Is it better to. . .

[Jean in Newcastle]

take Metformin (or another hypoglycemic) to manage blood sugars that are heading toward diabetes or to severely restrict carbs and to try and go without? Does it matter as long as the blood sugar comes down and (hopefully) you lose weight?

[Jpoy85]

I take Met and that is because I have PCOS. My blood sugar is low and my testosterone is high- thus PCOS. They say with PCOS to lose weight (as most women with PCOS are obese, though there can be skinny PCOSers) you need a low carb diet, cut caffeine, etc and take your Met. I have been taking it off and on 2 months....and no weight loss. I need to get better about taking mine. I am suppose to take 2- 850mg pills a day, but i am yet to swallow both. 1 is fine as far as side effects, i dont know about 2.

 

so to answer your question- Met may help, but it will need to be in addition to something else with diet.

[atara]

I would get a second opinion from a natropath, at least to see if you can manage this without drug intervention. Many things can be healed naturally without toxic chemicals in your body. That would be my last resort.

[Annabel Lee]

take Metformin (or another hypoglycemic) to manage blood sugars that are heading toward diabetes or to severely restrict carbs and to try and go without? Does it matter as long as the blood sugar comes down and (hopefully) you lose weight?

 

If given a choice between the two, I'd tackle it with diet and weight loss. That's assuming those changes will affect your blood-work numbers. Despite all my hard work, my numbers didn't budge so my Dr. added Metformin as a preventive safety measure. I don't like it, but I know that I REALLY don't want to move over into full-blown diabetes. I've got an appt. with a naturopath to see if there's an affordable way to treat it from that angle. I might have to take a part-time job just to pay for that, but it gets right to the root cause of all the PCOS craziness - the hormone imbalance.

 

If I were you, I'd do whatever I had to in order to not become diabetic. Try to do it as naturally as possible, and I understand that "possible" sometimes involves insurance (or not). :glare:

[Mama Geek]

I had side effects from it, so I took myself off of it. It has been long enough that I don't even remember what problems I had. Cutting carbs and exercise are much better IMO. Take a look at the Low Glycemic Index diets. It will talk about good carbs and bad carbs and is what really helps diabetics and PCOS. I was doing that when I got pregnant and all through pregnancy. I lost 40 lbs when I was weight a couple of weeks after dd was born. It was over about 1 year that I lost that much weight.

 

Unfortunately, I fell off the wagon and have to start over on the weight loss. It really has to be a lifestyle change.

[Cinder]

Dh chose to tackle it with diet and exercise. He's trying to avoid having to take meds. At first he lost weight with the diet, but later gained some of it back. He believes the biggest impact comes from his exercise, when he increased it to an hour. He'd been doing about 40 mins before that. He also tries to change it up--like going to the park and running on trails. He tries to exercise at least 5 days per week. He's been able to maintain a good blood sugar profile since, so no meds.

[Parrothead]

I would get a second opinion from a natropath, at least to see if you can manage this without drug intervention. Many things can be healed naturally without toxic chemicals in your body. That would be my last resort.

:iagree: This would be my only advice too, Jean. I wish I could help you more in your struggle with this.

[Cinder]

I forgot to mention in my earlier reply that the main reason dh wanted to try diet and exercise was two-fold. First, he just wants to avoid as many meds as possible. He already takes synthroid. He used to take a statin but it wasn't helping very much and he didn't like how it made him feel. If his blood sugar was something that could be controlled with diet/exercise he wanted to do it that way, not with meds. Second, his job would be affected. Metformin is one of the meds that would automatically cause him not to be able to work for at least 2 months while his meds were adjusted. He had to do this when he started synthroid; he doesn't want to go through that again.

[kroe1]

Up until a few years ago, many would say diet and exercise. Recent research, however, is so compelling in that aggressive treatment of "pre-diabetes" can greatly prolong onset of the disease. It is really just a continuum, rather than an abrupt event anyway.

 

I would probably choose metformin, especially since I am lousy at eating right. If I didn't, then I would do the diet changes only a very short time before changing my mind. Whichever choice, I would be attempting to improve my diet and lose weight to the best of my stubborn, fast-food-loving, ability.

 

:)

[Mommyfaithe]

take Metformin (or another hypoglycemic) to manage blood sugars that are heading toward diabetes or to severely restrict carbs and to try and go without? Does it matter as long as the blood sugar comes down and (hopefully) you lose weight?

 

I do both....and exercise....or none of it works at all.

 

The combination: diet, exercise, Metformin= me thinner, happier and in somewhat less pain.

 

The diet thing is the hardest!!:tongue_smilie:

[Jennifer3141]

Well, for me Metformin worked but the side effects were awful.

 

How bad are your blood sugars though?

 

And for some people, met can be the impetus that starts the entire living healthier process. I dropped over 10 pounds my first week but it was a HARD process. However, it was exciting seeing 10 pounds just go away. :001_smile:

Edited April 29, 2012 by Jennifer3141

[Jean in Newcastle]

To answer a few questions.

 

My blood sugar levels aren't too bad.

 

99% of the time my fasting blood sugar is under 100. I think twice in the six months since I've started testing my sugars has been a couple of points over.

 

So far - I can have a "lite" bread at breakfast with protein and a green smoothie and my blood sugars still stay down.

 

Lunch is great if I stick to a salad with protein. If I deviate from that and have some protein, I'm in trouble.

 

Afternoon snack is my trouble spot. By 3 pm I crave something like chips. I had pita chips and hummus yesterday. Bad move.

 

For dinner, I can get away with 1/3 c. of brown rice. The rice is important ;) because 80% of the time we eat Asian food for dinner.

 

I exercise for 1 hour 6 days a week. I recently injured my knee and am working through that with a personal trainer so that I don't lose ground there.

 

My sugars are usually elevated after exercise. I have two hard boiled eggs about an hour afterward. That seems to be ok. Sometimes I goof here and eat too much because I'm tiring and shakey after exercise.

 

I have gone 1 full week with zero refined sugars. I feel much better. I decided to treat it as a 'sugar allergy' and that helps me mentally to resist temptation. I did not go through sugar withdrawal because I already ate so little sugar.

 

The reason for my post (and dismay) is that yesterday was a bad day. I did well until my afternoon snack and those pita chips. Then I got extremely tired, which is common for me with high sugars (but I didn't test). I took a nap. I woke up extremely groggy and dopey. I had absolutely no idea what day it was even and my dd had to practically shake me to make me understand that I was late for meeting a friend. I met the friend and compounded the problem by having a sukiyaki dinner with her - one cup of white rice and a stir-fry which is usually sweetened with some sugar. Our visit was marred by me being pretty tired and forgetful. I got home and my blood sugar was 166. (I know that isn't high for a diabetic but it is high and it affects my ability to function.)

 

I have been trying to lose weight for 2 and a half years. I have 70 pounds to lose. I have lost zero (ok I lost 10, gained 10, lost 10, gained 10). I think that if I can keep my blood sugars down, that I should be able to lose the weight. I think (but am not sure) that should work even if I keep them down without the help of Metformin. Thus my question.

 

I hate medicine. If there is a side effect that I can get with medicine, I tend to get it. I'm also very much afraid of having a diabetes diagnosis that will follow me.

[kalanamak]

take Metformin (or another hypoglycemic) to manage blood sugars that are heading toward diabetes or to severely restrict carbs and to try and go without? Does it matter as long as the blood sugar comes down and (hopefully) you lose weight?

 

Just FYI, I have found a significant number of people who decide to do "diet control" fail to follow up because they feel they are doing something or meaning to do something. (In their mind, it is taken care of because they have good intentions.)

 

With DM or lipids or blood pressure, I encourage patients to make a target and a time frame. If someone has very high any of these, I encourage meds and lifestyle changes with the goal to taper the meds (this doesn't happen very often). With only mild abnormalities, I encourage a re-check in 3 months with an honest look on how the lifestyle changes are going, and a 6-12 month plan to achieve goal. Some people prefer to have elevations than take medicine. That is okay, too, as long as they know the risk/benefits. HTH

[Remudamom]

I was just diagnosed as pre diabetic. I immediately dropped all sugars and most of my carbs. I drink Glucerna for one meal a day or when I get hungry and just shouldn't eat. I use those drink enhancers like Mio (except Great Value brand) to help me with water because I hate to drink water. I got sugar free candy. I don't really exercise but that's the next step.

 

I've lost 20 pounds in six weeks and I don't feel like I've even been trying. My blood sugar stays around 100, more or less.

[Michelle in AL]

Diet and lifestyle changes are still the recommended 1st line of treatment, so you'd be fine staying with that IF it is effective. You want to aim for a Hgb A1C of 7.0 or less and a 2 hr post eating blood sugar of <130. If you aren't able to maintain that I would definitely take the metformin while still trying to make life changes.

 

The importance is trying to delay things like metabollic syndrome, kidney nephropathy (A biggie), hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular disease.

 

Have you been to a good endocrine clinic? They should be able to show you how much you can improve glucose levels by doing certain things such as weight loss etc. They should also devise a treatment plan that is especially tailored to your needs.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Just FYI, I have found a significant number of people who decide to do "diet control" fail to follow up because they feel they are doing something or meaning to do something. (In their mind, it is taken care of because they have good intentions.)

 

 

 

Good point. I have a referral to a medical nutritionist that I will visit if I can't start to lose some weight on my own in the next couple of months.

[freesia]

Have something to eat before exercising. I can't remember the exact details but I read a few years ago that exercising on an empty stomach can cause your body to release stored glucose which causes your blood sugar to rise (or something like that--I'm sorry, I don't remember). I exercise after a meal so the exercise works on the carbs that are from that mea.

 

Anne

[Night Elf]

Ideally, I would prefer lifestyle diet changes and exercise over the Metformin. Realistically, however, I knew I wouldn't make those changes to the degree that I believe they need to be made, so I chose the Metformin. Since starting it, I've lost 30 lbs. with Weight Watchers and am officially within the healthy weight range. If I can lose 10 lbs. more, I'm going to try going off the Metformin to see how my body reacts. It's a scary prospect for me though. The idea of diabetes scares me. I think I would suck having to live with diabetes because I'm such a wimp.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Diet and lifestyle changes are still the recommended 1st line of treatment, so you'd be fine staying with that IF it is effective. You want to aim for a Hgb A1C of 7.0 or less and a 2 hr post eating blood sugar of <130. If you aren't able to maintain that I would definitely take the metformin while still trying to make life changes.

 

The importance is trying to delay things like metabollic syndrome, kidney nephropathy (A biggie), hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular disease.

 

Have you been to a good endocrine clinic? They should be able to show you how much you can improve glucose levels by doing certain things such as weight loss etc. They should also devise a treatment plan that is especially tailored to your needs.

 

I'm fairly sure that I already have metabolic syndrome (thus the 2 and a half years with no weight loss despite tracking my food daily, exercise and accountability with diet buddies). I've been testing my sugars for some time but only now am I get stricter on blood sugar control and more specifically no refined sugars. I did lose 2 pounds last week. Because of my past experience with going down and then back up again with the first ten pounds, I am not applauding yet.

[melissel]

Without having read the rest of the thread, I'm going to say going low-carb. I don't know a whole lot about Metformin, but I do know that everything in my life improves when I'm eating low-carb--everything. My head is clearer, my joint pain goes away, my digestion improves, I have so much energy, and weight drops off with almost no effort at all (not that that is the goal for you, but IMO, it indicates a serious improvement in my metabolism).

 

That would be my vote, but I don't know very much about what you've been through and how you've been eating for the last few years.

[justasque]

Afternoon snack is my trouble spot. By 3 pm I crave something like chips. I had pita chips and hummus yesterday. Bad move.

 

... I did well until my afternoon snack and those pita chips. Then I got extremely tired, which is common for me with high sugars (but I didn't test). ... I met the friend and compounded the problem by having a sukiyaki dinner with her - one cup of white rice and a stir-fry which is usually sweetened with some sugar.

 

I have found that treating white rice, white bread, white pita chips and the like - in other words, anything not 100% whole grain - as if it was sugar, and thus avoiding it, helps a lot. Protein every 3 hours helps too. Glycemic index is huge, and worth studying up on. There are many things that aren't sugar but behave as if they were. Reading labels helps a lot.

 

Focus on plain protein (including veggie protein like nuts and legumes), fresh fruit & lots of veggies, and whole grains. Avoid anything else - sauces, packaged foods, most drinks, etc. - unless you've read the label and are sure there is nothing sugar-like in it and it is whole grain.

[TranquilMind]

I would get a second opinion from a natropath, at least to see if you can manage this without drug intervention. Many things can be healed naturally without toxic chemicals in your body. That would be my last resort.

Me too. Last resort.

[Halftime Hope]

I've lost 20 pounds in six weeks and I don't feel like I've even been trying. My blood sugar stays around 100, more or less.

 

I hate you.

 

 

JKJKJKJ -- remember your first post after diagnosis, something about we were all going to hate you cuz you were going to be skinny? (I hope I'm remembering it correctly. :lol:

 

Congrats!

[Remudamom]

I hate you.

 

 

JKJKJKJ -- remember your first post after diagnosis, something about we were all going to hate you cuz you were going to be skinny? (I hope I'm remembering it correctly. :lol:

 

Congrats!

 

I remember!! You got to hate me more because I'm even enjoying it!

[JumpyTheFrog]

Afternoon snack is my trouble spot. By 3 pm I crave something like chips. I had pita chips and hummus yesterday. Bad move.

 

...

 

I have gone 1 full week with zero refined sugars. I feel much better.

 

...

 

I hate medicine. If there is a side effect that I can get with medicine, I tend to get it. I'm also very much afraid of having a diabetes diagnosis that will follow me.

 

So you want our permission to try a drug that you are likely to have side effects from, so you can cheat on your new eating plan - the one that is already helping you feel much better? :001_smile:

 

I think a better strategy would be to keep a log and find the triggers for your "snack attack." Maybe you need more protein and/or fat with breakfast and lunch. Maybe stress triggers the snack attack.

 

Give yourself time to adjust to your new eating plan before trying drugs. My dad is low-carb and on Metformin. He hopes to go off the Metformin eventually because of the GI side effects.

[melmichigan]

Up until a few years ago, many would say diet and exercise. Recent research, however, is so compelling in that aggressive treatment of "pre-diabetes" can greatly prolong onset of the disease. It is really just a continuum, rather than an abrupt event anyway.:)

 

 

:iagree:I take Metformin. I still do as much as possible with diet and exercise but I have seen first hand the damage going on 'behind the scenes' with diabetes. Now I am working to loose weight with the goal of decreasing my dosage.

[abacus2]

I say both. I find that extended release Metformin normalizes my desire for food. I don't feel like I "need" infusions of carbs. I'm more easily able to eat a healthy lower carb, lower calorie diet. Exercise is huge, though. I believe I read once that regular exercise is better at preventing diabetes than a good diet.

[Jean in Newcastle]

So you want our permission to try a drug that you are likely to have side effects from, so you can cheat on your new eating plan - the one that is already helping you feel much better? :001_smile:

 

I think a better strategy would be to keep a log and find the triggers for your "snack attack." Maybe you need more protein and/or fat with breakfast and lunch. Maybe stress triggers the snack attack.

 

Give yourself time to adjust to your new eating plan before trying drugs. My dad is low-carb and on Metformin. He hopes to go off the Metformin eventually because of the GI side effects.

 

I want your permission to say no to the Metformin. I've been told by medical professionals to just take the easy way and take the drug so that I don't have to stress myself with all the diet stuff. The impression I had was that by saying no to the drug, that I am thought of as "irresponsible". (BTW - this is not from my main doctor so I won't be firing him.;))

[Shellers]

Earlier this year my DD16 was diagnosed as having pre-diabetes. I took her to the doctor and requested a blood test because she had a brown rash behind her neck, which is a sign of insulin resistance. Her doctor referred her to a child nutritionist who gave her a low carb diet to follow. She's lost 25 pounds so far! The plan is for her doctor to order more blood tests this summer after she's dropped a few more pounds.

 

OP: I think you should try diet and exercise. Go to a nutritionist and get advice on how you should be eating.

[kewb]

I would say try the diet and exercise for 3 months and if it is not enough start taking the Metformin.

[melmichigan]

I want your permission to say no to the Metformin. I've been told by medical professionals to just take the easy way and take the drug so that I don't have to stress myself with all the diet stuff. The impression I had was that by saying no to the drug, that I am thought of as "irresponsible". (BTW - this is not from my main doctor so I won't be firing him.;))

 

I guess it comes down to how high your levels really are and how comfortable you are with that level. Diabetes runs in my family, my mother died at 35 from complications of diabetes. I keep my HgA1C below 6. I have absolutely no signs of the disease in my blood work, in my eyes, or in my extremities and I plan to keep it that way. I use an insulin pump from the beginning of my pregnancies and whenever on steroids.

 

I wouldn't take any advice to just take the medicine, but I would weight where your levels are and what risks might be facing until you get them where they need to be. Is it just your HgA1C, or do you have other symptoms?

[Jean in Newcastle]

I guess it comes down to how high your levels really are and how comfortable you are with that level. Diabetes runs in my family, my mother died at 35 from complications of diabetes. I keep my HgA1C below 6. I have absolutely no signs of the disease in my blood work, in my eyes, or in my extremities and I plan to keep it that way. I use an insulin pump from the beginning of my pregnancies and whenever on steroids.

 

I wouldn't take any advice to just take the medicine, but I would weight where your levels are and what risks might be facing until you get them where they need to be. Is it just your HgA1C, or do you have other symptoms?

 

I haven't had an HgA1C done, so I don't know what that is. I know that my fasting blood sugars are in the high 90's. The doctor doesn't consider someone "pre diabetic" until you are over 100, but I'm close.

 

But - I had a juice fast last year and my blood sugar went up into the 300's - I felt very very ill - so ill that I almost told dh to take me the ER. I was told by my doctor when I reported it that meant that would soon be diabetic. That is when I got the glucometer and started monitoring my blood sugars. Most days I have good control. My sugars usually are under 120, 2 hours postprandial. But if I eat out or eat sugar or too many carbs, my sugars will go up into the 150's and I feel horrible. So, I suppose that feeling horrible would come under having symptoms?

 

Also - I have fatty liver. I HAVE to lose weight. I'm convinced that having really tight control of my blood sugar is at least one piece of the puzzle in breaking the hold that metabolic syndrome has on my fat.

[JumpyTheFrog]

Get Dr. Bernstein's book about diabetes. He goes into lots of detail about using glucose testing to determine what foods to eat and what to avoid. The gist of it is to keep a log of what you eat and avoid anything that makes your peak glucose level go about some number (I forget how much, maybe 110). Rather than just following some generic eating plan, he wants people to see how their body reacts to various foods and avoid any that raise glucose more than a tiny amount.

 

You officially have my permission to skip the metformin and use the money to buy some extra test strips. Take a few months to figure out what foods you need to avoid.

 

My CFS is in remission and one of the steps I took last summer was testing food like this for a few days. I figured I would try it, since it was helping my diabetic dad. I quickly discovered that I felt tired if my glucose ever went above 115 or 120. I felt best keeping it below 110 at all times. I'm not diabetic, but obviously my body is very sensitive to the level of glucose. I asked my doctor about it and she said some people are just more sensitive and need to keep it in a narrower range to feel well.

 

It's fine to take a month or two to experiment. You can always add the metformin later, if diet alone isn't enough. I think drugs and insulin should be used to supplement dietary changes, not replace them.

 

I seem to remember you have CFS or adrenal fatigue. If that's the case, the exercise can wait until you've recovered a lot. I had to avoid it for years, and now I'm playing soccer again, doing martial arts, and training for a 5k! But I had to wait for my body to heal enough first.

[Jpoy85]

as far as the side effects of Met, it matters on the dose youre on and how often you take it. For example if you take it Monday, youd have some SE, then Tuesday youd feel ok, but then if you skip it Tuesday, youd feel like crap again Wednesday when you took it again. Does that make sense?

[kitten18]

Without having read the rest of the thread, I'm going to say going low-carb. I don't know a whole lot about Metformin, but I do know that everything in my life improves when I'm eating low-carb--everything. My head is clearer, my joint pain goes away, my digestion improves, I have so much energy, and weight drops off with almost no effort at all (not that that is the goal for you, but IMO, it indicates a serious improvement in my metabolism).

 

That would be my vote, but I don't know very much about what you've been through and how you've been eating for the last few years.

:iagree: I think you need to REALLY give low-carb a go. I mean starting off at 20-30 carbs/day. IMO, if you don't cut down to that level (at least to start out) you will have a very hard time getting rid of cravings. I would eat more for breakfast and lunch, more protein, more fat. Continuing to eat 'a little bit of bread and a little bit of rice' will only make you crave them, not really give you any satisfaction.

[Peaceful Isle]

I don't know anything about Metformin personally but

my MIL took it and she felt really good and lost a lot of weight. I don't think she takes it anymore because it is too expensive for her, and her insurance won't cover it.

[abacus2]

I haven't had an HgA1C done, so I don't know what that is. I know that my fasting blood sugars are in the high 90's. The doctor doesn't consider someone "pre diabetic" until you are over 100, but I'm close.

 

But - I had a juice fast last year and my blood sugar went up into the 300's - I felt very very ill - so ill that I almost told dh to take me the ER. I was told by my doctor when I reported it that meant that would soon be diabetic. That is when I got the glucometer and started monitoring my blood sugars. Most days I have good control. My sugars usually are under 120, 2 hours postprandial. But if I eat out or eat sugar or too many carbs, my sugars will go up into the 150's and I feel horrible. So, I suppose that feeling horrible would come under having symptoms?

 

Also - I have fatty liver. I HAVE to lose weight. I'm convinced that having really tight control of my blood sugar is at least one piece of the puzzle in breaking the hold that metabolic syndrome has on my fat.

 

A blood sugar of 300 indicates diabetes. Diabetes is diagnosed on the glucose tolerance test at levels over 200. You need an A1c test. My A1c at the time of my type 2 diagnosis was 6.7 and my fasting blood sugars were running about 100.

 

Extended release metformin has been wonderful for me. My fasting sugars are now running a truly normal 85 and my appetite is now normal rather than full of swings and cravings. I also see a large difference with exercise.

[Jean in Newcastle]

A blood sugar of 300 indicates diabetes. Diabetes is diagnosed on the glucose tolerance test at levels over 200. You need an A1c test. My A1c at the time of my type 2 diagnosis was 6.7 and my fasting blood sugars were running about 100.

 

Extended release metformin has been wonderful for me. My fasting sugars are now running a truly normal 85 and my appetite is now normal rather than full of swings and cravings. I also see a large difference with exercise.

 

I had a glucose tolerance test and just barely passed. The juice fast (prescribed by another doctor for a totally different problem) had me drink an entire gallon of apple juice. I do have a problem with insulin resistance. And I could become full blown diabetic very easily. I really want to get my fasting blood sugars lower and to lose weight etc. I feel like I'm on this cliff edge right now.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Get Dr. Bernstein's book about diabetes. He goes into lots of detail about using glucose testing to determine what foods to eat and what to avoid. The gist of it is to keep a log of what you eat and avoid anything that makes your peak glucose level go about some number (I forget how much, maybe 110). Rather than just following some generic eating plan, he wants people to see how their body reacts to various foods and avoid any that raise glucose more than a tiny amount.

 

You officially have my permission to skip the metformin and use the money to buy some extra test strips. Take a few months to figure out what foods you need to avoid.

 

My CFS is in remission and one of the steps I took last summer was testing food like this for a few days. I figured I would try it, since it was helping my diabetic dad. I quickly discovered that I felt tired if my glucose ever went above 115 or 120. I felt best keeping it below 110 at all times. I'm not diabetic, but obviously my body is very sensitive to the level of glucose. I asked my doctor about it and she said some people are just more sensitive and need to keep it in a narrower range to feel well.

 

It's fine to take a month or two to experiment. You can always add the metformin later, if diet alone isn't enough. I think drugs and insulin should be used to supplement dietary changes, not replace them.

 

I seem to remember you have CFS or adrenal fatigue. If that's the case, the exercise can wait until you've recovered a lot. I had to avoid it for years, and now I'm playing soccer again, doing martial arts, and training for a 5k! But I had to wait for my body to heal enough first.

 

Hoppy, this is very interesting to me. I'll have to explore this a bit.

 

The exercise bit is something that I have slowly built up over the last 3 years. 3 years ago I was a semi-invalid. It has been extremely hard and painful to go from being 90% in my armchair - even when sleeping because I wasn't able to sleep lying down back then - to being able to function in my home and to exercise routinely.

[birchbark]

I vote Metformin. The reason is that the diet changes necessary to impact insulin levels enough was just not sustainable for me. It was too hard to eat that way indefinitely. I normally am not a take-drugs kind of person. It was very hard for me to concede to taking Met, but I feel so much better now. I actually watch my carbs a little as well. I avoid all sweet drinks and don't eat high-carb foods in large portions or by themselves.

 

However there are natural alternatives for lowering blood sugars and insulin. One is vinegar. Arizona State did a study on it I believe. Fenugreek is another option.

 

Also, FWIW, converted or parboiled rice has the lowest GI of any rice, including brown rice.

[Annabel Lee]

<snipped for brevity>

 

The reason for my post (and dismay) is that yesterday was a bad day. I did well until my afternoon snack and those pita chips. Then I got extremely tired, which is common for me with high sugars (but I didn't test). I took a nap. I woke up extremely groggy and dopey. I had absolutely no idea what day it was even and my dd had to practically shake me to make me understand that I was late for meeting a friend. I met the friend and compounded the problem by having a sukiyaki dinner with her - one cup of white rice and a stir-fry which is usually sweetened with some sugar. Our visit was marred by me being pretty tired and forgetful. I got home and my blood sugar was 166. (I know that isn't high for a diabetic but it is high and it affects my ability to function.)

 

Jean, I share your fear of diabetes. I'm sitting here crying after reading this. I have the exact same SUPER-grogginess, where I have no idea what's going on. I have to ask whoever woke me up a million questions. Sometimes it's very hard to wake up - a different kind of hard than it used to be. I thought it was just part of getting older, and also not sleeping enough. This is scaring me. I feel like I must not know anything to have thought hummus or pita bread (I would buy 100% whole wheat) are completely OK for me in my condition. They don't have me testing my blood sugar. The nutritionist said whole grains and legumes are OK. We've been comparing everything to how I used to eat, and there's a lot under the sun that is healthier than that. This makes me want to ask her to make a "beat insulin resistance now" menu for me and I'll just follow it. I hate counting stuff. I read labels in the stores and I've started paying attention to portion sizes, but I hate measuring & tracking numbers (sodium, calories, carbs, sugars) throughout the day. I think I might have to do that.

Anyhow, you're not alone. :grouphug: I hate this too and really, really fear diabetes.

[Momof3littles]

I do both. I do not typically take meds unless absolutely necessary. I have PCOS and my 2nd and 3rd child are the result of metformin and low carbing, after going through infertility txs to conceive my first child. I am not diabetic but because of the PCOS I am concerned about insulin resistance. I don't actually test positive for IR yet but I react like someone with IR, so I treat myself that way.

 

I am not overweight, but I only get a regular cycle on met and LC. Otherwise, every 3 months I have to induce a period with progesterone. Provera makes me into a beast to be around, so I have to take the peanut-derived progesterone (Prometrium) which is more expensive. But with met and LC, I cycle on my own.

 

Met has been around a long time so it is pretty well-studied. It is also inexpensive. When I first started on it 9 years ago while TTC it made me extremely nauseous and it wasn't fun. 2 years later I went on it (and remained on it) but took the extended release version, and found the side effects much more manageable. They also didn't last very long. I prefer the XR version based on my experience.

 

Met has some concerns-I think coQ10 depletion? (eta: and things like the rare risk of lactic acidosis) BUt there are also some interesting studies out about it possibly lowering the risk of certain forms of cancer. (eta: and that's in addition to the benefits as related to metabolic syndrome issues) Some of that can possibly be accomplished by LCing in general, but the research on met is pretty interesting.

Edited April 30, 2012 by Momof3littles

[Jean in Newcastle]

Jean, I share your fear of diabetes. I'm sitting here crying after reading this. I have the exact same SUPER-grogginess, where I have no idea what's going on. I have to ask whoever woke me up a million questions. Sometimes it's very hard to wake up - a different kind of hard than it used to be. I thought it was just part of getting older, and also not sleeping enough. This is scaring me. I feel like I must not know anything to have thought hummus or pita bread (I would buy 100% whole wheat) are completely OK for me in my condition. They don't have me testing my blood sugar. The nutritionist said whole grains and legumes are OK. We've been comparing everything to how I used to eat, and there's a lot under the sun that is healthier than that. This makes me want to ask her to make a "beat insulin resistance now" menu for me and I'll just follow it. I hate counting stuff. I read labels in the stores and I've started paying attention to portion sizes, but I hate measuring & tracking numbers (sodium, calories, carbs, sugars) throughout the day. I think I might have to do that.

Anyhow, you're not alone. :grouphug: I hate this too and really, really fear diabetes.

 

Annabel,

 

I'm sorry that you haven't gotten good help. Yes, whole grains are better than white breads, but I'm to the point where I can't always handle a whole grain at a meal and if I do, it's still in moderation.

 

Hummus is good (made out of chickpeas) but the pita chips are what did me in.

 

I don't count stuff. Sometimes I enter it into Sparkspeople and let them count it but that takes me a long time. I only do that sporadically to make sure that I'm hitting my general calorie goals.

 

My blood sugar tends to be lower in the mornings (this isn't true for everyone) so I eat my bread at breakfast. I can't handle any grains at lunch so I just plan my meal that way (my salad with protein). After this weekend, I see that I can't handle any grains at my afternoon snack either. Today my plan is to make a grainless afternoon snack up for me ahead of time so that I'm not tempted to eat those carbs. I will pay special attention to how I'm handling carbs at dinner. I may have to cut them out too. . . The Dr. Phil diet and the South Beach diet are kind of set up this way - you only have grains/carbs at one meal and later one maybe two.

Edited April 30, 2012 by Jean in Newcastle

[melmichigan]

Plain and simple, you need to have your hemoglobin A1C tested. I don't know of any knowledgable doctor who would say anything about diabetes without that level these days, unless you went into the ER with extremely high blood sugars. You can do spot glucose tests all you want, heck at some points I have had to test 8 times a day, but your hgA1C is going to give you the full picture.

 

Do you not have insurance coverage, or is there some other reason your doctor would cut corners in diagnosing? :confused:

[Jean in Newcastle]

Plain and simple, you need to have your hemoglobin A1C tested. I don't know of any knowledgable doctor who would say anything about diabetes without that level these days, unless you went into the ER with extremely high blood sugars. You can do spot glucose tests all you want, heck at some points I have had to test 8 times a day, but your hgA1C is going to give you the full picture.

 

Do you not have insurance coverage, or is there some other reason your doctor would cut corners in diagnosing? :confused:

 

He has tested my blood sugars as part of regular physicals. They are within normal on lab tests. The spikes that I have on occasion (maybe a couple of times a month at the most) might not be showing up on the tests? I don't know. All I know is that my blood sugar levels are considered normal. I don't think he's done an A1C, but I could be wrong. He is not trying to diagnose me with diabetes but he's not trying to not diagnose me either. I know that I am at risk of it and am doing what I can on my own to prevent it. We've discussed it and I've shown him my daily log of blood sugars.

 

I did have a problem with high blood pressure and chest pain as recent as last month. That is where he has been focusing all his diagnostic energy at the moment. I take medicine for that and have now found a right level for my body.

 

We have discussed how weight loss would help my blood pressure as well as my blood sugar. He has referred me to a medical nutritionist for help in managing my diet/weight. I have not followed through on that because I wanted to try managing my carbs on my own first. Perhaps that is wrong of me but it is disruptive to our homeschooling to have constant appointments and I wanted to do what I could at home first.

 

I have insurance.

 

I thought I should come back and explain why in the world I would even post such a thread when my doctor isn't seeing my blood sugars as a big concern yet. Part of it is that as I've been doing some research, I've wondered whether it would be better to fight as hard as I could on the diet and exercise or if I should just go to the medicines. The other is that if I made a point of telling the doctor that I'd like to try managing my weight with metformin that I think he would prescribe it for me. I was sort of wondering if that was ok to do so. Some of you say "yes", some "no".

Edited April 30, 2012 by Jean in Newcastle

[melmichigan]

I think I am beginning to understand. Taking Metformin because of elevated blood sugar levels is very different than just taking it to loose weight.

[JumpyTheFrog]

Jean, have you ever had a 24 hour cortisol saliva test done? High cortisol can cause both high blood pressure and high blood glucose levels.

 

Also, I've read that for women, the morning fasting glucose levels often stay normal for a long time after glucose levels are too high later in the day. That's why relying on fasting morning levels isn't enough to rule out diabetes.

 

I would give low-carb a good try for a month or two. Perhaps add in some chromium and cinnamon. I personally wouldn't want an official diagnosis of diabetes if I could avoid it, because that just gives insurance companies an excuse to raise your rates (life and health insurance).

[Jean in Newcastle]

Jean, have you ever had a 24 hour cortisol saliva test done? High cortisol can cause both high blood pressure and high blood glucose levels.

 

Also, I've read that for women, the morning fasting glucose levels often stay normal for a long time after glucose levels are too high later in the day. That's why relying on fasting morning levels isn't enough to rule out diabetes.

 

I would give low-carb a good try for a month or two. Perhaps add in some chromium and cinnamon. I personally wouldn't want an official diagnosis of diabetes if I could avoid it, because that just gives insurance companies an excuse to raise your rates (life and health insurance).

 

Hoppy,

 

I have had a 24 hour cortisol saliva test. I laughed when you mentioned high cortisol. I had zero cortisol in the morning. Zero. I had two different doctors (the second one did another test just to see if the first was an anomoly) say "How do you get up in the morning?" My cortisol levels are low but present later in the day.

 

At first, I was testing my fasting blood sugar, then 2 hour postprandial for each meal. I took that data and did some tweaking to my diet - cutting or restricting my carb intake. Now I test in the morning and then spot check if I'm feeling wonky. If I'm at home my levels are pretty good because I've figured out what I can eat. My problem on Saturday was that I wasn't home - eating out is a minefield for me. Not only do I tend to overindulge on carbs because it's a "treat", I also don't know or tend to think about hidden sugars in foods because I've taken those hidden sugars out at home.

 

I'm taking cinnamon. I'll have to check into the chromium.

 

My sugars are good today. It is 1 1/2 hours after eating lunch and my blood sugar is 114. It is still quite a ways from snack time, so I'm sure it will come down even more before then. I bought some grapes and some nuts for snack today. I'll see how taking grains out of snack time makes me feel over all and how it affects my blood sugar. I want my levels to be more than borderline ok - I want to get them solidly into the normal category.

[JumpyTheFrog]

I have had a 24 hour cortisol saliva test. I laughed when you mentioned high cortisol. I had zero cortisol in the morning. Zero.

 

I'm sorry, I was really hoping you had high cortisol and not low. I had low for a few years and high for a year. The high was easier to fix.

 

Are your doctors willing to put you on hydrocortisone? When I had adrenal fatigue, I wasn't seeing a doc willing to put me on it, so I took Isocort instead. It's an adrenal extract with some cortisol in it. It was helpful. My cortisol for the day was initially half of the low end of normal. The Isocort got it back in normal range, although it took maybe six months or a year. I went off it when I got pregnant and I don't know when my cortisol became normal on its own.

 

If your cortisol is that low, you need to do everything possible to lower the stress level in your life. Get lots of sleep, avoid exercise, and take good care of yourself. Don't let adrenal fatigue turn into CFS.

[Chocolate Rose]

I've been on Metformin for a couple of months now and have had to deal with the GI issues. Not fun. But, from everything I've read Met is one of the safer and well tested drugs. It supposedly even has some kind of anti-cancer properties.:001_smile: I'm very anti-drug, but I did give into this one. I've only lost a few pounds while taking it, but for me, that wasn't the issue. I'm just trying to get my blood sugar under control. I've lost 120 pounds over the last few years and still have another 15-30 to go. I was diagnosed with diabetes in February. :confused: You'd think after losing all that weight that blood sugar wouldn't be an issue. Rats!

Anyway, my recommendation ;) would be to go on a very, very low carb/high fat way of eating. Someone else recommended Dr. Bernstein's book, and I second that recommendation. Start doing some online research. There are lots of websites/forums with lots of info. I remember giving you some low carb recipe sites, but if you'd like some recommendations for changing your diet just let me know.

It is so much easier to give up all carbs then to try to cut back. After the first few days you lose the carb craving. Even though you are eating brown rice (mostly) rather than white rice, the brown rice still has a ton of carbs.

When/if you do have an A1C test, it should be in the 5s. A lot of docs are OK with it being in the 6s or 7s, but that is too high for good health. I still have a long way to go, but I'm working on it. It's coming down a lot slower than I'd like it to, but at least it's going in the right direction.

I'm still figuring this all out, too, but for me, I'm convinced that LC/HF is the way to go.