• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Why all the resistance??

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
MeganN

MeganN

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi guys

Was feeling a little low last night and had a good cry.

People from my dafne course seem to be getting on really well which is good, except for me.

I haven't got massively high numbers, mostly below 10 but still don't feel that I can eat what I want on the MDI.

I have a high insulin ratio of 3.5 or 4u to every 10g of carbs. This means I seem to have to inject ALOT more insulin at meal times compared to those that are actually eating a lot more than I am.

I eat under 100g of carb a day due to the fact that I telly don't like having to inject more than 10u of Insulin for a meal so I keep most meals under 30g of carb.

Some days I'm really hungry and don't feel that I can eat more.
Also I think I'm putting on weight even though I'm not eating much.

My question/ moan is: why do I have so much insulin resistance?!? I'm not very overweight and I'm an active person. I worry that when I'm older my ratios will be even higher and I will eat even less.

Feeling very down at the moment. :(
 
Megan

Regarding insulin, you need what you need, this isn't any kind of competition. Some of us need more than others. Having said this, I was having a moan at a review meeting a year or so back about the amount I needed and my nurse put me on 1000 metformin a day to help. I didn't notice much difference, so at my last review she told me to increase it to 1500 per day and then on to 2000 a day. I got as far as 1500 and 3 weeks later my insulin requirements suddenly plummeted like a stone. It's made a terrific difference and I notice I am now gradually dropping a bit of weight. There's no shame in accepting this medication, I know many T1s who are on it as well as insulin.

Just two days ago I saw the pump nurse to start my journey towards getting a pump and she commented on how insulin sensitive she thought I was. I mentioned the metformin and she was completely behind this treatment. It's worth asking. Specially as you've just completed, or are still doing, DAFNE.
 
Metformin could possibly be an idea for the future but at the moment we are concentrating on getting levels good for pregnancy and metformin cannot be used while pregnant.

I also think my stomach doesn't get on with metformin. Evn the slow release one have me bad side effects and cramps :(
 
Apologies, I didn't know you were TTC. However, I do know one lady on another forum who suffers PCOS and has had a successful pregnancy using metformin throughout, plus a couple of people who had gestational diabetes and used it successfully. I suppose it depends, as do all these things, on what line the particular HCPs in your area take. The recommendations across the board in pregnancy seem to vary tremendously according to different PCTs.
 
Yes - metformin IS supposed to be safe in pregnancy!

Who knows anyway, if you went on Met now you might as Patti has - lose weight - and that might cure your IR if that's what it is.
 
I started using Metformin whilst TTC, because I have polycystic ovaries and it is known to help reduce insulin resistance which can help to improve the function of the ovaries. I took it in combination with Clomid and am currently almost 28 weeks pregnant.

I found insulin requirements dropped by about 20% when I started taking it, and remained like that for the 6 months until I got pregnant. I also lost just over half a stone at the same time, with no changes to diet or routine, I think it was purely the reduction in insulin.
 
Pattidevans said:
Megan

Regarding insulin, you need what you need, this isn't any kind of competition. Some of us need more than others. Having said this, I was having a moan at a review meeting a year or so back about the amount I needed and my nurse put me on 1000 metformin a day to help. I didn't notice much difference, so at my last review she told me to increase it to 1500 per day and then on to 2000 a day. I got as far as 1500 and 3 weeks later my insulin requirements suddenly plummeted like a stone. It's made a terrific difference and I notice I am now gradually dropping a bit of weight. There's no shame in accepting this medication, I know many T1s who are on it as well as insulin.

Just two days ago I saw the pump nurse to start my journey towards getting a pump and she commented on how insulin sensitive she thought I was. I mentioned the metformin and she was completely behind this treatment. It's worth asking. Specially as you've just completed, or are still doing, DAFNE.
Click to expand...

I was put on metformin (3 x 500) about 4 months ago to help with my insulin resistance, I've noticed no difference at all to my insulin needs.....they are still huge! maybe I should go up to 4 x 500?
 
Phil65 said:
I was put on metformin (3 x 500) about 4 months ago to help with my insulin resistance, I've noticed no difference at all to my insulin needs.....they are still huge! maybe I should go up to 4 x 500?
Click to expand...
Phil

I didn;t notice any difference in insulin requirements when I was taking 2 x 500mg but about 3 weeks after I increased it to 3 x 500 I noticed a very marked drop in requirements. It was hypo city for a week! Perhaps you do need to increase to 4 x 500mg
 
Hi Megan

Are you still on your Daphne course or can you get in touch with your DSNs about your concerns?

It seems that at the very least you need some reassurance: the point of Dafne is surely to eat what you like: if it has the psychological effect of not making you want to eat so much because of the amount of insulin you have to take, and you are feeling hungry and miserable because of it, you need to tell them about this. Even If they can't do anything about it, maybe they can help you feel better about it? If you are more insulin resistant that other people, it's not always a 'fault' or a 'weight thing' or even a problem: maybe it's just the way you are and perfectly ok??

Also maybe there's the factual thing about Metformin needs clearing up....

Further, I think it's normal, if not always desirable, to put some weight on as your diabetic control improves... Not always a bad thing.

TTC is stressful at the best of times - can vouch for that. I hope everything improves for you...,
 
Last edited:
Re-reading this thread, and it made me wonder how much extra protein/fat/veg you were including in your meals (the ole 'fuller for longer' thing)

I don't have any real hands-on experience of trying to keep weight down, but I do read accounts of people who keep carbs low (and lower than yours) but include more fat/protein and do not gain weight even if calorific intake seems to be a at least as high if not higher
 
Lots of protein and veg to keep me full.
I try as much as I can to only eat lean meats but I was still eating more of it than I was before diagnosis. So I suppose that would make my diet higher fat.
Now I've reduced my insulin some and my ratio does not seem to be as high as before (even though the exact same breakfast correction did not work at all yesterday compared to how well it worked on Wednesday). Could I have been putting on weight from using too much insulin?
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top