Just been diagnosed....and scared

mingybelle · 12-26-2002, 05:50 PM

Hi everyone,

I don't normally post anything....I prefer more to "lurk" around the message boards picking up helpful information here and there.

Now is different. I have just received a call from my endocrinologist's office and have been told that I have Type II Diabetes and that they are going to put me on 500mg of Met 2 times a day. I just do not know what to expect. What's the difference between Met and Glucophage? Are there any side effects? What will happen after taking it a while? Will it help with the PCOS? (Have all the symptoms of PCOS, need to loose about 100lbs, LOTS of excess hair on the face, brown patches, losing the hair on my head, 1-2 periods a year, TTC and now Type II Diabetes....etc. You name it I have it!)

I know these are questions that have probably been asked by numerous people, but I'm a little nervous about taking it. Any information anyone could give me would be helpful?

Thank you.

~mingybelle

Brattyone · 01-03-2003, 02:55 PM

I'm not sure all of the side effects but I know diarrehea (sp?) is one of them. It is scarey but eat right and exercise and of course take your medicine.

I understand your fear I share it
I don't feel like myself and I'm sick of being overweight, I do lots of praying and it helps me

I think those 2 meds are the same med just different names?

My goal is to lose enough weight to get off medicine completely.

Good luck to you.

mingybelle · 01-06-2003, 04:36 PM

I have been doing some praying myself.

I have been on Met now since 12/30/02 and I have noticed a few things since taking it. Like blurred vision. I wonder if that's normal. I mean, I wear glasses anyway but now they aren't even helping and this has just been since I started taking Met. It's awful! I can't read anything. I have also noticed to that I am not thirsty as much anymore. Before I started taking Met I drank water like crazy! (Like at least 100-150 oz a day) Now I am lucky to get down a glass. Do you take Met? And if you do have you had any of these side effects?

Thanks!

~mingybelle

DianaG · 01-10-2003, 12:29 AM

Mingybelle,
Metformin and glucophage are the same medication. Met is the generic form gluc is the brand name.

About your blurred vision and thirst questions. I think you should schedule an appointment with your eye doctor because diabetes affects your vision. My prescription changed slightly a few months after I was diagnosed. It could just be coincidence that it started the same time as the met. High blood sugar causes nerve damage in the eyes. If you didn't know you had moved into the type II diabetes category your sugars might have been a little high for awhile.

Excessive thirst is also a sign of high blood sugar. Now that you are on met, your blood sugars are lower so your not as thirsty as you used to be. I was constantly thirsty before being diagnosed. Once I was on medication the constant dry mouth and need for water abated and I now drink less water a day, but still plenty because we need water.

About the meds side effects:

I am on glucophage XR and I lost 34lbs the first few months on it, now I am on a plateau. I also took about 2 weeks to get used to it. At first I had some gas, and diarrhea occasionally, sorry if TMI.

Has your doctor scheduled you with a dietician yet? Like Brattyone said a good meal plan and exercise program will help immensely and you may not need medication down the road.

Best Wishes,
Diana

mingybelle · 01-10-2003, 05:12 PM

Thank you for all the info! I do have an appointment with a diabetic nutritionist on January 17. I've sort of been following the "Diabetic Diet" on my own, but I have started to wonder if maybe something like Atkins would work better. I hate having to measure every little bite I put into my mouth. I think maybe Atkins would be a little less inconvienent than the Diabetic Diet.

I have been on Met for 11 days and have lost 10 lbs Now if I could just get motivated to exercies!

I could probably lose more. Overall, I have to say I am pleased with Met. I really haven't had any "bad" symptoms. Nothing too terrible anyway.

I'm not sure about the blurred vision. But I plan to make an eye doctors appointment for some time in the very near future.

Thank you, Diana for taking the time to reply!

~mingybelle

DianaG · 01-10-2003, 05:55 PM

Your welcome,

Keep us posted on your visit with the endo and congrats on the 10lbs!

Allison · 01-26-2003, 10:16 PM

I too, have PCOS and Type 2. I have had great success with Atkins. I started on July 22, and have lost 49 lbs. as of January 25th. I was on 2000-mg of Glucophage per day, and was able to totally stop it by the 6th day of induction (induction is the initial 2-week period of starting Atkins). You can visit www.atkinscenter.com or www.atkinsfriends.com for more information.

DianaG · 01-27-2003, 06:24 PM

Allison,
Congratulations on losing 49lbs!!
Best Wishes,
Diana

squidge63 · 03-11-2003, 03:15 PM

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1999, i didnt realise that it was linked to pcos (which was diagnosed 21 yrs ago), until i found an artcile about it shortly before i was diagnosed. I had increased thirst and major weightloss but put it down the the exercise i was doing, as i have always had problems losing weight. Anyway, i only found out when i was admitted to hospital after an episode of severe chest pain.. going for yet another test i had my notes with me, so being nosey (and a nurse) i looked in my notes and saw that my blood glucose level wasnt normal... and while i was in hospital i gradually used to get drowsier, so my sugar levels were done and i was sent for a GTT. Happily i only had the fist blood sample taken and they tested my urine and came back and said we dont have to carry on with the test, the urine dipstick alone went off the scale.... i was diet controlled for 6 months and then put on Metformin (or glucophage whichever u prefer)...
However, i dont tolerate the met very well, and spent about 3 months on and off having diarrhea.. I was on 2G a day so this was reduced but my sugars went on an upward spiral, so yet another visit to the dr's reduced again but Gliclazide added.. anyway to cut a long story short I am back on 2G a day and 160mg Gliclazide a day along with cardiac medication, and spironolactone which has lessened some of the hair on my legs, but not on my face arms and chest.

It is scary when you are first diagnosed as diabetic, but as long as you follow a sensible diet, monitor your sugar levels and exercise you can live a normal life.. i am a fine one to talk as i am not the worlds greatest diabetic, and having nursed people who have had the complications of diabetes you would think i would know better, i have good days and bad days, altho some months the bad days are more than the good.

i apologise for the long epic there...lol

cystermoon · 03-11-2003, 05:17 PM

A brief mention about the blurry vision. I had an eye exam just before I was dxed with my diabetes and I had to go back 6 months after being on the met to have my perscription changed slightly because--and this is what my dr said--your vision has a tendancy to get "better" when your blood sugar is high. It is a false sense of improvement. Once you are on your meds, the true vision returns. I thought it was pretty strange since my vision hadn't gotten better in a decade and then suddenly "improved".

squidge63 · 03-11-2003, 08:56 PM

I get blurred vision when my sugars go awry, especially when they go high...