Insulin Resistance, and Why Met Helps - Page 2

tami78 · 07-13-2003, 07:52 PM

I read your message and felt so releived! I was recently put on met and haven't noticed any results. So I was worried, but now I know I just have to be patient. I began the diet plan Herbal Life approx 2months ago and have lost 15 lbs. I feel better and I am hoping that once My body is used to met, I can see some more improvements. Thanks for the encouragement.
Tami

mconl606 · 09-14-2003, 03:13 AM

I am going to talk to my doctor about being switched from avandia to met. Avandia doesnt seem to help me much. I want to lose weight and get healthy so bad it kills me. I am to the point that getting healthy is more important to me right now than TTC. I just dont know where to begin. I have been diagnosed with PCOS since I was 17. I was told I was IR in 2001. I want to get things happening with my diet. I just need some advice. Can you guys help me?

KYBluegrass · 09-14-2003, 11:28 PM

I have read that some patients have trouble with Avandia either causing weight gain, or giving them a hard time losing. I'm really not sure what the difference is with the drugs, but all I can tell you is that I have been on met now for 19 months, and I really believe it has helped me feel better...even before I lost a lot of weight. The trick to all of this, in my experience and that of other cysters has been that you must make the lifestyle change as well as taking the drug to see the best results you can. Eating a diet that is lower in carbs definitely makes a difference. If you feel that the avandia isn't helping much, perhaps try glucophage or met, and see if you don't have better results. For some, it does seem to make a difference!

serenitycouragewisdom · 11-16-2003, 05:29 PM

Wow, that really helped. I have never understood it that well before!

I was on the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet and I felt so good and lost weight, but I fell off the wagon. I liked it because you didn't have to cut out carbs completely.

I am so glad I found this message board.

Pamela

tigir · 12-03-2003, 12:44 AM

I had my first Endo appointment today and my doctor prescribed Metformin to me. I don't know if this will help or not, but the way she explained for me to take it is like this.....

First week: take one pill with dinner
Second week: take one with breakfast, one with dinner
third: take one at breakfast, two with dinner
fourth: take two at breakfast, two with dinner

She said that starting out slow like this will reduce the severity of the side effects or eliminate them. I haven't started on it yet, but it sounds like a lot of people are having good success with it! I hope that I am so fortunate.

kokopellielmo · 12-06-2003, 10:13 PM

I have been taking Met for a few weeks - and I have read all about the side affects..... but I had no idea it would be this tough!!

Since I have been on Met (1500mg daily) I have been really dizzy, I get a blurry vision in one eye, and serious fatigue.

How long will this last? Is if better for me to go back to my dr to decrease my dosage?

Also - is it normal to crave bread and high carbs? I find that is really the only thing that stops me feeling sick if I take my tablets with a carb meal???

leecain317 · 12-09-2003, 02:03 AM

I am new to the Metformin and my doctor feels very positive that this will be a good move for me. I have been disgnose with PCOS over 10 years ago and the weight has been gradually creeping up on me. I am not too heavy; 170 and 5'6". I could stand to lose, though.
I am curious about the upset stomach. How long do these side effects generally last? I just feel rotten but I want to give Met a good chance before I quit. I keep telling myself I can handle the nausea but how much longer??
Please advise!

Lee

KYBluegrass · 12-09-2003, 08:02 PM

The side effects do pass eventually....there are a few things I have found that really set my tummy to gurgling. Many other cysters will tell you this too....Iceberg lettuce is evil. Just a small salad with iceberg, and where is the nearest potty??? The best thing I can suggest is keep on eating things lower in carbs and avoid really greasy stuff for a while. For me, the nausea lasted a short time, and my dh said I looked a little haggard for a while until my body got adjusted. I don't think you mentioned how much you were taking or how long ago you started, but build your dose up gradually to your final dose, and don't feel like you need to rush that process. You move up when your body can handle it. If the nausea does continue for a long period of time ( like months), I would talk with your doc, because you could be having a reaction to the fillers and binders in the drug, and you may need to try another one. I wish you success on met, and come here anytime you need help...that's why we're all here!

missmelanie23 · 12-30-2003, 12:25 PM

I can't believe that i have been on met for close to a year now. I think its done good things for me, especially helping with the weight loss. I haven't been craving carbs or sweets all that much since my last post... but since i fell off the wagon about a month ago, the sweets craving has been creeping back.. cookies and things. Though I believe i do have it under control, keep my carb intake to minimal has been very hard. I'm one of them "if I don't like what i see, i won't try it" type. If i don't like the smell, i don't bother with it. And having a busy life (work, work and more work) I don't bother preparing my meals so I get the on the go frozen stuff or packaged noodles, just add water type lunches and dinners. which isn't all that good for me at all. heh.

Holidays are almost over, I think this is the hardest time of the year for me. Thing is to keep it under control... gym is another thing I will start again soon, as soon as my schedule dies down.

hmmm since i don't really bother preparing lunches, do you think v8 would help with my veggie intake?

AmericanWoman · 12-30-2003, 06:48 PM

V8 is good for veggies. I am sick of it...but I do try to get them in.

LaurieAnne83 · 01-21-2004, 04:59 AM

Actually.. insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes go hand and hand.. PCOS is not really completely different. Type 1 diabetes is always too little insulin..and IR/high insulin is always too much..but type 2 diabetes comes in different ways. In many cases of type 2 diabetes that come from genetics and overweight..is the same insulin resistance we have..thats why certain diabetic drugs work for us. HOwever many diabetic drugs would do opposite of good in us, but help certain other type 2 diabetics.. My mom for instance, takes actos, and has type 2 diabetes..and high insulin.. actos and avandia both help type 2 by making cells more sensitive to insulin. We are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.... because what first happens.. in our pre-diabetes..which is what IR is.. is that at first, to control glucose, our insulin gets higher to keep the glucose down..and higher and higher.. most of us are having bad effects from the high insulin, but since it's still keeping the glucose down we dont have diabetes yet or its effects.. unfortunately though, if we don't get treatment or lose weight.. and I think I'm heading down this road.. I couldn't tolerate met, and I haven't lost weight and my IR is getting worse

.. the insulin will gradually 'give up' and then the glucose will escalate.... IN fact thats probalby the most common type of type 2 diabetes..but many others just have low insulin, and many other things, and there are drugs to make insulin higher which would be very bad for us.

shades of grey · 02-21-2004, 03:20 PM

I just read this sticky and I saw this "In essence, someone who is insulin resistant is on the total opposite end of the spectrum than someone who is diabetic. In a diabetic, they either do not produce enough insulin on their own or none at all. For someone who is IR, they produce WAAAAYYY too much."

It depends on the type of diabetes you are talking about. Type I is an autoimmune form and they dont' make insulin. But Type II is caused by IR but there are advanced cases where they need to inject insulin b/c the body doens't produce it anymore. But from i understand, Type II is caused by IR and it's very much related.

Emmainlondon · 02-23-2004, 06:01 PM

Is anyone taking Metformin to help with Acne and excess hair?! If so, has it helped?

Thanks,

Emma

stormy42345 · 02-23-2004, 06:40 PM

Hi KY. First off just wanted to let you know that i am also from ky. I have just been told that i have PCOS. I was told last year that i had IR. Well at that time i was taking 500mg. per day. Well Now i have been told to take 2000mg. per day. I was told by others that was really high. I saw that you are taking that, and i was wondering how you do on 2,000 mg. Right now i am working up to it. Tomorrow i start 1,000 a day. I have heard that it can make you sick. Also wanted to say you done a great job on your weight loss. Which diet did you use? I need to loose 100 lbs. Are there any books that you or anyone recommends for someone who has just been told they have PCOS? Thanks so much for the help. I am from western ky. Regina

laurata · 03-11-2004, 02:04 AM

Okay, I hope I don't look like a newbie jackass here, but one of the things you wrote jumped out at me. Diabetics CAN be IR as well. My understanding is that diabetics (type 2, of course) either 1) do not produce enough insulin OR 2) do not produce enough EFFECTIVE insulin. There is a phase for most type 2 diabetics before their beta cells start dying when they still produce lots of insulin, but their bodies are't responding to it they way they ought to be, and the insulin levels just can no longer control their glucose. Thus, a diabetic could have an insulin level of, say, 24, and a fasting glucose level of 180.

07-13-2003, 07:52 PM	#16 (permalink)
tami78 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: utah Posts: 4 Points: 46.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 46.00 Donate	why met works I read your message and felt so releived! I was recently put on met and haven't noticed any results. So I was worried, but now I know I just have to be patient. I began the diet plan Herbal Life approx 2months ago and have lost 15 lbs. I feel better and I am hoping that once My body is used to met, I can see some more improvements. Thanks for the encouragement. Tami __________________ With Faith, nothing is impossible.

09-14-2003, 11:28 PM	#18 (permalink)
KYBluegrass IR Diet Maven Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle Tennessee Posts: 1,578 Points: 2,060.55 Bank: 3,121,660.14 Total Points: 3,123,720.69 Donate	mconl... I have read that some patients have trouble with Avandia either causing weight gain, or giving them a hard time losing. I'm really not sure what the difference is with the drugs, but all I can tell you is that I have been on met now for 19 months, and I really believe it has helped me feel better...even before I lost a lot of weight. The trick to all of this, in my experience and that of other cysters has been that you must make the lifestyle change as well as taking the drug to see the best results you can. Eating a diet that is lower in carbs definitely makes a difference. If you feel that the avandia isn't helping much, perhaps try glucophage or met, and see if you don't have better results. For some, it does seem to make a difference! __________________ Tracey To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. -Mommy to Ephraim, Born 9-24-06 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. -Moderator, Mommy Board

12-03-2003, 12:44 AM	#20 (permalink)
tigir Traditional Catholic Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 1,153 My Mood: Points: 5,428.08 Bank: 43,584.56 Total Points: 49,012.64 Donate	I had my first Endo appointment today and my doctor prescribed Metformin to me. I don't know if this will help or not, but the way she explained for me to take it is like this..... First week: take one pill with dinner Second week: take one with breakfast, one with dinner third: take one at breakfast, two with dinner fourth: take two at breakfast, two with dinner She said that starting out slow like this will reduce the severity of the side effects or eliminate them. I haven't started on it yet, but it sounds like a lot of people are having good success with it! I hope that I am so fortunate. __________________ Tam Me 33, Dh 31 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mother to 4 DD's Anna DeEtte - 4/5/95 Mackenzie Grace - 7/30/04 Edyn Alexandra - 8/3/05 Kathryn Nicole - 2/26/08 Dx w/Dermoid cyst in 1994 Dx w/PCOS 10/03

12-06-2003, 10:13 PM	#21 (permalink)
kokopellielmo KokopelliElmo Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: London Posts: 5 Points: 55.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 55.00 Donate	Can anyone help??? I have been taking Met for a few weeks - and I have read all about the side affects..... but I had no idea it would be this tough!! Since I have been on Met (1500mg daily) I have been really dizzy, I get a blurry vision in one eye, and serious fatigue. How long will this last? Is if better for me to go back to my dr to decrease my dosage? Also - is it normal to crave bread and high carbs? I find that is really the only thing that stops me feeling sick if I take my tablets with a carb meal???

12-09-2003, 02:03 AM	#22 (permalink)
leecain317 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Dallas Posts: 16 My Mood: Points: 746.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 746.00 Donate	Metformin Side Effects I am new to the Metformin and my doctor feels very positive that this will be a good move for me. I have been disgnose with PCOS over 10 years ago and the weight has been gradually creeping up on me. I am not too heavy; 170 and 5'6". I could stand to lose, though. I am curious about the upset stomach. How long do these side effects generally last? I just feel rotten but I want to give Met a good chance before I quit. I keep telling myself I can handle the nausea but how much longer?? Please advise! Lee __________________ [url= To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. src="http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wMN87re/weight.png" border="0" alt="" />

09-14-2003, 03:13 AM	#17 (permalink)
mconl606 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: ky Posts: 153 Points: 1,440.04 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 1,440.04 Donate	I am going to talk to my doctor about being switched from avandia to met. Avandia doesnt seem to help me much. I want to lose weight and get healthy so bad it kills me. I am to the point that getting healthy is more important to me right now than TTC. I just dont know where to begin. I have been diagnosed with PCOS since I was 17. I was told I was IR in 2001. I want to get things happening with my diet. I just need some advice. Can you guys help me?

12-09-2003, 08:02 PM	#23 (permalink)
KYBluegrass IR Diet Maven Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle Tennessee Posts: 1,578 Points: 2,060.55 Bank: 3,121,660.14 Total Points: 3,123,720.69 Donate	Lee The side effects do pass eventually....there are a few things I have found that really set my tummy to gurgling. Many other cysters will tell you this too....Iceberg lettuce is evil. Just a small salad with iceberg, and where is the nearest potty??? The best thing I can suggest is keep on eating things lower in carbs and avoid really greasy stuff for a while. For me, the nausea lasted a short time, and my dh said I looked a little haggard for a while until my body got adjusted. I don't think you mentioned how much you were taking or how long ago you started, but build your dose up gradually to your final dose, and don't feel like you need to rush that process. You move up when your body can handle it. If the nausea does continue for a long period of time ( like months), I would talk with your doc, because you could be having a reaction to the fillers and binders in the drug, and you may need to try another one. I wish you success on met, and come here anytime you need help...that's why we're all here! __________________ Tracey To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. -Mommy to Ephraim, Born 9-24-06 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. -Moderator, Mommy Board

12-30-2003, 12:25 PM	#24 (permalink)
missmelanie23 Ottawa Rainbow Cyster Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ottawa, ON Canada Posts: 222 My Mood: Points: 11,579.57 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 11,579.57 Donate	wow I can't believe that i have been on met for close to a year now. I think its done good things for me, especially helping with the weight loss. I haven't been craving carbs or sweets all that much since my last post... but since i fell off the wagon about a month ago, the sweets craving has been creeping back.. cookies and things. Though I believe i do have it under control, keep my carb intake to minimal has been very hard. I'm one of them "if I don't like what i see, i won't try it" type. If i don't like the smell, i don't bother with it. And having a busy life (work, work and more work) I don't bother preparing my meals so I get the on the go frozen stuff or packaged noodles, just add water type lunches and dinners. which isn't all that good for me at all. heh. Holidays are almost over, I think this is the hardest time of the year for me. Thing is to keep it under control... gym is another thing I will start again soon, as soon as my schedule dies down. hmmm since i don't really bother preparing lunches, do you think v8 would help with my veggie intake? __________________ *Mélanie* St-Colomban, Quebec - Canada Age 29, Diagnosed at age 14; [font="Trebuchet MS"]Medication: 100mg Aldactone 1500mg Metformin 8mg Conversyl 25mg Chlorthalidone 225mg Effexor (300mg was way too much - side effects were... not tolerable) NEWLY ADDED April 11th 08 Epival - as a mood stabilizer.

12-30-2003, 06:48 PM	#25 (permalink)
AmericanWoman S-a-s-s-y Cyster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: San Jose, CA USA Posts: 1,065 My Mood: Points: 24,283.85 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 24,283.85 Donate	Yup V8 is good for veggies. I am sick of it...but I do try to get them in. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. This is me.

01-21-2004, 04:59 AM	#26 (permalink)
LaurieAnne83 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Kentucky Posts: 262 Points: 3,660.10 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 3,660.10 Donate	Actually most type 2 diabetics started out with high insulin/IR too..we're at risk Actually.. insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes go hand and hand.. PCOS is not really completely different. Type 1 diabetes is always too little insulin..and IR/high insulin is always too much..but type 2 diabetes comes in different ways. In many cases of type 2 diabetes that come from genetics and overweight..is the same insulin resistance we have..thats why certain diabetic drugs work for us. HOwever many diabetic drugs would do opposite of good in us, but help certain other type 2 diabetics.. My mom for instance, takes actos, and has type 2 diabetes..and high insulin.. actos and avandia both help type 2 by making cells more sensitive to insulin. We are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.... because what first happens.. in our pre-diabetes..which is what IR is.. is that at first, to control glucose, our insulin gets higher to keep the glucose down..and higher and higher.. most of us are having bad effects from the high insulin, but since it's still keeping the glucose down we dont have diabetes yet or its effects.. unfortunately though, if we don't get treatment or lose weight.. and I think I'm heading down this road.. I couldn't tolerate met, and I haven't lost weight and my IR is getting worse .. the insulin will gradually 'give up' and then the glucose will escalate.... IN fact thats probalby the most common type of type 2 diabetes..but many others just have low insulin, and many other things, and there are drugs to make insulin higher which would be very bad for us.

02-21-2004, 03:20 PM	#27 (permalink)
shades of grey cysta! Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 1,527 Points: 31,811.45 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 31,811.45 Donate	I just read this sticky and I saw this "In essence, someone who is insulin resistant is on the total opposite end of the spectrum than someone who is diabetic. In a diabetic, they either do not produce enough insulin on their own or none at all. For someone who is IR, they produce WAAAAYYY too much." It depends on the type of diabetes you are talking about. Type I is an autoimmune form and they dont' make insulin. But Type II is caused by IR but there are advanced cases where they need to inject insulin b/c the body doens't produce it anymore. But from i understand, Type II is caused by IR and it's very much related. __________________ hi!

02-23-2004, 06:01 PM	#28 (permalink)
Emmainlondon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: I live in Singapore but I am English Posts: 13 Points: 135.83 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 135.83 Donate	Metformin Is anyone taking Metformin to help with Acne and excess hair?! If so, has it helped? Thanks, Emma

02-23-2004, 06:40 PM	#29 (permalink)
stormy42345 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Kentucky Posts: 15 Points: 314.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 314.00 Donate	Hi KY. First off just wanted to let you know that i am also from ky. I have just been told that i have PCOS. I was told last year that i had IR. Well at that time i was taking 500mg. per day. Well Now i have been told to take 2000mg. per day. I was told by others that was really high. I saw that you are taking that, and i was wondering how you do on 2,000 mg. Right now i am working up to it. Tomorrow i start 1,000 a day. I have heard that it can make you sick. Also wanted to say you done a great job on your weight loss. Which diet did you use? I need to loose 100 lbs. Are there any books that you or anyone recommends for someone who has just been told they have PCOS? Thanks so much for the help. I am from western ky. Regina __________________ regina 25 mother of 2 with a great husband!!!!

03-11-2004, 02:04 AM	#30 (permalink)
laurata Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 10 Points: 114.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 114.00 Donate	A comment on IR vs Type 2 Diabetes Okay, I hope I don't look like a newbie jackass here, but one of the things you wrote jumped out at me. Diabetics CAN be IR as well. My understanding is that diabetics (type 2, of course) either 1) do not produce enough insulin OR 2) do not produce enough EFFECTIVE insulin. There is a phase for most type 2 diabetics before their beta cells start dying when they still produce lots of insulin, but their bodies are't responding to it they way they ought to be, and the insulin levels just can no longer control their glucose. Thus, a diabetic could have an insulin level of, say, 24, and a fasting glucose level of 180. __________________ Laura, mama to two girls

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