I am just turning 70 YO and was diagnosed as T1 in 2013. I have been using an insulin pump since 2015 and injections before that. The most distressing feature for me of being insulin dependent is the relentless weight gain over the years, despite careful eating (being T1 diabetic means being on a perpetual low-carb diet1) and exercise. I have gained nearly 40 pounds and an now borderline obese. My endo claims that T1s should not use Metformin. I have done research on metformin use by T1s and have found medical journal articles that say that Metformin can be used by T1s and is useful in controlling weight. Does anyone have an endo that prescribes Metformin for them?
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Hi @hallomar . I don’t have any wisdom to share on Netformin but was wondering - if you dint mind sharing - what you do to try to keep your weight down?
As you knew each of us has to do what works for us - on the forum I’ve an posts from members who follow a low carb lifestyle, while others (myself included) do not.
One thing I’ve found - which may or may not apply to you - it’s that weight gain often means I need to check my basal rates and/or carb ratios, add I find myself being to snack between meals. Although I use CIQ, I may get to 80 or 70 with a predicted drop, and I don’t feel I’m functioning at my best even though it’s supposed to correct, so I snack. So for me some changes may be in order when that happens too often.
Have you worked with a nutritionist for guidance on losing weight? Sometimes that helps as well.
Hey! I haven’t tried it, but it was offered to me by my endo to help with insulin resistance before I tried a weight loss program on my own (that’s what I wanted to try first since I’m in my 20s and wasn’t ready for another prescription) . I personally have lost weight without it, so my insulin needs have come down dramatically with the weight loss, but do think metaformin is an option if you want to try it. I totally agree that having diabetes means you’re following a low carb diet most of the time but have found if I get any activity in (even a short walk) my insulin sensitivity is a lot better when I do have days where I want to indulge in something and therefore I take less insulin. I’ve been diabetic for 17 years and definitely gained a fair amount over the years, but a lot of it was my nutrition choices and since I gained more I had to take more insulin which started a cycle where I probably put on more weight then my peers without diabetes. The only thing I would be cautious about with metaformin is when I was reading about it, it sounds like digestive issues are super common and can be pretty severe. Also, lots of lows will likely happen as your insulin needs go down so just make sure to have snacks handy! There are a ton of studies out there about it so definitely something to talk about with your doctor if you feel like it’s the best thing for you!
I’d also add that I do not follow a true low carb diet (felt like my comment was misleading). I still eat 40-45 grams most meals with the exception of breakfast since if my morning starts out good I usually have better control all day. But I do notice the better gi choices I make with my carbs the more likely I am to have in control blood sugars. High fat/high protein also kills my numbers sometimes so a health balance of carbs, fat and protein is my typical go to meal
I was diagnosed in 1945 and had no problem with weight until the late 1990s when I started using synthetic insulin. I gained much weight while using Humalog, and I was diagnosed with insulin resistance (IR). Many type 1 diabetics do have IR, and Metformin is usually prescribed. Metformin helped curb my appetite, and helped my IR. I lost all the weight I had gained. I take two 500 mg Metformin ER pills each day.
My endo does prescribe the pills. I have been taking them for 11 years.
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Basically you just have to eat less and/or exercise more. The people I have known to be taking Metformin remained obese.
OK, I USED to take Phenformin (which is a poor relative of Metformin) from 1962 to 1975 or so when the FDA took it off the market, for reasons that no longer apply. So I started taking the pills with medium-slow insulin and as far as we could tell in those days was very stable the whole time. This was before A1c’s IRIC.
BUT I have a slightly different form of Type 1 diabetes as I understand it, and this only worked for a small number of us then. My body tends to kick out glycogen at the slightest provocation, which makes I good to suppress it. My actual insulin needs are fairly small, and I keep thinking I should ask my current endo about trying Metformin + insulin, and he finally admitted that once he looked into it this IS done for some hard to control diabetics.
At least he finally learned something from me. When I first told him I’d used that for so long he said I must have been in “honeymoon” phase, but for 28 years?