weight gain and brittle nails

M

mb1130

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Has anyone experienced brittle nails and weight gain. I always had very strong nails. Like handy little tools on the end of each finger. The past year or two they have been very brittle. I try to keep up with regular manicures and DIY manis in between. It seems to me that it's been a problem since my Dr. prescribed a change from a 70/30 formulation to a long acting once a day with instant acting before meals and "as needed". It's not exactly a pressing health issue but I'm wondering if anyone else has had this experience.

The more pressing detail, to me, is that it's very difficult to lose weight on this regimen. I eat a healthy diet, and was taking berberine for awhile and the scale continued to creep up. We were on vacation and very physically active. Additionally I was careful about not over indulging just because it was vacay. I expected to be down at least a few pounds but actually gained a few. Very discouraging. A few weeks ago my husband was rushed to the hospital and I left the house without my glucose monitor and without insulin. Granted I didn't eat well for the next three days but I came home with a six pound weight loss. I've stayed off the insulin and I'm not down 14 pounds, feel much less bloated and much more energetic. My numbers were only slightly higher than they were with the constant injections. It's creeping back up (the numbers, not the weight or appetite) so I know it's time to get back on track. The BIG issue is our Dr. has been ill himself and is not returning calls or being available as he has in the past. On the search for a new doctor who can work with me to make adjustments and listen to concerns. I feel like I was over medicated.

Any insights, advice etc. from this community would be very welcome. In the meantime we're on a serious search for a doctor.
 
Sorry to hear you’ve been struggling @mb1130

Are you keeping an eye on your micronutrients, vitamins and minerals? I think magnesium is sometimes mentioned for nail strength and condition (though I am by no means any kind of expert!)

I am finding your comments about insulin very confusing. You’ve said before that you were checked and confirmed T1. Do you remember what those checks were?

For a person with T1 spending 3 days without insulin could have been potentially catastrophic, and would usually have resulted in hugely increased BG levels. I wonder how your T1 diagnosis can be right if you have stayed off insulin, and not seen your BG levels go through the roof?
 
Thank you for your reply! Yes…my endocrinologist confirmed me as T1 based on blood work and my GP agrees with that. Endo said that I had no pancreatic function. If there was any function at all it was so miniscule as to not have any effect at all. I have a brother who is also T1 and one who is T2. So why am I not topping out at 300 or more? I was quite upset and not eating much during the hospitalization but still without any insulin at all I expected to be through the roof but the first reading when I came home was 150. Not a great number but without insulin??? Some years back the endo warned me about stacking so I assume that might have carried me through?

I’m in the U.S. and our insurance was not covering the endocrinologist. The cost there was VERY high and he wasn’t as engaged or communicative as I would have liked. It’s a 3-6 month wait to book with an endo. The medical community in Boston is fantastic. I had need of an oncologist some years back so I may call their office to ask for a recommendation. In the meantime I’m testing constantly and taking small doses throughout the day to stay in my target range.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Sorry to hear you’ve been struggling @mb1130

Are you keeping an eye on your micronutrients, vitamins and minerals? I think magnesium is sometimes mentioned for nail strength and condition (though I am by no means any kind of expert!)

I am finding your comments about insulin very confusing. You’ve said before that you were checked and confirmed T1. Do you remember what those checks were?

For a person with T1 spending 3 days without insulin could have been potentially catastrophic, and would usually have resulted in hugely increased BG levels. I wonder how your T1 diagnosis can be right if you have stayed off insulin, and not seen your BG levels go through the roof?
Click to expand...
I meant to add a question in my other reply. You mentioned micronutrients and vitamins and minerals. I’ve had trouble with magnesium supplements in the past. I can only take them for a few weeks and then I have bloating issues. This has been the case for about 15 years now, no matter which variety or brand. And of course the suggested remedy for that is magnesium. I’m eccentric I guess.

Can you point me towards the info on micronutrients and vitamins?
 
Since having T1 I have found my nails have become very brittle, and break so easily, but that may also be related to increase in age!!!
 
mb1130 said:
Thank you for your reply! Yes…my endocrinologist confirmed me as T1 based on blood work and my GP agrees with that. Endo said that I had no pancreatic function. If there was any function at all it was so miniscule as to not have any effect at all. I have a brother who is also T1 and one who is T2. So why am I not topping out at 300 or more? I was quite upset and not eating much during the hospitalization but still without any insulin at all I expected to be through the roof but the first reading when I came home was 150. Not a great number but without insulin??? Some years back the endo warned me about stacking so I assume that might have carried me through?

I’m in the U.S. and our insurance was not covering the endocrinologist. The cost there was VERY high and he wasn’t as engaged or communicative as I would have liked. It’s a 3-6 month wait to book with an endo. The medical community in Boston is fantastic. I had need of an oncologist some years back so I may call their office to ask for a recommendation. In the meantime I’m testing constantly and taking small doses throughout the day to stay in my target range.
Click to expand...
I had to convert to mmol/l from your 150mg/dl to get an idea but you are certainly not as high as you might expect without insulin (8.3mmol/l for UK units).
 
mb1130 said:
And of course the suggested remedy for that is magnesium. I’m eccentric I guess.
Click to expand...
You could perhaps try to increase foods naturally high in magnesium, rather than a supplement?

Eg
Spinach
Almonds, cashews & peanuts
Edamame
Black beans
Avocado?
 
SB2015 said:
Since having T1 I have found my nails have become very brittle, and break so easily, but that may also be related to increase in age!!!
Click to expand...
Age is one thing that affects nails a lot, you may well find they are no longer the way they used to be when younger (I know mine have changed).
 
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