Insulin resistance

marsha · 03-23-2005, 08:23 AM

This post is for anyone with insulin resistance. I'm curious what medication (if any) are you on. I was taking metformin but it gave me severe abdominal pain. My doctor told me there is no other medication to switch me to. So, I'm just curious if anyone is taking anything else.

Thanks for your help.

babsyintx · 03-23-2005, 08:48 AM

Marsha,

I was curious why you are taking meds still for insulin resistance. I was diagnosed with insulin resistance more than 5 years ago. My doc put me on metformin, glucophage, avandia and none of them worked. They all gave me stomach pain and did not help me to lose weight. Some of the resistance resolves itself with weight loss and diet, so I was wondering if your doc would consider pulling you off the meds as you lose weight? I do not take any meds and a low carb diet coupled with exercise and weight loss has resolved many of my issues.

Babs in TX
334/180
-154
new goal: 170

marsha · 03-23-2005, 12:59 PM

Babs,
I'm havent taken any medication for the insulin resistance since my banding because of the stomach pain from the metformin. I've been stuck with my weight loss and my doctor told me that it may be because of the insulin resistance. My fasting blood sugars remain in the "high normal" range (110's to 120's) and the doctor thinks it's hindering my weight loss. I was hopeing there was something else out there I could try to get my blood sugars a little more controlled.
I'm eating low carb and exercising daily.

New Hope · 03-23-2005, 01:12 PM

Marsha, you might pm "Jack". He's a diabetic bandster and can give you some excellent advice. Best of luck to you!

leatha_g · 03-23-2005, 03:32 PM

How does one get diagnosed with insulin resistance? Do you have to see an endocrinologist? From what I've read, I'd almost bet this is part of my problem too, but I've never once had a doctor mention it to me. Just asking..

marsha · 03-23-2005, 04:59 PM

Leatha,
I was diagnosed by blood work. I have PCOS (Poly cystic ovarian syndrome)and insulin resistance sometimes is a side effect of PCOS. I'm not exactly sure which blood test was the determining factor because I had several including a thyroid function test, thyroid level tests and a glucose tolerence test.

Thanks to all who responded...I appreciate your advise.

**Jack** · 03-23-2005, 05:23 PM

marsha:

re: insulin resistance

I too was Dx'd with this years ago....and have taken lots of oral meds along with insulin for 15 years now....

There is a huge amount of reading out there....and a google search can help guide your reading list... try
to begin and go from there...

Certainly an endrocrinologist needs to be on your health care team to help manage this type of condition. I found my regular 'family practice' MD behind the curve on the new approaches to managing diabetes....and as a chiropractor in a post-grad program, I was exposed to some really cutting edge research....but that was 10 years ago now, and most of it has migrated into the current 'Gold Standard' .....the blood test "A1c" will give greatly enhanced idea of what your blood glucose is doing over the life of the red blood cell and average glucose blood level....and is far more meaningful than the standard reading we have all grown up with....

'Syndrome X' has a lot of research striving to understand exactly what goes on...

...this is a dynamic cluster of disorders to study, there are lots of ideas presented in academia and I'm sure better answers will evolve....

While I couldn't take avandia...I did tolerate metformin well enough...and rezulin was great but too many rats died from it so they took it off the market....

My insulin needs have gone WAY DOWN since Banding...and I hope to get off them entirely....

This is not a simple metabolic problem, and to date I have not discovered a simple answer.... simple sugar metabolism is not the only disruption, but fats as well, along with simple carbs....and improper dietary choices can and will lead to big trouble....

good luck in your journey....

marsha · 03-23-2005, 05:29 PM

Thanks Jack for your great post.

THe doctor who put me on the metformin is an endocrinologist. I'm afarid though that he might not be a very good one. He a little strange to say the least. But, that's another story. I think I get a second opinion.

Just wanted to say thanks for the info! ;-)

babsyintx · 03-23-2005, 05:46 PM

Marsha,

Just wanted to get back to you about the insulin resistance question you originally had. I was diagnosed with PCOS first by an OBGYN. It wasnt until I went to see a reproductive endocrinologist at Duke University where I discovered that I was actually insulin resistant and that I actually did not have PCOS. Many times insulin resistant people manifest symptoms of PCOS or the other way around. I was the put on all the meds over the course of a year. They did not help me, I did not lose weight and they made me sick. SO I went to endocinologist #2 here in TX. He said if the meds werent helping me, then I should go on a high protein low carb diet and stick with that instead. I did this and lost 47 pounds in 8 months on Atkins back in 2001. I then proceeded to get pregnant, had a baby in Jan 2002 and maintained my weight loss while breast feeding. After this, I gained all the weight back and an additional 45 more friends. So I am familiar with your dilemna. The only way to expedite weight loss in lieu of the drugs is to go on a low carb diet. THere really arent any other meds that I know of that will work in conjunction with the band to help you lose faster. The truth is that if you are insulin resistant, you will always have to eliminate the carbs as a way of life. I dont know how diligent you are with this, but I have made it a way of life. The minute i eat carbs I gain very rapidly, even with the band. To some extent, most of us that are obese usually show insulin resistant when tested. My levels were similar to yours and I always had a difficult time to lose weight. Once I added the exercise and the low carb program, the pounds started dropping off. I still eat carbs once in a while, but did not the first 6 months of banding. I hope you find another solution on the meds, but I dont think that there are many others out there that will help with your problem.

Babs in TX
334/180
-154
New goal: 170

laraestokes · 08-11-2005, 09:07 AM

I was dx with Insulin resistance a little over a year ago. One of the reasons I decided to have the band was to lose weight and get this under control as diabetes runs in my family and my mother had a kidney transplant due to diabetes. I am very happy to say I had my yearly ob-gyn check and they did a fasting lab on me. All my bad labs, glucose, triglycerides (bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cholesterol) were all bad last year at this time. This year they are all normal to excellent with a little over 50# weight lost. I love my band and am no longer considered insulin resistance, but was told to keep an eye on it!!!!

HotLikeHer · 08-11-2005, 01:19 PM

I also have PCOS since I was about 16, and I see a reproductive endocrinologist now also, I have the INsulin resistance too,, They put me on Fortamet, I think is the same as glucophage, but it is extended release tabs and it is my understanding that after the band we cant take them-no extended release ones...
I too had major runs and pains in my stomach, but after 2-3 weeks it subsided, unlesss I ate a high carb meal, these meds do not get a long with high carb meals,,,, gas, pains, the runs etc,,,

ajack · 08-11-2005, 02:33 PM

i was dx with pcos when i was 16 and discovered on my own i was IR went to my doc and educated her she agreed to put me on metformin. I took that for years but it never worked then i tried rezulin but like previously stated rats died ....... Last year i started Avandia and cha ching blood sugars started coming down. Then in November I started Lantus(24hr Insulin) it was a god send. now my sugars are less than 120. i have started decreasing units since i have surgery weds. Now if i could just lose the darn weight. then I will have a band baby or three.. hoping for twins....crazy? maybe

also i found taking aciphex helped the abd pn.

Jachut · 08-11-2005, 04:00 PM

In Australia, the main recommendation for people who are "pre-diabetic" or have "syndrome-x", if medication is not considered necessary, is a low GI diet. That means not cutting out carbs completely but not basing your entire diet on them and when you do eat them eat great quality, complex carbs, not processed white rubbish. And stick to low GI fruits and always include protein in your meal. I would guess to a very large degree you'd have to do that with a band anyway, since rice, white bread seem to be problem foods. High GI carbs just send blood sugar levels skyrocketing.

And exercise exercise exercise.

MMDLynn · 08-11-2005, 04:02 PM

:cheeky Marsha,
I have PCOS and was diagnosed as Insulin Resistant 5 years ago and I've been on Metformin - prescribed by a Repro- Endo/ they seem to have a better insight for women with either PCOS or IR. Mainly because both conditions are due to hormone inadequecies which cause irregular cycles, excessive weight gain, increased glucose levels, etc. Especially if you are pre-disposed to diabetes like me (my mother had type 1 diabetes and died from complications to long term diabetes 35 years).

I want to be banded as the metformin hasn't helped me one bit with the weight loss, but it has helped in reducing the side-effects/symptoms of PCOS. I've tried a variety of daily dosages 500mg once daily, twice daily, and currently three x's daily. But nothing works on the weight loss. The higher the dosage the impact worsens - upset stomach, runny stool, cramping, etc.

I agree that metformin works best when Carbs are significantly reduced and proteins are the bulk of your meals. Exercise is key as well - but nothing will beat the positive impact the band has. I'm still awaiting approval from BCBS (insurance) as I cannot afford the procedure on my own.

Try switching your protein intake and make sure that you consume 60grams daily, exercise 60 min daily 6-7 days a week, and most importantly drink your water and lay off the carbs and the weight should come off. Most folks that are on metformin for PCOS are usually taken off the meds after banding as they glucose levels normalize. The same holds true for type II diabetics, from what I've heard.

Talk with your endo about it- if you don't have one you like - get another one by all means. It's your life we're talking about. Good luck and keep us posted.

loreli · 08-14-2005, 11:08 PM

metformin did the SAME thing to me.. Im on glipside but my readings go down with weight loss and they say I may be able to go off the medication.