How long to reverse symptoms of Insulin Resistance?
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Violet_Flux
Posts: 481 Member
Among the many things I have learned since joining this group, is the whole concept of insulin resistance. It struck me because for years I've had some of the symptoms, but never realized what was causing them. Most annoying have been skin tags, and that thing where skin goes dark in places it's folded.
For a while it felt like I was getting new skin tags on a weekly basis, but I realize I don't think I've had any new ones in many months. I do still have a small 'army' of them on my shoulders and neck, though. And I have some areas where my skin colour and texture is completely changed, where it folds.
I've read here and there people saying their skin tags have gone away after a while of low carb, and I'm wondering how long that usually takes? And if the dark skin thing also goes away eventually?
For a while it felt like I was getting new skin tags on a weekly basis, but I realize I don't think I've had any new ones in many months. I do still have a small 'army' of them on my shoulders and neck, though. And I have some areas where my skin colour and texture is completely changed, where it folds.
I've read here and there people saying their skin tags have gone away after a while of low carb, and I'm wondering how long that usually takes? And if the dark skin thing also goes away eventually?
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I've been wondering too because while the skin tags are going away the fasting BG is still bouncing around like Tigger on speed. One day its starting to look really good, then next it jumps back up.1
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I've not had the skin tags change, but when I first got my fasting insulin levels lower, the dark skin thing (eyelids, neck folds, inner elbows, under arms, under breasts, etc.), faded with a quickness (EDITED TO ADD: I have to wear eyeliner/eyeshadow now to not feel like I look pale, like an albino zombie). The darkened skin has not returned despite having compliance issues on my program, but the skin tags have increased again.
It's a very individual issue, and may not even be the same for you from month to month.
That being said, keeping blood sugar consistent, getting in regular and preferably somewhat moderate/intense exercise, and improving sleep quality and quantity consistently are all major components in reducing insulin resistance.
Even a single hour of missed sleep for 2-4 days in a row creates a level of insulin resistance/impaired glucose processing in the majority of people... Any blood glucose spikes create spikes of insulin. Also, eating high volumes of food in small amounts of time can create insulin responses. Incorporating intermittent fasting, even 1 day a week, missing only one meal, can help remind the body of how to process insulin, etc. There are just so many facets of IR, it's really hard to ... quantify.2 -
We had a thread once before that mentioned skin tags, and I said I was going to pay attention. I never reported back (pretty sure). I am reasonably certain that mine have not changed - no better or worse. I am more or less 8 months into LC, so the answer may be that 8 months is not long enough.0
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You know that thing where you get a dark line from your belly button down when pregnant??? Mine briefly reappeared...it's fading again, but what the heck...not sure if it's just a low carb thing or a peri-menopause thing, but it just all of a sudden was there one day.0
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Oh that's where these dark patches inside my elbows came from! I will keep an eye on them. I've been Keto for just under 3 months.0
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Thanks for the responses!
I'm just starting my 9th month of low carb, and getting impatient for some of these side benefits lol. I've done IF longer than low carb, usually 16:8. That's actually my 'normal' routine, I was doing it even before I knew there was a name for it.
I don't have the discoloured skin at my elbows, but I do have it at my eyelids, under my boobs, and the worst spot is under my belly. Of course that's where I keep like 80% of my fat.
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I have a few skin tags and darker than when I was younger, eyelids. I've always considered them a part of aging for some people. Had 'em before weightloss. Still have them. I've never been known to be insulin resistant.0
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My skin tags literally disappeared this last year and the dark patches are also gone hallelujah! Lol1
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A year but I noticed them disappearing around the six month mark1
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Funny thing I had the symptoms worse when I was PCOS, probably because I wasn't on any meds0
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@Steph_Maks - glancing at your diary, you seem to carry HUGE caloric deficits. We should be creating a deficit by calorie restrictions OR by exercise. By combining the two, your deficit might be creating stress on your adrenal and endocrine system. If you haven't had your cortisol and such checked, you might look into that. Because stressing the system basically never lets the insulin/glucose situation chill out. Your metabolism might be overtaxed. Especially for some of us with insulin resistance, this can be a HUGE issue. Too much stress on the body, from IR, from excessive exercise, from excessive caloric restriction can actually create a negative bodily response.
You can be doing too much of the right things and adding too much stress on your body... @cstehansen found that he had to reduce all of his activity to start gaining better glucose management...he was overtaxing all of his systems! I'm sure others have, too, but his is the one I remember off hand. His symptoms and reactions implied that he was IR, but lab tests revealed that it wasn't his problem...cortisol is.
Another side note is that those discolorations/skin issues can also be related to out of balance hormones, which are another related system to endocrine and adrenal...so your issues may be caused by estrogen/progesterone/testosterone, etc. being way out of balance. I know that about a decade ago, I was supplementing with progesterone to try to level out my hormones, but my cortisol and adrenaline were so depleted that they kept stealing the prog to convert it for the critical "let's stay alive" body needs. To my understanding, prog is the least "essential" hormone, and so it can be the first place hormone irregularities surface, as other hormonal needs will "steal" it and "convert" it for more critical needs...
So, TL;DR - if you haven't had a full body workup done, I'd lean that route, since you've been doing this a while with less than expected progress.3 -
Thanks @KnitOrMiss for that very detailed post.
I've honestly tried to eat more, raised my caloric goal etc but I'm usually satisfied eating around the 1200 - 1400 cal mark. And I am a bit reluctant to cut back on activity... after 20+ years of lethargy and sedentary lifestyle, I am so excited to be able to move, that I don't want to stop!
Interesting about the hormones. I have had problems with estrogen / testosterone, not sure about progesterone. I see an endocrinologist every 6 months (just saw her last week actually) and the hormones are being managed. However, I don't think adrenaline or cortisol have ever been mentioned, much less checked.
I haven't had insulin levels checked either but my A1C was checked last week and it was 5.0 - but I don't know what it was before that. It's never been high enough to warrant action, or at least no doctor has ever said it was a concern, and I know it's been checked in the past.
I'll see about getting my GP to do a full physical / workup. It's about that time of the decade, I'm probably due for one.
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holy shitski @Steph_Maks ! 167 pounds lost!0
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Steph_Maks wrote: »Thanks @KnitOrMiss for that very detailed post.
I've honestly tried to eat more, raised my caloric goal etc but I'm usually satisfied eating around the 1200 - 1400 cal mark. And I am a bit reluctant to cut back on activity... after 20+ years of lethargy and sedentary lifestyle, I am so excited to be able to move, that I don't want to stop!
Interesting about the hormones. I have had problems with estrogen / testosterone, not sure about progesterone. I see an endocrinologist every 6 months (just saw her last week actually) and the hormones are being managed. However, I don't think adrenaline or cortisol have ever been mentioned, much less checked.
I haven't had insulin levels checked either but my A1C was checked last week and it was 5.0 - but I don't know what it was before that. It's never been high enough to warrant action, or at least no doctor has ever said it was a concern, and I know it's been checked in the past.
I'll see about getting my GP to do a full physical / workup. It's about that time of the decade, I'm probably due for one.
@Steph_Maks - my Fasting glucose is usually around 89-91. My A1C is between 5.2-5.4%. But my fasting insulin level has been as high as 15, as low as 5. So, A1C and fasting blood glucose do not tell you squat about insulin unless you're already full up in everything. Nor vice versa. A low fasting insulin can still have a crazy high FBG and A1c...
The two are related, and they affect each other, but glucose tends to stay somewhat static unless you're eating/skipping meals... Insulin is VERY dynamic and can bounce around like a hyped up ping pong ball... So one thing does not EVER quickly/clearly point to the other unless things are crazy BADBADBAD.
Luckily for me, my endocrinologist listened to my symptoms, not just my labs. He's the one who discovered my insulin resistance - WHILE I WAS THERE TO BE SEEN ABOUT MY THYROID...
Being excited about moving and staying active DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE TYPE AND QUANTITY OF THAT MOVEMENT. If someone had a back injury, and they wanted to keep moving, and their favorite thing to do was lift weights and do heavy squatting, would you suggest they keep doing that, even at risk of permanent injury? Or would you suggest they focus on leg stuff or arm stuff or something, or walking...until they were healed?
Just because your internal system malfunction is likely INTERNAL and you can't necessary see it or feel it, it might still be there, just the same.
Food for thought.
Plus, you an entirely different person. It might just be a case of letting your body catch up with your last DECADE of progress!!!1 -
I've heard it both ways. Some ppl say the receptors don't heal. Some ppl say they do. As far as time, I have no idea but it's been over two years for me so far and if I eat sugar it still climbs sky high fast. Maybe decades? Maybe never?
Can't speak to the skin tags or dark patches as I have neither. Hubby does have skin tags tho. I didn't realize they were connected.0 -
@kpk54 yeah, I'm right at the 2/3 point, another 83lbs to go before I hit my goal. Then I may re-evaluate.
@KnitOrMiss thanks again for all that information! When I see my doctor I'll ask her about checking insulin level, as well as the other hormones.
I should say, overall I am pleased with my progress so far. I'm impatient for more, but in the grand scheme of things the skin tags and discoloured skin are relatively minor aggravations.1 -
Steph_Maks wrote: »Among the many things I have learned since joining this group, is the whole concept of insulin resistance. It struck me because for years I've had some of the symptoms, but never realized what was causing them. Most annoying have been skin tags, and that thing where skin goes dark in places it's folded.
For a while it felt like I was getting new skin tags on a weekly basis, but I realize I don't think I've had any new ones in many months. I do still have a small 'army' of them on my shoulders and neck, though. And I have some areas where my skin colour and texture is completely changed, where it folds.
I've read here and there people saying their skin tags have gone away after a while of low carb, and I'm wondering how long that usually takes? And if the dark skin thing also goes away eventually?
@Steph_Maks I had my first Fasting Blood Glucose reading of 88 two weeks ago. The range for the past 4 years has been 102-108. I started LCHF Oct 2014
Below is from my NMR LipoProf+Graph lab results that came today so at <25 I guess it is official my IR is GONE.
LP-IR Score <25 <=45 BN
INSULIN RESISTANCE MARKER
<--Insulin Sensitive Insulin Resistant-->
Percentile in Reference Population Insulin Resistance Score
LP-IR Score Low 25th 50th 75th High
<27 27 45 63 >63
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GaleHawkins wrote: »Steph_Maks wrote: »Among the many things I have learned since joining this group, is the whole concept of insulin resistance. It struck me because for years I've had some of the symptoms, but never realized what was causing them. Most annoying have been skin tags, and that thing where skin goes dark in places it's folded.
For a while it felt like I was getting new skin tags on a weekly basis, but I realize I don't think I've had any new ones in many months. I do still have a small 'army' of them on my shoulders and neck, though. And I have some areas where my skin colour and texture is completely changed, where it folds.
I've read here and there people saying their skin tags have gone away after a while of low carb, and I'm wondering how long that usually takes? And if the dark skin thing also goes away eventually?
@Steph_Maks I had my first Fasting Blood Glucose reading of 88 two weeks ago. The range for the past 4 years has been 102-108. I started LCHF Oct 2014
Below is from my NMR LipoProf+Graph lab results that came today so at <25 I guess it is official my IR is GONE.
LP-IR Score <25 <=45 BN
INSULIN RESISTANCE MARKER
<--Insulin Sensitive Insulin Resistant-->
Percentile in Reference Population Insulin Resistance Score
LP-IR Score Low 25th 50th 75th High
<27 27 45 63 >63
So awesome!!!1
