started taking it properly/regularly 7 weeks ago after being hospitalized due to DKA due to not taking it.
I initially gained 6lbs in 4 weeks (which isn't a HUGE amount) but have since lost 3 of those just by being more careful with what I eat.
Insulin will only make you gain a lot of weight or very quickly if you're currently eating a LOT of sugar/carbs and then continue to do so on insulin. Weight loss before insulin (from diabetes) is basically because your body cannot absorb any of the calories from carbs and that reverses itself when you take insulin, meaning you will take on those calories.

I wouldn't worry about weight gain, which will be minimal unless you're very underweight or really eating excessive amounts of carbs.
Also, from personal experience, I feel physically 100 times better on insulin as I used to be exhausted all the time.

 

[Inka]

Hello. I was told I might be type 1 last year when I was treated for symptoms of DKA when I was in last stages of pregnancy. After having my baby and repeating the antibody test, it showed I was no longer positive. However, I am regularly reviewed and wear a libre where I monitor my figures (currently in range 92% of time) with no insulin.

I am however still losing weight which is stressing me out. I am still breastfeeding.

I imagine when I see my Dr again he will say I will have to consider insulin. Is this the only cure for weight loss? Will it men’s I will gain tons of weight instead?

Any advice appreciated. Thank you

Breastfeeding needs more calories than actually being pregnant - at least 500 calories extra a day. So, my first thought is are you eating enough? Are you inadvertently restricting your calories and carbs in order to please the Libre, so to speak?

I know at least 3 women who developed Type 1 during pregnancy, so it’s not that uncommon. It’s often mistakenly thought to be Gestational.

So, I’d use an app like MyFitnessPal to measure your daily calories and carbs and to set targets to eat to. That would be the first thing to rule out (inadequate carbs and calories).

No, insulin won’t make you gain tons of weight. I’ve been taking it for 30 years and I’m slim and have stayed the same weight for years apart from when pregnant. All it does is allow you to use the food you eat properly.