Am I IR? Here are my results...

HelloKitty216 · 02-07-2004, 02:05 AM

Hi Ladies!

I was put on GlucXR a few days ago after a diagnosis via ultrasound. However, I am still confused as to whether or not I am Insulin Resistant. I had a 5-hour Oral Glucose Tolerance Test back in 2001..and my doctor said my results indicated I was. When I look at results online..mine seem to fall in the normal range. Can anyone help me understand? Here are my results:

Plasma Fasting Glucose = 86
1/2 hour = 166
1 Hour = 125
2 Hour = 106
3 Hour = 95
4 Hour = 73
5 Hour = 85

If anyone can explain, I'd greatly appreciate it!

BethT.

lots_of_dots · 02-07-2004, 02:22 AM

Have you ever had your insulin level tested? My dr used both my fasting glucose and insulin levels when determining that I am IR. My glucose levels are fine but my insulin level is through the roof which is an indication of IR.

HelloKitty216 · 02-07-2004, 02:26 AM

I just looked through all my labs from the past 5 years and I have never had an "Insulin" test. I find that so odd! Even my new doctor..who is very very knowledgeable about PCOS didn't test Insulin.

lots_of_dots · 02-07-2004, 02:35 AM

Hmmm, I find that strange. I've only had my glucose tested once and that was a fasting glucose but I've had my insulin tested quite a few times. If I were you, I would ask your dr to run a fasting insulin test. My dr says anything over 15 is high but I've read as low as 10 is considered high. Mine is much higher than 15...yikes!!

Japan · 02-07-2004, 07:11 PM

You need to have your fasting insulin tested to find out if you are IR. The GTT will not necessarily show it b/c your body produces more and more insulin to keep your blood sugar w/in normal ranges. I'm surprised your doctor doesn't know this.
Any test result over 10 indicates slightly raised levels, anything over 13 (I believe) indicates IR.

nhacker · 02-09-2004, 03:41 PM

japan congrats on the pregnancy. did the met help your hair issues if you had any? i am going thru dx right now. the doc is sure i am ir and have pcos, but i just had the blood work and u/s today. i am so glad i read this. i did the fasting glucose test today and after i left the dr i was wondering why they did not have me drink that sugary orange stuff. now i know why. thanks

nicole

me 36
dh 36
two boys 7yrs and 11 months
dx in the process

Japan · 02-09-2004, 07:38 PM

Thanks, Nicole.

I have come a really long way in just one year. Went from undiagnosed, miserable, physically and emotional wreck to functioning brain, physically and emotionally healthy, back to ovulating and pregnant (which I never in my wildest dreams dared to think would happen). It was hard work, well, and the Met... Have to say though, while Met helped me in a lot of aspects, it didn't help with the unwanted hair. But that's not really what it's known or made for, either. There's other medication to help you with that, such as spiro.

Hope you'll get your results soon and can start treatment too. It made a world of difference to me!

nhacker · 02-09-2004, 08:58 PM

how much weight did you lose?besides getting af back and losing the hair. my main issue is the weight! since i have had parker, who will be a year in 3 weeks. i have had an awful time losing the weight and i breastfeed for 8 months. i don't think i feel bad, but if i start taking met i may find out that i didn't feel as good as i thought.

nicole

Japan · 02-09-2004, 09:10 PM

I had to lose about 55 pounds, and 35 were gone in about ten months on Metformin and the IR Diet, which I can only highly recommend. Since I was IR, I was eating too many carbs, and that was preventing from losing any weight. Once I changed that and added exercise to speed up my lazy metabolism, the weight slowly but steadily started dropping.

Why would you not feel as good on Met? Not everyone has problems taking it - I never did. You start on a lose dose and work your way up. Always take it with food (at least initially, I didn't have to anymore after a while) and stay away from greasy foods. There are more tips on that in the sticky at the top of the forum. I was scared too to start it initially, but, man! It made such a difference. My whole life turned around, and it was so worth it. I can't wait to go back on it after I have the baby.

ETA: Isn't it so much better to be a stay-at-home mom than fight your way through corporate life?

No more stress, lol. (NOT!)

nhacker · 02-10-2004, 10:26 AM

i am not scared to take met. i want to take it. what i was saying is i think i feel pretty good right now, but i may find out that met will make me feel even better. i do not miss the stress of my job. i thought i would go crazy being home, but that is not the case at all. i really enjoy being home and i see a real difference in my marriage and in my 7 year old. we have 68 acres and my husband moved his office to our property so he is just a stones throw away. i would not mind finding a job i could do from home to make some mad money though.
thanks for you replys. once i get my results back and if and when i start taking met i may need your advice again.
nicole

Japan · 02-10-2004, 11:02 AM

Oh, okay, sorry, I must have read that wrong.

I love staying at home too and only miss my corporate job every now and then. But I guess all I really ever wanted to be was a mom.

I hope you'll get your results soon. Feel free to post or pm me with questions. Take care! (I'm off to bed, yawn...)

And Beth, sorry for hogging your thread. But I do hope you'll get your insulin tested so you'll find out for sure. Meanwhile, here is a list of typical IR symptoms that I thought might help. I copied them from my copy of "The Insulin Resistance Diet" by Cheryle Hart & Mary Kay Grossman. They call these 'health conditions' instead of symptoms, and some of them are not really scientific, but I think it gives you a good idea of what to look for if you suspect you may be IR. Also keep in mind, not everyone has every symptom.

* A family history of diabetes, overweight problems, abnormal cholesterol or triglycerides, heart desease or stroke

* Frequent cravings for sweet or salty, crunchy snack food

*The need to eat often or eat excessive amounts of food

* A difficult time losing weight even if you exercise or cut back on your food intake

* A problem with weight gain even when eating small portions

* Weight gain mostly around your waist

* Skin tags on your neck, chest, breasts, groin area, or underarms

* A history of irregular menstrual cycles, especially skipping months

* A history of PCOS

* High triglyceride levels

* Low HDL (the "good" type of cholesterol) levels, that is, lower than 35 mg/dl

* High LDL (the "bad" type of cholesterol) levels, that is, higher than 130mg/dl

*High or borderline high blood pressure - even during pregnancy

* The feeling that you are addicted to carbohydrates

* The feeling that you have no willpower when it comes to dieting

* Jitteriness, difficulty thinking, headaches, or nausea that goes away when you eat

* Hypoglycemia

* Afternoon fatigue

* Type II diabetes, borderline diabetes, or abnormal glucose tolerance tests - even just during pregnancy

* High uric acid or gout

* History of having blood clots in your legs, lungs, or brain

* A doctor telling you that you need to eat less in order to lose weight, yet those close to you are amazed at how little you actually eat

* The belief that you are at least 30 pounds overweight

* A Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher (and my book has a chart to figure out your BMI, but there are also websites to do this online)

* Native-American, Asian, African-American, or Hispanic ancestry

Anyway, if you checked a lot of symptoms on that list, you may want to get your insulin tested as well, while you're at it.

indian_beauty · 02-11-2004, 01:53 AM

HI Beth..your fasting glucose is ok but in IR people the fasting glucose is mostly normal but the fasting INSULIN is high....anything above 10 is not normal...10-13 is slightly elevated and above 13 is high...mine is just borderline at 13 and so I'm on 1500mg metformin since dec31st 2003...i got my first af and a 25 day cycle in jan with some 15 days on met.....amazing......i'd get the doc to test for fasting INSULIN.....then depending on the values u could determine if u r IR or not....

all the best