Metformin - A Real Stall-buster

Here's what I've learned the past few months: Despite having normal blood
sugar levels all the time for over a year and getting to goal, my underlying
insulin resistance did not go away. In fact, it seems to have gotten worse.

This is in direct contradiction to the medical mantra that if you lose
weight and exercise you won't have IR. I did and I did.

The symptoms of IR for me were a complete inability to lose the couple
pounds I needed to lose to get back to my maintenance goal. I did six weeks
of low carb/low cal and achieved nothing. My energy levels plummeted and I
felt like crap. Even worse, my fasting blood sugar levels started to climb.
They started spiking over 110 mg/dl every few days, and though this is
considered to be great for a person with diabetes, it is NOT great for a
person who wants normal blood sugar levels.

My new endocrinologist prescribed Metformin, which is a drug that reduces
insulin resistance by increasing muscle uptake of glucose and cutting liver
production of glucose. After six weeks I am finding myself hardly ever
thinking about food and I have a much better energy level. Even better,
I've lost 4 lbs without consciously dieting or counting anything. In fact,
I've lost 4 lbs while eating far more carbs than I've eaten all year with
one completely 30- 50 gram meal a day most days (and the rest low carb) .
This has taken to a weight 2 lbs away from the lowest weight I ever
stabilized at.

Most importantly, because it is high insulin rather than high blood sugar
that may cause the cardiovascular problems associated with Metabolic
Syndrome, I am probably cutting back on my risk of heart attack. High
insulin promotes growth, and there's some possibility that some of the
growth it promotes results in thickening of the artery walls.

Bottom line: diet alone, even a diet that succeeds in attaining your weight
goal, may not be enough to control the high insulin levels that come along
with the Metabolic Syndrome. If that is the case, it is worth investigating
drug interventions. This happens to be Dr. Bernstein's conclusion in his
second edition of his book, and Metformin is the drug he recommends.

-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes,
hba1c 5.4.
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes,
strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm

What dose metformin are you taking?

"Jenny" wrote in message ...
Here's what I've learned the past few months: Despite having normal blood
sugar levels all the time for over a year and getting to goal, my underlying
insulin resistance did not go away. In fact, it seems to have gotten worse.

This is in direct contradiction to the medical mantra that if you lose
weight and exercise you won't have IR. I did and I did.

The symptoms of IR for me were a complete inability to lose the couple
pounds I needed to lose to get back to my maintenance goal. I did six weeks
of low carb/low cal and achieved nothing. My energy levels plummeted and I
felt like crap. Even worse, my fasting blood sugar levels started to climb.
They started spiking over 110 mg/dl every few days, and though this is
considered to be great for a person with diabetes, it is NOT great for a
person who wants normal blood sugar levels.

My new endocrinologist prescribed Metformin, which is a drug that reduces
insulin resistance by increasing muscle uptake of glucose and cutting liver
production of glucose. After six weeks I am finding myself hardly ever
thinking about food and I have a much better energy level. Even better,
I've lost 4 lbs without consciously dieting or counting anything. In fact,
I've lost 4 lbs while eating far more carbs than I've eaten all year with
one completely 30- 50 gram meal a day most days (and the rest low carb) .
This has taken to a weight 2 lbs away from the lowest weight I ever
stabilized at.

Most importantly, because it is high insulin rather than high blood sugar
that may cause the cardiovascular problems associated with Metabolic
Syndrome, I am probably cutting back on my risk of heart attack. High
insulin promotes growth, and there's some possibility that some of the
growth it promotes results in thickening of the artery walls.

Bottom line: diet alone, even a diet that succeeds in attaining your weight
goal, may not be enough to control the high insulin levels that come along
with the Metabolic Syndrome. If that is the case, it is worth investigating
drug interventions. This happens to be Dr. Bernstein's conclusion in his
second edition of his book, and Metformin is the drug he recommends.

-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes,
hba1c 5.4.
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes,
strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm

Have you tried vitamin supplementation? A long period on a high carb
diet may have depleted you of needed vitamins. Your cells may be
impaired by the lack of these vitamins. I would suggest a good b
vitamin complex (stress formula), two or three a day with food and not
before bedtime as well as 3 to 5 (1000 mg) of vitamin C, taken
thru-out the day. These vitamins are non-toxic and cheap.

TC

"Jenny" wrote in message ...
Here's what I've learned the past few months: Despite having normal blood
sugar levels all the time for over a year and getting to goal, my underlying
insulin resistance did not go away. In fact, it seems to have gotten worse.

This is in direct contradiction to the medical mantra that if you lose
weight and exercise you won't have IR. I did and I did.

The symptoms of IR for me were a complete inability to lose the couple
pounds I needed to lose to get back to my maintenance goal. I did six weeks
of low carb/low cal and achieved nothing. My energy levels plummeted and I
felt like crap. Even worse, my fasting blood sugar levels started to climb.
They started spiking over 110 mg/dl every few days, and though this is
considered to be great for a person with diabetes, it is NOT great for a
person who wants normal blood sugar levels.

My new endocrinologist prescribed Metformin, which is a drug that reduces
insulin resistance by increasing muscle uptake of glucose and cutting liver
production of glucose. After six weeks I am finding myself hardly ever
thinking about food and I have a much better energy level. Even better,
I've lost 4 lbs without consciously dieting or counting anything. In fact,
I've lost 4 lbs while eating far more carbs than I've eaten all year with
one completely 30- 50 gram meal a day most days (and the rest low carb) .
This has taken to a weight 2 lbs away from the lowest weight I ever
stabilized at.

Most importantly, because it is high insulin rather than high blood sugar
that may cause the cardiovascular problems associated with Metabolic
Syndrome, I am probably cutting back on my risk of heart attack. High
insulin promotes growth, and there's some possibility that some of the
growth it promotes results in thickening of the artery walls.

Bottom line: diet alone, even a diet that succeeds in attaining your weight
goal, may not be enough to control the high insulin levels that come along
with the Metabolic Syndrome. If that is the case, it is worth investigating
drug interventions. This happens to be Dr. Bernstein's conclusion in his
second edition of his book, and Metformin is the drug he recommends.

-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes,
hba1c 5.4.
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes,
strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm

TC,

I was already taking the extra vitamins, and my endocrinologist did a test
to see how my level of Vitamin B12 was. It was fine.

I'm taking 1000 mg of Metformin ER (the extended release version.)

-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes,
hba1c 5.4.
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes,
strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm



"tcomeau" wrote in message
om...
Have you tried vitamin supplementation? A long period on a high carb
diet may have depleted you of needed vitamins. Your cells may be
impaired by the lack of these vitamins. I would suggest a good b
vitamin complex (stress formula), two or three a day with food and not
before bedtime as well as 3 to 5 (1000 mg) of vitamin C, taken
thru-out the day. These vitamins are non-toxic and cheap.

TC

"Jenny" wrote in message
...
Here's what I've learned the past few months: Despite having normal
blood
sugar levels all the time for over a year and getting to goal, my
underlying
insulin resistance did not go away. In fact, it seems to have gotten
worse.

This is in direct contradiction to the medical mantra that if you lose
weight and exercise you won't have IR. I did and I did.

The symptoms of IR for me were a complete inability to lose the couple
pounds I needed to lose to get back to my maintenance goal. I did six
weeks
of low carb/low cal and achieved nothing. My energy levels plummeted and
I
felt like crap. Even worse, my fasting blood sugar levels started to
climb.
They started spiking over 110 mg/dl every few days, and though this is
considered to be great for a person with diabetes, it is NOT great for a
person who wants normal blood sugar levels.

My new endocrinologist prescribed Metformin, which is a drug that
reduces
insulin resistance by increasing muscle uptake of glucose and cutting
liver
production of glucose. After six weeks I am finding myself hardly ever
thinking about food and I have a much better energy level. Even better,
I've lost 4 lbs without consciously dieting or counting anything. In
fact,
I've lost 4 lbs while eating far more carbs than I've eaten all year
with
one completely 30- 50 gram meal a day most days (and the rest low carb)
..
This has taken to a weight 2 lbs away from the lowest weight I ever
stabilized at.

Most importantly, because it is high insulin rather than high blood
sugar
that may cause the cardiovascular problems associated with Metabolic
Syndrome, I am probably cutting back on my risk of heart attack. High
insulin promotes growth, and there's some possibility that some of the
growth it promotes results in thickening of the artery walls.

Bottom line: diet alone, even a diet that succeeds in attaining your
weight
goal, may not be enough to control the high insulin levels that come
along
with the Metabolic Syndrome. If that is the case, it is worth
investigating
drug interventions. This happens to be Dr. Bernstein's conclusion in
his
second edition of his book, and Metformin is the drug he recommends.

-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2
diabetes,
hba1c 5.4.
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes,
strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm