Wellness

[Moonchilde]

Unless I missed something (I might have), @Jackhound Mom has only mentioned Metformin - which is the safest oral medication there is for T2 diabetes treatment, with a 23 year track record in the US and 40+ in Canada. It's the #1 recommended and prescribed starter medication, and by far the safest long-term overall as far as major organs. 

Whether one can deal with the #1 side effect is individual. I've been taking it for almost 10 years, and I'm becoming less tolerant now :-( The Extended Release is the way to go. 

I've chosen to continue taking it (as opposed to asking for a newer med or an injectable) despite that, precisely because it is so safe (and when taken alone, no hypo episodes) and is actually organ-protective. It's even being studied for use in cancer prevention and treatment.

[Jackhound Mom]

Hi Poodlepet2,

I don't understand the question, sorry.  My A1C is high and when I test AM fasting right now I am 200.  Before this last bought of Trigeminal I was down to 120.  I was dieting and working out 5 or 6 days a week.  My weight was 140 and I'm 5'2" and 63.  My doctor said (then) I could continue without meds as long as my numbers went down.

We had an assault incident (long story) and I got very upset as I thought 2 thugs were going to kill my husband and I got extremly upset and my face went to heck.  So when I'm in extreme pain my diet and exercise goes out the window.  Now I'm at square one again.

I took my first metforminHCL XR 500 MG today and hope I dont drop down in the 40's or 60's like I did with a regular Metforman a few years ago when I tried one.  I was heavier then.

Thank you Moonchild for the good review on this drug.  It is comforting to hear from a real person who has used it.

Forgive me for not reading all the back pages yet but I will.

I wish everyone here a delightful weekend and good health.

Cathy

[Poodlepet2]

@Jackhound Mom, Cathy, IT A with @ Moonchilde.... tthere's no such thing seemingly as "pre-diabetes": more and more practitioners are putting people on it who rest in that range.

A1c can go up or down: I am fortunate that with diet and exercise, I can keep mine down.

I am blatantly honest with myself-keep journals and logs...

This disease is different for everybody: no two of us are the same....@Moonchilde for example, had no effect on her glucose when suffering an acute bout of pain.

...but I am different- I go up.

I make adjustments in my diet when that happens. I am lucky. @Trinity11, ccould tell you that doesn't happen to her....

You have a tough road, but where are you in terms of treatment with Trigemenal Neuralgia and Bell's? Drugs for both of those-steroids-are known causes of high glucose....

What's the acceptable range? How do you feel? There is no one answer....but we all want to help you in finding what MIGHT work.

Hugs and peace-meditation helps,

Poodlepet2

[Poodlepet2]

@Jackhound Mom, Cathy-I really prefer NOT to this about this little factoid....I am totally oblivious when I drop down.

No question, I am Type II.

My DE just about had a heart attack when I went down into the 40's.  NO SYMPTOMS....

IN MY READING-and I am NOT saying this to scare you-but I have to wonder about pancreatic cancer.....I don't think we are there-diagnosis is not easy, but I do have it in the back of my mind.

I am not obsessed by this- but there are times.....

Hugs,

Poodlepet2

[RedTop]

@Jackhound Mom

With an A1c at 9.0, your physician should express his concern and suggest a medication.   However, that number is currently being affected by the inflammation in your bloodstream, as well as your stress levels.   There was a period of time when my husband ran an A1c between 11 and 14, because of job stress.  

I also take Metformin XR, and am experiencing no problems.   I would not be concerned at all about this medication dropping your blood sugar to a low level, as that is not how this medication works.   I take 1000 mg with my supper, and have no issues at all.   At bedtime I take 58 units of Lantus insulin, and still do not have low blood sugar episodes.   

Approximately 7 years ago, I had a 120 fasting blood sugar which by medical protocol diagnosed me as pre-diabetic.   I have never had a high blood sugar reading, unless I test immediately after a meal.   I am genetically doomed as far as diabetes, which is why I have chosen to start medication and insulin at a very early stage.  

My husband has been diabetic for 20 years; he has been under very competent medical supervision the entire time, and has taken multiple medications, as well as insulin in an effort to control his numbers.   He survived the MI known as the widow maker within 1 year after his diagnosis, during a time his diabetes was considered stable.   Diabetes is a progressive disease, period; our older physician used the term "honeymoon phases" to describe how it was possible for my husband to suffer such a big heart attack when on paper, his numbers were reading in normal ranges.  Diabetes progression goes thru these honeymoon phases, regardless of how well we think we are managing our numbers.   

[Poodlepet2]

@RedTop, all I am saying is, we have to be aware-and dropping down consistently is an issue....

Hugs,

Poodlepet2

.

[emmysmom]

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@CatLoverDogsToo wrote:

@Moonchilde 

  You said:   "But - I think in some cases it's what doctors do with patients they know, or highly suspect, are being non-compliant. The doctor's responsibility is to get that BG down, and if the patient makes no changes to their eating habits and doesn't want to use insulin, those newer meds are all they have left to work with."

I completely agree. Shortly after I was diagnosed I was with my daughter car shopping and the car salesman was bragging about how high his BG was (over 300 all the time) and he was on Januvia. He kept saying he didn't give a darn what the doctor said, he was going to eat and drink whatever the heck he wanted. (He was drinking a Coke and eating some chips too.) He is going to care when he is being fit for a prosthesis and has "down south below the belt" problems.  My neighbor where I used to live was a diabetic, she would be good for 2 weeks before her endo appointment, then right after the appointment buy herself a dozen donuts and eat them all. She ended up with bilateral below the knee amputations, blindness, renal failure and ultimately died at age 65.

I will never understand those that just won't try to do better. I know it is hard, and depressing at times, but the complications are awful.

The thing that amazes me are people that should be on insulin and it has been recommended to them, but they refuse because "needles hurt" (no they don't) and insulin is dangerous (no, and certainly not with proper dosage and BG checks). Persistent high BG's on the other hand eventually lead to terrible consequences.  I run into those people all the time.

Stepping off my soapbox now....

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Ita! I take lantus and the needle is the width of a hair..no pain! My mother, who was a nurse refused insulin and she was taking Advandia. She had a previous stroke and a heart problem..the Advania caused another stroke and she died 4 days later. I was diagnosed in 2012..began taking Metformin and Lantus. I was in terrible pain for almost a year..mentioned it to my doctor and she wanted me to quit the metformin. It didn't make a dent in my BS either when I quit. My pharmacist told me it could cause liver cancer. I quit it cold turkey and started feeling better. I follow Suzy Cohen, a pharmacist, now and her advice about it in her book "Diabetes without Drugs"!!! I eat anti inflammatory foods and supplements. I was taking 20 units of insulin w/good BS numbers..down to 15 now and still have 95 and under BS..hoping to get off it altogether! They started me on 13 units. I have added fruits too..I use stevia as a sweetener, and I eat a Paleo diet..some fish but otherwise I'm a vegetarian now. No worries with weight problems..last I checked my BP was ok..I take potassium for that. I've had a stroke too..its in my family history..

[Moonchilde]

@Jackhound Mom, welcome to the Wacky World of Diabetes, where every individual body is different in its reaction to food, medication, and everything else, and where people contradict each other every time someone has a question ;-) It's part and parcel of having diabetes and it happens in person and online.

Trial and error is your friend. It's only trial and error and testing on your own body that will give you meaningful answers for your body and A1c, and yours is the only one that counts.

Take what people say and research it - and test and see if it applies to your body or not. Use what works and don't worry about what doesn't apply to you. Even doctors have very different schools of thought about what "good" numbers are. Pay attention to advice, but ultimately some of it won't be relevant to your body.

I was scolded by my doctor last week for having an A1c of 5.5 - it upset him as being "too low"(!) and he insisted on stopping or lowering some of my medication. He actually asked me wasn't I going low all the time with that number. SMH. Noooooo......

I have a low maybe once every three months, from not eating for too many hours. Other than that I've never had a low, ever, on medication.

I seriously might need to change doctors if he keeps that up. My previous doctors would have done the Dance of Joy at that number, and would have encouraged me to keep up the good work, instead of OMG you're so over-medicated (maybe I'm just not eating bad foods, duh) you have a normal value - the horror!

Meh.

[tansy]

Wow, @RedTop.  I'm amazed at how much Lantus you take.  

[Jackhound Mom]

Good Morning Everyone!

I am so grateful to have your answers!  Well, I had a very unsuccessful day with my first dose of Metformin.  My stomach hurt worce that it ever has and you could hear it from across the room, sigh.  The medicine made my number go down to 130 so it does work.

I have not used the portal to my doctor yet but I will let her know and give a call to her assistant on Monday.

Sence I am up I will read more of your posts.  Thank you all for posting your success and failures as it lets me and others know we are not alone in this endevor.

Have a happy Saturday,

Cathy