August 20, 2003
Weight and Weight Loss
Question from London, United Kingdom:
I am now 27 years old, have had type�1 since age five, and I have gradually gotten a bit heavier though I don’t eat particularly more. For the last six months, I have been following the glycemic index diet pretty religiously, and I am walking to work and back (four miles each way). I have found that my blood sugars are plummeting, and I have reduced most shots by about 40% in order not to pass out. However, I do not seem to be losing any weight. If anything, I am gaining weight. Will this continue to happen? Surely taking less insulin over time should provoke weight loss even if it is not DKA [diabetic ketoacidosis]? My doctor says she does not have experience in this area.
Answer:
Are you taking in additional calories and carbohydrates in order to compensate for hypos? With the increased exercise and decreasing blood sugars, you may want to talk with your doctor about further adjusting your medication to prevent hypoglycemia. Additional unplanned carbohydrates can promote weight gain or discourage weight loss that usually accompanies decreased insulin resistance.
JMS
[Editor’s comment: In addition, it may be that some of your fatty tissue has now converted to muscle which weighs more than fat.
SS]
