FRUSTRATIONS!
melissam226
Posts: 59
Hello!
I'm 28 and have been diabetic for about 12 years now. At first since I was about 40 lbs overweight and my body was still making insulin, I was diagnosed as a Type II. Over the years I was on Metformin and controlled my carbs losing about 65-70 lbs (I'm not really sure on the exact number actually).
Recently my doctor noticed how low my C-Peptide count was (meaning I wasn't producing as much insulin if any) and put me on insulin, explaining I might not be Type II anymore. I read up on LADA after someone on here mentioned it and asked my doctor if that's what I was now. He told me most likely and that he would need to treat me more as a Type I. Over the last year I have been fighting the insulin to lose this last 20 lbs or so. It seems like if I eat within my cals and my sugar level is normal, I gain weight. I have been fluctuating from 143 to 156 over the last year and it's stressing me out.
My BMR is 1480 and I eat back some of my exercise cals usually. My profile and diary are open. :-) I am also on long-acting insulin, about 40 units a day, less if my BS levels are already very low before my morning workout. I limit my carbs and sometimes do need less insulin but usually carbs or no carbs, I need SOME insulin. I also have fast acting insulin I use now and then just in case I have too many carbs or am stressed out. I haven't had to use any for weeks. I run three to four times a week and do strength once or twice a week.
I would love some advice and weight loss success stories from people who have Type I or have dealt with LADA. I just need to be told I can have a flat stomach and toned arms even though I'm on insulin.
Is giving up carbs completely the way to go? I'm so used to limiting and controlling my sugar with carb counting, seeing it have very little affect on my weight loss after 12 years is annoying. Are there any meds my dr and I haven't looked at?
I'm 28 and have been diabetic for about 12 years now. At first since I was about 40 lbs overweight and my body was still making insulin, I was diagnosed as a Type II. Over the years I was on Metformin and controlled my carbs losing about 65-70 lbs (I'm not really sure on the exact number actually).
Recently my doctor noticed how low my C-Peptide count was (meaning I wasn't producing as much insulin if any) and put me on insulin, explaining I might not be Type II anymore. I read up on LADA after someone on here mentioned it and asked my doctor if that's what I was now. He told me most likely and that he would need to treat me more as a Type I. Over the last year I have been fighting the insulin to lose this last 20 lbs or so. It seems like if I eat within my cals and my sugar level is normal, I gain weight. I have been fluctuating from 143 to 156 over the last year and it's stressing me out.
My BMR is 1480 and I eat back some of my exercise cals usually. My profile and diary are open. :-) I am also on long-acting insulin, about 40 units a day, less if my BS levels are already very low before my morning workout. I limit my carbs and sometimes do need less insulin but usually carbs or no carbs, I need SOME insulin. I also have fast acting insulin I use now and then just in case I have too many carbs or am stressed out. I haven't had to use any for weeks. I run three to four times a week and do strength once or twice a week.
I would love some advice and weight loss success stories from people who have Type I or have dealt with LADA. I just need to be told I can have a flat stomach and toned arms even though I'm on insulin.
Is giving up carbs completely the way to go? I'm so used to limiting and controlling my sugar with carb counting, seeing it have very little affect on my weight loss after 12 years is annoying. Are there any meds my dr and I haven't looked at?
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I am also 28 and have been diabetic for 12 years. Although I am Type 1 from the get go. I wish I could give you some encouraging news but I actually would like to know if it is possible to lose the belly and extra weight I have carried since I was diagnosed. I have lost about 13 pounds with diet, cardio and weight training and I definitley see a huge difference in my body. Just thought I'd let you know that you aren't alone in your frustrations. Feel free to add me as a friend. I believe we can get there and have a flat stomach despite our diabetes!
Good luck!
Sera0 -
Beware! There will be no flat stomach if you don't rotate injection sites. I've always done needles in my belly and been diabetic for over 20 years and my belly will never be flat. It's called lipodystrophy and you get it from too many injections in the same spot. On me, it looks like a bubble patch around my belly button area. Sucks! As for weight loss, I lost 15lbs in 3 months. But now after pregancy for the first time and at 31 years old - my son is 14 months old and I still have 8lbs to go. Long old road losing this weight after pregnancy.0
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I'm honestly in the same boat. I've been really strict the last year and stay with in my calorie limit, I eat super clean, run lots, hike, swim, do hot yoga, play sports and lift weights (I'm super active). My A1C is low, I have good blood sugar control, low cholesterol, thyroid is fine, etc I keep my carbs super low and still can't seem to lose that last 15 or so pounds. I've always been super healthy and counted my calories so to me it is strange to never see the scale move. My body has become more fit over the years, but I would really love to lose that last bit of weight. I'm starting up on a pump soon to see if that helps at all. I have noticed ever since I switched my long acting insulin from NPH to Levemeir (and now to Lantus) I've had this issue losing weight. Not sure if it''s related, but I have my fingers crossed that nixing the long acting insulin and hopefully even better blood sugar control will help! I also keep my insulin levels as low as I can (about 7 units of Lantus and 0.5-3 units of rapid acting with meals) I'm 20 and have had type 1 for I think 11 years now?
I feel your pain and at one point, without changing anything in my diet or exercise, I gained aboout 16 lbs in a week. Insulin is a hormone and I truely think it's the culprit for a lot of weight struggles! I've mentions and begged my doctor to help me out with this, but I've never had any answers.
Glad I'm not the only one who has struggled with this. Feel free to add me too, hopefully we can find some answers and what is going to work!0 -
I've talked to several other T1 diabetic people and it appears to be a common frustration, especially the last 10-15 lbs to get to our goal weight.
I've found watching weight is a lot like watching a pot boil. The more you watch it, the more slowly it comes to a boil.
For instance, I bounced around 195 for the longest time. Went on vacation last year where I was pretty active and generally pretty good with my food. Came home and found I was under 190. I've since bounced around under 190 ever since. My goal is to bounce around 175, down from a max of 210, where I was four years ago.
It's takes a really long time to drop as a T1 because of our dysfunctional metabolism. I've read it takes a calories deficit of 3500 calories to remove one pound of fat. That's a bunch of calories. I'm not a health professional, but I fairly certain our bodies are messed up when it comes to creating the hormones that balance fat storage and burn around exercise.
Be patient and consistently work on both exercise and healthy eating and the weight will drop off. At least that's what I keep telling myself. :-)
-Bob0 -
Yes!! You can be a healthy diabetic athlete and take insulin!! Examples include:
Phil Southerland, cyclist
Zippora Karz, prima ballerina with the NYC Ballet
Dr. Nat Strand, first all-female winning team on Amazing Race and the first diabetic
Sean Busby, snowboarder
Missy Foy, marathon runner
Kris Freeman, Olympic skiier
Gary Hall Jr, Olympic swimmer
Jay Hewitt, Ironman triathlete
Steven Redgrave, Olympic rower and carried the torch into the stadium at the London Olympics
More examples here: http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/famous_people/sports0 -
Phenomenal efforts everyone! Remember, for us, just being alive and fit is incredible. If you read about folks who didn't have insulin and then DID have it, in the 1920's, it is very humbling. Meanwhile, if you ARE fit and have made it all the way to that last 10-15 pounds, gosh! take it and go with it. You are amazing! That last 15 pounds is cosmetic compared to how awesome your stories of exercising and losing are. I've got 35 pounds to go, just to GET to that 15 pounds more mark:flowerforyou: You are my role models!
Take it from a professional: lipohypertrophy is real, especially if you do inject in the same spot over and over, so we do have to rotate sites to help that. After 44 years, I've got some rolly-polly on my abs that I may never lose, but I'm sure glad to still be here with great eyes and kidneys.
Great work and conversation everyone!
Vicki
For the history buffs in the group, a couple very amazing reads are below. Put them on your iPod and listen while you're working out! I love a good story...especially where we are the heroes!
The Discovery of Insulin, by Michael Bliss
Breakthrough: Elizabeth Hughes, the Discovery of Insulin, and the Making of a Medical Miracle, Thea Cooper0 -
Thanks for the book recommendations. I downloaded them both to my Kindle.
-Bob0 -
I blame my slow weight loss on my age. In my 20's I was pretty small and had a flat abdomen...then my son came along! Anyway, about 10 years ago I became very ill for about a week and a half. I was vomiting several times every day. It wasn't because I wasn't taking care of myself. I just had some kind of a bug. Anyway. I ended up going into DKA (I've only been in DKA twice in my 40 years of taking insulin). I lost about 15 lbs in that time. My abdomen was back to it's little flat self. This is just my personal experience. Turning 40 was a rude awakening. I just noticed all kinds of things starting to change...especially my ability to lose weight easily. I think we all just need to persevere and we will get to our goals:)0
