Has anyone got any advice for <50 lb weight loss for this 30 year Type 1? I’ve tried over the years to varying levels of success, but it seems that since I turned 40 it is a LOT harder.
Similar question - anyone have any experience with weight loss surgery? I’m sure it is like all other things surgery - avoid if possible for T1. However, I gotta get off the track of having a heart attack before I am 50.
Thanks
Have you tried Symlin? It’s a synthetic and injectable form of amylin, which is another hormone in the pancreas that is usually knocked out along with the beta cells. It’s not necessary to stay alive, but it’s really helpful because it’s what makes you feel full. Ask your endo about it. You inject it just as you start eating (tiny needle), then within about 2 minutes you start feeling full. REALLY full, even a little nauseous. You don’t want to eat anymore and it lasts several hours. It also reduces the amount of bolus insulin you need, and if you’re on a pump you’ll probably need to dual wave half of the remaining bolus. I lost about 20 lbs. on it and have kept it off. I never realized what it felt like to feel full until I started using it!
I tried Symlin several years back. It was fine. The biggest challenges were a bit nausea and some lows. Also had to adjust my basal as well. I don’t recall exactly why I stopped taking it however. Mostly I think I didn’t want yet another thing to deal with. I’ve gained some weight since then so might be a good thing to try again.
I also looked into Symlin for weight loss but since my carbs were too low, it wasn’t recommended for me.
What finally did it for me was a 9-month stint on Medifast. I’d tried lots of things to lose weight and knew I did best on very low carb. But for some reason, I was having trouble with getting back to that extreme of a lifestyle to lose weight. I was just over 50 and wanted something simple, fast, and balanced.
I lost 60 pounds with Medifast without being hungry. It worked well for my lifestyle and was portable enough to be able to travel or simply do errands and still stay on plan.
It’s easy to lose but very difficult to keep it off, though. I wound up having cervical spine surgery and then knee surgery; in all I’ve gained back about 30 pounds. So, besides learning how to lose, make sure you’ve got a firm plan in mind to keep the weight off. 
Have you tried reducing or restricting carb intake? Not just white bread, but other foods as well?
I have tried Symlin, but I had trouble with lows and difficulty getting the lows to recover. I too have a hard time with weight loss now in my 40’s and thyroid issues on top of it.
Yep, type 1, thyroid issues, and mid-50s here. Definitely gets harder with all those things combined. For me, the only way I can lose is through regular exercise and a very, very low carb diet, as well as keeping overall calories around 1200. Drastic, yes, but I work closely with my dietician to fine tune.
I have type one and have had a weight problem for over 15 years. 3 years ago I had the Gastric Sleeve surgery. I have lost 80 lbs. I still need to lose another 50 lbs but the pounds come off much easier now. I highly recommend the surgery.