Re: What is wrong with me??!!!
From: Kimberly (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 23 Jan 2001 13:35:46 -0600 (CST)
Hi Zowie & Krystyna,
Sorry to interject in the messages, but some of the information y'all
have is incorrect. Met/Gluco/Actos/Avandia are all insulin sensitizing
medications. They are not designed to control your blood sugar but
rather your insulin. PCOS is related to INSULIN RESISTANCE, meaning
your body does not effectively metabolize the insulin it produces.
Therefore, the glucose in your system does not get converted to energy.
Since it doesnt get converted it gets stored as fat. The pancreas
reacts by dumping more insulin into our bodies at times when our glucose
levels are high. (like when you load on all those carbohydrates &
sugar). The excess insulin gives us the effect of "hypoglycemia" hence
the hunger, shakes, cold/headache, fatigue. Understand though, it's not
all about our blood sugar--it's our INSULIN that is out of whack. Excess
insulin can wreak havoc on our bodies. The excess glucose effects our
triglycerides, the excess fat affects our cholesterol. All of this adds
to the hypertension we already have. The other part of Diabetes that
you are forgetting is the most basic. Diabetes in general is a disease
that does not allow a body to convert glucose--sugar.It CANT break down
CARBS. So you have to limit the intake of sugar. THIS MEANS CARBS.
Give your body a chance to do what it is suppose to, lower the
carb/sugar intake and dont give it a chance to work. I'm not advocating
Atkins, but an overall understanding of what it is exactly that causes
the glucose/insulin reaction. If you load up on sugar/carbs, the body
is going to react by dumping insulin to convert. BUT, since we are
resistant to our own insulin & its not being used correctly it dumps
even more. See the circle? You can control some of the highs/lows just
by spreading your meals out during the day & reducing or limiting the
carbs. And until you get your insulin regulated you should NOT be
having carbs at every meal but rather a balanced meal of protein &
veggies with limited carbs. You will feel better too and with decreased
carb/sugar it can lead to weight loss. I hope this clears some things
up. Do some research though. There is all kinds of info on the
internet and tons of books that can go into specifics. Information is
your best tool in treatment. Good luck ladies. God Bless. Kimberly.
At Tue, 23 Jan 2001, Krystyna wrote:
>
>Hi Zowie,
>
>I don't know the precise way that Metformin works, but it seems to me
>you need to go back to your Doctor ASAP. I've been put on Metformin
>because of my PCOS but the 500mg 2x day was increased to 1g 2x day
>because they found I was just creeping in to the Type II diabetes
>bracket. As I understand it the Metformin makes your body more
>sensitive to the sugar in your blood stream and it is then taken up more
>rapidly. In your case it sounds like maybe you are already too
>sensitive. Maybe Metformin is not the answer for you.
>
>If you don't want to go back to your Doctor immediately, you could try
>buying one of those blood sugar testing kits. Here in the UK they are
>very cheap (heavily subsidised because the replacement testing strips
>and lances are correspondingly very expensive) or even free to
>diabetics. What I found is my own sugar levels shoot up straight after
>breakfast (when I have my first tablets) but quickly come down again. I
>do however have to keep a watch on when I am going to have my next meal.
>I've been told you should never allow more than 4 hours between meals
>and in fact it is better to have maybe 5 small meals regularly spaced in
>a day rather than the more normal further spaced apart 3. I've also
>found that when I have a period my sugar control goes to pot. I
>literally can't go more than 3 hours without something to eat or I start
>shaking. The shakes get so bad that I can't then get anything in to my
>mouth to help the situation. It frightened me so much the first time
>that now I keep an eye out for it and don't let it happen again.
>
>In the short term (I still feel you need to see your Doctor ASAP) I've
>been told by my diabetic clinic to always keep something like a packet
>of digestive biscuits (sweet biscuits with oats or some other wholemeal
>in) to hand because 1 of these should help overcome the problems. The
>sugar acts almost immediately while the wholemeal and fat break down
>more slowly (a bit like a time release sugar capsule). The other thing
>is I really suggest that while you are having these problems don't go
>too low on the carbs. Until you have your sugar levels under control
>you should make sure you have something like pasta, wholemeal bread etc
>with every meal.
>
>Good luck with the Metformin -
>
>xxKrystynaxx
>
>At Wed, 17 Jan 2001, Zowie wrote:
>>
>>Hello ladies,
>>As many of you know, I was started on Met 500 mg/day 2x/day on last
>>Tuesday. I also found that I have hypoglycemic "episodes" as I call
>>them (does this mean I'm hypoglycemic in general?). I recently posted
>>about some weird symptoms I've been having with feeling VERY weak,
>>getting dizzy and NO ENERGY. I thought this was from my anemia, but the
>>Dr. also said those are symptoms of hypoglycemia. Lately, I have been
>>experiencing CONSTANT hunger. Usually, 2-4 hours after eating a meal I
>>get hungry. Sometimes it's as if I hadn't eaten in 2 days hungry. Since
>>yesterday, I've been feeling that pretty much constantly and can't
>>understand it. I've been trying to eat less when I eat a meal, since
>>I've been eating MORE often to curb the hunger. Today this is gettin
>>bad. I'm sitting here only minutes after having some more to eat and
>>the acid in my throat is almost unbearable. (I had some warm granola
>>cereal, which I also had for breakfast around 10:30, but cold). What is
>>going ON with me??? Why am I always hungry?? Is there some way to curb
>>this appetite?? The thought of eating constantly, even if it's minimal
>>amounts of food at a time, is totally unacceptable to me---it just
>>doesn't seem RIGHT. I'd feel as if I'm overeating and want to LOSE
>>weight. Is this due to the Metformin or my Hypoglycemia?? I've even
>>noticed that I get the shakes at times--especially my hands. I always
>>feel weak, dizzy and see "stars" or bursts of light frequently, but
>>that's nothing new. (I've been doing doubletakes---thinking I saw
>>something on the wall--but nothing is there). Am I going crazy???!!!
>>I'm starting to wonder!! Please help!!
>>
>>--
>>-- Zowie :)
>>
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