[DeusXM]

I wonder if their could be something about Levemir that curves appetite.

That is also a possibility, but anything that would do that would be in addition to the actual insulin - it'd be the result of the other chemicals in the vial. As I've mentioned before, some of the ingredients they add to insulin can have surprising results.

I never really thought of the insulin localizing and generating the fat in that part of the body.

I've always been told that human insulin isn't supposed to cause the fatty lumps associated with animal insulin, but the prevailing wisdom appears to have changed now. Insulin is the 'fat' hormone though and so it would make sense that it would cause the most fat deposits in the area where it first starts working. There is also the obvious idea that if you repeated put a needle somewhere, your body will do things to 'toughen up' the skin - like if you play guitar, you get thicker skin on your finger tips. So your body puts fat deposits down under where you inject the most, and the more you do it, the tougher the fat gets.

do we have any cells in our body that do not get access to the insulin, and therefore, are "not happy" biologically because they're constantly using a pathway void of glucose-6-P?

I wouldn't have thought so. As far as I'm aware, insulin starts out by residing in the subcutanous fat, and then is picked up by the tissue fluid and thus enters the blood stream - so anywhere your blood or tissue fluid can get to, so can your insulin.

[2sweet4now]

Originally Posted by bittersweet

While using lantus i can definitely say that it caused some weight gain and when i got on the pump finally it was quick to come off. it was odd like a puffyness almost. it wasn't that i ate more. it was sort of just there. I never really noticed how much until i got on the pump.

Funny, this is my 3rd week on a pump. Taking Humolog, now have way better control!! Nite & day!! I'm doing just like you did - a little weight gain, about 5 lbs. and puffy. (I actually had gained 7 lbs., but has since dropped by 2lbs. so not real worried.) Could this be because my body was in some state of being dehydrated while BS out of control?

[2sweet4now]

Originally Posted by bittersweet

While using lantus i can definitely say that it caused some weight gain and when i got on the pump finally it was quick to come off. it was odd like a puffyness almost. it wasn't that i ate more. it was sort of just there. I never really noticed how much until i got on the pump.

Funny, this is my 3rd week on a pump. Taking Humolog, now have way better control!! Nite & day!! I'm doing just like you did - eating less and a little weight gain, about 5 lbs. and puffy. (I actually had gained 7 lbs., but has since dropped by 2lbs. so not real worried.) Could this be because my body was in some state of being dehydrated while BS out of control?

[DeusXM]

Depends how 'out of control' you were. However, the puffiness you're talking about suggests rehydration.

[notme]

The one thing we have not discussed is the predisposition to gaining weight due to genetics. My family has always had an issue with fat. I worked hard to keep weight off all of my life and have had success staying on the thin side. However, that being said, I gain weight by thinking about carbs. When I started on insulin, I gained weight very quickly. I had lost thirty pounds before being diagnosed type one so I did not worry about putting the weight back on. Slowly, I gained all of my weight back and then some. I started trying to lose the weight and found it near next to impossible if I wanted to have control of my blood sugar. I gained 25 extra pounds in total. I gained on Lantus, I gained on the pump and I gained on MDI. All of it was because I was trying to keep tight control.

I have lost 20 pounds so far, but couldn't really tell you what I have done different except I barely eat. I eat yogurt for breakfast, no lunch and a small normal dinner.

I think much of the weight gain issue has to do with genetics. If you were thin before without much effort, you probably won't have much issue with insulin weight gain. If you are prone to weight gain easily and you shoot a fat hormone in to your body, you will find that weight gain is very easy. I think naturally lean men have the least amount of problems with weight gain and insulin.

The less insulin I inject, the less I gain, the less I must eat. Sucks to be me......

[Lorna]

I used Lantus for 4 years before changing to Levimer last Easter. I gained 5 stone on Lantus 2 of which I have lost again on the Levimer.

[Cheer-Phil-ly]

I started on Lantus on 5/5/06 and within two weeks noticed notable weight gain... 30# in 2 months and also retaining a lot of fluids.

Just Tuesday I switched to Levemir and got some water pills.... hopefully the Levemir will control my sugar as good as Lantus (A1C in April=12.2, A1C in June=9.2) and allow me to loose weight... I really don't need the extra weight.

[Lorna]

I'm finding Levimer fractionally less flexible than lantus, but control has actually improved- possibly because I am being forced to take interest again.