[katy]

Hi..I just found this site...maybe it will answer some of my questions. I went to the doc because of depression. my hub has fought colon cancer and I lost my mom---the last 3 years have been super stressful. Doc prescribed celexa for depression, but also did a blood workup. In that we discovered I am headed for diabetes if I don't change things. my fasting blood sugar was 104 ------cholesterol 231, triclycerides 252, LDL 141, HDL only 40. doc says I need to get things under control now or it will get worse. I was started on metformin 500mg 2x a day, zocor 20mg, and pepcid 40mg for ongoing indigestion problems. my stomach problem straightened out immediately! but within 10 days I couldn't tolerate the statin. tried another one....same thing.....burning muscles, could hardly go at all. The metformin caused gas for a couple weeks, but it curbed my appetite and the first 4 weeks I lost 8 pounds. It's been almost another month and I can tell I have lost some more. I am not horribly overweight---used to weigh about 125 and now weigh about 160, so I need to loose 40 pounds. Evidently the metformin curbs your appetite?
I had another fasting blood test last week and it was 102.....I have had my blood cked 2 times at random an hour or so after eating and was told it looked fine.
after consulting with my doctor I have started a suppliment of Policosonol which I read can work like a statin but with hardly any side effects. We will see after a couple of months when we repeat the lipid panel. I also started taking fish oil and COQ10.
I have many questions about what to eat and how much....at present I am about afraid to eat ANYthing have cut out most of the meat except occasional chicken or fish, no sweets, no deserts, eating lots more veggies, melons, apples. I eat eggs a couple of times a week. For breakfast I have a lg bowl of bran, berries and nuts. Most days I can stay well in control, and only some times do I feel the urge to eat something extra. I keep a bottle or cold water handy for those times. if we eat out I stick to salads.
how long can you take metformin? will I need a larger dose? Why do my random sugar cks seem ok but my fasting ones are high? I think the doctor is more worried about my cholestorol than my sugar. I read one article that sounded like metformin could actually lower your cholesterol....is that correct? I am making a list of questions to take the next time I go to the doc.
It looks like this might be a great place to get support and compare notes with others with the same symptoms.
I look forward to reading here.
Katy

 

[Guest]

welcome Katy it sounds like you've had a tough time of late... hopefully things look up for you. I'm glad to hear your doc is trying to get things sorted for you too. It can take a lot of trial and error at times with meds and BGLs. I also have stomach problems but to date I haven't had my treatment sorted properly... I obviously have a tricky stomach. With diet you're in a good position to knock those higher BGLs on the head with a low carb diet... others here would recommend low carb/high fat. I've personally increased my fat intake before and my cholesterol just increases... so that doesn't work for me. Although you could give it a try and see if it works for you. Plenty of people here eat really low carb and there is also a recipe section on this forum that you can use to help you get started there. Personally I eat carbs, but small portions and I choose wholegrain and dairy carbs over vegetable carbs. You need to find out what works for you and the only way to do that is test regularly throughout each day. Test before your meal, an hour after your meal to see if you get a spike over 140 (your number), and 2 hours after the meal. Don't forget to test your fasting BGLs in the morning before eating/drinking anything. Keep a record of your findings as your doc and endo will want to know what you're noticing. I'm sure you will find this a great place for support and info. Keep us posted on how you're doing.

 

[Shanny]

Hello Katy. It sounds like you may need to get a meter of your own so you can test throughout the day to get a better idea of how your meals affect your blood sugar. Building your meals around protein & fats will serve you best. Beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, cheeses, nuts, avocados . . . these are things you can eat to your heart's content.

High fiber veggies are good, but starchy ones should be avoided and often the cereal grains can send our numbers through the roof.

There are members here who have been on metformin for many years without any problems, and I can personally attest that it curbs my appetite. I take 1000mg x 2 each day.

 

[Jen]

I have many questions about what to eat and how much....at present I am about afraid to eat ANYthing have cut out most of the meat except occasional chicken or fish, no sweets, no deserts, eating lots more veggies, melons, apples. I eat eggs a couple of times a week. For breakfast I have a lg bowl of bran, berries and nuts. Most days I can stay well in control, and only some times do I feel the urge to eat something extra. I keep a bottle or cold water handy for those times. if we eat out I stick to salads.

Hi Katy, and welcome. It all seems very confusing, doesn't it?

It looks like you've sort of gone in a counter-productive diet direction. Meats and fats are not your enemy - they don't raise your blood sugar (unless you eat to excess), but apples and melons may be. The bran for breakfast could be a problem too. As you explore a different dietary world, let your meter be your best friend. Test just prior to eating, then 2 hours after you start the meal. If your blood sugar rises more than about 50 points, the carbs in the meal may not be the right ones for you. At your next opportunity reduce the quantity of whatever carb you ate. If you still experience a significant increase, you might want to find a substitute for that source of carbs. You will probably feel like a pincushion for a while, but you'll be developing a Katy-specific list of foods that work for you.

Calorie King is one of a number of sites that have detailed nutritional information on thousands of fresh foods and processed foods. There is even a great downloadable database that lets you have the information at hand when you don't have web access.

Let us know how you do.

Best,
Jen

 

[Harvey738]

Hi i am new here but i am not diagnosed with diabetes, my uncle is.

 

[katy]

yes I am confused!

you can bet I am confused....I have been told to cut the fats...meat, cheeses, etc.....(due to cholesterol problem)....quit the sweets (and in all honesty I am not that much of a sweet eater) ....watch the carbs.....I was told fiber was ok ( I know it has sure cured my bowel problems)
what can I eat??? beans and lettuce LOL

 

[Guest]

you can bet I am confused....I have been told to cut the fats...meat, cheeses, etc.....(due to cholesterol problem)....quit the sweets (and in all honesty I am not that much of a sweet eater) ....watch the carbs.....I was told fiber was ok ( I know it has sure cured my bowel problems)
what can I eat??? beans and lettuce LOL

yeah it's frustrating. I find personally what works best is all food in moderation.... don't overdo it on any food group. Eating smaller meals regularly can help regulate your BGLs too. It's an old piece of advice really... but when you think about it, it makes sense. Our society tends to overdo it on carbs or fat or whatever. Just use your meter to find out what works best for you. You need to have variety in your diet to make sure you're getting your nutrients. I also can't eat high fat as my cholesterol goes up, but I just stick to lean cuts of meat when I eat it and I use olive oil when I cook. Others here would be different with their diet, but that's what suits them.

 

[Shanny]

you can bet I am confused....I have been told to cut the fats...meat, cheeses, etc.....(due to cholesterol problem)....quit the sweets (and in all honesty I am not that much of a sweet eater) ....watch the carbs.....I was told fiber was ok ( I know it has sure cured my bowel problems)
what can I eat??? beans and lettuce LOL

the Cholesterol Controversy

(and yes, fiber is good, but if it comes from grains, sometimes it can give you a big spike. High-fiber veggies are the best source.)

 

[Guest]

the Cholesterol Controversy

(and yes, fiber is good, but if it comes from grains, sometimes it can give you a big spike. High-fiber veggies are the best source.)

I'm not even 40 yet so I'd have to be careful.

 

[Patdart]

Onlymep, I am doing the Atkins diet with my cardiologist enthusiastic permission and my Cholesterol dropped from 188 to 114 in the first two months. My triglycerides went from 97 to 6, LDL 104 to 54 and HDL 65 to 59. I lost 45 lbs and now am at optimum weight and my last A1C was 5.2. My last #'s were a bit higher, but well within 'low risk' category. So, I still eat a few more carbs to my meter, but still work to ingest high fats.

So, give that some thought. Also, I'm on no meds yet for diabetes.

 

[ColaJim]

you can bet I am confused....I have been told to cut the fats...meat, cheeses, etc.....(due to cholesterol problem)....quit the sweets (and in all honesty I am not that much of a sweet eater) ....watch the carbs.....I was told fiber was ok ( I know it has sure cured my bowel problems)
what can I eat??? beans and lettuce LOL

Katy, your so called doctor is an obsolete fraud. Please dump that quack and find yourself a decent doctor!